Yushi-dofu
ゆし豆腐DishYear-round; tofu makers sell it from early morning
Yushi-dofu is the soft, loose curd of Okinawan island tofu taken before it is pressed, and shops serve it warm in a bowl of light broth or ladled over noodles as yushi-dofu soba. Tofu makers sell it from early morning, and Takaesu Soba in Urasoe is known for the soba version.
Photo USIO Design Project · Flickr · CC0 1.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Shima-dofu starts as yushi-dofu. Makers set raw-squeezed soy milk with seawater or nigari, and the fluffy curd that forms is yushi-dofu; pouring it into a cloth-lined box and pressing it turns it into the firm block. Some people eat yushi-dofu straight with a little soy sauce, and shops more often serve it in a bowl of light stock.
Yushi-dofu soba puts the curd in place of the pork on a bowl of Okinawa soba, and Takaesu Soba in Urasoe has built its name on it. Breakfast is the other good time. Tofu no Higa on the north edge of Ishigaki town opens early and serves yushi-dofu sets from the morning's batch, and Minaaiya on Miyako makes its own tofu and serves yushi-dofu in dashi.
Worth knowing
- Go early to the tofu makers; Tofu no Higa serves breakfast only and closes mid-morning.
8 places
Where to eat Yushi-dofu店
Fukugi-ya
Bise · Motobu
Aasa (sea lettuce) soba ¥1,000 and draft beer ¥500 (Tabelog review, August 2026).
Machigwa Shokudo Dotonbori
Makishi · Naha
Mabo-don ¥900 (lunches.jp, June 2026); half a spiny lobster for grilling ¥2,500 at a first-floor stall (Tabelog review, June 2026)
Minaaiya
Yonaha · Miyako-jima
Tabelog reviewers report spending under ¥1,000 at lunch (2025–2026)
Nakijin Soba
Nakijin · Motobu
Nakijin Soba set with juushii and brown-sugar pudding ¥1,500 (Tabelog reviews, September 2026).
Shimujo
Shuri · Naha
Sanmai-niku soba set, medium, ¥1,300 with juushii and jiimaami tofu (lunches.jp, July 2026)
Shuraku Ahari
Aharen · Tokashiki-jima
Yushi-tofu soba with squid-ink jushi set ¥1,100 in a review dated 19 February 2026
Takaesu Soba
Urasoe · Central
Tabelog reviewers put most bills at ¥1,000–1,999 (October 2026).
Tofu no Higa
Ishigaki City · Ishigaki-jima
Tabelog reviewers report spending under ¥1,000 to ¥1,999 (2026).
FAQ
Quick answers about Yushi-dofuよくある質問
What is the difference between yushi-dofu and shima-dofu?
Yushi-dofu is the soft curd taken before pressing, and shima-dofu is the same curd pressed into a firm block. Both start from raw-squeezed soy milk set with seawater or nigari.
Where can you eat yushi-dofu soba?
Takaesu Soba in Urasoe is known above all for yushi-dofu soba, and other Okinawa soba shops list it too. The bowl swaps the usual pork for warm soft tofu.
Is there a vegetarian Yushi-dofu?
Not as served. The tofu is vegan, and the broth is usually bonito or pork, so ask 'dashi wa nan desu ka?' (だしは何ですか, What is the stock?). Yushi-dofu soba sits in the soba shop's pork and bonito broth.
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