CONTRIBUTED BY: THE THIRSTY SHISA

I finally made it over to the new Aeon Rycom Mall and quickly made a beeline for the Orion Beer Hall. This wasn’t necessarily easy to do though as the Beer Hall is located outside of the mall in a separate “village” area so navigating my way over there was a little tricky. After about three laps on the second floor and two informational pamphlets, I managed to track this place down.

The Orion Beer Hall is located inside of the Orion Beer Terrace in Village B of the mall. There are 3 other restaurants inside of the complex. The interior of the restaurant is quite nice and bright. It features a lot of beer memorabilia and plenty of seating. The bar was very attractive with the wooden Orion barrel décor and they have six of their own beers on tap.

Since I had worked up quite a thirst by this point, I ordered up an Orion Natsu Ichiban. It was your typical American style lager with crisp golden hue, slightly darker than that of regular Orion. The flavor was very malty and it satisfied my thirst.

The food selection was very impressive! I wasn’t sure what types of food I was going to encounter here but there was a wide range of both American and Okinawan favorites. I ordered the spicy Chicago-style pizza since the picture in the menu looked amazing.

The pizza was pretty good, but I have had better pizza on the island at some of the local cafes. The chorizo tasted more like a sloppy joe and the presence of potatoes in the pizza caught me off guard. It was still tasty but next time, I will order differently. The appetizers selection looks very good and I am looking forward to trying their sausage sampler on my next visit.

Overall, the Orion Beer Hall is a nice place to relax with a beer when you need to escape the craziness of the crowded mall. The staff is very friendly and atmosphere is casual and fun. Their menu features a wide range of food and the bar has several choices of their own Orion beers on tap.

HOURS: Open daily– 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Last Order: 10:30 p.m.

PHONE: 098-982-2067

PAYMENT: Yen, Credit Cards

ADDRESS: 418 Kishaba, Kitanakagusuku-son, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa-ken 901-2311, Japan

DIRECTIONS: 1^st floor of Village B of the Aeon Rycom Mall.

WEBSITE: http://www.create-restaurants.co.jp/shop/index.php

FOR MORE DETAILED DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO GET TO THE AEON RYCOM MALL PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE.

CONTRIBUTED BY SHANNON R.

While driving aimlessly though the winding streets of Okinawa, we stumbled upon this awesome little café. There is a park directly across the street with several parking spots.

When we arrived, we were able to choose to sit inside or on the balcony. It was just after 11 a.m., so we were able to sit outside comfortably, but I wouldn’t recommend it much later in the day. The café is situated high up on a hillside overlooking Mihama American Village. (No matter how many time we see it, the kids are always excited when we can see the Ferris Wheel!)

The sign on the outside said closed, but I took a chance and went up to the second floor. Someone came to the door immediately and apologized for the sign. Our server spoke English and interacted with my children beautifully, even when my son had a meltdown after getting something in his eye.

In addition to menu items such as hotdogs, sandwiches and brunch items, there were many items on the menu that were made of chocolate, and from what I gather it’s a bit of the cafe’s specialty. The chocolate was perfect (not super sweet like Hershey’s).

We ended up ordering 1 of each of the 4 main food items to share. They were all delicious. The portions were more like appetizers but at 500 yen a piece, it was worth it to try a little bit of everything and share plates.

There were also several types of brewed coffee from which to choose. I had the café latte (aeropress) and it was heavenly.

The second best thing about this café, (or the first best thing depending on how many children are in tow) is the park directly across the street with several parking spots. There’s also a restroom at the bottom of the hill. *Note: when we were at the park, there was a young man who walked in and out of the women’s side of the bathroom several times… with his pants down.   I got the impression that he was harmless and had no malintent towards us. (Possibly mentally disabled). But I stayed right with my kids just in case. So, I thought it would be worth mentioning in case this is the norm.

*Editor’s Note, both the hours and the address have been translated from Cafe Buho’s facebook page. If you have additional information, please feel free to comment below and we will update the post to reflect that. Thank you!

Hours: Monday to Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Phone: 098-923-2880

Payment:  Visa, American Express, Mastercard and Cash

Address: 858 Yoshihara, Chatan-chō, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa-ken 904-0105, Japan

Directions: From Kadena:

• Go out gate 1, turn left on 58
• Drive and take a left onto 85
• Drive up that road until you pass “Capital Steakhouse” and “Coco’s Curry”
• At the next stoplight, take a right
• You will follow that road for 1.5 to 2 miles until you see Café Buho on your left

Coordinates: 26.3172221, 127.77298339999993

Website: http://timelesschocolate.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buho.okinawa/info?tab=overview

Email: info@cafebuho.com

Welcome, Higher Education Forum Conference attendees!

We hope you get a chance to explore some of our beautiful Okinawa while you are here. We’ve put together a list of a few of our favorite places that you might enjoy. You will see sections for our five favorite things to do, our five favorite beaches, and five of the many restaurants in Naha that are worth trying. If you click on the links, it will lead you to a page with details and directions. If there is anything specific you are looking for, please use the search bar on the top of the page to find what you are seeking.

Five favorite things to do in Okinawa:

Shuri Castle

Okinawa Peace Memorial Museum

Okinawa World

Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters

Five favorite beaches on Okinawa:

Muruku Beach

Nishihara Marine Park

Gushikawa Ruins & Cape Kyan

Toguchi Beach

Sea Glass Beach

Five favorite restaurants in the Naha Area:

Arin Kirin (“The Garlic Restaurant”)

Daikon no Hana

Ashibiuna

Hateruma Restaurant

Pineapple House

Click here for more Restaurants in the Naha area

Click here for more restaurants all over Okinawa

Click here for Events in Okinawa, July 2015

CONTRIBUTED BY BEVERLY CHESTER

I am on a perpetual hunt for good tacos on the island. I think we can all agree there aren’t many places here that serve flavorful Mexican dishes. A new restaurant popped up within walking distance from Camp Courtney/McT called Kitchen MaGee! (The owners are so excited about their diner they included the exclamation point in the title.) It’s pretty hard to miss the location because they have it surrounded with arrows and flashing lights, plus it’s bright orange.

