Beni Imo: Okinawa's Purple Sweet Potato and the Tart That Made It Famous

Ask people in Japan to name a souvenir from Okinawa, and many will say beni imo before anything else. This vivid purple sweet potato has become one of the most recognizable flavors of the islands. You'll find it in tarts, cookies, ice cream, and just about every gift shop from Naha to the northern beaches.

Before I moved to Okinawa, beni imo was the first thing I pictured when I thought of the islands too. When I was in elementary school, a friend brought me beni imo tarts as a souvenir, and I still remember how amazed I was. I had never seen purple food before. The aroma and gentle sweetness were unlike anything I knew, and the pastry was soft and moist. These days I'm usually the one buying Okinawan souvenirs for friends, and I still end up choosing beni imo tarts.

What Is Beni Imo?

Beni imo (紅いも) is the Okinawan name for purple-fleshed sweet potatoes. Beni means crimson and imo means potato or tuber. On the outside it looks much like other sweet potatoes, but cut one open and you'll find flesh that ranges from deep violet to bright purple. It has a mild, earthy sweetness, and it's used across Okinawa in both home cooking and confectionery.

How the Sweet Potato Came to Okinawa

The sweet potato's story in Okinawa is traditionally traced back to 1605. A man remembered by his official title, Noguni Sokan, is credited with bringing sweet potato plants back from Fujian in China and growing them in his home village of Noguni, in what is now Kadena Town. Very little is known about his life beyond this achievement.

Gima Shinjo, a Ryukyuan official, is said to have learned how to grow the crop from Noguni Sokan and spread it among farmers across the islands. The sweet potato grew well in Okinawa's climate and became an important staple food. Today, both men are remembered locally as benefactors who helped feed the islands.

The Birth of the Beni Imo Tart

For many visitors, beni imo means one thing: the beni imo tart. This small, boat-shaped pastry is filled with a smooth, purple beni imo paste. It was created in 1986 in Yomitan Village, on Okinawa's main island, where beni imo is a local specialty. At the time, communities across Japan were running "one village, one product" campaigns to promote local goods, and Yomitan set out to create a sweet made from its purple potatoes.

The tart was developed by the Yomitan confectioner now known as Okashigoten, which still sells it as the original beni imo tart. Over the decades, it has become one of the best-known souvenirs from Okinawa.

Beni Imo Beyond the Tart

Once you start looking, you'll see beni imo everywhere in Okinawa. Some favorites include:

• Beni imo chinsuko: the classic Okinawan shortbread-style cookie with a purple twist
• Beni imo ice cream and soft serve: a popular treat on a hot island day
• Beni imo mochi and cakes: soft, colorful sweets for sharing
• Home cooking: steamed, baked, or mashed, just like any other sweet potato

A Taste of Okinawa at Your Door

Beni imo sweets are part of what we pack into our CHURA PANTRY boxes. Whether it reminds you of a trip, a friend's souvenir, or years spent living on the islands, we hope that first purple bite brings a little bit of Okinawa home to you.

Discover more Okinawan treats at CHURA PANTRY.

— Koei