Point 1: Where is the location for “Shima Māsu and Breakfast”?
Shima Mars and Breakfast is a morning-only shop born from a collaboration between Shima Mars Honpo, a salt maker beloved in Okinawa for over 40 years, and the popular dried sardine noodle soup “Kaishin no Ichigeki.”
Shima Mars salt is now distributed nationwide, and I use it daily myself—it’s a very rich, high-quality salt. Adding just a pinch when cooking rice really enhances the flavor.
From Naha Airport, it takes about 1 hour via the Okinawa Expressway.
By bus, first take the TK01 Tokyo Bus or similar to “Kokusai-dori Iriguchi” (Kokusai Street Entrance). From there, walk 3 minutes to the “Kencho Kitaguchi” (Prefectural Office North Exit) stop and board the Okinawa Airport Shuttle. Get off at “Nago Shiyakusho-mae” (Nago City Hall Front). It’s an 8-minute walk from there to the shop.
The store features a wood-grain exterior and interior, combined with clean white tile flooring. Many customers visit as early as 7 AM.
While the schedule is irregular, it’s open daily, so you generally don’t need to worry about closed days.
Point 2: Introducing the Menu for “Shima Māsu and Breakfast”!
The Shimamaas and Breakfast menu offers only one set: 16 side dishes and rice balls for ¥2,400 (tax included).
You can choose 1 to 3 rice balls. For children 12 and under, a set of 2 rice balls and miso soup is available for ¥200.
The side dishes include traditional Okinawan fare like pork ribs with cartilage and island tofu, and mozuku seaweed salad. But you’ll be surprised to find items like jīmamī tofu with sweet soy sauce, kuub irīchi (simmered pork belly), stir-fried carrots, and sata andagi (Okinawan doughnuts)!
The meal also comes with Okinawa’s traditional instant soup, “kachū-yu.”
There are also Okinawan palate cleansers like shibazuke potato salad, Shimama’s Nankō plum, and blanched tomatoes, which add a nice accent.
Point 3: “Shima Māsu and Breakfast” – The Secret Story Behind Shima Māsu’s Birth
When it comes to the Shima-ma-su salt used in “Shima-ma-su and Breakfast,” it might seem like it’s quietly sold in the shadow of popular tourist items like Nuchima-su or Yukishio salt. However, in Okinawa, it’s a salt that has been cherished by the people of the prefecture for over 50 years.
After Okinawa’s reversion to Japan, traditional salt-making methods were banned. However, enthusiasts eager to revive these methods established “Aoi Umi Co., Ltd.” They created Shima-Māsu by dissolving solar salt imported from Australia and Mexico in Okinawan seawater and then recrystallizing it.
The passionate desire of these individuals to protect the island by reviving Okinawa’s traditional salt-making method gave birth to Shimamaars. People captivated by its taste then opened Shimamaar’s shops, ensuring the tradition continues.
Currently, the menu features only one item, priced at a rather steep ¥2,400. We look forward to seeing a wider variety of menu items in the future. We highly recommend paying a visit.
