Yomitan Monogatari

Okinawa
Yomitan Monogatari is one of the best restaurants in Okinawa for traditional Okinawan food in a classy setting. Everything here is delicious, including their cocktails! It's a must visit when in Okinawa
The entrance to this izakaya is so mysterious
Last weekend our friends Laura and Jill were visiting from Australia. They were kind enough to pay us a visit in Okinawa at the end of their Japan trip! Now that we have a wonderful babysitter, we could take the girls out for some dinner and drinks. I originally wanted to take them to Sakae Ryoriten for a taste of some Okinawan food and drinks, but it was fully booked. After some quick thinking, I remembered my lovely blogging buddy Katie had recommended Yomitan Monogatari so I decided to give it a try.

I'm going to make the call and say that Yomitan Monogatari is now my favourite out of the two and it if definitely a great place to take guests if you want to impress them with some quality Okinawan food in a really lovely setting. The only thing that doesn't really work to it's advantage is that it's not very child friendly, whereas Sakae Ryoriten you can definitely do with kids.

The drinks here are wonderful! We started with some of their awamori cocktails. We all chose a different one and all were delicious! All the drinks came in really lovely hand-blown glassware or pottery, which we couldn't stop raving about. 

Food-wise, we loved everything. The menu seemed to have quite a few vegetarian-friendly options, and it was all delicious. Again, all the food was served on Okinawan pottery, which was a lovely touch.

The only issue we had that night was when we got the restaurant to call for a daiko to take us home. First, I should explain the awesomeness of a daiko service. A daiko is like a taxi service, but you use it when you have driven to your destination and want to get yourself and your car home. A taxi with two drivers comes and meets you, and one of the drivers drives your car and you home, while the taxi follows to pick up the driver. It is also cheaper than a taxi! I love this service!

Anyway, back to our almost dilemma. The restaurant called for a Daiko and came back to tell us that there were none available, nor taxis because of some event happening in Kadena. I was furiously searching for bus time tables, or the walking distance (a few hours), when eventually the waiter came back to tell us that there was one coming for us! Phew! One of the downfalls of Okinawa, is the fact that everything is far away and there is no reliable public transport....

I will definitely be going back to Yomitan Monogatari when we have another child-free night. It was fantastic. You can find a map and phone number here. It's not the easiest place to find as it's in a nondescript residential street in Yomitan, but it's worth the search.

child-free dinner!

Umi budo or sea grapes.

Green papaya and tofu salad with a tofu "cheese" sauce

This Somen noodle sidh with Perilla cream sauce from Monogatari in Yomitan is to die for. So tasty!
Somen with creamy perilla sauce and more umi budo
Some sort of tasty spring roll

Karaage - fried chicken

More tofu
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Yomitan Monogatari is one of the best restaurants in Okinawa for traditional Okinawan food in a classy setting. Everything here is delicious, including their cocktails! It's a must visit when in Okinawa

Life lately - June

beach
Once again another month seems to have flown by and here I am writing the monthly update. I'm so happy that the weather has warmed up and we've managed to get to the beach at least once every weekend. This is what makes me happy and reminds me of what Okinawa has to offer.

Last week we managed to make it to the beach after work twice, which was awesome. We have all our beach stuff ready to go in the car and head straight to the beach after work, stopping off at a convenience store on the way to get some food for dinner. Dinner on the beach and a swim in the ocean really improves a work week.

Nabee Beach in Onna, is a great free beach to have a swim at both low or high tide in Okinawa.
After work swims at Nabee Beach
I've also recently been trying to make some progress with G and his swimming. He's been doing lessons here for about 6 months now, but I feel like he barely made any progress at all with them. Because of this, I decided to take things into my own hands, and the fact that it's now swimming weather here really helps because we can practice all the time.

Lots of swimming practice lately trying to teach this guy how to swim

Derpy pets
Little G is in love with his instruments at the moment
Another awesome thing about June is that we've finally found ourselves a great babysitter, who we've now used twice and both times has gone really well. It meant that we got our first real date night in ages a couple of weeks ago, and then we got to have a night out last weekend with our visitors as well. I really think this is going to be awesome if the arrangement continues. We have a very well behaved child who we are lucky enough to get to take out to restaurants often, but there is just something so luxurious to be able to go out to dinner, and not worry about how much food is being spilled all over the place by a child!

Maruki Pizza in Yomitan is probably one of the best Italian places on the Island. Wood fired oven and fresh made pasta! Yum!
Maruki Pizza is my new favourite restaurant
Early in the month I went to Tokyo for work, just for 24 hours, but it was so nice to be able to use the chance to catch up with by Japanese besties who I met when I was working for NOVA almost 10 years ago. I also had an amazing traditional lunch at a fancy hotel restaurant which was incredibly delicious (see photo below).

Traditional Teishoku lunch at the Prince hotel in Shinagawa, Shimizu restaurant. Lunch menus are a cheaper way to try high class restaurants at a lower price in Tokyo
Amazing lunch in Tokyo a few weeks ago

Peonies are so beautiful
I'm obsessed with peonies at the moment

Tide pools at Maeda beach during low tide are a great way to sample the sea life if you are too anxious to try snorkelling
Tide pools at Maeda Beach
Lastly, we've had visitors from Melbourne this past weekend, and although the weather hasn't been great, we managed to make the most of the brief sunlight yesterday (Sunday) morning and do some snorkelling at Maeda Beach before 100 yen sushi lunch! Basically the best of Okinawa.

Next week we're off to Korea for 5 days for my birthday and to visit my brother and sister-in-law. We'll be spending a couple of days in Seoul before heading down to Busan and Gimhae (where my borther lives) to hang out! I can't wait! If you've got any tips for child friendly Korea, please let me know in the comments!

