CONTRIBUTED BY KASSIE O'DRISCOLL
You guys, I have to tell you about this love affair of mine. It's with soup curry and, recently, I found a new restaurant that I really enjoy! I first heard about soup curry from my sister, who lived in Japan for a while, and encouraged me to learn how to make it upon finding out...
CONTRIBUTED BY KACEY A.
click photo for source
Want to catch the latest flick? Here's a list of theaters around Okinawa, with links to their websites for current and up-to-date playing movies and their showtimes.
Base Theaters
Camp Courtney 622-9616
Camp Hansen 623-4564
Camp Foster 645-3465
Camp Kinser 637-2177
Camp Schwab 625-2338
Kadena AB 050-5865-3095
MCAS Futenma 636-3890
*Need help calling DSN numbers? Check our post here.
Admission (current as of 12/2014):
Prices listed below are the ticket price...
CONTRIBUTED BY MEGAN WATERS
Awase Sanchome is my favorite ramen spot on Okinawa. A bold statement, I know. But having sampled about a half dozen ramen spots around the island, I can say with some confidence that this place is the best. Sanchome is set up as a typical ramen shop: a bar that seats 6 or so, and a...
CONTRIBUTED BY MICHELLE CAMINA
By far one of the nicest places on island to get one’s PT on is Onna Village’s Akama Athletic Park.
The park features (at the time of this writing) all new facilities.
In addition to a combined track and soccer stadium that sits separately from Onna Ball Park stadium, there is a wide soccer field overlooking the beautiful...
CONTRIBUTED BY KASSIE O'DRISCOLL
About two months ago, my friend Manami introduced me to her friends, Wakako & Tsukasa. She told me about their dessert cafe in Naha and how it was famous for crepes. During our conversation, we had a pretty intense exchange about the difference between American cupcakes vs muffins. It was both hysterical and amazing, and by the...
CONTRIBUTED BY ANTHONY CAMINA
Charming atmosphere, hospitable owners, and creative craftwork await you alongside some delicious meals at Igokochiya Izakaya. The restaurant is a new addition along the 329 in Yaka and stands out due to the in-house woodworked signs, décor, and furniture.
Both times I have visited, I was warmly greeted by the owner, Mina-san who is very welcoming and...
CONTRIBUTED BY ELIZA GROFF
We worked up an appetite on our weekend expedition exploring the Nakagusuku Castle Ruins and Nakamura House. While those are both worthwhile cultural visits, our meal at Bangasa in the Plaza House Shopping Center was equally as impressive. Bangasa is a Japanese restaurant featuring both Western table seating and recessed tatami mat seating. We arrived just after...
CONTRIBUTED BY MICHELLE CAMINA
Kin Dam Park is one of the newest parks to open in Okinawa. Located just past Camp Hansen, off Route 329, Kin Dam Park offers plenty of scenic walking, jogging, and biking paths for park enthusiasts to explore.
On an exceptionally clear day, one can easily see across Kin Bay to Ikei Island’s signature red bridge or...
Editor's Note: The Annual Okinawa Burger Festival is held every fall in late November or early December depending on weather. At the time of publication of this article in 2014, the event is scheduled for December 14, 2014. If you know the date for 2015, 2016, etc. please let us know in the comments and we will update this post!
CONTRIBUTED...
CONTRIBUTED BY KACEY A.
A friend and I were on the prowl for a tasty breakfast in a cute setting where we could talk and hang out for a while. Our usual places were closed. It was a typical Wednesday on the island … we forgot about all the cafes that close this particular day of the week. Both of us...
CONTRIBUTED BY ELIZA GROFF
Far East Engravers is a fantastic local business owned by a former U.S. Marine, employing Okinawan citizens. I use this company to engrave many different forms of glassware, wood, and they even do ink printing on cork. On their Facebook page, Far East Engravers showcases a range of the types of products that they offer, from...
CONTRIBUTED BY MINDY MORRIS
From the minute you arrive in Chiang Mai, you will see advertisements for Tiger Kingdom. They are on the taxis, on the buses, on the fliers handed out on the street corners. However, for such a widely advertised tourist destination, I was surprised by the authenticity of the animal encounter.
Tiger Kingdom is set up with large...
CONTRIBUTED BY ANTHONY CAMINA
It is that time of the year. A time for Christmas carols, sleigh bells jingling and beautiful lights a twinkling. If you thought being on Okinawa meant that you would have to sacrifice these yuletide traditions, then read on for some friendly suggestions. One thing the Okinawa people have embraced over the years is the American concept...
The 2014 calendar was available for purchase in November and December of 2013, and for a limited time in the early months of 2014. Our 2015 calendar is available for purchase now. Purchase one for yourself - or as a gift for others - here.
This was December’s page:
Kokusai Street
Photo Credit: Jacqueline Huber
"Festivals galore
Food, fireworks, many blessings
Living in Oki"...
CONTRIBUTED BY ANTHONY CAMINA
Many who lived in the Courtney/ Ishikawa area knew of the delicious burgers found at 50’s Café. These same folks were probably as disappointed as my family was when the brightly colored sign pointing to the establishment was taken down for good. I am glad to say that after taking the 224 shortcut around Courtney, I...
