The 2014 calendar was available for purchase in November and December of 2013; we have a limited amount of calendars left for on-island delivery. If you'd like to purchase one for yourself, please visit our 2014 Calendar Purchase page for information.
This was January's page:
Cape Zanpa
Photo credit: Caylen Gallini
www.lynnmarcellophotography.com
"Haisai, my dear friend
Ichariba, choodee means
We're now family" -- Joseph Yoshimasu Kamiya
Southeast...
CONTRIBUTED BY SHELL BURGER
Since my family decided to go to Tokyo Disneyland, we decided the trip would not be complete without also going to DisneySea. During our research of the park, we saw it described continually as a park "unlike any other Disney Park," and those statements were very accurate. We didn’t really know what to expect going into the park, but we were...
CONTRIBUTED BY AMY MADDOCKS
We found a quaint little area on a weekend drive and wanted to share with you. The next time you are traveling up towards Maeda Point or Onna Village, just off the main road is a peace statue of Shinran Shonin. It’s a Buddhist statue at a place called Maedabiru.
This location was a place where heavy artillery was set...
CONTRIBUTED BY SHELL BURGER
As a little girl I had always dreamed of seeing the Christmas decorations that a Disney theme park has to offer. When I located a killer deal for airfare and was able to book a room with New Sanno in Tokyo, it seemed like everything was falling into place for my childhood dream to come true....
CONTRUBUTED BY BELINDA BYRON
My husband and I went to a ramen noodle shop next door to Shiva Indian Restaurant one day. We ended up talking to the owner and he explained how Indian curry is much different from the curry you would find at CoCo’s. I had never tried Indian food before so I was skeptical at first. About a week...
CONTRIBUTED BY LEVI COLE
When Japan’s economy took a turn for the worse over a decade ago, recycle/second-hand shops started to gain popularity among a Japanese population who sought a shopping alternative that was easy on the wallet. 2nd Street Recycle Store is a clean, modern-looking second hand shop with a slightly more upscale selection of items ranging from furniture,...
CONTRIBUTED BY KASSIE O'DRISCOLL
My husband, Mark, and I tried Seaside BBQ months ago, but life has been incredibly busy (and fun) so I've struggled to get this post written! However, I'm here now with information about a BBQ joint that will make you feel like you're in North Carolina! Aw, NC, how I miss thee.
The restaurant is owned by...
CONTRIBUTED BY KELSEY FEENEY
When one of my girlfriends and I stumbled upon the Penguin Bar Fairy while exploring some back alleys of Naha, we were pleasantly surprised. Who would have thought that this humid, tropical island actually had penguins? The thought was quite amusing, so we decided to check the place out the following weekend.
The Penguin Bar Fairy is...
Editor's Note: As of June 2016, we have been informed that this store is no longer open. We are leaving this post in our archives for those of you who may be looking for it.
CONTRIBUTED BY LEVI COLE
You have probably arrived at this article because you own an Apple product (e.g., Macbook, iPad, iPhone) that is experiencing some type...
CONTRIBUTED BY EMILY BUREK
If you like curry you need to get to Go!Go! Curry. And that is not a typo. Go!Go! Curry has one location on our little island. It is right down in Naha on the southbound side of 58. Look for a bright yellow awning with a huge gorilla, who I assume is their mascot.
This is a...
CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER OLSEN
My husband and I heard about a race that you run in the moonlight, and we had to find out more about it. October 19th, I ran the Iheya Moonlight Marathon, and it was one of the best experiences I have had in Okinawa. Iheya Island has a population around 1,200 so the race about triples the...
CONTRIBUTED BY LEAH MAGID
One of the frequently asked questions on “the Facebook” is, “Where can I find ?” Well, if your “item” happens to be related to baking and making what you bake look amazing, the answer is: “The Ribbon Store,” properly titled Food & Package Ribbon. This shop is located in Naha, just south of Camp Kinser off...
The 2013 calendar was only available for a couple of short months at the end of 2012 and the beginning of this year. In case you missed the opportunity to purchase one for yourself, we'd like to show you what you're missing.
This was December's page:
Shuri Castle
Photo Credit: Dustin M. Sprague; dustinmsprague.com
"My eyes widen as
I reach out to my husband.
We...
CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER OLSEN
Nestled away in the quiet neighborhood of Gusukuma is Urashiro Park. This small little park is great for the little ones of the family. There is a wide open field that is perfect for kicking around a ball, flying a kite or throwing some water balloons. There is a small hill next to the playground that...
CONTRIBUTED BY JENNIFER MARTINEZ
Peace. It’s not just a popular concept in Okinawa, but now a restaurant exhibiting a casual elegance, relaxing atmosphere and friendly serving staff. Restaurant Peace is located at the heart of the Southeast Botanical Gardens.
Greeted and seated immediately at a modern table with earth toned decor, I noticed a family with children sat to my left...
CONTRIBUTED BY MARIE LEWIS
My husband, Kenny, and I recently travelled to Europe via Shanghai on China Eastern Airlines, and our 20-plus hour layovers headed out and back proved to be rather interesting learning experiences. By "interesting" I mean exciting, stressful, confusing and, at times, harrowing. When we returned to Okinawa, we started sharing our experiences with friends only to find that many of them...
CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER OLSEN
Tucked away from the main road stands the Ginowan City Museum. We weren’t sure what to expect as we entered the building, in terms of affordability and kid-friendliness. We were pleasantly surprised. Admission is free to the museum - great so far!
There is one permanent exhibit hall and the other one rotates every one to two...
CONTRIBUTED BY MARIE LEWIS
A mere 24 hours before boarding a plane to Italy for the trip of a lifetime, I looked down and realized with some horror that I was in need of a pedicure. Badly. Cocok's was fully booked and so was Dulce; I had hoped they could squeeze in a place for my neglected feet, but it...
CONTRIBUTED BY POLLY SHAFER
Editor's Note: This store, formerly known as the Navy Gift Shop, was originally featured on our site in 2008. Since then, it's gotten a new name, new location, and new inventory, so we thought it was time for a new post! You can read the article about the old Navy Gift Shop in our archives.
Have you...
CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER OLSEN
Nestled away from the noise of the 58 and next to the outlet of the Makiminato-gawa River is Yuhi Jido Park. This cute little park is perfect for enjoying the evening next to the ocean as the kids wind down for the night. The cement slide is even painted blue to match the water. While this...
CONTRIBUTED BY TERRI SYKES
My 14-year-old son, Christian, is a freshman at Kubasaki High School. He spent several weeks this past summer studying advanced math in Hong Kong as part of an international studies program for gifted students. It was a wonderful experience for him, and I want other families of gifted children to know they too can have these...
CONTRIBUTED BY LEVI COLE
My wife and I were exploring Naha, and specifically Kokusai-dori, for our anniversary and stumbled across this (on the street level) rather inconspicuous Indian restaurant, Meera Indian Restaurant. We already had a hankering for Indian, so we decided to check it out – best decision since deciding to marry each other!
Upon descending the narrow staircase...
CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER OLSEN
In Uchidomari, there is a cute little park that my boys and I fell in love with. Gajumaru Jidou Park is located by the south entrance of the 58 bypass. The playground is in great condition and appears to receive maintenance often.
The playground is what I call, “safe fun." The bigger kids can still run...
CONTRIBUTED BY NICOLE NEUMANN
Editor's Note: Laula Ilikai is in the same location as the former Tony's Honolulu Hamby. You can click here to read the article on Tony's, which is now closed. We're keeping it in our archives for anyone who might be trying to look it up.
If you were a fan of Tony’s Honolulu Hamby, you will love...
CONTRIBUTED BY KELLY GILLOTTI
I’m on a pickling spree this week! I love pickled ginger, or gari as it’s called in Japanese, and usually ask for extra of it when we go out for sushi. I’ve almost purchased it several times back in the states, but every time, the ingredient list stops me: red dye #40 and aspartame! Why is...
The 2013 calendar was only available for a couple of short months at the end of 2012 and the beginning of this year. In case you missed the opportunity to purchase one for yourself, we'd like to show you what you're missing.
This was November's page:
Sunabe Seawall
Photo Credit: Chris Provan; facebook.com/ExcaliberPhotography
See each of our 2013 calendar months HERE (each month's...
CONTRIBUTED BY KASSIE O'DRISCOLL
Another new restaurant and I'm happy to report that it is close to our house! Recently, I noticed a new sign on 75 near Exit Cafe and wasn't sure if it was actually for Exit or for somewhere else. Well, it was for Ruriiro Restaurant and I'm glad we did the investigating to find out.
When we...
CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER OLSEN
Sometimes the oldest folklore is the scariest, and what perfect time to learn a new legend than on Halloween! While this story isn’t overly scary, it is a little spooky.
The legend of the Mayagama:
“Maya” means “cat” in the Okinawan dialect. There is a legend that an evil spirit used to live in this cave (pictured above)...
CONTRIBUTED BY SHELL BURGER
While wandering around American Village with some friends, we happened upon a very interesting and eclectic restaurant. At first glance the hidden jewel just appears to be a café for pastries and drinks, but looking through their menu, which can be found just outside the door, they have a wide variety of meal options.
Since we...
CONTRIBUTED BY KELLY GILLOTTI
Goya Chanpuru is an Okinawan classic. Goya (ゴーヤー) is a knobby green bitter melon that is useful during the hot, humid summers of Okinawa due to its cooling qualities. Chanpuru means “to mix” and can be used with any number of vegetables. The usual recipe that I see around town has some variety of the following ingredients:...