Okinawa Geography
Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan, located 400 miles south of mainland. It is part of the Ryukyu island chain, and is surrounded by the East China Sea on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It is approximately 70 miles long and seven miles wide, with an area of 463 square miles.
Okinawa's Climate
Okinawa is located at 26.5000°...
We will be publishing base reviews of all US Military Installations on Okinawa over the course of the rest of this year. Many thanks to Anthony for taking on this time-intensive and incredibly helpful series for our readers!
CONTRIBUTED BY ANTHONY CAMINA
Camp Hansen, Kin Town
click photo for source
Overview
Camp Hansen is located adjacent to the north end of Kin bay and...
A Brief History of Okinawa
14th Century to 1945
In 1879 Okinawa became Japan's 47th prefecture, though its history as a major trading hub as the Ryukyu Kingdom dates back well into the 14th century. During World War II the Japanese government used Okinawa's strategic location in the East China Sea to ward off Allied Forces' advances as the war approached...
CONTRIBUTED BY: BETHANY BRONSON
It was my 30th birthday. I told my husband that I wanted him to surprise me with where we went to dinner because for my birthday I didn’t want to have to be decisive. After talking to friends at work, he chose a fancy French restaurant with an amazing view that we hadn’t visited before: Lierre...
CONTRIBUTED BY DARREN SHAVER
Here in Hamby Town, a restaurant has recently opened which deserves to be classed as genuine Turkish cuisine. A young couple, the fellow from Turkey and his wife from Japan, have opened up a small restaurant two blocks north of Hamby Town San-A, very close to the main entrance of Araha Beach Park. For those familiar with...
CONTRIBUTED BY BRANDI JAKUBOWICZ
I am a person who likes dessert. I am also a person that is very picky about the desserts that I like. I like desserts that leave me thinking about them later... long after they have been eaten, and have me looking for a reason to enjoy them again.
One night after a delicious sushi dinner with...
CONTRIBUTED BY ARIELLE SULLIVAN
The trail begins with a wooden stairway built into the side of the mountain. As you continue to climb, you will come to a three way intersection of trails. We chose to take the trail towards the left to begin with, and I am glad we did. At first, we walked along a narrow path through...
CONTRIBUTED BY ALLI MARTIN
If you are shopping at one of the many furniture shops in the Living Design Square and are looking for a bite to eat, look no further. Soup Soup is a surprisingly bright and open café lined with windows and is located upstairs in the Living Design Square where you will find Grace furniture store. Not...
CONTRIBUTED BY SHOKO TAMAKI
Oldies but goodies! Do you love to swing, jive or twist? Gold Disc is the place where you can do it all. This is my favorite place among all of the music clubs with live music in Okinawa. Although I never got to experience living in the 1950s, I have always loved the music that came out...
CONTRIBUTED BY HOLLY BATES
(Editor's Note: This is one of the topics we receive the most questions about as people prepare to move to Okinawa. Holly wrote this comprehensive guide 10 days after finishing the PCSing process with pets, so all of the details were fresh in her mind. Thank you, Holly!)
We had about 2 months notice before PCS'ing to...
CONTRIBUTED BY ANABELA DA SILVA JENKINS
Expectations were high when we booked this trip. The plan was simple: quick three day trip solely dedicated to visit our friend Fuji-san. We booked the tickets with LCC Vanilla Air and flew from Naha to Narita Airport, on the outskirts of Tokyo. From Narita we took the Keisei Narita Limited Express to Nippori...
CONTRIBUTED BY ANNIE CASTRO
Glass blowing is something that I love doing here, especially since Okinawa is known for its beautiful glass. Thanks to the Okinawa Hai article I found in my first days of living here, I have participated in glass blowing several times at Ryukyu Glass Craft in Itoman. It’s nice if you’re looking for an inexpensive experience, but...
CONTRIBUTED BY MARIA CASTRO
It’s so difficult to find activities for young little ones; there just aren’t many options for 2-5 years old. Sure the youth center has some classes but the wait list can be long. Did you know that the Kadena USO offers classes, too? They have Karate, Irish Dance, Early Explorers Infant Program, and Yoga to name...
CONTRIBUTED BY MEGAN MCMURRIN
The Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom offers extensive shopping, delicious cuisine and exciting entertainment while reflecting the culture, landscape and diversity that is distinctly unique to Okinawa. From the commanding Shiisaa flanking the entrance to the breathtaking aquarium on the first floor, once you enter the Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom you will also experience the flavor...
CONTRIBUTED BY ALICIA VELEK
If you are anything like me, there is one thing on your mind this time of year as the weather warms up – the beach. Tucked away, just south of Nanjo, in southern Okinawa, is a gem known as Mibaru Beach (新原ビーチ). A short drive from Okinawa World and Sefa Utaki, my husband and I stumbled...