CONTRIBUTED BY ELIZA GROFF
If you're looking for a fun atmosphere and some real Okinawan cuisine, check out Cha-Bira Dining on 58 near Nago. The colorful awning is painted with jovial drinking shisa dogs. My husband and I got out of our car in the main parking lot to be greeted by lively Okinawan music. The sign of the restaurant...
CONTRIBUTED BY KACEY A.
click photo for image source
Early in 2014, a few of the bases on Okinawa changed their telephone policies, preventing people direct dialing from Japanese commercial phones to on-base DSN lines. Here is an updated list of instructions to call each military base on Okinawa. I’ve also included important military emergency numbers for quick reference.
To call a...
CONTRIBUTED BY NATASHA GARRIDO
Without a doubt, Okinawa has a wide array of restaurants to choose from. A diligent individual could have his or her choice of what to eat and how much to spend on any given night.
But what if you happen to have a few rugrats running around and are on a tight budget? A weekend out isn’t...
CONTRIBUTED BY MICHELLE CAMINA
In the town of Kin there is a natural spring that bubbles and pours forth from the confines of a shrine-like structure where children are found often at play in its gentle waters and the surrounding park area.
The park—Kin Okawa Spring—is a favorite attraction amongst the residents of Kin who frequent its grounds for bocce ball...
Editor's Note: A copy of this book was provided to the Okinawa Hai staff by the publisher, but this review was written by our former OkiHai local manager who purchased her own copy and provided this review for us; all opinions are her own. Affiliate links are embedded.
Above the East China Sea by Sarah Bird
336 pages
Available in hardcover, e-books and audiobook...
CONTRIBUTED BY ANTHONY CAMINA
There are all types of dining experiences in Okinawa. You have the chain giants like CoCo Ichiban and Joyful which provide great quality and continuity. There are also the fast food standbys like McDonald’s and Hotto Motto which are good in a pinch. If you are feeling adventurous you can even peruse the archives of Okinawa...
CONTRIBUTED BY ELIZA GROFF
Ask around: What does the name Ishigufu mean in the Okinawan language? I can’t seem to find an answer.
My husband and I stopped at this brightly colored café on our way home from a camping trip near Higashi. This local café prides itself on its tasty local pork and handmade Okinawan pottery. Many places on Okinawa...
CONTRIBUTED BY MICHELLE CAMINA
Along the northeastern coastline of Okinawa, dotted by sleepy fishing villages and occasional signs pointing tourists towards secluded cafes, sit a unique group of rock outcroppings fifty-four to thirty-seven millions of years old called the Fold of the Kayo Formation.
The Fold of the Kayo Formation was designated by the Japanese government as a Natural Monument September...
CONTRIBUTED BY ANTHONY CAMINA
If you have spent any significant time on Okinawa, you are well aware of the base flea markets that are held periodically. If you thought that these were the only open air places to get a deal on the weekend then you would be missing out, big time. The locals have their own flea markets and...
Editor’s Note: This is the final installment of Quentin’s adventure to Kumejima. Click on the following links to read the others: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
CONTRIBUTED BY QUENTIN RICHARDSON
Returning to the hostel, I met up with the local who spoke English. I told him about my day trip to Hatenohama Beach and my next set of plans to revisit some sites and...
Editor's Note: The name of this restaurant was previously Shinka and in 2015 was changed to SURIYUN.
CONTRIBUTED BY DAVID HIGGINS
The view of the Hilton Hotel is a magnificent sight if you are on the harbor part of the seawall, just north of American Village. Standing inside the hotel certainly has the same effect. At first I wondered whether I was...
CONTRIBUTED BY ELIZA GROFF
On our way to the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum, we stopped into Café Bree Garden for lunch. We discovered it serendipitously. It is conveniently located on the main road 331, on your way southeast from Naha.
Café Bree Garden offers an affordably priced lunch menu with dishes ranging from Japanese-style curry, to pasta, to taco rice,...
The 2014 calendar was available for purchase in November and December of 2013, and for a limited time in the early months of 2014. Next year's calendar will be available for purchase in the next few days.
This was November’s page:
Okinogu Shrine, Naha
Photo Credit: Rochelle VanSickel
srochellephotography.com
Naritasan Temple
Photo credit: Jennifer Navales
"Sing once more for me,
The sweet song that haunts my...
CONTRIBUTED BY MICHELLE CAMINA
One of the best things to do in Okinawa is explore its many parks and recreational areas—and the island is certainly full of them! Okinawan parks are often distinguished by their tell-tale faux wooden fence posts and stair steps, and are commonly located near (but not limited to) community centers, elementary schools, beach scenic areas, or...
Editor's Note: This is the third installment of Quentin's adventure to Kumejima. Click on the following links to read the others: Part 1, Part 2
CONTRIBUTED BY QUENTIN RICHARDSON
It is now my second day on Kumejima. The previous day was very busy traveling from site to site, and it was then time to relax. The original plan was to relax...