According to our guide Okashigoten Onna was our last recommended bathroom. Our next stop had the bathroom far away from our view making it difficult to see what we were meant to see and also use the bathroom since it was scheduled as an only 20 minute stop.
Okashigoten Onna is a factory that makes fresh beniimo tarts that you can buy along with other souvenirs in a building inspired by Shuri Castle. Or if you’re just curious what the flavor of things are before buying them it’s a great spot to sample the local souvenir foods. Our visit was scheduled to last 30 minutes and while we were there it wasn’t too crowded. If it’s busy and crowded I would make your trip to the bathroom the priority. But because it wasn’t I wandered around sampling all the free samples trying to decide what I’d take to my coworkers back in Korea, I decided on their deal which was two boxes in a beniimo tart bag.
There is also a factory space where you can watch them make beniimo tarts which are made out of the local vibrantly purple sweet potato. While the majority of the sweets in the main portion of the shop floor are beniimo flavored they also have other flavors like a mango and beniimo swirl and a secondary room with Okinawan souvenirs (like glass and things that aren’t beniimo). I suggest going to this corner to take in the view. If you are there for awhile there is a spot to sit and enjoy a snack. I bought some post cards here.
If you are there for more time you may want to check out UMIMACHI and enjoy the “experience” portion of the shop where you can make your own beniimo tart. Please note that this experience does require a reservation. There is also a restaurant and a cafe. The restaurant, Tembo Restaurant Churaumi apparently has a gorgeous view of the “emerald green ocean” and the cafe, the Beach Terrace Cafe 〜Diamond Blue〜 is located near the beach and has a special french toast available.
After doing everything I wanted/needed to do at the shop I decided to buy some Blue Seal ice cream. Since I was in the Beniimo factory space I decided to get the beniimo swirl and took it outside with my souvenirs and free gift (an individually wrapped tart) before going on the bus.
On the bus we were given a free beniimo tart as a gift for visiting. This meant I had two. So if you want to try one but don’t want to buy any souvenirs you can still get a free one on the tour. I decided to eat one of them while we drove to our final stop.
While I was eating the beniimo tart I realized it was very familiar and I couldn’t place it. I was wracking my brain trying to think of where and when I’d had it before until I remembered that a coworker at my old rural school in Gapyeong had brought them back as a souvenir for us. It felt like I’d reached a full circle, I had received a tart as a souvenir and now I was having them in person at the place they were made and bringing them back for others as a souvenir.
The Okashigoten Onna has a lot more to do then 30 minutes worth, which seemed to be a trend of the tour. However if you just want to buy souvenirs it’s a pretty decent rest stop. They are open daily from 8:30 until 7:30pm. (Except from August through September they are open from 8:30 until 9pm.)
The stores and places to eat within the Okashigoten Onna have different times as well.
UMIMACHI is open from 10am until 6pm. (August—September 10am-8pm)
Tembo Restaurant Churaumi is open from 11:30am until 6:30pm with last order at 6pm. (August—September 11:30-8:30pm with last order at 7:30pm)
Beach Terrace Cafe 〜Diamond Blue〜 is open from 11am until 6pm with last order at 5pm. (August—September 11am-7pm with last order at 6pm)