Since the diner is located by my favorite little farmer’s market, I stopped by Kitchen MaGee to check out their tacos. Friends, we have a winner! The tacos are spiced well and come with homemade tortillas. They are phenomenal!

The diner serves more than just tacos, but I haven’t tried anything else yet. Their prices are reasonable for the food, but be warned: don’t expect quick service if you’re ordering take-out. I have had to wait about 15 minutes each time I have ordered food to-go.

The menu is numbered so that you can order with their pre-pay machine. You insert the correct amount of Yen in the machine and press the ticket number you would like to order. The menu items are written in Japanese on the machine, but there is also a picture menu with corresponding numbers, so you can just look for the correct number and press that if you can’t read what it is.

Hours: Monday -Friday 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., but it is sometimes closed at the owner’s discretion

Phone: 098-972-5722

Payment: Yen only, pre-paid ticket machine

Address: 5 Chome-3-1 Midorimachi, Uruma-shi, Okinawa-ken 904-2215, Japan

Coordinates:  26.3766678, 127.8543555

CONTRIBUTED BY ALEX

If you have despaired over finding authentic Italian food, this review will give you new hope. For over a year, my wife and I were on a quest to find that very thing (Italian food, not hope). We tried all variety of restaurants in search of Italian food that was worth Skyping home about. Credit for our discovery of Volare must be given to my wife. She read about it on a group called Okinawa Food Critics. After hearing how numerous Italian-Americans described Volare as an authentic Italian restaurant, I was determined…our next date night was going to be there.

Every day for a week I called the restaurant to make a reservation, and every day the phone just rang and rang. We considered going somewhere else, but something urged me on (no, not perseverance, just my stomach). Finally, on Friday afternoon someone answered. We were in!

My wife and I arrived 30 minutes early to find an empty restaurant except for the chef and some soft music. The chef greeted us and let us choose our table. We sat near the kitchen for a closer view. We began to peruse the menu, which was written in Italian and Japanese. The chef asked if we spoke Italian and we chuckled. He proceeded to translate each item on the menu. Between his patient explanation and the Google Translate app, we made our selections.

First, we shared a cheese antipasto. This included five varieties of hard and soft cheeses interspersed with little pieces of dried mangoes and figs. I combined these with the bread to make little cheese sandwiches. While quite delicious, this was merely a warm up for the food to come.

With so many tasty options, we settled on three main dishes to share. Don’t judge; my wife is pregnant and eating for two. Anyway, our choices were gorgonzola penne, four cheese pizza, and black truffle tagliatelle. All three were amazing! I also ordered a glass of red wine, which is practically a requirement when having Italian food. And get this…the wine was served at room temperature. Let me say that again, my wine was served at room temperature! After over a year on Okinawa, I have only found one other local restaurant that serves red wine properly.

I would love to expound on how each bite of pasta melted in my mouth and made me feel like I had been transported to Italy, but my three boys are awake and I’m not really a food critic anyway. I just love good food, especially Italian.

A few final thoughts…the chef/owner, Pietro, was curious how we heard about his restaurant (about 90% of his customers are Japanese). After my wife told him how hard it was to find online, we asked if he would be up for having more American customers. His reply was a resounding “yes,” and so we said we would tell others about his restaurant. But here’s a tip:  get your translate app ready for the menu! I almost forgot…the reason no one answered the phone all week was because Pietro was on vacation in Italy with his family. On that note, I would bring my kids to Volare, but not on the weekend for dinner. Buon appetito!

Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (last order) and 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (last order). Recommend calling beforehand.

Phone: +81 98-963-7747

Payment: Yen or USD. No credit cards. My bill for the above was less than $50!

Address: 2 Chome-7-12 Akamine, Naha, Okinawa Prefecture 901-0154, Japan

Directions: Head South on Hwy 58 (towards the Naha Airport). Continue past the off ramp for the airport without exiting. Turn left on Hwy 221 (with the elevated railway). Turn left at the first light. Volare is on the left hand side before the light (second story).

Coordinates: 26.195247, 127.66142579999996

Website: http://volare.ti-da.net

The 2015 calendar was available for purchase in November and December of 2014. This was August’s page.

Okinawa City Eisa Festival

Photo credit: Leandros Rubio
Leandros Rubio Photography

“Air heavy and wet
Sundresses and lazy days
Eisa drums thunder” –Marie Lewis

Ryukyu Mura

Photo credit: Pamela Oliveras
Pamela Oliveras Photography

10,000 Eisa Festival, Kokusai Street

Photo credit: Stephanie Gonzalez

CONTRIBUTED BY KACEY A.

         
Here you’ll find a variety of local events happening in the month of August. 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 it to the comments below!

August 1st

ExShow
Exile Professional Gym, a world wide program of freestyle dance, music, and other artistry. Koza Music Town, 1-1-1 Uechi, Okinawa City. ¥4,500. 0570-084-008

Eisa Night
Koza Music Town, 1-1-1 Uechi, Okinawa City. Free. 7:30pm

August 2nd

10,000 Eisa Festival
Largest Eisa performance on island. Rain or Shine. 12pm – 6pm. Kokusai Street, Naha. 098-863-2755

Eisa Night
Koza Music Town, 1-1-1 Uechi, Okinawa City. Free. 7:30pm

Youth Eisa Festival
Kuwae Sogo Baseball Field, Chatan. 5:30pm – 10pm. Free

FC Ryukyu vs. YS Yokohama
Okinawa Prefectural Sports Park, Okinawa City. Tickets vary from ¥300 –  ¥2,000. Buy in advance (Family Mart/Lawson) or day of at door. 6pm kick off.

August 5th

Crossoverz 5th Round
Ultimate Street Basketball Tournament. ¥2,500. Music Town Sound Market 3F Hall, Okinawa City. Doors 6pm Start 7pm. Tickets in Advance at Family Mart Lawson, Music Town, or info@crossover.okinawa. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

August 7th

Shouhashi Half-Marathon Deadline
Deadline for half marathon/3k runs registration. Contact 098-947-6866 for details.

