Journeys in photographs and words.

Places we stopped along the way

Motobu, Okinawa

Okinawa Soba Mori no Ie

From: Early cherry blossoms and an Okinawan winter

Okinawa soba topped with pork, boiled egg and green onions
Okinawa soba topped with pork, boiled egg and green onions

An Okinawa soba restaurant hidden among the trees beside the mountain road up Mt. Yaedake. The grounds are spacious, with terrace seating, and the shop is known for its light bonito-stock soup. This time I had Okinawa soba topped with pork, a boiled egg and green onions on the terrace. Shisa statues stand at the entrance, and inside are an aquarium and paintings of flowers.

743-3 Izumi, Motobu, Kunigami District, Okinawa

Sources: hamoni.jp

This moment in the journey

Okinawa soba on a terrace in January

By the mountain road, a sign: Okinawa Soba Mori no Ie. Following the arrow, I went into a restaurant hidden among the trees.

The Okinawa soba brought to my terrace table came with pork, a boiled egg and plenty of green onions. Steam rose as I lifted the thick noodles. Noodles on a terrace in January: haru deemun, because it's spring.

Alongside it, a bottle of Orion's non-alcoholic beer. With a small dish of vegetables, I ate slowly under the dappled light. Inside were an aquarium and paintings of flowers, with rattan chairs in rows. Shisa statues guarded the entrance of this restaurant in the woods.

Watch this scene on YouTube1:55

Read this scene in the full journey

The Okinawa Soba Mori no Ie sign among the trees
The Okinawa Soba Mori no Ie sign among the trees
Lifting the thick noodles with chopsticks
Lifting the thick noodles with chopsticks
The terrace of the restaurant, flanked by shisa statues
The terrace of the restaurant, flanked by shisa statues
Holding a glass beside the bowl of soba
Holding a glass beside the bowl of soba
Eating soba at the terrace table
Eating soba at the terrace table
The dining room with an aquarium, flower paintings and rattan chairs
The dining room with an aquarium, flower paintings and rattan chairs
Okinawa soba on a tray with a bottle of non-alcoholic beer
Okinawa soba on a tray with a bottle of non-alcoholic beer