The Best 10 Ramen Shops You Must Eat in Okinawa

Ramen in Okinawa is made to accommodate the ingredients found in Okinawa. However, you will find that they come in seasonings you may recognize from all over Japan. These include your traditional pork stock, the more modern Tsukemen (dipped noodles), Kyoto style, Hakata style and many others. Today we will introduce our top 10 recommendation for ramen in Okinawa!

1. Motonari’s Men ya Gu

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Tonkotsu, is a broth made of pork, miso, sake, and vegetables. It is popular nationwide but is traditionally from Kagoshima. This is the thick broth for which “Motonari’s Men ya Gu” or “Motonari’s Noodles and Friends” is known.

“Motonari’s Men ya Gu” is the 2nd of a series of 5 ramen shops. The first being “Men ya Gu” in Urasoe City. All 5 ramen shops have taste varieties for you to enjoy. At “Motonari’s Men ya Gu” in Mekaru you can enjoy tonkotsu flavored ramen and tsukemen. You will enjoy their generous portion of pork.

Here, you are able to choose your desired firmness of noodle. For “Motonari Ramen”, 10 seconds is “stiff” and 2 minutes is “super soft”. In addition, with their thicker soup ”Rich Motonari” 1 1/2 minutes is“stiff ” and 3 minutes is “soft ”.

During the week, if you visit between 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. the lunch sets are the way to go. To the generous portions of ramen you can add, for just 100 yen, a side such as “egg and rice”, “3 dumpling and rice”, and “pork on rice”. Their lunch time is over 5 hours long so please do visit and enjoy!

2. Sanchiku Noodle Factory

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Tsukemen is a method of eating noodles. Instead of the noodles coming in a broth, they come separate. This allows you to enjoy fresh noodles with each dip and your noodles will not become soggy. This is what “Sanchiku Noodle Factory” or “Sanchiku Seimenjyo” is known for!

The mother shop of “Sanchiku Seimenjyo”, “Sanchikujyu”, was begun after its owner’s apprenticeship in Tokyo. He returned to Okinawa wishing to spread the amazing concept of dipping ones noodles.

The noodles here are dipped in a broth made of both pork and fish. If the broth is too thick for you, you are able to add a lighter broth to get the flavor your desire. You can also use rice with your left over broth to enjoy it in a whole other way. The noodles are also specially made from the whole grains of Okinawa. The taste is only possible because the noodles are prepared fresh each morning. Come enjoy dipping your Okinawan ramen!

→The Best 10 Ramen Shops You Must Eat in Tokyo

3. Ryukyu Shinmen Tondo

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At “Ryukyu Shinmen Tondo”, ramen is available in “men’s flavor” and “women’s flavor”. The basic flavor is that of Hakata, a different part of Japan. Naturally, the “men’s flavor” is richer and pork based while the “women’s flavor” is a lighter and chicken based. The “man’s flavor” also comes in a “spicy miso” variety or a “dark garlic” variety.

“Tondo” was a bustling port town. Wishing for their ramen shop to also gain notoriety and become this way it was named is “Tondo”. Well suited to the name, it now gathers people from across Japan. Why not come here? The taste is worthy of gathering people from around the world!

→The 10 Best Ramen Shops You Must Eat in Kyushu, Japan

4. Tsukemen Jinbei

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“Tsukemen Jinbei” is so well known throughout Okinawa that it seems there is no one who does not know of it. The basic menu is “Rich Fish and Pork Tsukemen” and attention is given closely to both the broth and the noodles.

The noodles are special in that they are made with Japanese wheat ground in a millstone. The noodles are particularly thick and take around 10 minutes to cook. This makes each bite extra fulfilling and allows you to taste the original wheat that is absolutely delicious.

The broth is boiled for several days using ingredients mainly from Okinawa. The thick broth and noodles work together wonderfully. The shop is only open till 4 p.m. and it may close earlier due to popularity. We recommend you visit this shop early before it closes!

5. Menya Waraku

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The couple who owns this shop is from Kyoto. It is the simple Chinese style noodles that make “Menya Waraku” popular. The interior of the shop is made of textured wood. The atmosphere is an extremely comfortable one that will make you want to remain a longtime. In addition, the atmosphere is not too overwhelming and women will feel free to enter it even alone.

