CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS
The small Ryugujo Butterfly Gardens is located in Motobu just a few minutes before the Churaumi Aquarium. I had read {in an older Okinawa Hai article} that this isn’t something to make a special trip up North for but if you were to be in the area then it is worth a visit, and I would...
CONTRIBUTED BY Kacey A.
Here you’ll find a list of local events for the month of April. Events on the island are constantly being created and changed, so please make sure to use the contact info provided on each event to verify information. If you know of an additional event that you’d like to share with our readers, please add...
CONTRIBUTED BY MARISSA MATSUZAKI
While soba dishes are served all over Japan, Okinawa Soba is a unique regional version made with wheat flour instead of buckwheat. I like the idea of enjoying this local dish by the Seawall—the place I envision whenever I think of Okinawa. So after a morning walk with an ocean view, my little one and I tried...
CONTRIBUTED BY LOUISE DUPUY
You may be wondering “What’s so good about a pineapple park?” Well, my friends, let me tell you. This is one of the weirdest, most fun days out I’ve had here. Let me impart some pineapple infused wisdom to you all.
Where Is It?
Well, the name (sort of) gives it away. It’s close to Nago. Not...
#Okinawa #DailyOki #OkinawaHai #OkinawaCraft #Bouy #Art #IslandLife #Japan #Fish
A photo posted by Okinawa Hai (@okinawa_hai) on Mar 22, 2016 at 3:41pm PDT
Follow us on Instagram: @Okinawa_Hai
CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS
Uchina Farm, formerly Itoman City Tourist Farm (or Itoman Wine Farm), reopened to the public under new ownership in October 2015, after being closed for over a year.
Upon arrival you can pick up a leaflet which, while in Japanese, contains a great little map to guide you around the small but extremely well-maintained grounds; however, if...
CONTRIBUTED BY JENNIFER GILES
Zakimi Castle Site Park has a paved trail that leads to “Wooden Way”, a long boardwalk that runs through a dense forest near Zakimi Castle.
To get to the trail, park in the north parking lot in the Zakimi Castle Site Park. Run up the stone steps across from the restrooms and hit up the observatory for...
This post was originally published on April 18, 2009; because today is the Spring Equinox we're pulling it out of the archives as a reminder that this is a great time of year to tackle your "winter is over - summer's on its way" cleaning details or to start preparing for an upcoming PCS if this is the year...
CONTRIBUTED BY LOUISE DUPUY
You can find bargain stores pretty much anywhere in the world. We love a good bargain don’t we? Especially on all those fiddly essential items like tupperware, trash bin liners, and storage tubs. Let me tell you all about Japan’s answer to the Dollar store, and why it’s leagues above its Stateside alternative.
Daiso stores are fairly...
CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS
We tried to visit Be Natural one Sunday many months ago, but with a long wait to get a seat and 2 hungry children we went elsewhere vowing to return some other day. Fast forward a few months, we finally made the trip down to Nanjo area to return to this charming little cafe.
We arrived just minutes...
CONTRIBUTED BY MARISSA MATSUZAKI
“Have you ever noticed how heavy the local diet is? They cook with lots of noodles, butter, pork fat, etc… yet everyone is so thin.” Our tour guide, who has lived in Okinawa for many years, continued to share his insights. “Also people have a very long lifespan here. Have you ever wondered what the secret is...
CONTRIBUTED BY LACEY SOILEAU
Married to a Cajun man and having lived in Louisiana for several years, I'd like to think I know what good Louisiana style food is. Before I start, and as anyone from Louisiana will tell you, depending on which part of the state you are in, the food changes: Southern, Creole, Cajun… it’s all different. Of course, there...
Found 'em! Located in a variety of touristy gift shops along #Kokusai Street in #Naha. #SakeKitKats #KitKats #FindersKeepers #JapanOnly #Okinawa #OkinawaHai #DailyOki #Japan #YouAreWelcome @kitkat
A photo posted by Okinawa Hai (@okinawa_hai) on Feb 21, 2016 at 3:06pm PST
Follow us on Instagram: @Okinawa_Hai
CONTRIBUTED BY THE WANDERING WAFFLEHEADS
We drive slowly to a faded white building as we are not sure if we have found our destination or have gotten ourselves lost in this quiet residential area where we may have disturbed the residents with our back and forth driving as we've been trying to locate the so-called "cafe on the side of a cliff"....
CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS
One Sunday as we were wandering around Makishi Public Market in search of food I made the comment to my husband, “How amazing would it be if we stumbled across a Vietnamese restaurant”.
Ever since returning from our amazing Vietnamese vacation a few months ago we have been craving some delicious Vietnamese food.
