Okinawan Drinks & Food in Tokyo Station’s Kitchen Street.

When in Japan, taste the country’s regional cuisines – from Hokkaido all the way down to Okinawa. You can sample classic Okinawan cuisine at Ryutan in Tokyo Station’s Kitchen Street.

 

About Okinawan Cuisine

Okinawan cuisine is also known as Ryukyuan cuisine which refers to the Ryukyu Kingdom that ruled Okinawa from the 15th to 19th centuries.

The cuisine has been greatly influenced by the island’s history of trade with China and Southeast Asia. From China came the pigs which have become the cuisine’s main focus. From Southeast Asia came all the spices, fruits, and vegetables, like the goya (bittermelon) and nabera (luffah, or towel gourd).

From Japan’s mainland, the cuisine brought in miso, bonito flakes, kombu, and dashi; however, you will not typically find mushrooms in the dishes. There is also influence from the US’s post World War II administration including that of canned goods, hamburgers, and taco rice.
 

About Ryutan in Tokyo Station’s Kitchen Street

Tokyo Station has an overwhelming choice of restaurants, both international and of Japanese cuisines. In Japan, it is not just Japanese food, but rather you can enjoy regional cuisines.

Ryutan in Kitchen Street offers authentic Okinawan cuisine and classic dishes featuring ingredients sourced from Okinawa.

While all restaurants in the station offer English menus (as this is the capital’s central train and subway station), most dining in Ryutan are local office workers enjoying drinks and a meal after work.

Note that during lunch hours (between 11am and 4pm) the restaurant is non-smoking. For dinner hours (between 4pm and 11pm) smoking is permitted.

Food Photos from Ryutan

okinawan cuisine
Pickled Shallots. These long shallots come from Okinawa and they are topped with bonito flakes. This is a great start to the meal to open up your appetite and to pair with your first round of drinks. And if you like beer, you must start with Orion beer.
okinawan cuisine
Pan-Fried Gyoza with Okinawan pork served with chili oil. The restaurant features a fun menu selection of foods and small plates that are really meant to be eaten and paired with alcoholic drinks.
okinawan cuisine
Rafute, Okinawan’s version of Kakuni. This braised and stewed pork belly is slowly cooked in soy sauce, Okinawan brown sugar, and awamori (Okinawa’s local distilled liquor).
okinawan cuisine
Deep-fried banana fish. While Okinawa is not known for their seafood dishes, they still offer a variety of preparations, including deep fried with the fillets cut and the bones cracker crispy.
okinawan cuisine
Goya champuru. “Champuru” refers to the method of stir-frying. One of the most known Okinawan dishes using the local goya, or bittermelon. This dish is classically cooked with tofu, eggs, and bits of pork. The bittermelon is blanched which actually lessens the bitter flavor of the vegetable.
okinawan cuisine
Okinawan yakisoba. The restaurant offers both yakisoba and somen; but stick with the yakisoba as the somen is too mushy and clumped together. This yakisoba is so deliciously stir-fried and well seasoned on every slurp of the thick noodle.

 

Address & Hours

Ryutan
B1F Kitchen Street, Tokyo Station
1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
11am to 11pm
 
 
 
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