August 8th

Okinawa City Childrens Market
Music, Food, Events for Kids. Koza Music Town, 1-1-1 Uechi, Okinawa City. Free. 12pm – 5pm. 098-911-1245

Rock Day
Many Japanese Rock Bands Perform. Music Town Sound Market 3F Hall, Okinawa City. Doors 5:30pm, Curtain 6pm. ¥4,000, Advance tickets at Family Mart, Lawson, Music Town, Record Stores. 090-8291-8559 or info@murasaki-okinawa.com

Ryukyu Dragon Wrestling
Naval Kadena, Kadena Town. 7pm. Tickets ¥1,000-¥2,500.

August 8th & 9th

Ginowan Hagoromo Festival
Eisa, Folk Art, Food, Fireworks. Free. Ginowan Seaside Park Multipurpose Plaza Convention Area. 098-897-2764.

Ogimi Village Eisa Festival
Eisa & liver performances and attractions throughout the day. Shioya Fishery Port. Free. 1pm-9pm, Fireworks 8pm on Sunday. 098-44-3007

Okinawa Children’s Kingdom Eisa Festival
Traditional dance and drumming. 30 Communities perform. 4pm-9pm. Admission ¥100-¥500. 098-933-4190

August 9th

Kincho Youth Eisa Festival
Kin-District Park, 5pm-9pm, Fireworks 8:30pm. Free. 098-968-8996

All-Okinawa Bullfighting Tournament
1pm, Ishikawa Dome, Uruma City. ¥3,000

August 15th

Ryukyu Dragon Wrestling Super Match
Okinawa Prefectural Sports Park Gymnasium, 3-1, 5-Chrome, Hiyane, Okinawa City. Tickets ¥1,000-¥7,500. Sold in Advance at Lawson, FM Yomitan, and at the door. Doors 4pm, Match 5pm. 098-956-5500

August 15th & 16th

Yonabaru Tug of War Festival
90 meter, 5 ton tug of war. Festival all weekend. Visit website for more information.

Eisa Night
Koza Music Town, 1-1-1 Uechi, Okinawa City. Free. 7:30pm

Itoman Furusato Festival
Local products & craft sale, Eisa dancing, taiko drumming. 1pm-9:30pm. Fireworks 9pm Saturday, 8:55pm Sunday. Itoman Fishing Port North District. Free. 098-840-8135.

August 16th

Okinawa Latina 2015
Latin Music Festival. Music Town Sound Market 3F Hall, Okinawa City. Doors 4pm, Curtain 5pm. ¥4,500. Advance Tickets at Family Mart, Lawson, or Ticket Pia.

Eisa Night
Koza Music Town, 1-1-1 Uechi, Okinawa City. Free. 7:30pm

August 23rd

Yambaru Youth Eisa Matsuri
Motobu-cho Tancha Koen. 5pm. Free. 0980-47-5211

Okinawa Food Flea
Local food vendors, local crafts, local brews, and local music. 12pm – 6pm. Ginowan Marina, 4-4-1 Mashiki, Ginowan.

August 23rd & 24th
Youth Furusato Eisa Festival

Okinawa Cellular Stadium, 42-1 Onoyamacho, Naha. 18 + under, Free. 19 + older ¥500. No on-site parking. 098-868.1756

August 24th

Yomitan Youth Eisa Festival
Yomitan Mori Stadium, 2901 Zakimi, Yomitan. Free. All Day, Fireworks at 8:30pm. 098-982-931

August 26th – 28th

Itoman Eisa Festival
Eisa Parade. From Ganjukan to Nishikawa Community Center on Wendsday. From 1-Chrome to Hamakawa Danchi on Thursday. From Shiohira Elementary School to Ganjukan on Friday. Free. 0980-987-0834

August 28th – 29th

Heshikiya Eisa Festival
Uragahama Park, Fireworks Finale. Uruma City. 6pm. Free. 098-979-2231

August 29th

Yomitan Village Takashiho Streets Eisa Paradise
Parade along Route 6, Takashiho Streets of Yomitan Village. 3pm – 6pm. Free. 098-958-6994

Kadena Eisa Matsuri
Eisa Parade at Shinmachi Streets in Kadena Town. Free. 7pm. 098-956-2810

August 30th

Gushiku Shimauta Ashibi
Katsuren Castle yearly festival. Folk singers & dancers, gourmet specialty local product samples and sales, various entertainment. Katsuren Castle, Uruma. Doors 6pm, Curtain 7pm, Show 9pm. ¥2,000

Other Events/Holidays

August 13th – 15th Obon (Festival of Souls)

As we, your Okinawa Hai managers, flipped the pages of our 2015 “Our Okinawa” {Hai} calendar, we couldn’t help but think back on what the first half of this year has brought for us: for one, the tears and sadness and even rejoicing of separating from the military life; for another, beginning a new chapter of her life: beginning nursing school in addition to running Okinawa Hai (and all our Overseas Yes sites); for the third, a move from one Japan duty station to another.

Change.  It happens each and every year, and looks different for us all.  But one of the changes we like best is the one where we begin thinking ahead to the next year.  Looking forward to:

The Okinawa Hai 2016 Calendar featuring stories, haiku, and photographs by YOU!!!!

OH Cal 11 Front

Soon, it will be time for a new calendar to grace our kitchen walls.  A calendar filled with glimpses into what it means to live the Okinawan Experience.  A calendar that will exist because you will spend these rainy weekends looking through your photo files for the perfect pictures.  The ones that say I LIVE HERE.  The ones that will make you smile in ten years when you find the calendar in some random post-PCS storage box.  The ones where you can almost smell the sea, or the sky, or the sushi.  THOSE pictures.

And then there are the stories; the haiku.  Your favorite moments of this island life.  Stories of the grace of our Japanese neighbors, of a language faux pas, of getting lost and found all in one afternoon, of truly enjoying Okinawa.  Be thinking.  We’ll want to hear about them… soon.

In the mean time, we’d love to hear what you’d like to see in the 2016 Calendar.  Any favorite categories or holidays or topics or experiences??  Put on your thinking caps and let us know!!

More soon.

CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS

My kids and I are trying to knock out as many parks as we can this summer; often we go to the larger interesting parks (like Ogido) but sometimes a smaller one close to home is just what we are after.

