Sumbari is a restaurant loved not only by tourists, but also by the local people. “Sumbari” is also the name of the area in which the restaurant is located. As the name suggests, its charm is the cozy atmosphere rooted in the local community. At the restaurant, you can enjoy dishes that mainly feature octopus, which is a specialty of Miyako Island, as well as a wide variety of ingredients procured locally in Miyako Island and in Okinawa, such as seafood caught by the local fishers and vegetables grown on the island.

It was first opened for construction workers who came to the island when the bridge connecting the islands was being built.

The Karimata district, in which Sumbari is located, has always been a wonderful area for catching octopuses. The freshly-caught octopuses are tender and have a deep flavor. The local people usually eat them as sashimi, but you can enjoy the chef’s creative specialty dishes at the restaurant. All the dishes in the menu are cooked perfectly using locally-procured ingredients.

Some of the most popular dishes are Iso Don (meaning “shore bowl”), Sumbari Don (meaning “Sumbari bowl”), and Sumbari Soba Noodles. The restaurant serves a wide variety of Miyako soba noodles, and it is the only place that serves Miyako soba noodles with locally-caught octopus. FYI, “Miyako soba noodles” is a type of Okinawan soba noodle soup characterized by relatively thick noodles with a smooth texture made with 100% wheat and by the pork and bonito-based broth with a light yet rich taste.

The popular Iso don (meaning seashore bowl)—the harmony between octopus, sea grapes, and the egg topping gets everyone hooked.

A unique Sumubari don (meaning Sumubari bowl) of rice topped with mozuku seaweed and stir-fried octopus.

Tako itame soba (meaning Fried octopus noodle.) Miyako soba topped with fried octopus. Fried octopus soba.

Maybe you have heard of or tried squid ink dishes somewhere, but if you are looking for something more unique, why not try the black octopus ink dishes? Despite its “intimidating” look, it has a nice, mild taste that makes you come back for more. The chewy texture of octopus goes really well with the smooth soba noodles, and the local people absolutely love it.

Sumi iri Tako yakisoba (meaning octopus fried noodles with octopus ink.) Miyako soba noodles with octopus and octopus ink added.

There is also a version of Miyako soba with octopus ink.

The restaurant also serves other dishes such as bowls, combos, and a la carte that are made with chef’s creativity and with the locally-caught octopuses. If you are visiting Miyako Island, you should definitely visit this one-and-only gourmet spot where you can enjoy the tasty “Miyako cuisine x octopus dishes” fusion, together with the island’s beautiful sea.

Tako don (meaning “octopus bowl”) is a bowl of rice topped with stir-fried ingredients, including octopus and eggs.

■DATA Address: 768-4, Aza-Karimata, Hirara, Miyakojima City, Okinawa Opening hours: 10:00～17:00 Closed on Wednesdays TEL：0980-72-5813 Official website: https://www.sumbari.com/index.html ※Credit cards are not accepted. (Information as of September 2023)