Beautiful Maeda Beach in Okinawa mainland is a great place for both swimming and snorkelling straight off the beach
Maeda Beach

Someone has learnt to write his name! I love that he uses a squiggly G

Visitors from home and delicious food at Monogatari
Nabee Beach in Onna, Okinawa is a free beach with great facilities and clear water. Perfect for families
Nabee Beach swims - how beautiful is the place??
Hydrangeas


Good Day Coffee - Sunabe

Cafe
Good Day Coffee in Sunabe is an Australian Style Cafe with a delicious menu and open from 6am-3pm everyday except Monday

Recently I found out that there was an "Australian style" cafe down in the Sunabe area, and to top it off, it actually opens before 9am (which if you have kids, you know is important!). So we have now been to Good Day Coffee a couple of times and it's really lovely.

We got to talking to the two guys that run the place, and they actually met in my hometown on the Gold Coast (Coolangatta) in Australia, when they were on a working holiday. It was so cool, and reminds you what a small world it is!

Good Day Coffee in Sunabe has a cute interior with delicious coffee and food


Such a cute interior
The menu is small, but everything on it is delicious. The French toast, in particular is amazing! I'm not a sweet breakfast person and I could eat plate after plate of this! They also do one of my favourite things, and such a typical Australian cafe menu item, avocado on toast with feta cheese!

Their coffee is brewed in Byron Bay, which also has family ties to me, and they make a great latte!
They also sell Tasmanian honey, tote bags and some other little bits and pieces that are pretty cute.

This place is definitely my new favourite cafe in Okinawa, and I think we will find ourselves there often of a weekend.
The Menu at Good Day Coffee in Sunabe is limited but everything on it is delicious
The breakfast menu is limited but delicious!

It's hard to find a good coffee in Okinawa, but the latte at Good Day Coffee is delicious
Latte

Avocado on toast is a typical Aussie cafe menu item, available at Good Day Coffee in Okinawa
Avocado on toast with Feta

Good day breaky

Cappucino
Good Day Coffee
Open 6am-3pm
Closed Monday

You can find directions to the cafe on their Facebook Page

Yohena Ajisai (Hydrangea) Garden

Okinawa

Okinawa, and Japan in general seems to be full of different flower festivals and events, the most famous being the sakura (cherry blossoms) in Spring, however the rainy season brings out another of my favourite flowers all over Japan.... Ajisai (hydrangea).

I first fell in love with the hydrangeas in Japan when I was visiting Kamakura, a short day-trip from Tokyo. They were blooming all around the temples and people were out in force to check them out. When I arrived in Okinawa, I head about the famous Yohena Ajisai (Hydrangea) Garden in northern Okinawa and knew I needed to get there. For some reason I didn't get there last year, but was determined to make it this year!

Yohena Ajisai (hydrangea) Garden is just past Nago on route 84 and was created by a now 99 year old woman. It has been cultivated for the past 40 years, before which it was a tangerine field. The garden first opened to the public in 2001, and contains over 10,000 hydrangea plants. It is looked after by the old woman and her family.

The gardens contain narrow paths that zig-zag through the bushes and up and down the mountain. There are hydrangeas as far as the eye can see, as well as many a friendly bee buzzing around. My 4 year old was a bit afraid of walking near the bees, but once we explained that the bees were just enjoying their time collecting pollen to make honey, he seemed satisfied to walk around with us.

The gardens are open from Mid-May to the end of June every year, so there is still 2 weekends left to get up there and check them out this year!

Entrance fee is 400 yen per adult and 200 yen per child and they have a small cafe on site if you want a snack after exploring around.

Directions to the Gardens can be found here




Yohena Ajisai (Hydrangea) garden contains over 10,000 hydrangea plants as far as the eye can see. It is easily accessible from route 84 not far past Pineapple Park.


There were some other flowers other than just hydrangeas!



Family selfie

Paths zig-zag through the hydrangeas at Yohena Ajisai Garden in Okinawa. This beautiful garden was created by a now 99 year old woman and is open from mid-May to the end of June every year.

Yohena Ajisai (Hydrangea) garden contains over 10,000 hydrangea plants as far as the eye can see. It is easily accessible from route 84 not far past Pineapple Park.




Paths zig-zag through the hydrangeas at Yohena Ajisai Garden in Okinawa. This beautiful garden was created by a now 99 year old woman and is open from mid-May to the end of June every year.

Paths zig-zag through the hydrangeas at Yohena Ajisai Garden in Okinawa. This beautiful garden was created by a now 99 year old woman and is open from mid-May to the end of June every year.

Paths zig-zag through the hydrangeas at Yohena Ajisai Garden in Okinawa. This beautiful garden was created by a now 99 year old woman and is open from mid-May to the end of June every year.

There's a small cafe on site selling much needed shaved ice for the hot and humid Okinawa summer

Paths zig-zag through the hydrangeas at Yohena Ajisai Garden in Okinawa. This beautiful garden was created by a now 99 year old woman and is open from mid-May to the end of June every year.

Bees collecting Pollen at Yohena Ajisai Garden in Okinawa
Some of the (many) bees collecting pollen throughout the garden

Yohena Ajisai (Hydrangea) garden contains over 10,000 hydrangea plants as far as the eye can see. It is easily accessible from route 84 not far past Pineapple Park.

Paths zig-zag through the hydrangeas at Yohena Ajisai Garden in Okinawa. This beautiful garden was created by a now 99 year old woman and is open from mid-May to the end of June every year.

Yohena Ajisai (Hydrangea) garden contains over 10,000 hydrangea plants as far as the eye can see. It is easily accessible from route 84 not far past Pineapple Park.

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Yohena Ajisai (Hydrangea) garden contains over 10,000 hydrangea plants as far as the eye can see. It is easily accessible from route 84 not far past Pineapple Park.