Yoshinoura Athletic Park, located in Nakagusuku Village, like Comprehensive Park contains a baseball field, tennis court, soccer & track fields and a small park; which was what enticed us to visit.

My girls (aged two and five) really enjoyed this park; the five year old could do everything (or at least give it a try) and my two year old, who likes to climb, had plenty of things to climb up and down on.

There was a little more variety than your standard on-base park, but like I said it isn’t a big grande park like Ogido.

The equipment was either labeled 3-6 years or 3-12 years, although I would say its probably better suited for the younger age bracket.

This would also make a perfect place to get a run in; I saw many people either walking, running or cycling the paths and I think once the weather cools down a little I will be heading here for a run before letting the kids burn off some energy at the park.

Hours: 9am – 10pm. Closed on Tuesday & during the New Year holidays (I am unsure if this just refers to the other sports facilities or the entire complex)

Address: 620 Tōma, Nakagusuku-son, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa-ken 901-2406, Japan

Coordinates: 26.2586576, 127.79359440000007

CONTRIBUTED BY: HIRO AKO

If you think finding authentic Italian food in Okinawa is a rather difficult task, if not impossible, I have an answer for you: Corrente.

Corrente is an Italian restaurant located inside the Hilton hotel in Chatan. My friends and I went there for dinner because I had heard that it was exceptional, which is certainly true of the food but also the atmosphere. They offer various course meals, stone oven baked pizzas, and an a la carte menu of traditional to modern Italian cuisine. The wine list was substantial and covered regions of Italy, France, Australia and the States. They also have a wide variety of cocktail drinks ranging from the very basics to their original mixology drinks.

Corrente has done a great job in making the atmosphere very elegant with its chic furniture and great view of the pool and the garden.

The main dining area was set with well spaced tables and romantic lighting, yet the room was not too dim as each table had a lamp that provided just the right amount of light to see the dishes. It’s a very relaxed environment and is perfect for couples and families.

They rotate course meals every season and this time I decided to try out the “Napoli Set Menu” (6,500 yen).

The cold capellini with eggplant “Aglo Dolce” definitely set a promising tone. The tomato sauce was unexpectedly flavorful and paired up perfectly with the eggplant. Even more thrilling was the freshly hand made angel hair pasta that was perfectly cooked to the right texture.

The swordfish confit was served with molasses sauce and garnished with dill and onions. The swordfish was sweet and lightly cooked, while the garnish and the sauce brought an interesting extra dimension to the dish.

Fettuccine with braised Okinawa pork was another tomato based pasta but was creamier than the capellini. The pasta texture was, again, superb. I was truly impressed: the pork was outstanding, the sauce lovely and the pasta flawless.

The last main dish was the roasted veal tenderloin with lemon pepper and was served with artichoke puree, asparagus, zucchini and ricotta cheese sauce. The veal was cooked to perfection with a hint of salt and lemon pepper bringing out the sweetness of the veal but the ricotta cheese sauce as well as the artichoke puree added nothing to me.

The dessert Baba looked very promising with whipped cream overflowing from the pastry but did not live up to the expectation. The creme was tasty, very light and had the right amount of sweetness, and the fruit component added the zest and acidity that enhanced the flavor of the creme. It would have been good if it ended there, but the problem came with the cake. To me this cake was just bread soaked in rum. I wanted it to have a bit more texture and bite to the cake. It is a traditional Italian dessert so it must be made the right way but soggy cake is a no-no for me.

Overall, I had a pleasant experience at Corrente. The service was splendid, waitress very attentive and each dish arrived at the right pace. My friends ordered other courses and an a la carte dish off the menu and they were each very happy with their meal as well. The dishes were simple, yet tasty, and gorgeously arranged making it memorable.

Corrente at the Hilton:

Hours: Lunch time: 11:30 a.m. ~ 3:00 p.m.

Dinner time: 5:30 p.m. ~ 10:00 p.m. (last order 9:30 p.m.)

Bar time: 5:30 p.m. ~ 11:30 p.m. (bar food last order 10:30 p.m. Bar drink last order 11:00 p.m.)

Phone: 098-901-1130

Payment: Accepts major credit cards and Yen

Address: 40-1 Mihama, Chatan-chō, Okinawa Prefecture 904-0115

*Located on the 1st floor of Hilton Okinawa Chatan Resort.

Coordinates: 26.3184248, 127.75473160000001

Website: hiltonchatan.jp/restaurants/

CONTRIBUTED BY ANNA WISHERD

Khrua Thai is probably my favorite restaurant on the island. Living on Camp Courtney, and with the restaurant conveniently located across the street from the main gate, it’s a place that we frequent regularly.

First off, the ladies here are absolutely the sweetest. The owner and her staff provide excellent customer service from the second you step through their door. They also speak great English, so phoning in your take-out order is a breeze if you’re not able to dine in!

The place is quaint with only about 5 or 6 tables, so they can get pretty busy during dinnertime, particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings. The menu is in English, with a description of each dish for easy ordering. The place was busy this Wednesday evening, so I opted not to take a picture of their seating area… because really, who wants some strange lady standing in the middle of a restaurant snapping pictures as you’re stuffing your face with pad thai?

For appetizers, I have tried all 5 items on their menu. The Thai fresh spring rolls are my absolute favorite, but unfortunately, they are only available on Saturdays. For a while there, I was coming every Saturday to get them! If you plan to order them be sure to come in or call before 5 p.m. because they usually run out by that time. For selfish reasons, I almost didn’t want to mention anything about this yummy goodness because they are addictive! But if you can’t get in for the fresh spring rolls, don’t worry: the papaya salad, fried spring rolls, cucumber salad, and Khrua Thai chicken are all delicious in their own right!

We have tried the panang curry and garlic chicken and are both very tasty, but my favorite entrée is their pad thai. I will usually request both chicken and shrimp in this dish… trust me, the extra cost is worth it! The basil stir fry and fried rice are my husband’s favorite. The portions are perfect and most of the time we’ll order different dishes to share among friends.

With most of their dishes, you have the option to choose between chicken, pork, beef, or for an extra 100 yen can opt for the shrimp. They give you options for spice levels between 1-4 (1 a touch of spice, 2 medium, 3 spicy, 4 very spicy). Main entrees come with a side of rice. They also have a small kid’s menu. Be sure to try their Thai Tea, which I get every time I am there! This place is undoubtedly worth a try and I know you will not leave disappointed.