Here, the fatty broth is chicken and shoyu-based and is topped with the traditional green onion, bamboo shoots, and pork. The hidden taste is a pinch of cayenne pepper powder that allows the taste to linger.

Although Chinese noodles is central on the menu, delicious shrimp side are also popular. Green onion from Kyoto or bologna can also be added for just 50 yen. Because the toppings are at such a reasonable price, you will feel free to design you own ramen! When you leave the shop they will be sure to send you out with a energetic “Ookini~!”.

→The Best 10 Ramen Shops You Must Eat in Kyoto

 
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6. Meat Masusoba Masami

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This shop has a lovely exterior that you would not imagine to be a ramen shop. However, one step inside and you find the best Shio (salt) ramen.

The broth is well put together with not only chicken and fish but also other vegetables. This is then salted with white shoyu (soysauce) and salt from a nearby island. The middle sized noodles are perfect with this clear broth. You can also choose from “light”, “medium”, and “rich” broth. The juicy pork and other toppings available are also wonderful.

The ramen comes in sizes “regular” and “small”. However, the dishes are deeper than they appear allowing you to enjoy quite large portions of Shio ramen!

7. Stripe Noodles

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Here, an originally Okinawan Ramen is pursued. The shops interior is quite modern and like a café. What you must try here is the “steak ramen”. The broth is a beef and chicken based but it also includes different types of fish and konbu. This broth is enhanced with Shoyu and fatty beef.

The steak itself cooked to each order and can be chosen in M・L・XL sizes. You may adjust you steaks flavor with the wasabi shoyu available.

Along with the “steak ramen” there is also a “tomato veggie soba” that is popular with women. Its broth is chicken based and is enhanced with tomato puree, cabbage, and broccoli. The side menu and drink menu are also well done so be sure to check them out as well.

8. Winds and Clouds

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The old, Japanese styled, tile roof is very noticeable. This shop is known for its specialty pork broth. Though is it rich, it is not too “porky” and is quiet enjoyable. This shop is especially popular with women.

The noodles are thin ones transported from Fukuoka and they can be ordered in “super hard”, “hard”, “normal”, and “soft”. You are also able to add noodles to your broth. Because the noodles are thin, the time it takes to receive your noodles is also very short.

The side menu here is also abundant and the “bite-sized dumpling” and “roe rice” are especially popular. There are also pickled mustard greens from Kagoshima. Here, you can fully experience the Fukuoka flavor. However, there are only 100 servings of ramen a day so get here before they run out!

→The Best 10 Ramen Shops You Must Eat in Fukuoka

9. Home-made Noodles Touryumon

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The broth here is made from Miyazaki chicken and several types of vegetable. You can tell it has been tried and tried again to best match the noodles. The sesame paste is also carefully homemade. You can also choose to have noodles without broth.

In addition, here you can find “Scallop Shio ramen” and “Original Chinese soba”. However the best must be the sesame chili ramen! The combination of ingredients is one that explodes in your mouth with just one bite.

The spice is not too much, so if you like your ramen spicier, you are welcome to add the spice made available! You can have as much noodles as you like so be sure to eat your fill!

→The 10 Best Places to Eat in Naha, Okinawa

10. Menya Daruma

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Here, you can enjoy ramen from Yokohama. The broth is pork-shoyu based and the noodles are thick. The broth is simmered for a long time to perfection. The fish stock is from Hokkaido and the konbu stock is from Nikko. The noodles are again a perfect match.

You are able to choose the noodle texture, amount of fat, and the strength of taste. We recommend their specialty the “Special Daruma Ramen” with three slices of meat, 6 sheets of nori, and a soft-boiled egg. The pork here has a special taste. Once you taste this ramen you will become a repeater!

→The 10 Best Ramen Shops You Must Eat in Yokohama, Japan

So Come! Have delicious ramen in Okinawa!

What do you think of the variety available in Okinawa? Of course you want to try them all but may not possibly do so. However, we can promise that at any of these places a dish awaits that you will not regret.