OK, I’m not Okinawan.

But whenever I go to the annual Okinawan Festival at Kapiolani Park, I feel the uchinanchu spirit come over me.’

And it’s usually at the food booths.

Okinawans know how to eat. And this year’s offerings proved it, with a lineup that included shoyu pork, yakisoba, sōki soba (ソーキそば) and, of course, andagi. More than 100,000 of them.

This year, though, there were a couple of new items: taco rice — a popular Okinawan dish that combines rice with taco-seasoned beef, shredded lettuce, cheese and salsa — and fundagi — a combination of andagi with funnel cakes.

There’s so much to do — and eat — it’s no wonder the festival is held over two days.

Here’s what the first day of this year’s festival looked like:

Welcome to the Okinawan Festival

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 25

What started as a one-day cultural event at McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana Beach Park has become a two-day festival that attracts more than 50,000 people and involves more than 2,000 volunteers at Waikiki's largest park.

The 29th annual Okinawan Festival will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Kapiolani Park.