- The Sata-Panbin You Absolutely Have to Eat If You Go to Irabu Island
- Why I, Who Disliked Sata-Andagi, Visit 5 Times Over
- I Realise Later That "Nakayukui" Is a Good Name
- The Place Is Easy to Find, but You Get Lost at the Car Park
- The Opening Hours Are Unusual, So Please Definitely Check
- Beni-Imo Sata-Panbin at ¥100 Is Too Cheap
- Learn the Word "Sata-Panbin"
- It's Delicious Even Cold, So I Buy 10 for Souvenirs
- The Sata-Panbin Ice Is One to Eat in Summer
- It's True That People Queue from Before Opening
- The Fish Tempura Is Quietly Delicious Too
- I'm Surprised to Learn There's Shaved Ice Too
- Nearby Sights and a Recommended Route
- I Have a Failure Story of Not Being Able to Buy Due to Sell-Out
- It Was Apparently Popular Even Before the Irabu Bridge Existed
- It's Nice That the Staff Are Always Smiling
- Seeing People Bulk-Buy, I Try It Myself
- Points to Note When Going to Nakayukui Shoten
- Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
- An Irabu Island Without Nakayukui Shoten Is Unthinkable
The Sata-Panbin You Absolutely Have to Eat If You Go to Irabu Island
"If you go to Irabu Island, you absolutely have to eat this." The photo a friend sent me on LINE was a faintly purple, perfectly round fried sweet. When I asked the price, it was ¥100. At that point I only thought, "some kind of cheap-looking snack, then."
I actually arrived in front of the shop around 9 in the morning, and even with 30 minutes to opening, 5 people were queuing. I joined the line and waited, and right after opening I ordered "two beni-imo sata-panbin, please," and they were handed over with steam rising from the bag. I got into the car and ate one before fastening my seatbelt.
A sound came out of me. Not heavy. Not greasy. Crisp outside, fluffy and crumbling inside. The sweetness of the beni-imo doesn't assert itself too much, and the flavour of brown sugar follows softly. The second one went into my mouth faster. Wanting a third came right after I finished.
Since then I always stop by every time I come to Irabu Island. Before I knew it, it had passed 5 visits. In this article, I'll write everything — what I've come to see from visiting many times, the pitfalls of the opening hours, the confusing bit about the car park, and how to avoid sell-outs.
Why I, Who Disliked Sata-Andagi, Visit 5 Times Over
Honestly, I wasn't fond of sata-andagi. The one I ate at a Naha market had a hard, greasy outside, and it was less "satisfied with one" than "one is enough." It was something I put in my mouth out of a sense of duty — "I eat it because it's an Okinawan speciality" — not something I bought by choice.
When I ate Nakayukui Shoten's, the concept changed. Light. Fluffy. The crisp outside is thin and your teeth go in easily, and the inside crumbles softly. Beni-imo is kneaded in, so the dough is faintly purple, and it looks cute too. The sweetness is restrained, with no sense of your stomach getting heavy after eating.
The friend who went with me also said, "this doesn't seem like sata-andagi." I want people who have an aversion to it especially to try it once. Because you might end up like me, who was losing out through disliking it without trying.
I Realise Later That "Nakayukui" Is a Good Name
When I first saw the name "Nakayukui," I only thought it was an unusual name. Looking it up later, I learned it means "a little rest" in the Okinawan language, and the moment I read that, I came to like this shop a little.
Drop by on a whim mid-drive, buy one sata-panbin, and take a break eating it in the car. Before I knew it, that's the only way I use it. Stopping by before heading to 17END, dropping by on the way back from Toguchi-no-Hama — I move around in the mood of "let's go and nakayukui (take a little rest) on the way."
The island always has time where you don't need to rush. I think it's a name that suits that air.
The Place Is Easy to Find, but You Get Lost at the Car Park
It's in the Kuninaka district. About 10 minutes by car after crossing the Irabu Bridge. The address is 57-3 Kuninaka, Irabu, Miyakojima City, Okinawa. Search "Nakayukui Shoten" on Google Maps and it comes up right away.
