A cafe where you can enjoy exquisite sweets, perfect for a stop during your Okinawa sightseeing trip
Okinawa, once the Ryukyu Kingdom, is a city of "chanpuru" (mixed) culture, influenced by Ryukyu, Japan, China, Southeast Asia, the United States, and other countries. "Chinsuko," well-known as a classic Okinawan souvenir, is one of the traditional Ryukyuan sweets, but Okinawa also has many sweets that arrange traditions in a modern style, as well as sweets from all over the world. It might be interesting to go cafe hopping with that perspective in mind. Therefore, we will introduce cafes where you can taste exquisite, unique Okinawan sweets that will soothe your travel fatigue.
1VIVA LA COFFEE
Simple carrot cake enjoyed at a cafe run by a couple who have traveled the world
A cafe in Yomitan Village that prides itself on Brazilian cuisine and home-roasted coffee. The recommended sweet is the classic Brazilian "carrot cake," where you can experience the authentic taste of Brazil. Made with Okinawan cane sugar and local carrots (when in season), and coated with homemade chocolate sauce, this carrot cake is incredibly moist. Its simple, gentle sweetness is the reason for its popularity.
The coffee beans are sourced from a farm run by the owner's (wife) uncle in São Paulo, Brazil, and are roasted in-house at the shop.
A "traveling cafe" run by two people who have visited 39 countries
The shop's concept is "a cafe that travels the world." The owner couple traveled to 39 countries in two years and learned about food and coffee along the way. Many of the menu items recreate "local flavors," and among them, the Brazilian soul food "Feijão" (1,150 yen), which is hard to find elsewhere, has the highest repeat rate.
Inside the shop, photos taken by the couple during their travels and books related to travel are displayed, stirring up a desire to travel. Whether you love coffee or just love cafes, please be sure to pay a visit.
Local
Supporter
It's rare to find a cafe where you can enjoy authentic Brazilian-style cuisine and sweets, isn't it? And the owner couple is just so charming! I think many customers visit just to see them.
- VIVA LA COFFEE
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D-201, 662 Owan, Yomitan Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture MAP 
Approx. 45 minutes by car from Naha Airport
9:00–15:00 (Food L.O. 14:00, Drink L.O. 14:45)
Wednesdays, Thursdays
098-953-8728
Free
2Banta Cafe by Hoshino Resorts
Wobbly and smooth! A soda with a new texture and cute, colorful jelly.
A cafe built along the coastline of Yomitan Village where every seat is a prime seat. The facility has four areas: the "Large Roof Deck," "Seaside Terrace," "Rocky Terrace," and "Relaxing Lounge," where you can fully feel the charm of Okinawa's nature.
The perfect drink to enjoy while gazing at the superb view is the "Buku-Buku Gelee Soda," inspired by Okinawa's traditional "buku-buku" tea. Beneath the fluffy foam lies a herb-scented soda filled with colorful polka-dot jellies made of mango, hibiscus, and more, offering a taste of the tropics. The texture is soft, jiggly, and smooth! The pure fruit flavors soak right into your body.
Every seat guarantees a view! A cafe with a superb view that makes the most of the natural terrain.
One of the areas spread out within a space that makes the most of the natural terrain is the "Seaside Terrace," where you can feel the ocean breeze. When you sit on the tatami mats, a magnificent view unfolds before your eyes. You will never tire of watching the sea, which changes its expression depending on the weather and time of day.
A sweet treat while listening to the sound of the waves and gazing at the sea is a moment of pure bliss. You can also head straight out to the beach and take a stroll along the shore. It is a prime location where you can enjoy the blue sea and sky, and at dusk, watch the sunset as it dyes the sky madder red while sinking into the ocean. Why not come and experience some healing and an escape from the everyday?
Local
Supporter
An overwhelmingly scenic cafe that even Okinawa residents, who are used to seeing the ocean, find moving. Coming here gives you a refreshing sense of clarity.
