Must-Buy Souvenirs

A tart-shaped pastry filled with sweet Okinawan purple-sweet-potato paste — the archetypal Okinawa souvenir, developed by this shop in 1986 and now sold at nearly every airport and Kokusai-dori shop.

Okinawa's own distilled spirit, made from Thai indica rice and black koji — Zuisen is one of Naha's oldest distilleries (est. 1887), based right in the old Shuri brewing quarter.

A paired ceramic lion-dog guardian, traditionally placed at gates or on roofs to ward off evil — Naha's Tsuboya district has produced shisa pottery since the 17th century.

Hand-blown glassware with thick walls, bright color, and characteristic trapped air bubbles — born postwar from recycled US-base soda and beer bottles, now a signature Okinawa craft.

A traditional shortbread-like cookie made from flour, sugar, and lard, dating to the Ryukyu Kingdom court — this version is finished with Miyako Island's mineral-rich "snow salt" and is the single best-selling variety at Naha Airport.