It's in the middle of a residential area, but thanks to the queue, the place is found right away. Even from a distance, you can tell people are gathered there.
The problem is the car park entrance. The first time I went, I drove past it twice. I'd heard "a big tree is the landmark," but I couldn't tell which tree, and I only noticed when I saw a car that came after me slip right in. The road is narrow and you can come face to face with oncoming cars, so caution is needed. When busy, the vacant lot beside the shop can fill up too. Wait a little and you can get in, and the turnover is fast.
The Opening Hours Are Unusual, So Please Definitely Check
The opening hours hold several pitfalls. Go without knowing and it can be closed.
- Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun: 9:30–12:00 / 13:30–16:00 (with a lunch break)
- Monday: 13:30–16:00 only (closed in the morning)
- Thursday: closed
For the latest opening hours and closing days, please check Tabelog: Nakayukui Shoten.
It's closed from noon to 1:30. A plan of "let's stop by after lunch" doesn't work. I too arrived just past noon and was stuck — Google Maps showed it as open, but the shop was closed. The lunch break sometimes isn't reflected in the Google Maps opening-hours display.
Monday mornings need caution too. Think of going early and head there on a Monday, and it's only open from the afternoon. Going on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday morning is the schedule most reliably open.
Beni-Imo Sata-Panbin at ¥100 Is Too Cheap
Beni-imo sata-panbin, ¥100 (about US$0.70) each. Being able to buy this quality at this price is hard to imagine anywhere else.
Freshly fried, put in a bag and handed over. Open it and steam comes out. Crisp outside, fluffy inside. The pale purple of the beni-imo spreads through the dough, and the sweetness of brown sugar is refined and not heavy. Even eating 3, it doesn't hit your stomach. That, I think, is the biggest difference from ordinary sata-andagi.
My friend's husband, who dislikes sata-andagi, said "this is delicious." He said "because it isn't sata-andagi," and to be precise it's sata-panbin, so indeed it isn't sata-andagi. Word issues aside, it's truly easy to eat even for people who dislike it.
Learn the Word "Sata-Panbin"
"Sata-panbin" is a Miyako-Island dialect word for fried sweets. "Sata" means sugar, "panbin" means fried food. It corresponds to Okinawa main island's "sata-andagi," but on Miyako Island it's called "sata-panbin."
The shop menu also says "beni-imo sata-panbin." Order with "sata-panbin, please," and there's a feeling of somehow being able to speak in the local language. It's a word locals use daily too, and there's nothing odd about a traveller using it. Remember it and you won't waver when ordering.
It's Delicious Even Cold, So I Buy 10 for Souvenirs
There's no doubt the freshly fried is the most delicious. The state of crisp outside and fluffy inside can only be savoured the moment you open the bag. Still, it's delicious even cold. When cold, the outside turns crunchy and the inside turns moist. The texture is different, but this is fine in its own way.
It keeps 3 days at room temperature, so it's suited to souvenirs. You often see people buying 10 or 20 in bulk. At ¥100 × 10, it's ¥1,000 (about US$7), so it's good value as a share-around souvenir for the workplace or family. When I once took 10 home and shared them with family, everyone loved them and asked again for the next trip. Reheat them a little in a toaster oven and the crisp feel returns, but the savouriness drops. Buying on the day you'll eat them is best, but they're plenty delicious the next day too.
The Sata-Panbin Ice Is One to Eat in Summer
The sata-panbin ice is ¥390 (about US$3). It's Blue Seal ice cream placed on top of a sata-panbin, choosable from 6 kinds. There's vanilla, beni-imo, brown sugar, vanilla & cookie and so on.
I often choose beni-imo ice on a beni-imo sata-panbin. Beni-imo × beni-imo is cohesive, with a unified tone of sweetness. Cold ice on a piping-hot sata-panbin, so you have to eat fast or it melts. That rushing-while-eating feel is summery too, and I like it.
For first-timers, I think it's good to first eat one ¥100 sata-panbin, then try the ice-topped one next. Start with the ice version and you finish without first experiencing the crisp texture of the plain one.