CONTRIBUTED BY AN NA D.
(In Aeon Yomitan Shopping Center)
When my husband and I first got to the island, we spent almost everyday eating at different types of restaurants. I guess, not having a house or utensils to cook with seemed like a pretty legit reason to spend all of our money on food. However, what I’ve come to realize...
Editor’s Note: Hiji Falls was originally reviewed on Okinawa Hai on August 7, 2007; you can read a PDF copy of the original review HERE. The post below is an updated take on this hike, published May 4, 2015.
CONTRIBUTED BY ADAM BAKER
If you are looking for a day trip to the north side of the island, or are staying at...
The 2015 calendar was available for purchase in November and December of 2014. This was May's page.
Kouri Island
Photo credit: Pamela Oliveras
Pamela Oliveras Photography
"Globes like butterflies
Winking mark the daily catch
Become ornaments" --Eliza Groff
Yoron Island
Photo credit: Tiffani Park
Kokusai Street Fish Market
Photo credit: Jamie Snider
Jamie Snider Photography
CONTRIBUTED BY SHELL BURGER
While wandering around American Village this past weekend with my family, we came across an amazing café that not only serves what I believe to be some of the best french toast and coffee I have had in a long time, but it also has an amazing ocean view. Most people do not venture further back...
CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS
My goal this year is to visit as many of the surrounding islands as I can; I am starting off easy by doing the ones we can drive to and will work my way up to the outer islands. Over Valentine's weekend our family spent a night camping on Kouri Island, the first island on our...
CONTRIBUTED BY EMILY BUREK
I love the tacos in Okinawa! They look like the hard-shelled type and are a bit crunchy, but have the flexibility of a soft taco. The fillings are always simple- but fresh, and they are usually pretty inexpensive.
I also love fried food- especially fried bread! Now make it even more enticing by filling it with stewed...
CONTRIBUTED BY MICHELLE CAMINA
Some of the best advice I can give to those that love finding free activities to do and who enjoy the great outdoors, is to be on the lookout for signs posted around the island indicating a dam in the vicinity. Nine times out of ten, these dams have incorporated parks within their areas for the...
CONTRIBUTED BY LIZ MCGINNIS
Café Mofgmona is a hidden gem in Ginowan. My husband and I decided to search for a new lunch place. We were feeling adventurous and decided to drive around. We came across this quaint café just before opening time but decided to walk around until it opened at 11:30am. I am so glad that we decided...
CONTRIBUTED BY BOB ROBERTS
We recently stopped at an Okinawan family restaurant called Haebaru Drive In Restaurant. The front of the building proudly proclaims that it was established in 1972. The parking lot has plenty of spaces for customers. It has a big statue of a shishi dog (aka shisa dog) at the front of the parking lot and honestly,...
CONTRIBUTED BY EMILY BUREK
A couple of weeks ago I was driving around when I noticed what appeared to be a small cafe. I could see a case that had a small selection of pastries so I saved the location on my phone because I had to get back to work. A couple of days later I was able to...
CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS
One Sunday, while our family was off on an ‘adventure’, which is the term we use for getting lost, we stumbled across this small, but cute little toy shop ‘Casa Machilda’. Well, I thought it was a toy shop at first, but upon further investigation, discovered it was so much more!
Machilda, which stands for...
Editor's Note: Primo Kitchen was originally reviewed on Okinawa Hai on June 18, 2009; you can read a PDF copy of that original review HERE. The post below is an updated take on this restaurant, published April 8, 2015.
CONTRIBUTED BY ASHLEY HILL
Every time I drive to the veterinary clinic, I always think about two things: what will the enormous structure being...
CONTRIBUTED BY MARIE LEWIS/PHOTOS BY PETER VANOSDALL AND MARIE LEWIS
I recently had the opportunity to go on a short-term Christian mission trip with a team from Koza Baptist Church. It was a difficult but important step of faith for me, and I left profoundly humbled by the experience. Let me be clear: I am no expert on poverty alleviation....
CONTRIBUTED BY MICHELLE CAMINA
Near the Shah Bay Mutabaru Observatory in Ogimi, there is a small statue of a wild boar lying next to a placard detailing the history of the village’s most important feature: the Yamashishigaki, or "Wild Boar Wall". Editor's Note: The author has transcribed the placard, and it is included at the bottom of this article.
The Hiking...
CONTRIBUTED BY SHANNON R.
Following a last minute trip back to the States on emergency leave with my three children, ages 4, 7 and 9, I heard, “You are so brave!” more times than I can count. There are lots of extra things to think about when traveling with children, but I can tell you from personal experience that you shouldn’t...