Shima-rakkyo (island shallots)
島らっきょうIngredientDecember or January to June, best in spring; JA Okinawa lists January to June
Shima-rakkyo is Okinawa's small island shallot, and it tastes sharper and more fragrant than mainland rakkyo. Izakaya serve it salt-pickled under bonito flakes or fried as tempura, Ie-jima grows the most, and the season runs from winter into June, which puts it on February menus.
Photo pelican · Flickr · CC BY-SA 2.0
Shima-rakkyo is an Okinawan variety of rakkyo. The bulbs are smaller and slimmer than mainland ones, and the bite is closer to green onion. Okinawans eat it lightly salted with katsuobushi or fried as tempura. JA Okinawa lists Ie village as the main producing area, and Japanese Wikipedia adds Itoman and Kume-jima.
The harvest runs mainly from December to June, with spring the peak, when supply rises and prices fall. Summer heat sends the plant dormant, and shipments drop sharply from August to December. A winter trip catches the start of the season. Urizun in Naha serves island rakkyo with bonito flakes, and Izakaya Maruni in Aharen on Tokashiki cooked shima-rakkyo several ways in February 2026.
Worth knowing
- Order shima-rakkyo tempura with a beer; it is a good first plate while you read the menu.
3 places
Where to eat Shima-rakkyo (island shallots)店
Izakaya Maruni
Aharen · Tokashiki-jima
Sashimi of the day ¥980, shima-rakkyo tempura ¥500, beer ¥490 on 18 February 2026; sours ¥550 in June 2026
Urizun
Sakaemachi · Naha
Tabelog reviewers spend ¥5,000–5,999 a head at dinner. Mapple's March 2025 prices: duruten ¥713, rafute ¥950, house kusu aged 12 years ¥1,604, Mizuho awamori ¥951.
Yunta Ichiba farmers' market
Yomitan · West coast
Market
FAQ
Quick answers about Shima-rakkyo (island shallots)よくある質問
When is shima-rakkyo in season?
Shima-rakkyo is in season from about December or January to June, with spring the peak, according to Japanese Wikipedia and JA Okinawa. Supply drops sharply from August to December, when summer heat sends the plant dormant.
How do you eat shima-rakkyo?
Okinawans eat shima-rakkyo salt-pickled with bonito flakes or fried as tempura. Its bite is closer to green onion than to mainland rakkyo.
Is there a vegetarian Shima-rakkyo (island shallots)?
Mostly. The shallots are vegetables, and salt-pickled shima-rakkyo usually comes topped with katsuobushi bonito flakes; ask for 'katsuobushi nashi de' (without bonito flakes). Check whether tempura batter contains dashi.
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