It's True That People Queue from Before Opening
Even arriving before 9, people are sometimes queuing. There was a morning when over 10 people were lined up 30 minutes before opening. Weekends and the tourist season are especially early. Eat it and you understand the reason for queueing.
Being takeaway-only, the turnover is fast. Since you just order and receive, even with 10 people queuing you can often buy within 10–15 minutes.
Weekday mornings are empty. Around 10 on a Tuesday or Wednesday, it can be just 3–5 people. If you have flexibility on weekdays, this time slot is the timing to buy comfortably. The risk of sell-out drops too.
On weekends it can sell out before noon. If you want to definitely buy, aim to arrive right after the 9:30 opening, or 10 at the latest.
The Fish Tempura Is Quietly Delicious Too
Attention tends to gather on the sata-panbin, but the fish tempura is delicious too at ¥80. It's the old-fashioned Okinawan-tempura feel, and eating the freshly fried, piping-hot one, the saltiness is just right. I once took it back to the hotel and ate it at night, and it went with beer.
There's apparently vegetable tempura too, but it's sold out every time I go. I've never once been able to buy it, so next time I want to try it right after opening. 3 fish tempura is ¥240, and with sata-panbin it stays within ¥500.
I'm Surprised to Learn There's Shaved Ice Too
I only recently learned there's shaved ice from ¥200, because only the sata-panbin had been in my view, so I hadn't noticed. Since seeing reviews that the fluffy ice is delicious, my anticipation for the next visit has grown.
It's especially popular in summer, and some people apparently waver between sata-panbin ice and shaved ice. Even ordering both is in the ¥400–500 range. Since you can try sata-panbin, ice and shaved ice all within ¥1,000, it's just right for a luxurious little rest.
Nearby Sights and a Recommended Route
Nakayukui Shoten is positioned on the way to the sights of Irabu and Shimojishima. Let me introduce 3 places easy to stop by together while buying sata-panbin.
17END Is 15 Minutes by Car
17END is a scenic spot at the tip of the Shimojishima Airport runway. Famous as a photo spot for the emerald-green sea at low tide and the aeroplanes, the transparency on a fine day is overwhelming. About 15 minutes by car from Nakayukui Shoten. Buying sata-panbin and eating it at 17END while looking at the sea is my standard course. Move while it's piping hot and spread it out in front of the sea. Just that seems to raise the quality of the trip.
Toguchi-no-Hama Is 5 Minutes by Car
Toguchi-no-Hama is the most famous beach on Irabu Island. Characterised by pure-white sand and a highly transparent sea, it's suited to snorkelling too. It's a close 5 minutes by car from Nakayukui Shoten. Stopping by on the way back from sea-bathing is my favourite way to use it — eating sata-panbin after swimming, the sweetness soaks into your tired body.
Right After Crossing the Irabu Bridge
Cross the Irabu Bridge, turn left, and you reach Nakayukui Shoten in about 10 minutes. You can stop by right after entering Irabu Island from Miyako Island, so there's a way of stopping of "first thing once you reach the island." At 3,540 metres, the longest toll-free bridge in Japan, the view from the bridge is one of the highlights too.
I Have a Failure Story of Not Being Able to Buy Due to Sell-Out
I was once told, arriving at 2 in the afternoon, "we've sold out for today." I thought "but it's 2," but it's a popular shop, so it can't be helped. Since then I make a point of going in the morning as much as possible.
On weekends it can sell out before noon. Make "arrive before 10" your goal and you can almost certainly buy, and eat the freshly fried too. Even on weekdays, going near evening it can be sold out. Go trusting only the Google Maps "open" display and you end up in a situation where it isn't closed but there's no product. If you want to definitely buy, it's better to move conscious of the time.
It Was Apparently Popular Even Before the Irabu Bridge Existed
Before the bridge opened, Irabu Island could only be reached by ferry. Even so, I hear there were people who frequented Nakayukui Shoten. It means it was worth coming to eat even by taking the ferry.
