Okinawa Hai!

Recycle Store Exterior CONTRIBUTED BY STEPHANIE MONROE I’ve been on Okinawa about a year now, and since our arrival I’ve been lamenting the loss of one of my favorite activities: shopping the neighborhood thrift stores. Back in the states thrift stores are one of my regular stops to find unique, antique, or bargain priced items. [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY CHRISTOPHER DONG We walked through the small streets of South Sunabe on a sunny weekend afternoon. It was that odd hour of day where we were feeling peckish, energy enough to think about doing something, too hungry to actually accomplish anything. “Tea-time” menus infuriate me, lazily turned out dishes while chefs busy themselves [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY ANGI BRZYCKI Barclay Exterior Truthfully, I am not really a fan of strip malls with the exception of Barclay’s court in Urasoe City.  For one, the Starbucks opens at 6:50 am compared to a lot of the other Starbucks in Okinawa that open at 9 am. The only drawback is that they do [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY LULU American Wave Exterior I admit – I was one of those little girls who raided her mum’s closet for outfits and spangle, and I clip-clopped around in her heels. I still enjoy the experience of getting dressed up and I look forward to shopping with the same fervour. Many of us resort [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY ERIN SCHALK Koza Gate Pottery In my case, finding Koza Gate Apartment, a combined boutique and art gallery, could be best described as a happy accident. Earlier this summer, I had agreed to meet my friend and Japanese teacher there for a private lesson and good conversation. As with many storefronts in Okinawa, [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY SARRA MCMILLAN I love shoes. Who’s with me? Before coming to Japan, I agonized over the shoe situation that would await me; I’d be in a county filled with the most adorable footwear, none of which would ever adorn my (average-sized, thank-you very much!) feet. Luckily, upon arriving, my obsessive worrying manifested itself [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY JEANINE CZUBIK Last week on a drive up north to “see what we could see”, my friend and I spotted Ryukyu Tribes – with this artistically refined pig:   I am no longer fazed at seeing pigs in Okinawa: from the Puma sneaker brand styled Shisa shirts to the real skinned pig’s face [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY LARISSA    If you have ever taken 449 to get to Sachi’s Antique Store or Pizza In The Sky this building on your left will have caught your eye.  The treasures inside are equally as artsy and intriquing as the outer building.  The owner, Shiimada jiro, is an unassuming man who didn’t study [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY LARISSA This Marine is now retired and raised his own Marine who is now 21 and stationed at Camp Pendleton. “A father is a guy who has snapshots in his wallet where his money used to be.”  -Unknown With Father’s Day fast approaching I was thinking it would be fun to share ideas [...]

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CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER HANSEN Let’s talk clothes. I have no idea where they myth got started that there aren’t any cute clothing stores on this island. It’s just not the truth! There is lots of cute stuff here, as my wallet can attest to. I’ve already highlighted two clothing stores that I like, Roseri and [...]

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