- Banta Cafe by Hoshino Resorts
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- 560 Gima, Yomitan-son, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 70 minutes by car from Naha Airport
- 10:00 to 1 hour after sunset (L.O. at sunset)
8:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays
- Open every day
- 098-921-6810
- 60 minutes free with cafe purchase
Business days and hours are subject to change.
3YOYO AN FACTORY
Japanese-style sweets made by a confectionery shop that is close to the daily life of the village.
In a quiet residential area of Kitanakagusuku Village, there is an authentic Japanese confectionery shop, a rarity in Okinawa. Established in the spring of 2018, the shop offers Japanese sweets that are easy to buy and eat, fitting perfectly into daily life. Staples include "Mame Daifuku" made with homemade bean paste and mochi pounded fresh every morning, "Dorayaki" made with brown sugar, and "Taiwanese Chimaki" made with 100% glutinous rice, shiitake mushrooms, and cashews.
In addition, seasonal sweets are also available, such as "Ichigo Daifuku" (January and February), "Sakura Mochi" (March), "Kashiwa Mochi" (April), and "Imo Yokan" (autumn).
Nostalgic yet new. A former foreign residence incorporating Japanese elements.
The shop is owned by two people: the proprietor, whose family runs a Japanese confectionery shop in Gifu Prefecture, and the owner of a bakery in the village (Ploughman's Lunch Bakery). They make and sell sweets every day with the desire to "be a Japanese confectionery shop that is close to the daily life of the village."
The interior, renovated from a former foreign residence, is a cozy space where the new and the nostalgic coexist. Since you can enjoy the freshly made Japanese sweets both for takeout and eat-in, please be sure to try them with some matcha or coffee in the bright shop filled with soft light.
Local
Supporter
It's a popular shop frequented by locals, and items can sell out early on weekends or before events. We recommend booking in advance.
- YOYO AN FACTORY
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- 366 Kishaba, Kitanakagusuku Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 33 minutes by car from Naha Airport
- 10:00–16:00 (L.O. 15:00) *Last order time is subject to change
- Open every day
- 098-979-5661
- Free
4Tsurukame-do Zenzai
Cool and fluffy! Shaved ice you'll want to eat even in winter.
A long-established zenzai shop located in front of the Zakimi Castle Ruins. The "Beni-imo (purple yam) Brown Sugar Zenzai," also known as "Purple Dynamite," has a striking, vibrant purple appearance.
Inside the shaved ice are kidney beans simmered for over six hours every day, shiratama (rice flour dumplings), and purple yam ice cream. It is topped with an original syrup made from brown sugar derived from pesticide-free sugarcane and ginger, and finished with a dusting of purple yam powder. The ice is crisp yet fluffy. This gently sweetened zenzai can be enjoyed down to the very last bite without ever becoming tiresome.
The interior retains a Showa-era retro atmosphere.
When people hear "zenzai," many imagine a warm dish of sweetened adzuki beans, but in Okinawa, zenzai refers to shaved ice served over these sweetly simmered kidney beans. Since kidney beans are rich in nutrients like calcium, iron, and vitamins B1 and B2, zenzai could even be called a healthy dessert.
In the shop, which exudes a Showa-era atmosphere, you can enjoy about 10 types of zenzai, and they are also currently developing a menu using local ingredients.
Local
Supporter
The kidney beans, simmered slowly over time, are soft and moist all the way through. The subtle aroma of ginger stimulates the appetite.
- Tsurukame-do Zenzai
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- 248-1 Zakimi, Yomitan Village, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture MAP
- Approx. 60 minutes by car from Naha Airport
- 11:00–17:00
- Wednesdays (Open daily in July and August)
- 098-958-1353
- Free
MAP
- Nearby Hoshino Resorts facilities
Local supporter in charge of this article
- Ayano InamineOkinawan staff
HOSHINOYA Okinawa
Yomitan, Okinawa Prefecture
A luxury resort along one of Okinawa's finest coastlines. From every oceanfront room, you can enjoy an exclusive, breathtaking view that stretches all the way to the horizon.
Access About 1 hour by taxi from Naha Airport
- Accommodation rate example
- Per person per night From ¥27,324