Hours: : Open Tuesday-Saturday 11-2:30 for lunch and 4-8:30pm for dinner.

Closed Sunday and Mondays.

Phone: 098-972-5756

Payment: Yen, Dollar, Credit Card

Address:  1462 Uruma Shi AZA Tengan Okinawa, Japan 904-220

(Across from Camp Courtney Main Gate)

Directions: 

From Kadena Gate 2:

• Go straight out the gate and make a left on the 330
• The 330 will eventually turn into the 75 and you will continue for several more miles
• Once you pass the 224 intersection, continue straight for just a short distance and you will see the Main Gate to Camp Courtney on the right and Khrua Thai on the left
• Their sign is not big (as you can see above), but it is just a few doors down from Creative Minds School (their sign is huge, so you shouldn’t miss it).

From the Expressway:

• Take Exit 5 and proceed straight after the toll and stop light, making sure to stay on the 36
• After several miles, make a left turn on the 75
• Once you pass the 224 intersection, continue straight and you will see the Main Gate to Camp Courtney on the right and Khrua Thai on the left.

There are lots of back roads and side roads that would likely make the drive shorter, but I decided to keep to the main roads to keep it simple and easy.

Coordinates: 26.3882362, 127.85538599999995

Parking: There are about 3 small parking spots located directly in front of the restaurant. If you pass the restaurant and turn left into the second driveway entrance, there is a small dirt/gravel lot for extra parking. You’ll see a peach/orange colored apartment building with blocks labeled THAI in front of the spots.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Khrua-Thai-Okinawa-Restaurant/171043262923763?fref=ts

CONTRIBUTED BY KACEY A.

Coffee roasteries have been getting very popular here in Okinawa, especially to the general public. Okinawa Cerrado Coffee has been in business for over 25 years and opened a retail shop in Minatogawa in early 2015. The owner, Narihito Sueyoshi, is very friendly, makes a great brew, and is extremely efficient at his job.

Narihito-san truly enjoys coffee and sharing his love of the beverage with other people. You can buy beans whole or ground, drinks to stay or for take away, and purchase some great coffee accessories while you’re there. Okinawa Cerrado Coffee even offers coffee bean delivery service (for Japanese addresses), so you’ll never run out of your favorite blends.

The beans come from all over the world: Rwanda, Indonesia, Mexico, Costa Rica. My personal favorite is the Cerrado Blend, made of five different beans, which I buy whole and bring home. If you are unsure of what bean suits your taste, Narihito-san will gladly help guide you through the varieties.

Hours: 12:00 – 18:30 Closed Tuesdays, Thursday, Holidays

Phone: 0120-447-442

Payment: Yen Only

Address: 2 Chome-15-5 Minatogawa, Urasoe-shi, Okinawa-ken 901-2134

Coordinates: 26.263209, 127.715534

Parking: On site, limited. Street parking also available.

Website: http://beansstore.jp/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/okinawacerradocoffeee

Instagram: @okinawacerradocoffee

Blog: http://okinawaserado.ti-da.net/

CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS

Izena island is located approximately 14 miles from the northernmost point of the Motobu peninsula, and in order to reach it, you take a 55 minute ferry ride departing from Unten Port. There are two daily sailings from Unten Port (Motobu) to Nakada Port (Izena) so you could make this a very quick day trip or even better an overnight stay.

We opted for a 2 night camping trip, but if camping isn’t your style, there are accommodations available on the island.

If you decide to bring your car, which I would recommend for those who wish to explore the entire island, then you need to make reservations for your vehicle on the ferry. However, if you choose not to do this, I also saw an advert for car rental company (0980-45-2394) while we were waiting for our return ferry back to Unten Port.

Camping on the island is free and there are four designated camping areas (although I believe you can camp anywhere as long as you are respectful and clean up after yourself when you leave).

We decided to camp on Izena Beach which turned out to be a neat location as not only did it have clean toilet & showering facilities (showers cost 200 yen), faucets, and a long stretch of beach to explore, but it isn also within walking distance of Izena Village; one of 5 small villages on the island.

The population is less than 1,600 and the main source of income is from sugarcane farming. Something I found interesting is that there is no high school on the island, once children reach high school age, parents must board them on Okinawa during the week and they can return home during weekends.

Izenas main claim to fame is that it is the birthplace of King Sho En; the founder of the Second Sho Dynasty and King of the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1469-1476. There is a statue in his honor and even the ferry has a wee painting of him on the side.

Considering its relatively small size (6 square miles) Izena has a fair amount of sights to visit, mostly all in the southeast area in and around Izena village; Izena Castle, Mekaru-ke house, forest parks, a couple of small mountains to climb and of course lots of coastline & hidden beaches waiting to be discovered.

While I am not a geocacher a friend informed me that there are a few caches to be found on the island also, which would be fun to find!

The main reason we chose Izena Island over another island for this trip is because it is habu free! I thought it would be awesome to do some hikes with our kids without fear of a habu getting us!

One thing that we hoped to do during our visit was to hire a fisherman to take us to the uninhabited island of Gushikawa, which is only 1.3 miles away from the Izena. This kind of boat service is called watashibune and according to Izena’s website you can ask the fisheries cooperative to arrange a watashibune (0980-45-2018).

Izena’s website has a lot of information regarding places to eat, where to stay, and things to do. The website is in Japanese, but if you open in Google Chrome it will translate http://vill.izena.okinawa.jp

All in all we had a fantastic weekend on Izena. We loved strolling around Izena Village in the evening, discovering hidden beaches and found the island super peaceful and relaxing.

Unten Port: 0980-56-5084 (for car reservations and inquiries)

departs daily 10:30 a.m. & 3.30 p.m.

Nakada Port: 0980-45-2002 (for car reservations and inquiries)

departs daily- 9:00 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.

Fares:

Adult: 1,810 yen one way, 3,440 yen roundtrip

Under 12 years : 9,10 yen one way, 1,730 yen roundtrip

To bring a car the price varies on length, ours was in the 3m-4m category and cost 12,790 yen roundtrip (6,730 yen each way) *Price for car includes 1 adult.