At that point, I pulled...
CONTRIBUTED BY HAZ NAKAMA
If you're looking for a little taste of Kansai in Okinawa, there's a hidden gem right in the center of the island! Okonomiyaki, or a type of vegetable-and-meat-filled griddle pancake, is a Kansai specialty and one of my own personal guilty pleasure foods.
Sukiyanen (literally Osaka dialect for 'Love it!') is modest-looking from the outside and relatively...
CONTRIBUTED BY KARI F.
If you've been in Japan for very long, you will probably have heard about yakiniku. If you're new to Japanese cuisine, yakiniku is translated as "grilled meat" and refers to a broad variety of bite-sized meats cooked on a grill. It's very easy to make yakiniku at home, and you'll often see locals cooking in this...
CONTRIBUTED BY LACEY SOILEAU
After a weekend at Okuma, my little family and I decided to venture across the island and take a scenic tour up north.
Our little drive found us near Camp Gonsalves (Jungle Warfare Training Center). We were looking for lunch, but wanting to try something new, and to our luck, we found just that.
Just before Camp Gonsalves and...
The 2016 calendar was available for purchase from November 2015 through March 2016. This was our final year creating and publishing this wall calendar; many thanks to all who contributed photos and haikus over the past few years, and to those of you who purchased these calendars to display in your homes.
The photo on March's page was of the Sunabe Seawall.
Photo Credit: Christopher...
CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS
Tree terraces, delicious food and a yurt to sleep in... sounds like the perfect combination for a relaxing getaway and what’s even better: you don’t have to leave the island to get all of the above!
Located on the Motobu peninsula set up on a hill is Beach Rock Village: a...
CONTRIBUTED BY KACEY A.
Photo Provided by Showa
I love learning how things are made. I am constantly amazed how ideas can form in someone’s head which they become so passionate about, they share with others and are able to translate those ideas into a real life product that other people enjoy. A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to...
CONTRIBUTED BY PETE LEONG
Last month I had the pleasure of attending an English networking party organized by Mike Holland. The party never happens at the same location so this event was at the Pour House Bar & Grill. The networking party itself was quite lively. Meeting with owners of different companies and having stimulating conversations was exciting enough, but...
CONTRIBUTED BY KACEY A.
Here you’ll find a list of local events for the month of March. Events on the island are constantly being created and changed, so please make sure to use the contact info provided on each event to verify information. If you know of an additional event that you’d like to share with our readers, please add...
CONTRIBUTED BY LOUISE DUPUY
Matcha (pronounced mat-cha) is a finely grounded green tea. It’s a special type of crop, special in the way it’s farmed and processed. Shade has grown three weeks prior to harvest, with stems and veins removed during processing.
Traditional oriental tea ceremonies (Japanese, Chinese) focus heavily on the preparation, serving, and drinking of matcha. This was it’s...
Another day without diving. Come on weather, straighten yourself out! #OkinawaHai #Okinawa #Sunabe #Ocean #IslandLife #Japan #DailyOki
A photo posted by Okinawa Hai (@okinawa_hai) on Feb 15, 2016 at 8:48pm PST
Follow us on Instagram: @Okinawa_Hai
CONTRIBUTED BY INORI HAYASHI
"This is what we do; we team up with people who have similar mindsets and rescue abandoned animals because we believe that every little life matters,” said the lady at the animal hospital I work at. She brought in a little kitty that was dying outside. The tiny white kitty with orange spots seemed so weak...
CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS
From the very first time I saw a picture of Anettaichaya I knew we HAD to go there; not only did the food look delicious and the views amazing but they had hammocks too. Quite possibly the perfect combination for an enjoyable, relaxing meal.
We arrived just as they opened and had our pick of places to sit...
CONTRIBUTED BY JEANIE ANGEL
We are always excited to find something different on Okinawa, as we have been here for almost 3 years now. This place was a great change of pace. It is a type of ramen, but it is unlike any of the others we’ve encountered here.
They do serve a typical salt-based ramen, but it isn’t what they’re...
CONTRIBUTED BY KACEY A.
Cafe Nicoli is not new to Okinawa, nor should it be new to you. However, our last write up (which you can still find at the bottom of this post) was back in 2011 and since then, Nicoli has expanded into 4 shops! The newest location, which I recently stumbled upon, prompted this post.
The newest location...
CONTRIBUTED BY MINDY MORRIS
When I first started working at a school on base, I often found myself almost hypnotized by the lashes of one of the teachers I worked with. I knew I should be listening to her as she shared lesson planning ideas, but I couldn't stop watching her blink! Every time I talked to her I walked...