Okinawa is famous today for its pristine waters, gaudy Orion beer T-shirts, stone lions and dishes such as taco rice, but in centuries past it was better known as the centre of the independent Ryukyu Kingdom, which thrived as a maritime trade hub from 1429 to 1879.
The Ryukyu Kingdom connected Southeast Asia, China and Korea with Japan through trade, which included Chinese ceramics and Japanese silver. Over 450 years, these exchanges led to the development of the kingdom’s unique culture.
The restaurant, which is located in Naha, Okinawa’s biggest city, serves meals in ornate hexagonal Okinawan lacquer boxes called tundabun, which have separate compartments for each dish. Tunda (meaning “eastern road”) is said to be derived from the phrase “lord of the eastern road” in reference to the host.