Our children aged 5 & 2 didn’t have to pay, although I am unsure if they didn’t have to pay because of their age or because there were 2 adult fare paying passengers (I remember reading that 1 young child can travel for free with a full paying adult)

There are many things that mean Okinawa to each of us.  It might be a certain food, a local celebration, a new Okinawan friend, a rock formation out in clear blue water, a favorite drinks machine, a breathtaking landscape, a busy street, an old wrinkled face, a particular nail art design, or… or… or…

We’d love our 2016 Okinawa Hai Calendar to represent what Okinawa means to you.  That’s why we’d like to borrow your eyes, your view of Oki, by asking for your favorite photographs of people, things, views that truly mean Oki to you.

As of this moment, submissions are being accepted for the new calendar.  Here are some possible suggestions for subject matter:

1.  Holidays & Festival Celebrations — think Children’s Day, Dragon Boat races, New Year’s, Obon, Naha Tug of War, Eisa

2.  Landscapes — Beach is always great, but think inland as well

3.  People (and I don’t mean a picture of your cute kid — though I’m sure he’s ADORABLE!  Your people shots should still mean Oki)

4.  Seasons (not that Oki has LOTS of those) & Weather — sun, rain, typhoon, humidity (if you can capture that!), cherry blossoms in the spring…

5.  Favorite Activities

6.  Food — Fruits, veggies, markets, fav dishes

7.  Castles/Shrines/World Heritage Sites

8.  Daily Life

9.  Animal & Plant Life

10.  Quirky bits that say Oki to you — drinks machine, bull in the middle of the road, farmer’s truck, shisa

Please follow these guidelines for submission:

1.  DO NOT SEND FULL FILES.  If your photo is chosen for publication in the calendar, we will then ask you to send the full file.  Please resize your files to a max of 1000 pixels on the longest side.

2.  Save your files with your last name and number of photo:  Yamada1, Yamada2, Yamada3, etc.

3.  Email your photographs to:  advertising@okinawahai.com

4.  Submissions will be accepted through Tuesday, September 15.

To see some of the previous calendar photographs click HERE.

Thanks!  Can’t wait to see your shots!

Are you more comfortable with words than a camera? Click HERE to find out how you can still contribute to this year’s calendar.

We are always thrilled with our haiku and vignette submissions each year for our annual Okinawa Hai Calendar.  Such a fun way to give a little glimpse into this island of ours and to illustrate the beautiful photographs for our calendar.

If photography is not your thing, writing might be.  And we have two options for you:

Haiku

Express your Oki Love through a 17-syllable poem known as haiku.  The usual layout is three lines; five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third.  The following link to Japan Update has some great info on some ways to write haiku: THIS ONE HERE.

Something like…

Okinawa Hai

Readers writing great haiku

Describes our Oki love

Uhhhh…  but I bet you can do better…

Vignettes

We’d also love stories about the Oki Experience that make us smile or laugh or nod or maybe even cry. Stories that paint a picture for us of the island we know and love. Stories that maybe only WE who have lived here can really get.

Please send us those stories.

Please follow these guidelines for haiku & vignette submissions:

1. Please place your writing directly into an email rather than attaching a file.

2. Limit your word count to approximately 100 words for vignettes, and the 17-syllables mentioned above for haiku.

3. Email your vignette to advertising@okinawahai.com

4. Submissions will be accepted until Tuesday, September 15.

To see some previous entries, check HERE.

Or are you more of a visual creature? Click HERE to find out how to submit your photos to this year’s calendar.

Editor’s Note: Okinawa Hai is excited to introduce a new monthly column that we hope will provide our readers with a uniquely Japanese perspective on some of the issues that we all encounter while living abroad. We are partnering with one of our newest writers Inori Hayashi to bring you these posts. Inori-san grew up in Japan, attended an international school in Kyoto, and then moved to New York to attend college. She is married to an American military member and has a unique and thoughtful perspective that we are thrilled to feature here! Her posts will be published on the third Monday of every month.

CONTRIBUTED BY INORI HAYASHI

Okinawa embraces a whole different set of cultures from the mainland. One of the major reasons is the geography; it is a small island isolated from mainland Japan. As history reveals, Okinawa has had its own historical events and encounters with foreign countries and the mainland. Okinawa has developed its own language, food, traditions and personality. Many people from the mainland perceive Okinawa as a tropical vacation spot to relax and rest.

In the Okinawan language, there is a concept called “Yuima-ru,” which means “the circle of the people”. One of the unique characteristics that I have observed in Okinawa is the local people’s compassion. Now, compassion as a quality is common among people beyond cultural boundaries. However, in Okinawa, a small island, the community bonding is much tighter and closer than that of the mainland or most densely populated cities. In such communities, people’s sincere compassion is more visible than in other areas.

I am from Kitanakagusuku village. My father is one of the active members of the village community. One time, I brought my husband – an American marine – to a tug of war event of the community. I was afraid that people would not accept him because he is a foreigner. However, it surprised me how warm and friendly local people were toward him. Kids played soccer with him as though he was one of their own. I was ashamed that I thought of the possibility of them excluding him. Local people introduced themselves to him, talked to him, asked about him, and took him into the community with sincerity. Such a moment is precious – for me, for him, and for the community.

It goes without saying that there are different populations in Okinawa. Okinawa is a multicultural island, with many people from Japan and the United States. There are local Okinawan people, people from the mainland, military population and foreigner residents. In such mixed population, the concept of “Yuima-ru” still stands in Okinawan communities – the feeling of unity, compassion and sincerity. Even though there are ongoing problems, it is important for each one of us to remember and feel “Yuima-ru,” the circle of people beyond cultural boundaries. Hence why I named my cat “Yuimaru.”

CONTRIBUTED BY MINDY MORRIS

Every once in a while I get a certain craving for the type of high end restaurant you find back in the States. Don’t get me wrong, I love both the food and restaurant style of this island. I have found some of the best curries, sushi and even pizza in hole in the wall locations scattered all over Okinawa, but sometimes I miss a cultivated wine list and a glass of red that is not served chilled.

