Kokuto (Okinawan black sugar)
黒糖IngredientYear-round in shops; the Okinawa Kokuto cooperative marks 6 September as Kuro no Hi (black day)
Kokuto is Okinawa's black sugar. Makers boil down pure sugarcane juice without removing the molasses, and the Okinawa Kokuto cooperative's mark goes only on sugar from eight small island factories on Iheya, Ie-jima, Aguni, Tarama, Kohama, Iriomote, Hateruma and Yonaguni.
Photo pelican · Flickr · CC BY-SA 2.0
Kokuto is cane juice heated until the water boils off. A little lime settles the impurities, and the syrup is cooled and set. Nothing is separated out, so the molasses stays in. Since 1 April 2012, Japanese labelling rules have let only sugar made this way from cane juice carry the names 黒糖 or 黒砂糖. Kako-kokuto (加工黒糖), the processed kind, blends raw sugar or molasses with kokuto or cane juice and needs only 5% kokuto by weight.
Gima Shinjo sent men to Fuzhou to learn sugar-making, and the Ryukyu Kingdom first made kokuto in 1623. Okinawa Kokuto has been a regional collective trademark since April 2006, and the cooperative lists eight island factories. Iejima is the newest, making kokuto since 2011. Okinawa produced 9,642 of Japan's 10,350 tonnes of kokuto in the 2017–18 season.
The cooperative describes each island's sugar by eye and tongue. Tarama makes dark brown rectangles with a strong sweetness. Kohama's could pass for chocolate, and Iriomote's is the palest of the eight. Hateruma packs big crunchy lumps with deep flavour, and Yonaguni's bright caramel-coloured sugar is the softest.
Worth knowing
- Read the label: 黒糖 or 黒砂糖 alone means pure cane-juice sugar, and 加工黒糖 means a blend.
- Carry a few lumps in a jersey pocket on long rides as a sugar stop.
6 places
Where to eat Kokuto (Okinawan black sugar)店
Boulangerie Café Yamashita
Uruma · Henza-jima
Bakery
COFFEE potohoto
Sakaemachi · Naha
Cappuccino ¥450 hot or ¥500 iced; kokuto condensed-milk cappuccino ¥500 hot or ¥550 iced; French press from ¥450 (Rurubu, December 2025).
Nishinsuni
Ie Village · Ie-jima
Nishinsuni soba ¥1,650, soki soba ¥1,350 and nankotsu soki soba ¥950 (Tabelog review, May 2026). Ie Beach charges adults ¥100 and children ¥50 to enter.
Shima no Eki Kurumado
Yoron Town · Yoron-jima
Tabelog reviewers spend under ¥1,000 a person (2025–26).
Shop Jugon
Ohara · Iriomote-jima
Tabelog reviewers spend under ¥1,000 a person (2025–26).
Sumamunutarama
Tarama Village · Tarama
Tabelog reviewers report ¥1,000–1,999 at lunch (2025–2026)
FAQ
Quick answers about Kokuto (Okinawan black sugar)よくある質問
Which islands make Okinawa kokuto?
Okinawa kokuto comes from eight islands: Iheya, Ie-jima, Aguni, Tarama, Kohama, Iriomote, Hateruma and Yonaguni. The Okinawa Prefecture Kokuto Cooperative lists these eight, and Iejima joined most recently, making kokuto since 2011.
What is the difference between kokuto and kako-kokuto?
Kokuto is pure sugarcane juice boiled down with the molasses left in, and kako-kokuto is a processed blend of raw sugar or molasses with some kokuto. Since 1 April 2012 only the pure kind may be labelled 黒糖 or 黒砂糖 in Japan.
How do you order Kokuto (Okinawan black sugar)?
Buy kokuto (黒糖) in small bags of lumps at markets, supermarkets and island shops, and look for the island name on the packet. Cafés put it in lattes and soft-serve.
Is there a vegetarian Kokuto (Okinawan black sugar)?
Yes. Kokuto is boiled-down sugarcane juice with a little lime, and it is vegan.
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