Okinawan cuisine is distinctly different from that of mainland Japan and bears notable Taiwanese influences. Okinawans too proudly proclaim that they use every part of the pig except the squeal and pork makes an appearance in almost every dish, including bits like ears and trotters which are generally disdained by the Japanese. Even Spam has a distinct following.

Other Okinawan ingredients include vegetables rarely seen on the Japanese mainland such as bitter melon (ゴーヤー gōyā) and purple yam (紫芋　murasaki-imo). Okinawan tropical fruits including mango, papaya, pineapple, dragonfruit and the sour lime-like calamansi (シークァーサー shīkwāsā) are delicious when in season. Dark cane sugar (黒砂糖 kurosatō) is also a popular snack, eaten both as is and made into a vast variety of candies and pastries.

Some dishes worth trying:
Gōyā champurū (ゴーヤーチャンプルー) is a stir-fried dish made from goya mixed with pork and tofu.
Gurukun (グルクン) is no less than the official fish of okinawa prefecture. Small but tasty and prepared in a variety of ways, even the bones are edible.
Raftī (ラフティー) is a side dish consisting of very fatty cubes of stewed pork.
Sātāandagī (サーターアンダギー) are deep-fried balls of dough also aptly known as Okinawan donuts.
Taco rice (タコライス) is a hybrid originating from the American presence in okinawa — spiced Mexican-style taco meat with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes, but instead of being in a tortilla, it’s on rice.

Aficionados of American fast food may find okinawa to be a curious treat. Most prominent is the presence of A&W outlets serving hamburgers and root beer (with free refills, even), available practically nowhere else in Japan. Foremost ice cream (under the “Blue Seal” brand) is also common.