CONTRIBUTED BY KACEY A.

Here you’ll find a variety of local events happening in the month of December. 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!

December 1st

From Ginowan LIVE @ Naha G7
Johnny Ginowan, Coda & Lina and BUMBA perform live. Live Station G7, 5-14 POST Building 2F, Route 58 Izumizaki Intersection, Higashi, Naha. Doors open 7:30pm, Curtain 8pm. ¥2,000 with Drink. 098-867-8222

Gate #2 Festa
Live street performances, amateur professional wrestling, motorcycle parade, and other various attractions. “Gate 2 Street”, Koza music town open space, Goya – Okinawa-shi. 098-989-5566

Naha Marathon
Largest marathon on island. Starts rain or shine 9am. Starts at Route 58 Meiji Bridge intersection, finishes at Onoyama athletics stadium.

December 1st – 2nd

50th Ryukyu Classical Performing Arts Festival
A variety of classical performing arts. Ryukyu Shimpu Hall, 1-10-3 Izumizaki, Naha. Doors 5:30pm, Curtain 6pm. ¥1,800. 098-865-5255

December 1st – December 12th

Yasai-ya Source Vegetable Market
Pop-up vegetable market. Organically grown vegetable farm selling vegetables and breads. 11:30am – 4pm. D&D Department Okinawa by Okinawa Standard, 2-39-8 Xincheng, Ginowan City. 098-894-2112

December 1st – 28th

Oh San Project
Open gallery “Art Market” featuring Okinawa artists working with the theme of “life”. Different artistic points of view of mother earth, mother sea and natural health. Thursdays thru Sundays 1pm – 5pm. Free Admission. 6-36-44 Chibana, Okinawa City. 080-4284-1272 osanproject@gmail.com

December 1st – January 11th

Hello Kitty Art Exhibition
1974 – Current Hello Kitty of Sanrio goods on display. Painting and other Hello Kitty artwork. 11am – 6pm Daily. Adults ¥800, Students ¥500, Children ¥300. Tomiton 1-411 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku-shi

December 3rd

Christmas Family Concert
Holiday concert performed by Manami, Jimama & more! Okinawa Civic Center 1-1-1 Yaeshima, Okinawa City. ¥2,500 in Advance, ¥3,000 at Door. Doors open 6pm, Curtain 6:30pm. Contact 070-6596-0548 for more information.

December 4th

2 Star
Pops and Street LIVE performance outside. Carnival Park, American Village, Mihama. 5pm – 7pm.

December 5th

Gospel Concert
Gospel Concert Street Performance. Carnival Park, American Village, Mihama. 5pm – 7pm.

Seaside Park Flea Market
Last flea market of the year at Seaside Park. Taiikukanmae Square in Ginowan Seaside Park Central Square, Ginowan. 9am – 12pm. 098-897-2751

December 5th – 6th

9th Chatan Health and Welfare Festival
Consultations and experiences of health and welfare. Live performances including rapping grannies! December 5th,12pm – 4pm. December 6th, 10am – 4pm. Chatan Park Baseball Field. 936.4336

Toyomu Nakagusuku Industry Festival
Local Nakagusuku goods and products fair. Plenty of food, performances, and shopping for the whole family. December 5th 10am – 8pm. December 6th 10am – 6pm. 620 Toma Nakagusuku, Nakagami-gun.

December 6th

Stamp
Street Performance. Carnival Park, American Village, Mihama. 6pm – 7pm.

Shogai Gakushu Festival
Okinawa City cultural associations offer performances and workshops for the whole family. Miyahira-sensei will hold a tea ceremony. Free entrance and participation. Okinawa City Gymnasium, 2-1-1 Moromizato, Okinawa City. 9:30am – 4:30pm

Ryukyu Kings vs. Fukushima Firebonds
Ginowan City Gym, Ginowan. Tickets vary from ¥900 to ¥4,000 per game. Season tickets available. Tickets can be purchased at Kadena ITT, MCCS Tours+, and box office. 5:30pm doors open, 7:00pm tip off.

December 7th

Ryukyu Kings vs. Fukushima Firebonds
Ginowan City Gym, Ginowan. Tickets vary from ¥900 to ¥4,000 per game. Season tickets available. Tickets can be purchased at Kadena ITT, MCCS Tours+, and box office. 12:30pm doors open, 2pm tip off.

December 11th

2 Star
Pops and Street LIVE performance outside. Carnival Park, American Village, Mihama. 5pm – 7pm.

December 12th

JJ Basketball Performance
Street Basketball. Carnival Park, American Village, Mihama. 2pm – 4pm.

December 12th -13th

Okinawa Flea Market
Antique shops and miscellaneous goods. Live performances, delicious food. 10am – 7pm. Ashibina Outlet Mall, Tomigusuku, Toyosaki

13th Okinawa Healing Paradise
Okinawa prefecture’s largest exhibition of alternative therapies. Free entrance. December 12th: 2pm – 9pm. December 13th: 10am – 4:30pm. Okinawa Convention Center Conference Hall, A1, 4-3-1 Mashiki, Ginowan

Festival of Party 2014 – Uruma New Year of the Dragon King
Great performances respecting traditional arts and challenging new performances. Doors 4:30pm, Curtain 6:30pm. Tickets ¥1,500 – ¥3,000. 2298-1 Ishikawa, Uruma. ryujinnoutage@gmail.com

Nago-Yanbaru Tsudemachi
Walking tournament to promote health. 8 courses available over the two days featuring 5km – 40km paths. Costume contest available. Pre-registration and day of applications available. Check website for details.

