Tag: Okinawan Culture

Kokusai Street, Naha CONTRIBUTED BY AMY MADDOCKS We talk about “Kokusai Street” all the time here on this beautiful rock we call home, but some of...

CONTRIBUTED BY AMY MADDOCKS Tsuboya Vill Map Tsuboya Vill Street After visiting the Tsuboya Pottery Museum, don’t miss taking a walk down Yachimun Alley. Plan on...

Tsuboya Museum Front CONTRIBUTED BY AMY MADDOCKS Naha’s Tsuboya District has been the center of Okinawan pottery since 1682, but they say the earthenware first began...

CONTRIBUTED BY MONETTE EAMES Bashofu Exterior While on a weekend trip to Okuma, we decided to look for places off the beaten path. We came across...

CONTRIBUTED BY SARAH FILLMAN My husband and I are new to Okinawa and really want to dive into some of the unique cultural experiences that...

CONTRIBUTED BY AVIVA BOWMAN As a four-year veteran of Okinawa, I’ve been through a couple of typhoons, the worst of which was Man-Yi in 2007....

CONTRIBUTED BY PENNY VA HEERDEN In the comments section of my Why Martial Arts? post, someone asked for links to local Martial Arts Association websites.  There...

We were recently invited to enjoy a complimentary dinner and show at The Orchid.  Sarah & Tara enjoyed the evening with their families, but...

CONTRIBUTED BY MICHELE LEHANE Dug into a hillside outside of Naha city is one of the islands most somber reminders of the bloody Battle of...

CONTRIBUTED BY JENNIFER SHUE This little gem is nestled right between the Toys R Us/Babies R Us and the Naha Mainplace. If you’ve been down...

CONTRIBUTED BY SARAH FORTE You can’t go far on Okinawa without bumping into Orion: Orion lanterns, Orion Fest, Orion shirts, and of course Orion beer!...

I received a fun email from Brenda last week about a video her son directed and edited and had uploaded to YouTube.  In the...

CONTRIBUTED BY EUGENE MCFADDEN One of the greatest things about Okinawa is the way it hides all manner of little cultural treasures and experiences; if...

CONTRIBUTED BY MONETTE EAMES Just when we were about ready to give up looking for this place, we see a corner restaurant with the words...

CONTRIBUTED BY ERIN STRAIT Of course Okinawa has plenty of homeless people, and there are those few faces that you recognize time and time again....

CONTRIBUTED BY JEANINE CZUBIK Last week on a drive up north to "see what we could see", my friend and I spotted Ryukyu Tribes – with...

CONTRIBUTED BY MARY RICHARDSON Next time you head to Shuri Castle, why not take a short detour and drop in Kyoko Art Gallery? Kyoko Nakamoto is...

CONTRIBUTED BY MARY RICHARDSON Do you need a little push to get in the spirit of Halloween? Try out the Spooky Sites Tour offered through...

CONTRIBUTED BY MARY RICHARDSON A few months back, my husband and I attended a bullfight in Okinawa, of all places! Now, I’ve been to traditional Spanish...

CONTRIBUTED BY LARISSA TRAQUAIR In the Schilling Community Center on Kadena Air Base you will find a hidden treasure of Kokeshi and sayonara dolls.  As...

CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY I have one of those final-to-see checklists now that I only have one month left here. There is a spot on my checklist for...

CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY Goya. Pronounced (goooy-yah). When I first heard the name, I was wondering how it related to my favorite canned food brand....

CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY A year ago, I was fortunate enough to be serenaded by a lovely student, and his three-stringed instrument, the sanshin. Sanshin...

CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY It's a rough life living on an island. Temperate climate, lovely plantation- and the surrounnding ocean views. It's no wonder that...

CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY After spending a fun weekend at Okuma, we drove home and made two worthwhile stops. As the brochure states, "For your happy...

CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY The deserted hotel. It's haunted. It's ominous. And I've been hearing about it since I moved here. But then again, I...

CONTRIBUTED BY KANDY Imagine this scenario:  You breathe a sigh of relief because Fido and the entire family made it to Okinawa.  Routines are...

CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY As most things Okinawan, taco rice also has an interesting history. It's a popular Okinawan cuisine that contains ground beef, lettuce...

I wanted to share this cool store down the street from my house that sells unique Okinawan instruments, such as taiko drums and sanshins....

CONTRIBUTED BY KELLYERACE Tonight after dinner, I took Gabe out for an evening stroll. Usually we walk in the morning, but now with the heat...