Even after the bridge made access convenient, the local regulars keep coming as before. Seeing local grandpas and grandmas come to buy from the morning, you understand it's a shop rooted in local daily life, not tourist-oriented. Even as tourists increased, it continues at the same ¥100 price.
It's Nice That the Staff Are Always Smiling
Even when busy, the staff's service is polite and pleasant. They ask every time, "it'll be freshly fried, so could you wait a little?", and waiting doesn't bother me at all. If anything, I get a little happy thinking I can eat the freshly fried.
They treat local regulars and tourists the same way. Even looking busy, there's no slapdash feel. Because you can buy pleasantly, you think you'll come again. Service alone changes the impression. Here it's been good every time.
Seeing People Bulk-Buy, I Try It Myself
The first time I saw someone ordering "20, please," I wondered what they'd do with them. When I asked, they said it was a souvenir for the workplace and family. At ¥100 × 20, it's ¥2,000 (about US$13). Even taking that quantity home, it's enough to hand out 1–2 each to everyone.
I once took 6 home and shared them with family too, and everyone loved them, saying "you should have bought more." Next time I plan to buy 10. They put them in a bag so they're easy to carry, and the 3-day room-temperature shelf life has plenty of margin for a travel souvenir.
Points to Note When Going to Nakayukui Shoten
Let me summarise the points to note I've understood from actually visiting many times.
Always Check the Opening Hours
Go after checking in advance that there's a lunch break, that Monday is afternoon only, and that Thursday is the closing day. The Google Maps "open" display sometimes doesn't reflect the lunch break.
Going in the Morning Is Recommended
To avoid sell-out, the morning is reliable. On weekends it can sell out before noon. Aim to arrive right after the 9:30 opening, or 10 at the latest.
The Car Park Entrance Is Hard to Find
First-timers often drive past it. Judging the entrance by watching other cars' movements is the quickest. The road is narrow, so watch for oncoming cars.
Even with a Queue, the Turnover Is Fast
Being takeaway-only, even with 10 people queuing you can often buy within 10–15 minutes. You don't have to give up just from seeing a queue.
Cash Only
Credit cards can't be used. Since it's in ¥100 units, having coins ready makes it easy.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Q: Where is Nakayukui Shoten?
57-3 Kuninaka, Irabu, Miyakojima City, Okinawa. The Kuninaka district, about 10 minutes by car from the Irabu Bridge. Search on Google Maps and it comes up.
Q: What are the opening hours and closing days?
Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat and Sun are a two-part system of 9:30–12:00 and 13:30–16:00. Monday is 13:30–16:00 only. Thursday is the closing day.
Q: Is there a car park?
The vacant lot beside the shop is the parking space. The entrance is hard to find, so use other cars' movements as a reference. When full, some people wait a little or park on the street nearby.
Q: What are the prices?
Beni-imo sata-panbin ¥100 each. Sata-panbin ice ¥390. Fish tempura ¥80. Shaved ice from ¥200.
Q: How long do you wait?
Takeaway-only with fast turnover. Even when busy, you can often buy within 10–30 minutes. On weekday mornings it can be 5–10 minutes.
Q: Is there an eat-in?
No. Takeaway-only. Many people eat in the car or at a nearby sight.
Q: Can I take it home as a souvenir?
It keeps 3 days at room temperature. Many people bulk-buy 10 or 20.
Q: Does it sell out?
Yes. On weekends and in the afternoon the chance of sell-out is high. If you want to definitely buy, go in the morning.
Q: Can I use a credit card?
Cash only.
An Irabu Island Without Nakayukui Shoten Is Unthinkable
Go to 17END, swim at Toguchi-no-Hama, and buy sata-panbin at Nakayukui Shoten. Only with these three together do I feel I've visited Irabu Island. If any one is missing, it feels lacking.
Locals frequent it almost daily, and tourists queue and wait. It's a shop that has continued since before the bridge opened, and the price hasn't changed either. Not changing is, I think, the basis of the trust here.
I want people who have an aversion to sata-andagi especially to try it once. It might change the image of heavy, greasy and stodgy. As something you can eat for ¥100, I haven't yet met anything on Irabu Island that surpasses this.
