CONTRIBUTED BY DIANA MIDDLETON
I've heard about the tidepools, but it's great to get confirmation:
"We love it because it's a beach. Enough said. Anyway, they have great sand, great water, nearby restrooms, a park, and a waterslide. My son spent most of his time collecting sand crabs. What more can you ask for??"
Here is a description and directions provided by...
CONTRIBUTED BY KELLYERACE
Back in September, Diann asked where some good vegetarian grub could be found. There were a bevy of responses, which can be read here.
Well, as it happens one of my ESL students, Maki, is a chef at Bio Smile, one of the restaurants recommended. She's also vegetarian. She also very kindly wrote up the directions to a...
CONTRIBUTED BY KAHO
When I go grocery shopping, I always go to two places: Commissary on base and Co-op. Sometimes I go to a third store, an organic store “ANEW”. I like Co-op aka “Big apple store” because I can buy some organic vegetables and other organic products. I find prices on Co-op brand products very reasonable as well. Not...
CONTRIBUTED BY MEREDITH NOVARIO
Kelly will be joining us on island in April and she's trying to get her Japanese groove on early. As in the language. Here's what she's thinking.
Learning the native language in Okinawa is really important to me. I know a lot of people have told me that I won’t need to learn it because a lot...
So, I have this friend.
Hi, Andrea!
When she and her family moved here they were shown housing on Courtney since her husband is based at Hansen. They found a house off-base near Courtney. However, her two youngest kids go to school out Kadena Gate 2. AND her oldest is in school on Courtney.
She spends a huge chunk of her day...
CONTRIBUTED BY LAN
This Okinawa Hai! reader will be joining our large community here on the island and is in dire need of fencing and related supplies for their on-base home on Kadena. Let's lend a helping hand, shall we? Here's their question:
"My husband has just moved into a multiplex on Kadena. He's wanting to install fencing before my son...
Editor’s Note: Shuri Castle was originally reviewed on Okinawa Hai on December o1, 2007; you can read a PDF copy of that original review here. The post below is an updated take on this restaurant, published January 8, 2016.
CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS
At least one visit to Shuri Castle is on everyone's “Okinawa Bucket List”, there aren’t too many people that, if they...
CONTRIBUTED BY KELLYERACE
Have you gone to the Cactus Eatrip bagel shop on 58? If you haven't, you've gotta hustle on down because there is some yummy, chewy, bagel-y goodness to be had. Actually, I should be getting down on my knees in thanks to Melissa for giving me a heads up about this joint. It took me a...
CONTRIBUTED BY KAHO
Many of you have probably seen the store “Big 1” with a yellow sign on top of its building. I have driven by the store many times, but I have never stepped inside the store until recently, a year and a half after I moved to Okinawa. The store is very crowded with variety of items like...
For all you parents looking for a preschool that suits your kids, we’re hoping to add a little something to aid in your search. Parents of children who attend various preschools on island have filled out a series of questions about the schools for the benefit of the rest of us. We welcome more than one voice on each...
Living overseas has its challenges, and a commonly agreed upon one is finding that perfect place to live. To help those of us who are curious about the different options for living on Okinawa, readers have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about on-base housing. If you live in an off-base house that has not yet been...
CONTRIBUTED BY JOELLE YAMADA
One of the hardest things for me about the "moving" military life is having to search AGAIN for a place to worship with my family. It's an exhausting and time-consuming process because you generally have to wait a week before you can try a different one. Whether temple, synagogue, mosque or church, finding a place to...
CONTRIBUTED BY JOELLE YAMADA
I traveled a lot in my 20s -- and getting to this restaurant brought back all the emotions of wandering aimlessly in some foreign city towards a museum or restaurant or park that had been described to me on some train in some other country by a backpacker who over...
CONTRIBUTED BY KAHO
I need readers' help on this request as I do not have all the necessary information! I'd appreciate it if you could pitch in and provide the info. to us in the comment section especially on where to get tables, chairs, bouncy houses, canopies, etc. Any input will be appreciated!!
I was wondering if you could write a...
CONTRIBUTED BY MEREDITH NOVARIO
I plan to pocket a few Japanese customs when we bid this island farewell. While I'm a bona fide fan of the bow I don't see that going over well back in the States. Or I don't see keeping many friends if I dedicated myself to that cause.
As for itadakimasu, I'm taking that one with me....
Living overseas has its challenges, and a commonly agreed upon one is finding that perfect place to live. To help those of us who are curious about the different options for living on Okinawa, readers have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about on-base housing. If you live in an off-base house that has not yet been...