Roy’s is located on the fifth floor “Sky Diner” of the Aeon Rycom Mall, and on my first visit , which fell during café hours between 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., we were dressed as such. Shorts and tanks are no problem at this Hawaiian-fusion chain. The second time, since we were going for dinner, I slipped on a long skirt, but I could easily have gotten away with getting more dressed up. By my third visit I was pretty thrilled to have found a restaurant where I didn’t feel over dressed in heels. Although the dress code is considered casual (this is still Okinawa we’re talking about) the vibe is one of casual elegance.

The dining room is bright, with two full walls of windows, beautiful wood paneling, and Hawaiian décor. The lighting is also very modern and adds to the refinement of the room with giant overlapping circular chandeliers at varying heights. Every evening there is a live pianist that plays tunes that are both soft and familiar. This added touch made our dinner feel like a special occasion. As much as I loved the dining room, I’m planning to make a reservation outside the next time I go. The view from this fifth floor balcony rivals any view I’ve seen of this beautiful island.

Both service and presentation are exquisite here, which is exactly what you would expect if you have ever dined at a Roy’s Hawaii before. Our waitress was delightful, spoke both English and Japanese, and was very knowledgeable about the menu and drink selection.

The first Roy’s opened its doors in 1988 in Waikiki as the Hawaiian-fusion brainchild of celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi. In the years since, the Roy’s chain has spread to over 30 new locations, and in April opened shop in Okinawa. This new location pays homage to Yamaguchi’s Okinawan mother by incorporating traditional Okinawan cooking styles, with a special nod to local cuisine.

On my second visit, we met at the bar where everyone (except me) tried Roy’s signature local pineapple infused martini. I ended up getting a dirty martini because I’m not usually a fan of sweet drinks, but after tasting the pineapple martini regretted my decision. My friend Kacey and I agreed that while we could appreciate the complexity of the pineapple drink, the 1,000 yen price tag was an instant turn off.

One thing I did really like was that as soon as I’d ordered a drink at the bar, I was also served my own dish of edamame which was deliciously coated in a sweet and salty shichimi seasoning. When we moved to our table they immediately brought additional dishes of edamame for us to share. What a refreshing alternative to a bread basket!

We ordered a variety of appetizers including the lobster gyoza, Mongolian BBQ ribs, dynamite baked oysters and kai style crab cakes. Everything was good, but the lobster gyoza was unforgettable. The ribs were generous portions of fall-off-the-bone perfection. The oysters, though my favorite in presentation, were just okay, in my opinion. Crab cakes are crab cakes, always good. Roy’s take on this favorite is light and airy and served over a lobster cream sauce which was probably my favorite part.

Next came the komatsuna salad, or kale salad, depending on which version of the menu you are looking at. However, all of my dining companions agree that to call it a kale salad cheats it out of the recognition it deserves. There are three types of kale in the salad including one that has been flash fried and is so good I’ve found myself craving it since. Not something I have ever said about kale before. *When kale is unavailable they substitute other local greens. I’ve had both versions now, and love them equally. 

As mains, we split the Vietnamese-style lamb chops and the misoyaki butterfish. I took a very small portion of the lamb, as I’m not always a big fan, but I was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t have the strong taste that mutton often has and was also more tender than I expected. As for the butterfish (black cod), I am always disappointed when I taste a dish like this on my first visit to a restaurant. I know that I should try other things on the menu, but that butterfish was so melt-in-your-mouth delicious, that I can’t imagine ever going back without ordering the same. It was probably the best meal I have ordered in Okinawa and it’s the only thing we ordered that I wished I didn’t have to share.

For dessert we split the chocolate soufflé, served with vanilla ice cream and Roy’s signature pineapple upside down cake, served with macadamia nut ice cream. As soon as you cut into the chocolate soufflé dark chocolate oozes out like lava. I bartered with my seatmate to let me eat her half of the chocolate soufflé, as she found it a little bit too rich, but I couldn’t get enough. I promised her my half of the pineapple upside cake, but when it arrived, I found myself stealing bites of that buttery deliciousness as well. It’s worth noting that if you plan to indulge in one of these baked desserts, it would behoove you to order it as soon as you get your meal, as they take about 25 minutes to prepare. We sipped on dessert martinis while we waited, and all agreed they were decadent enough to be considered dessert on their own.

My third visit was a date night. This time, I ordered Roy’s martini. Lesson learned.

As predicted, I ordered the butterfish again– but this time I was pleased to be able to order it as part of a set menu, something the restaurant just added this month.. The butterfish set was 4,000 yen and included a salad; three appetizers: the crab cake, one rib and tuna poke; butterfish entree with rice; and a dessert of your choice. Naturally I chose the chocolate souffle. My husband ordered the “Frying Dragon Roll” and the “Trio of Treasures” which comes with small portions of the butterfish, salmon and tuna. At only 2,400 yen this felt like a steal!

The only downside of Roy’s is that it is a little pricier than a lot of the dinner spots on island, but you absolutely get what you pay for, both with the atmosphere and the quality of food and drinks. The total price of our “date night” meal (pictured above), including drinks, was 10,600 yen.

If you want to enjoy Roy’s, but don’t want to pay for it, check out their lunch menu, with sets ranging from 1,300 – 2,500 yen. At dinner, entree prices range from 1,750 to 5,500 yen. The butterfish was 3,000 yen alone, but only 4,000 yen if you order the set, and let me tell you… it was well worth every yen.

I’ve added Roy’s to my go-to list for date nights and out of town guests that want to visit somewhere a little more upscale with a view, and I’ll pull the “Roy’s mother is Okinawan” card if they give me a hard time about taking them to a chain.

Hours: Lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m, Café 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Dinner 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Phone: 098-923-3002

Payment: All major credit cards and yen

Location: 5^th Floor Sky Diner Aeon Rycom Mall

Mall Address: Japan, 〒901-2305 Okinawa-ken, Nakagami-gun, Kitanakagusuku-son, Higa 県道85号線

From Kadena Gate 1

• Head south on 58 and then turn left onto 23
• Turn right onto 85
• Right before the mall you cross 330.
• The mall will be clearly visible from that intersection.

