Hītu is the Okinawan dialect word for dolphin. In Nago City in northern Okinawa, dolphin fishing was once an important local industry, and the tradition of eating dolphin meat has continued in the area.
Even today, a number of restaurants in Nago serve dishes made with dolphin meat. It is also not unusual to find packaged dolphin meat for sale in local supermarkets, making it a distinctive part of the region’s food culture.
Dolphin meat has a texture that is relatively similar to whale meat. Depending on the restaurant and recipe, it can be prepared in several ways, including stir-fried, deep-fried, or cooked as a steak.
For visitors interested in discovering the less familiar traditions of Okinawan cuisine, Hītu cuisine offers an unusual glimpse into the food culture of northern Okinawa. Nago’s history of dolphin fishing has left a culinary tradition that can still be encountered in local restaurants and shops today.
Because dolphin cuisine is quite different from the dishes most international visitors associate with Okinawa, trying it provides an opportunity to learn about the region’s diverse culinary heritage and the food traditions that have developed around its coastal communities.