CONTRIBUTED BY LAN
I like dogs - even think that puppies are one of the most adorable things in the world, but the business that they do (or "doo-doo") on lawns I highly dislike - especially when the doggy business happens on my tiny piece of green heaven where my little ones like to frolic and play. This smelly...
CONTRIBUTED BY JOELLE YAMADA
I think my 12 year old stepdaughter might be more qualified to take care of my young boys than I am after attending the Red Cross Babysitting course last weekend. I was so impressed with the program which lasted from 4:30-8:30pm on Friday and 9am-3pm on Saturday. The Friday class was all about babysitting and then...
CONTRIBUTED BY KAHO
Would you like a new Christmas stocking for someone special? Wouldn't it be nice to have original stockings for your family? I wish I had one like my daughter has. The one in the photo was hand-made by my husband's grand-mother. It is so special. Maybe I should make one for myself! Knowing myself though, that will...
CONTRIBUTED BY MEREDITH NOVARIO
Off-base I walk about in a state of oblivion. I can't read street signs or advertisements. I don't understand the school girl chatter or the salespersons tidings. And I'm a-okay with this most of the time.
And then other times I wish I could navigate simple situations with the right words, the right bows and the right-rightness....
CONTRIBUTED BY JOELLE YAMADA
Staci tagged this onto another post this week, but I thought it deserved a post of its own. So here's her question:
"Anyone know where there is a mikang (small orange) farm where you can pick them? My son LOVES them…and we did it in Sasebo. I think the orange season is November? It would be a...
CONTRIBUTED BY AVIVA
On top of the Seaside Beach Hotel near the Sunabe sea wall is Hokulea Restaurant. It's not the least expensive place you'll ever go, but you can't really beat the sunset view and the service and atmosphere is really fantastic. The menu (a good English one!) has everything from sushi/sashimi to taco rice and pizza (as you...
Do you know?
My husband is getting his orders soon and we already know that they will be to Torii Station. He has heard that he will most likely be deployed for 3 to 5 months at a time and I am a Flight Attendant in the States, with that I am going to stay in the States. I can...
Urasoe Dai Park 2, originally uploaded by juliamagnolia. (Click on the photo above for more pictures.)
CONTRIBUTED BY JULIA
One of the things I love about Okinawa is the wonderful parks out here. With the weather on its way to cooling down I'm looking forward to rediscovering these treasures.
One of those treasures is Urasoe Dai Park. It's a great park located...
Krishna Indian Restaurant, originally uploaded by okinawa hai. (Click on the photo above for more pictures.)
CONTRIBUTED BY JULIA
It occurred to me today during lunch at Krishna that if I were on the Okinawan diet I would stop eating when I was just 80% full. The lure of more good food dashed that thought quickly though. Self-discipline was never one...
cowboy, originally uploaded by okinawa hai.
CONTRIBUTED BY MEREDITH NOVARIO
I'm shameless and also pretty much craft-less.
So when it comes to Halloween costumes I throw myself at the knees of my crafty mother-in-law. Or I hit up my cousin for costumes that live in bins with labels that match the contents of the bin. Last year thanks to everyone but me,...
CONTRIBUTED BY MEREDITH NOVARIO
Is that even the right expression? On a shoe string? Sounds silly, doesn't it? What does that even mean?
On a dime. Cheaply. On the cheap. Dog cheap. Inexpensively. Penny wise. Frugal. You know what I mean.
Katie has a question for you.
My husband and I are trying to get home to the D.C. area for Christmas. I’m...
CONTRIBUTED BY MEREDITH NOVARIO
Do you remember those pesky word problems from back in the day?
Jim and Sarah who are hiking in wilderness, decide to leave their tent and walk around a lake. They start going in the opposite directions. Jim hikes at the rate of 3 miles per hour. Sarah hikes at the rate of 2 miles per hour....
CONTRIBUTED BY MEREDITH NOVARIO
Of course you want to bring your pet with you to Okinawa. YOU LOVE YOUR PET! Yes, the process can be confusing. But no matter how it goes down for you there will be piles of paperwork and months of waiting. Then when you arrive there are other hoops. This is a mountain of a topic....
Diann wants to know. You want to know. We want to know.
I’ve been wanting to ask. Indian is usually a slam dunk for vegetarians, but is anyone able to suggest other restaurants offering vegetarian fare? My experience during my two months here so far has been that menu items such as tofu and okra tend to be tofu and...