Coordinates: 26.314286238611693, 127.79647502090143

Directions:  Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom is located near the intersection of 85 and 330.

From Kadena Gate 1

• Head south on 58 and then turn left onto 23
• Turn right onto 85
• Right before the mall you cross 330.
• The mall will be clearly visible from that intersection.

Coordinates: 26.314286238611693, 127.79647502090143

Website: http://roys-okinawa.com/

CONTRIBUTED BY ERIN GODDARD

I want to live at Ametsuchi Terrace! It has everything bohemian I could every imagine needing or drooling over: rugs from Morocco, Thai dresses, organic soaps, delicious coffee AND (let’s be honest, the real reason we love it) HAMMOCKS to relax in!

Amidst the wild bustle of the new Rycom Mall, Earth Hammock Cafe is a quiet oasis set apart in its own serene building. It is where you go after a harried afternoon of shopping to breathe, drink a glass of brown sugar lemonade, and swing in the shade. 

The building is made up of the store, Cayhane, which sells everything from clothes and shoes to organic bath and body products to housewares and toys. They have a lot of local brands as well as bags, clothes and jewelry from Thailand, Nepal and India. You can spend hours in this store and still find a nook or cranny that you missed! It is filled with color and light (and driftwood…there’s a whole tree made out of driftwood in the middle).

The other place in the building is the Earth Hammock Cafe which is nestled in the back.With its bean bag chairs, hammocks, books and eclectic decor, it is a perfect hideaway. It even has a trampoline (and as a mother of 2, this is a life saver)!

The cafe uses local sources like Okinawa brown sugar (for its brown sugar lemonade), Kuma-Jima Island salt (in its salted soft serve ice cream AND the popcorn uses it too), and Nihede beer!*

Here’s the skinny on what to do: You order at the small counter before entering the cafe (they have an English menu) and receive a wooden number.  You then go through the string curtain and wait for your food by the back counter.  After you get your order, you can go out to the hammocks and enjoy!

Note: It is one order per person.  This means that even if your child is 5, they still need to order something to enter the cafe. I also had my 1 year old but they were not concerned with him. Also, the trampoline has a little box for donations (100 yen).

I highly recommend the malasadas (a delicious Hawaiian donut), the brown sugar lemonade, the organic coffee, and the “Clap Your Hands” popcorn. (Yep, it’s called Clap Your Hands!)

Happy hammocking!

Ametsuchi Terrace: EARTH HAMMOCK CAFE and CAYHANE

Location:  AEON Mall Okinawa Rycom (2nd floor, in a separate building on the East side (Pacific Ocean side) of the mall, near The Orion Brewery)

Phone:  098-930-7850

Hours: Everyday, 10:00 to 22:00

Mall Address: Japan, 〒901-2305 Okinawa-ken, Nakagami-gun, Kitanakagusuku-son, Higa 県道85号線

From Kadena Gate 1

• Head south on 58 and then turn left onto 23
• Turn right onto 85
• Right before the mall you cross 330.
• The mall will be clearly visible from that intersection.

Coordinates: 26.314286238611693, 127.79647502090143

*credit to: Akari Matsumura, Okinawa Clip

CONTRIBUTED BY ANDREW FINK

I actually stumbled across this gem the day after it officially opened a couple months ago, summer of 2015. Just a lucky find when I was out adventuring on the southeast corner of Ikei Island. The Greek food is amazing! The menu is simply the “Meze” set course for the day for 2,000 yen.

“Meze” defined: “Unlike appetizers, which are intended to whet the appetite for the meal to come, it is common for Greek groups of family and friends to gather or go out for “mezethes”, share several of these delightful dishes, a drink, conversation and laughter. The plates are shared by everyone at the table, which not only provides a wonderful variety of flavor and texture sensations, but also creates the kind of happy, convivial atmosphere for which Greeks are well known.”

If there is anything you don’t care for or are allergic to, make sure to let Pamela know when you arrive so she can modify the menu. If you call her ahead of time with that information, it will help her prepare even better (080-8566-0802). Also, calling ahead with your party size and estimated time of arrival will also help her prepare food adequate for your group! If you are interested in purchasing food to take home, like Pamela’s deliciously homemade feta, try to give her a couple of days notice.

The daily “Meze” course usually includes fresh bread and/or pita, dipping sauces, humus, and lots of other treats. A salad is almost always in the mix along with grilled chicken, pork, and/or squid. Pamela makes everything from scratch, from her feta and yogurt to her pita and dips. Oh, and don’t forget the dessert and frappe to complement, delicious! Drinks come with the meal, to include 1 alcoholic drink (there is a limited drink menu, so complicated drink orders may not be possible…), but if you want to have anything specific, make sure to request it in advance… The service is done by the owner/chef Pamela and her teenage children. The place is family style for eating, experience and pretty much every aspect you can think of!

Pamela has an incredible story of how she ended up cooking Greek food in Okinawa, but I’ll let her tell the story when you visit. Once you step into her place, you will feel like you are home. Her place is actually two converted shipping containers welded together, but the décor and finished product is quite comfortable!   A breeze flows right through the place so the absence of air conditioning isn’t a big concern. Oh, and huge plus, the beaches really close to the restaurant are amazing!!!

Hours: 

Wednesday-Saturday: 12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (last order is 9pm, but they will stay open later)

Sunday: 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.  (last order is 4pm, close up before 5pm to go make cheese!)

Closed Monday and Tuesday

Phone:  080-8566-0802 (owner’s cell, Pamela)

Payment: Yen only. No credit cards or USD.

Address: 7 Ikei Yonashiro Uruma City, Okinawa 904-2421 Japan

Directions: (From Kadena Gate 2)

• Take highway 85 north 2km, take a right on highway 75
• Highway 75 for 5km to the bottom of the hill, take a left on highway 20/33 (it has both numbers)
• Highway 20/33 for 4km until it ends at a T-intersection, right on highway 37
• Highway 37 for 3km, then take a left on hwy 10 and follow that main road all the way out to Ikei island.
• Once on Ikei island, follow the blue and white signs for: “Little Greek Kitchen”

Coordinates: 26.3830394, 127.9967759

Website: http://www.littlegreekkitchen.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlegreekkitchenokinawa