The Tropical Frangrance of Gettou (Shell Ginger) Kneaded into Japanese Soba

If you mention soba in Okinawa, then "Okinawa soba" is what normally comes to mind, however near Kokusai Street in Naha there is a shop that serves regular Japanese soba. The shop's name is Minosaku. Founded 39 years ago, the biggest draw to the shop is the "gettou soba" which is made by the experienced hands of the shop's owner, Ken Oyama.

Gettou (shell ginger), called sannin in Okinawan, is a perennial of the ginger family. On the 8th day of the 12th month of the lunar calendar, muchi, glutinous rice flour covered in sugar and other seasonings, wrapped in gettou leaves and then steamed, would be eaten to pray for good health and longevity.
Gettou soba is soba which has gettou, which is well liked by Okinawans, kneaded into it.

With it understood that gettou contains a lot of polyphenol, it is now used in health foods and cosmetics, however no one had thought to use it in food when it was first created.

"With it's deep green color, beautiful flowers, and wonderful scent of muchi, I wanted to use it to create a soba fitting for Okinawa," says Oyama, who after painstaking efforts was able to develop it 30 years ago.

The beauty of the shiny green, tinged with the scent of gettou over this Japanese soba from Okinawa.
You really should try it once.

Address:  3-8-1 Kumiji, Naha-shi
Opening Hours 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (until 9:00 p.m. on Sundays and Holidays)
Closed: Wednesday
Homepage: http://minosaku.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/okinawaminosaku

It is possible to order gettou soba from the Minosaku website.

OkinawaCLIP Photo Writer Masayuki Sesoko