December 13th

Doggie Santa Walk
Parade of dogs and their families. Carnival Park, American Village, Mihama. 3pm – 7pm.

Ginowan Wheelchair Marathon
3.5km marathon near Ginowan Seaside Park. 9am – 12pm.

Wanko-Soba Eating Competition
1st every soba eating contest. Winner will compete in the national tournament. Registration has already passed, but you can watch the event! Starts at 1pm. Koza Box 1-15-1 Chuo, Okinawa. 098-989-0905

December 18th

Gifts
Mens vocal groups and gospel groups perform with a woman pianist. Carnival Park, American Village, Mihama. 5pm – 7pm.

December 18th – 20th

Yomitanzan Yaki Pottery City
Yomitan pottery festival with exhibitions and discounted pottery. 2653-1 Zakimi, Yomitan

December 19th

X’Mas Music Hanabi
Christmas music & fireworks festival. Approximately 10,000 will be displayed along to Christmas songs. Rain or Shine. Tickets available at FamilyMart (discounted) or at entrance. Adults ¥3,300; Children ¥2,200; Parking ¥1,200 Doors open 1pm. Show starts at 7pm. West Hara-Yonabaru Marine Park. 17 Higashizaki, Nishihara, Nakagami-gun.

December 20th

Ryukyu Kings vs. Shiga Lake Stars
Okinawa City Gym, Okinawa City. Tickets vary from ¥900 to ¥4,000 per game. Season tickets available. Tickets can be purchased at Kadena ITT, MCCS Tours+, and box office. 5:30pm doors open, 7pm tip off.

December 20th – 21st

9th Uruma-shi Industry Festival
Uruma city products for display, education, and sale. Promotion of city industry. Free entrance. Uruma City Hall Ishikawa Government Building 1-1 Ishikawa, Ishizaki, Uruma. 10am – 6pm. 098-965-5634

Onna Industry Festival
Events, displays and sales of Onna products and handicrafts. Live performances and local food. December 20th 11am – 5pm. December 21st 10am – 5pm. 5973 Onna, Kunigami District

December 21th

Ryukyu Kings vs. Shiga Lake Stars
Okinawa City Gym, Okinawa City. Tickets vary from ¥900 to ¥4,000 per game. Season tickets available. Tickets can be purchased at Kadena ITT, MCCS Tours+, and box office. 12:30pm doors open, 2pm tip off.

December 23rd

Ra-Shi-Sa de Flea Market
Find clothing, accessories, tablewear, and other goods at this unique flea market. Cafe & Sweets on site. 11am – 5pm. Zakka & Mini Cafe ra-shi-sa 862-32 Ohama, Motobu. 0980-47-7650

Ryukyu Dragon Pro Wrestling
Navel Kadena Arena. 372-2 Kaneku, Kadena Town. Tickets between ¥1,000 and ¥6,000. 2pm Start. 098-956-5500

December 26th

Ryukyu Dragon Pro Wrestling
Navel Kadena Arena. 372-2 Kaneku, Kadena Town. Tickets between ¥1,000 and ¥4,000. 6pm Start. 098-956-5500

December 31st

Festival of the 36th Mabuni, Fire and Bell
Memorial service and festival of the 230,000+ victims of the Okinawa war. Okinawa peace prayer hymns during midnight. To celebrate a peaceful future. Okinawa Peace Prayer Park, 448-2 Mabuni, Itoman-shi. 10pm – 1am.

Illuminations

Zakimi Castle Ruins: 708-4 Zakimi, Yomitan. Daily 6pm – 9pm. Free. Weather dependant.
Stardust Fantasia: Kanucha Resort, 156-2 Abe, Nago. Daily 6pm. ¥3,000 at event, ¥2000 in advance.
Mihama American Village Illumination: American Village, Mihama. Free Daily 6pm – Midnight. Until January 30th.
Itoman Tourist Farm: 1018 Mabuni, Itoman. Laser show on December 21st & 24th. Illuminations from December 12th – January 3rd. 6pm – 10pm. 098-840-8135
Ashibi Winter Elegance: Ashibina Outlet Mall, 1-188 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku. Free. Illuminations until February 14th. Snowfall at 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm. Illumination show at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm. Daily. 098-891-6000
Tonan Night Decoration: Southeast Botanical Gardens. Illuminations until February 14th. 5pm – 10pm. Admission ¥1,000 – ¥1,800. Annual passes available.

Other Holidays & Events

December 23rd – Emperor’s Birthday (Tenno Tanjobi)
December 31st – New Year’s Eve (Omisoka)

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

Shuri Castle

Photo credit: Meredith Novario
Meredith Novario Photography Facebook Page

“Sunrise and sunset
Ohayo and konbanwa
Love, Okinawa” –Calyn Paquin

Ginowan

Photo credit: Irina Vulakh

This has been another terrific year over here at Okinawa Hai, and it’s all because of the beautiful and vibrant community that we’ve built with you, our readers. This month we’re in the giving spirit; we will be running a GIVEAWAY for one day each week throughout December!

Each week throughout December we will be giving away one FREE 2016 Okinawa Hai Calendar to our community members, a total of five altogether. All that’s required is for you to leave a comment on this blog post & register on our Rafflecopter giveaway, but you can earn extra entries by ‘liking’ and ‘sharing’ our Facebook Page with your friends, and following and tweeting about us on Twitter, and following and reposting our photos on Instagram.

Enter your info here on our Rafflecopter giveaway.

Of course, if you don’t want to take your chances, you can buy one right now.

Thanks to all of you for being a part of our community. Whether you’re in contact with us all across the internet or just a quiet reader, we appreciate each and every one of you. Happy December to you all!  Click here to enter our Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions: Giveaway ends December 2nd at 11:59 PM Tokyo time. Open to those with valid US or APO/FPO box addresses only. Winners will be selected by Random.org and will be notified by email; each entrant can enter once and is eligible to win one (1) 2016 Okinawa Hai Calendar only. Winners will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information on this form, you are providing your information to the managers of Okinawa Hai alone. We do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner. For the full terms and conditions, see the full description on our Rafflecopter giveaway site, linked above.

CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS 

Having been on island for two years, we have been to our fair share of festivals, but I have to say the Ryujin no Utage (Feast of the Dragon God and also called the Uruma Sparkling Festival!) to date, has been my favorite.

While it is called a festival it is much more like a full blown production, and definitely not one to be missed.

The Sparkling Festival is relatively new, and was created to boost tourism to the region during the winter months and I am so pleased they created it, because seriously this show is epic.

Held in the all-weather Uruma City multi-purpose dome (usually used for bullfighting) a stage is constructed within the ring which means everyone gets a great view due to the 360 degree seating.

If you have been to the multi-purpose dome before you will know that the seating isn’t that comfortable with it being concrete and all, thankfully the organizers had laid out cushions for everyone to sit on, although after a couple hours what comfort they did provide was long gone!

Despite being a little uncomfortable towards the end it was entirely worth it, the show was simply amazing.

In 2014 they had 19 performers, both individual and groups, although some of them did multiple performances and performed together so I can’t tell you how many act’s there were all up.

The show opened with calligraphy artist Taba Tamamidori and before long we got our first glimpse of the dragon which put on a fabulous dragon dance based on ancient Ryukyu lore.

There were performances from Ryukyu Kingdom Festival Drums (who have performed all over the world including New Yorks Carnegie Hall) as well as various youth groups.

We particularly loved the Lion Dance as well as the mock bull fight, all the various styles of dance as well as the drumming; which was spectacular.

While I didn’t know any of the artists I believe a few of them are well known within Okinawa/Japan…Aria (a violinist) Sunrise Katsu (who played an ancient guitar) and guitarist Kuniyoshi Ryo; whom according to the website is constantly at the forefront of the Okinawa music world, to name a few.

Regardless of where you sat, because of the 360 degree seating, you always had a great view but what was super cool is often the performers came into the crowd; from eisa drummers, dragons to shisa dogs…our girls (aged just shy of 2 and 5) particularly loved this crowd interaction, as did we.

I suspect each year may differ slightly, whether it be entirely new artists or simply different songs/dances, but I have no doubt that future festivals will be just as epic as the one we went too!

To find out when the next annual event will be held (around mid-December) I suggest ‘liking’ their facebook page…HERE

There was ample of parking down by the wharf with buses put on to transport you to the venue and just like every other festival on island, there were loads of scrummy foods being sold by vendors outside of the dome.

As an added bonus after the show you are allowed to take the cushions home!

When? 2015: December 12-13, 2015 (Sat & Sun)
4:30 doors open 6:30 curtain

*It is usually held in mid-December (check facebook page closer to the time for upcoming dates)

Place: Ishikawa Multipurpose Dome (3302 Ishikawa, Uruma City)

Admission: 2014 prices; advance purchase from family mart, adult 2,500 yen (3,000 yen at door) child 1,000 yen (1,500 at door) pre-school age children (sitting on lap) free

Phone:  070-5691-7713

Website: http://ryujinnoutage.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/龍神の宴/601934693175699

CONTRIBUTED BY JEANIE ANGEL

This restaurant is an izakaya style restaurant with a mixture of foods. They offered such things as pizza but also had all the normal Japanese offerings. Sushi, soups and noodles, rice dishes, etc. We were intrigued to find upon sitting that they were offering 100 yen Orion drafts from 6-8pm. We have children so that is prime time for us! They also had an array of different cocktails and awamoris to try if you’re into that sort of thing. We were super excited. We ordered the calamari and it tasted fresh, the staff was very courteous. They had fun little squeakers they put on your table for you to squeak if you needed something. Ours was a little plastic hamburger. We ate lightly and drank heavily and were on our way.

When we went to pay we realized that our bill was slightly higher than what we expected. Turns out there is a 300 yen per person table charge when you sit. I suppose that is common around here when they are offering such a great deal on Orion Drafts.

Payment:  Yen/Mastercard/Visa

Address: 3-12, Chatan 1-Chōme Chatan, Nakagami-Gun, Okinawa Japan 904-0116

Directions: From the Camp Foster’s “The Spot” Gate – Turn left out of the gate heading towards the 58. Go straight through the first light (crossing the 58). At the next light make a right and another almost immediate right, just before the Drugstore Mori. If you continue down that little alley road you will see it tucked in the back corner – all lit up.

Hours: Open 6- late

CONTRIBUTED BY ALFI VELASCO

Breyette Thai Massage is Thai Massage at its finest, along with the intensity needed to  ensure all those little “stuck” spots get unstuck.

I went in stiff and sore, and left feeling like my youthful self!  Well… I’m sixty, but really the effects of youth stayed with me for a week. It was just lovely! I am definitely making this a routine part of my health regime.

I highly recommend a session with Sumako and her wonderful healing hands. Sumako has studied in Thailand and is licensed by the famous “Loi Kroh School of Thai Massage” in Chiang Mai. She is truly gifted.

Karate is taught there 3 to 5 times a week and Sumako conducts a yoga class there on Saturday morning (she also teaches yoga at a local Japanese Government Health and Wellness Center). If there is a karate class going on (as on Saturday afternoon before 3 p.m.) she uses a cozy tatami room attached to the dojo. If the dojo is available, the wide openness of the wooden floor and the breeze through the dojo are also highly conducive to total relaxation!

Sumako is fluent in English and Japanese, so there should be no problem communicating.

Hours: By Appointment Only

Phone: 090-7390-1335

Payment: Cash only (preferably Yen)

Price: Fees are 3,000 yen for a one-hour massage, 4,500 yen/90 minutes, etc.

Address: 743-1 Nagahama, Yomitan Okinawa 904-0324 Japan

Directions: Detailed directions to the dojo (karate and yoga school) can be found on another Okinawa Hai article here: http://okinawahai.com/uechiryu-zankyokai-dojo-karate/

Coordinates: 26.4184254, 127.7383269

CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS 

Perched up on a hill Naminoue-gu Shrine overlooks Naminoue Beach and of course the East China Sea.

In 1605 Naminoue became the top shrine of the Ryukyu Kingdom and was officially recorded as such and still today remains the main Shinto shrine for Okinawa.

Unfortunately, like much of Okinawa, the shrine was destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa and a rebuild wasn’t started until the mid 50’s and completion of the main shrine not until 1993.

During our visit I picked up a small leaflet (in English!) which talked about the Namnin Festival; held every May 17th & 18th where locals and tourists come together to celebrate.

I have already marked my calendar for next year so I don’t forget because it sounds like a great family day out with beach tug-o-war, Ryukyu Dancing and even a sumo tournament!

The other great thing about this shrine is that there are giant boards with instructions so if you are unfamiliar with the customs at a Shinto Shrine you can simply follow the board and not look too lost!

There were a few parking spots on sight (for maybe 4-5 cars) and not a whole lot of on-street parking available. We ended up driving behind the building right next to the shrine, we think it was part of the same complex but not entirely sure and there were another 7 parking spots.

Address: 1-1, Tsuji 3-Chrome Naha, Okinawa 900-0037

CONTRIBUTED BY CAPTAIN IAN

In world war II the Japanese began leafletting propaganda from airplanes over Okinawa preceding the immanent invasion of the American Naval fleet in 1945. Because of the heavy propaganda and confusion during the war, most Okinawans didn’t choose sides. They simply hid in caves and tombs.

Happy cave in Yomitan has an amazing story! Before explosions caved in the connection between Happy Cave and Sad Cave (the other side of the same cave), you could walk nearly 2.5 kilometers between the two entrances. Both of these caves housed anywhere between 1,300 and 3,000 people for almost three months straight. The men would go out and collect food, while the woman, children and elders would stay inside the dark cave to wait for the war to end.

In Happy Cave, two former Hawaiian taxi cab drivers managed to convinced the 1,500 Okinawans not to commit suicide as American ground forces approached. Because the taxi drivers spoke both English and the local Okinawan language, the group in happy cave decided to take their chances with the Americans and surrender. They were quickly taken to a refugee camp in Nago and largely survived the duration of the war.

However, Sad Cave was not so lucky. Over 2,700 men, women and children committed suicide the very same day the people in Happy Cave surrendered.

I heard this story second hand from a woman in my church. Her aunt was in Happy Cave and shared the story with my friend before she passed away. Happy Cave is very fun to explore. Bring a flash light and extra batteries. Prepare to get muddy if you are going to explore further than the first cavern.

There are a total of five caverns, and each is bigger and more glorious than the last. You can walk, duck and crawl through the cave for over an hour before you reach multiple dead ends and are forced to turn back. Do not get stuck without light, but don’t worry about getting lost. Follow the small stream that runs through the whole cave. Watch for bats, old landmines and snakes. And have fun! Haha. It’s really not too dangerous. Just pay attention.

Directions: From Kadena gate 3 go left on 74. Go right on 58. Make a left on the new big street directly after Sakia on your left. If you pass Bee’s honey, turn around and go back to the 4 lane road. Continue on that 4 lane road until the 4^th traffic light, make a right at the 4^th light. Go about 150 meters and make your second right (It’s a sharp 120 degree turn around a few tall cones). Keep on that street 300 meters until you see a white, 3 pole fence following a street left. Go left. Be careful, it comes up quick. You will see a park on your left side. Drive 50 meters past the park and park on the right. Walk down the small hill to your left and follow the cut trail on your right for 100 meters.

**If anyone has specific google coordinates for Happy Cave, please let us know in the comments below and we will update the article to include them!**

CONTRIBUTED BY INORI HAYASHI

“To have faith is to believe in something you cannot see,” said my father who is also a pastor at a church during a Christmas conference 10 years ago. It did not sink in when I was younger, but every Christmas I remember his sermon and appreciate the message he delivered. The sermon was about having faith, and I hope to share this with you in this article.

My parents met 27 years ago at a Bible camp. My father who was studying to be a pastor fell in love with my mother at the first sight. He wrote her so many letters after the camp to my mother until she realized that there would never be a man who would love her as much he did. They got married and were stationed at their first church in Shizuoka as newlyweds. Happy and busy days they had – and nothing could have made them happier when they received the news that my mother was pregnant with their first son.

Weeks passed. My parents were excited and happy to welcome their first child to the family; however, the doctor found a medical condition with my mother. The doctor told my parents that it would be likely that the child would also have a medical condition if they decided to have the child. The doctor said that it would be a difficult journey to have a child with a medical condition and recommended an abortion. My father said he felt like he fell from a top of a cliff. It was unexpected.

My parents prayed every day and night until my father made the decision to have the child. This is when he said, “To have faith is to believe in something you cannot see; I had faith in God and in His plan – I believed that the child He has blessed us is and will be our beloved child no matter what medical condition she/he will have.” From there, it was a joyful road. My parents could not wait to see the face of their first son.

On December 6, 1989, they had their first son – a healthy beautiful baby. The baby was named Hotaru which means fireflies in Japanese in hope that he will be the beautiful light in the world. That month, they had their first Christmas with him. In the photo albums we have of the family, my parents look joyful and jubilant holding their first son. Christmas has always been a fun, blessed time filled with love for us.

In this time of the year, people from around the world celebrate Christmas by spending time with friends and family. Okinawa has people from different cultural backgrounds, but the values such as family, friends, and faith are universal. Unexpected things sometimes happen, no matter what the culture is. Having faith in a greater plan or purpose can open us to joyful experiences. I hope that as we look back at the year that passed and look forward for the coming new year, we will always remember our loved ones in our hearts. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

This has been another terrific year over here at Okinawa Hai, and it’s all because of the beautiful and vibrant community that we’ve built with you, our readers. This month we’re in the giving spirit; we will be running a GIVEAWAY for one day each week throughout December!

Congratulations to Lindsay M, Amanda C, and Bridget A,
who won calendars in the last three weeks’ giveaways!

Each week throughout December we will be giving away one FREE 2016 Okinawa Hai Calendar to our community members, a total of five altogether. All that’s required is for you to leave a comment on this blog post & register on our Rafflecopter giveaway, but you can earn extra entries by ‘liking’ and ‘sharing’ our Facebook Page with your friends, and following and tweeting about us on Twitter, and following and reposting our photos on Instagram.

Enter in this week’s Rafflecopter giveaway

Of course, if you don’t want to take your chances, you can buy one right now.

Thanks to all of you for being a part of our community. Whether you’re in contact with us all across the internet or just a quiet reader, we appreciate each and every one of you. Happy December to you all!

Terms and Conditions: Giveaway ends December 22nd at 11:59 PM Tokyo time. Open to those with valid US or APO/FPO box addresses only. Winners will be selected by Random.org and will be notified by email; each entrant can enter once and is eligible to win one (1) 2016 Okinawa Hai Calendar only. Winners will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information on this form, you are providing your information to the managers of Okinawa Hai alone. We do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner. For the full terms and conditions, see the full description on our Rafflecopter giveaway site, linked above.

CONTRIBUTED BY EMILY BUREK

My husband and I often find ourselves tired and hungry after longs days at the beach. As we all know, hours of swimming and snorkeling can really wear a person out! Many restaurants are closed for a 2 or 3 hour period in between lunch and dinner, so finding a place that is open around 3 or 4ish can sometimes be hard. Then I thought of the American Pizzaman – which opens at 3:00 p.m. everyday but Tuesday!

I had tried this place once before with a friend on a random Saturday. She was pregnant and craving pizza, and I never say no to pizza (or a pregnant woman). She picked me up and we parked a couple of store fronts down. It was right around 3:00 p.m., so we were the first customers of the day, but they were ready for business. I was tempted to order a single slice, but being with my pregnant friend I knew better.

All of their pizzas are the same price – 2,700 yen for a 35 centimeter pie. You can either choose your own toppings or they have about 8 different ones on the menu. The menu also includes wings, grinders and giant cookies! When I was with my friend, we ordered the Hawaiian (pictured). On the starving Sunday I went with my husband we ordered the triple meat and mushroom. Both were delicious! The pie is crispy on the bottom but still a little chewy. The sauce to cheese ratio is just what I like. The triple meat had a little too much for my liking (they boast that they put 1 kg of toppings on!) but my husband really seemed to enjoy it.

Next time you are looking for an American style pizza (with no corn!) head over to American Pizzaman!

Toppings include- Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Ground Beef, Ham, Bacon, Green Peppers, Mushrooms, Onions, Red Hot Peppers, Jalapenos, Eggplant, Black Olives, Pineapple, Anchovies, and Cheese

Hours: 3:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. everyday but closed Tuesdays

Phone: 098-937-2824

Payment: Yen and Dollars only. No credit cards.

Address: 1-20-11 Chuo, Okinawa 904-0004, Okinawa Prefecture

Coordinates: 26.3381261, 127.80090300000006

Directions:

• From Kadena Gate 2, exit the gate and stay straight (on Gate 2 street) heading toward the Koza intersection.
• Turn left on to 330 (Koza intersection).
• Pass one light and turn left at the next light on to BC Street. This is a one way street.
• The restaurant is on the left hand side on the second block down.
• Parking is on the street or you can find a nearby parking lot.

CONTRIBUTED BY SARAH BANCROFT

Craving some tacos? If you’re near Torii Station, Champion Tacos is the place to go! Located right off of the 6, Champion Tacos is a quaint ticket restaurant. Their menu is small, but don’t let that fool you: their food is very good.

They serve tacos in a set of 5 and you can choose either hard or soft taco shells. Tacos come topped with cheese, lettuce and tomato, and each order includes a small cup of hot sauce. Taco Rice is also on the menu and comes with seasoned meat, cheese sauce, lettuce with tomato on top. There are also a few side items on the menu to include chicken nuggets, curly fries, french fries and onion rings.

Ordering is very easy, even if there is no english, as the menu and the ticket machine are matched up with numbers. Just insert a bill and press the number for the food you want, and the machine will spit out change, as well as your ticket, which you give to the lady behind the counter and after a few minutes you’ll have some yummy tacos to satisfy your hunger!

Hours:  11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday

Phone: 923-4444

Payment: Yen only

Directions:

From Torii Station, head out the main gate and take a left onto the 6. After you pass though the intersection for the small 58, Champion Taco will be on the right hand side of the road. The parking lot is slightly before the building for Champion.

From Kadena and Foster, head north on 58. Take a left onto the 6, heading towards Torii’s main gate. You’ll pass through 3 stop lights before you see Champion Taco on the left side of the road. The parking lot is just past the building for Champion. If you pass through the intersection for the small 58, you have gone to far.

*If anyone has an address or specific coordinates, please comment below and we will update the post to include that!

CONTRIBUTED BY HANNAH CURTIS

One Saturday afternoon we ventured out wanting to try some place new to eat and settled on Seaside Cafe Hanon.

We actually had no idea what they served and didn’t look at the menu until we were all seated, which is when we realized they do pancakes; you can’t go wrong with pancakes, right?!

The kids were especially excited because hey they were getting pancakes for lunch but also the kids pancakes were extremely cute; shaped like a mouse with 3 small individual servings of ice cream, a cream puff and of course syrup!

As for my husband & I let’s be real we were just as excited as the girls but we took a lot longer to make our decisions since the menu is rather extensive. There are plain pancakes, fruit pancakes (banana, berries, apple) or meal pancakes one even comes with chili beans.

I opted for the croque monsieur; pancakes topped with white sauce, cheese & bacon; they were divine. My husband went for the egg & meat pancakes and had zero complaints and said the bacon was amazing.

With the exception of the kids pancakes you can choose either 2, 3 or 4 pancakes to fit your appetite.

Seaside Cafe Hanon also have a reasonable coffee selection, although not a coffee drinker myself I can not comment too much on the taste although Matt really enjoyed his while the girls & I thought our juice & Italian soda’s were delicious.

Even though we didn’t manage to get the gorgeous views of the East China Sea by sitting outside on the balcony (which I believe you can reserve) we loved the decor & atmosphere inside; whitewashed stone walls and wooden accents.

We both commented how it reminded us of vacations spent on Greek Islands.

Hours:

Tuesday – Friday | 11am – 8pm (LO 7pm for food)

Sat – Sun | 9am – 8pm (LO 7pm for food)

Monday | CLOSED

Phone: 098 989 0653

Payment: Cash or Credit

Address: American Village, Oak Fashion Building B-3 (Depot Island)

904-0115 Okinawa Nakagami-gun Chatan-cho Mihama 9-39

Coordinates: 26.3162021,

127.75384989999998

Website: http://cafe-hanon.com

CONTRIBUTED BY KYLENE O’CONNOR

What is the best part about the Milk House Ice Cream Stand? The milk flavored ice cream! My first thought was that “milk” flavored ice cream seemed too simple to be anything special, but let me tell you: the taste was spectacular. It was a perfect combination of creamy, milky and sweet that reminded me that sometimes it is the simple things in life that hold the best surprises. My husband even said it brought back memories of homemade ice cream from his childhood.

The first thing that caught my attention about Milk House were the letters “EM” proudly displayed on the large sign posted on the building and the flags waving nearby. I was excited because I knew this was ice cream made from EM brand milk. EM stands for effective microorganisms, which are added to the soil that produce is grown in, and to the water and feed of animals. This creates quality produce and animal products with a higher nutrition value. I already use EM milk in my home, and couldn’t wait to try the ice cream!

Milk house carries other flavors, many of which we sampled since we couldn’t read the kanji. I was able to have the menu translated, which I will include below. A single scoop is 200 yen and a double is 300 yen in a cup or cone. Besides the milk flavor, I also recommend banana chocolate. Once you go you probably won’t be able to resist going back, so don’t forget to grab a stamp card for a free ice cream when full!

Menu Translation in order of picture above: 

Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Phone: (098) 942-3070

Payment: Yen only

Address: 1974  Kuba,  Nakagusuku, Nakagami-Gun, Okinawa Japan 901-2401

Coordinates: 26.2832224, 127.8137118

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Milk-House-Ice-Cream-86202208779/

CONTRIBUTED BY KACEY A.

First Sunrise

Happy New Year everyone! Below you’ll find a list of local events.  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! Enjoy!

January 1st

Sunrise Celebration
Celebrate the first sunrise of 2016.  Nakagusuku Castle Ruins, 503 Oshiro Kitanakagusuku. ¥200-¥400.  5am. 098-935-5419

Bullfighting
The annual first three days of a new year bullfighting.  ¥2,500 Men, ¥2,000 Women.  Nakijin Bullring, 792-1 Nakasone, Nakijin.  1pm.

January 1st – January 3rd

Feast of the New Year
Celebrate the reenactment of the Ryukyu Kingdom era New Year’s ritual.  Listen to throne music being played.  Events throughout the day. See website for schedule.  Shuri Castle Tadashi 1-2 Shurikingo, Naha. ¥310 – ¥820 8:30am – 5pm.

Buffalo Riding Experience
Ride on the back of a buffalo. Must be 4 years old or older, and weigh less than 80 kg/176 lbs.  Bios on the Hill, 961-30 Kadekari, Ishikawa, Uruma. ¥1,000 plus admission fee.

January 1st – January 11th

Hello Kitty Art Exhibition
Everything Hello Kitty!  A must art exhibit that is only on display until January 11th.  Tomiton 1st Floor, 1-411 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku.  11am – 6pm.  ¥300 – ¥800. 080.8351.8071

January 1st – February 21st

Ryukyu Lantern Festival
The first ever lantern festival held at Ryukyu Mura.  Variety of entertainment, classical and modern music, dancing, food stands and more.  Murasaki Mura, 1020-1 Takashiho, Nakagami, Yomitan.  9am – 10pm daily.  ¥400 – ¥600.

January 2nd

2016 Flag Kan Guidance
Flag demonstrations representing Village Gogan in the New Year. Nakagusuku Castle Ruins, 503 Oshiro Kitanakagusuku. ¥200-¥400. 098-895-9144. 11am.

Bullfighting
The annual first three days of a new year bullfighting.  ¥3,000 Men, ¥2,000 Women.  Uruma Ishikawa Multipurpose Dome, 3302 Ishikawa, Uruma.  2pm.

January 3rd

Bullfighting
The annual first three days of a new year bullfighting.  ¥3,000 Men, ¥2,000 Women.  Uruma Ishikawa Multipurpose Dome, 3302 Ishikawa, Uruma.  3pm.

Ryukyu Dragon Pro Wrestling
Navel Kadena Arena. 372-2 Kaneku, Kadena Town. Tickets between ¥1,000 and ¥2,500. 1:30pm Doors, 2pm Start. 098-956-5500

January 6th

Ryukyu Kings vs. Shinshu Brave Warriors
Ginowan City Gym, Ginowan.  Tickets vary from ¥900 to ¥4,000 per game. Season tickets available. Tickets can be purchased at Kadena ITT, MCCS Tours+, and box office.  5:30pm doors open, 7pm tip off.

January 8th

Crossover Basketball
Opening game of the season.  Street basketball meets DJ’s & MC’s.  Music Town Sound Market, 3F, 1-1-1 Ueshi, Okinawa City.  Children ¥1,000 – Adults ¥2,500. Doors open 6pm, tip off 7pm. 098-926-4551

January 9th

Takenoko!!!
Performances by numerous artists.  Okinawa Nakagusuku Castle Ruins, 503 Oshiro Kitanakagusuku. Performances start at 2pm.  ¥3,000 plus one drink.

Exhibition of Ancient Civilization Photo
UFO crop circle, photo exhibition, alien costumes, comic books, dance performances.  Carnival Park, American Village, Mihama. 4pm – 7pm. Free

January 9th – January 32st

Sunflower Festival
The 8th sunflower festival held in Kitanakagusuku with over 10,000 square meters holding over 400,000 sunflowers.  Shiosai Park, 2070-8 Atsuta, Kitanakagusuku. 10am – 4pm daily.  Free Admission.

January 10th

4th Sugar Hall Orchestra Concert
Orchestra and Okinawan folk songs. Nanjo City Cultural Center, 307 Sashiki, Nanjo. Doors open 2:30pm, Curtain at 3pm. ¥2,000. 098-947-1100, hall@sugarhall.com

New Year Rock Festival
Music festival featuring JET, Freddie Eto, PRYZM, Civilian Skunk, Haebaru Bibappusu, and Kozasupapaji.  Music Town Sound Market, 3F.  Doors 3pm, Curtain 4pm. ¥2,500 – ¥3,000. 098-932-1949

La’ Muse Jazz Orchestra
15th anniversary concert.  Music Town Sound Market, 3F, 1-1-1 Ueshi, Okinawa City.  Doors 6:30pm, Curtain 7pm.  ¥2,000 – ¥2,500. 090-7585-1292

Happy Marilyn Sunday
Handmade goods, workshops, massages, and food that the whole family can enjoy.  Ginowan Marine Support Center, 7-10-27 Oyama, Ginowan.  098-942-2200

January 11th

Civilian Skunk
Live street performance by artists Civilian Skunk.  Carnival Park, American Village, Mihama.  2pm – 7pm.

January 16th – 17th

Cave Ballet
Tokoiriya Ryoki Ballet will be performed inside of the Cave Cafe, 202 Maegawa, Tamagusuku, Nanjo.  Doors 7pm, Curtain 7:30pm.  ¥5000 – ¥7000.  098-948-4192

January 17th

Ryukyu Kings vs. Bambitious Nara
Okinawa City Gym, Okinawa City.  Tickets vary from ¥900 to ¥4,000 per game. Season tickets available. Tickets can be purchased at Kadena ITT, MCCS Tours+, and box office.  15:30pm doors open, 7pm tip off.

Health and Beauty of Aroma Fair
First ever health, beauty and aroma fair in Okinawa.  Ginowan Convention Center, 4-3-1 Mashiki, Ginowan.  11am – 6pm. Free.

Parenting Support Fair
Bring the kids!  Support for parents with children, trying to create a community.  Sanei Ginowan Convention City.  558-10 Uchidomari, Ginowan.

January 18th

Ryukyu Kings vs. Bambitious Nara
Okinawa City Gym, Okinawa City.  Tickets vary from ¥900 to ¥4,000 per game. Season tickets available. Tickets can be purchased at Kadena ITT, MCCS Tours+, and box office.  12:30pm doors open, 2pm tip off.

January 20th – 21st

Onna Village Industrial Festival
Various local specialties including food, vegetables, pottery and glassware.  Live music, dance and other performances. Onna Village Fureai, 5973 Kunigami, Onna. 10am – 4pm. Free

January 22nd

2 Star
Pops and Street LIVE performance outside. Carnival Park, American Village, Mihama.  5pm – 7pm.

January 23rd – January 24th

Hundred Imperial Treasures Sun
A ritual even of the woman’s pilgrimage to Shuri Castle.  Shuri Castle Tadashi 1-2 Shurikingo, Naha.  ¥310 – ¥820.  Two showings: 12pm – 1pm, 3pm – 4pm.

Okinawa City Industry Festival
Discover products made specifically in Okinawa City.  Comprehensive Park, 5-3-1 Hiyagon, Okinawa City. 10am – 6pm. Free

January 23rd – February 7th

Mount Yae Cherry Blossom Festival
Approximately 7,000 cherry trees like the 3km mountain road.  Mount Yae Sakura-no-Mori Park.  Free Admission.

Nakijin Gusuku Cherry Blossom Festival
Cherry Blossoms and night lightings.  Sitting 100 meters above sea level, the path leading to the castle will be lit with candles. Traditional Okinawan entertainment.  Nakijin Castle Ruins, 5101 Imadomari, Nakijin Village. 8am – 9pm, night lighting 6pm – 9pm).  ¥300 – ¥400

January 29th

Minchu Handmade City
Fair of miscellaneous goods, accessories, fabric, woodworking, plants, etc. Tomigusuku Citizen Gymnasium, 5-2 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku.  11am – 3pm

January 30th – 31st

Nago Cherry Blossom Festival
2km walk through nago Castle Ruins lined with 25,000 cherry trees.  Nago Central Park & city’s downtown area. 11am – 9pm.  Free Admission.

January 30th – February 7th

Okinawa International Orchid Show
30th edition for the Ocean Expo Park orchid show.  Over 30,000 orchids, events, workshops, and music performances.  

January 31st

Umaharashii Ryukyu Horse Racing
A traditional and rare horse race featuring only and handful of horses that can master the specific style of running. Okinawa Zoo, 5-7-1 Goya, Okinawa City.

Illuminations

Zakimi Castle Ruins: 708-4 Zakimi, Yomitan.  Daily 6pm – 9pm. Free.  Weather dependant.

Stardust Fantasia: Kanucha Resort, 156-2 Abe, Nago.  Daily 6pm. ¥3,000 at event, ¥2000 in advance.

Mihama American Village Illumination: American Village, Mihama.  Free Daily 6pm – Midnight.  Until January 30th.

Itoman Tourist Farm: 1018 Mabuni, Itoman.  Laser show on December 21st & 24th. Illuminations from January 1st – January 3rd. 6pm – 10pm. 098-840-8135

Ashibi Winter Elegance: Ashibina Outlet Mall, 1-188 Toyosaki, Tomigusuku.  Free. Illuminations until February 14th.  Snowfall at 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm.  Illumination show at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm. Daily. 098-891-6000

Tonan Night Decoration: Southeast Botanical Gardens. Illuminations until February 14th. 5pm – 10pm.  Admission ¥1,000 – ¥1,800. Annual passes available.

Yaese Park Nighttime Lighting: 170 lanterns light up the cherry trees.  Yaese Park. 6pm – 9pm. Free.

OTHER
It’s whale watching season!!!

CONTRIBUTED BY KEVIN “ELVIS” KING

A ryokan (旅館) or “inn” is a type of traditional Japanese lodge that originated beginning back in the 17th century, maturing as today’s concept in the late 19th century. Originally serving travelers along Japan’s foot and horse paths, they now serve modern tourists at major sites throughout Japan. Typical features include tatami-matted rooms, communal hot spring baths, in-room personalized dining, and public areas where visitors may relax and socialize.

We stayed in a ridiculously priced ryokan, the Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto in the resort location of Miyajima, a famous island retreat on the outskirts of Hiroshima. We were there celebrating, although at the time, we still didn’t know what we were celebrating. We had booked one of the most expensive rooms in an already expensive lodge in honor of either my wife, Jody’s retirement, or her promotion. Neither had happened yet.

Ryokan are becoming more difficult to find within Japanese urban centers as mainstream and modern hotels are offering more at a much more affordable price-point. They have, however, have found their modern niche by catering to tourists with deep pockets, and are usually concentrated in scenic areas, exactly like Miyajima where we vacationed prior to moving on to Hiroshima proper.

Ryokan guest rooms are styled in traditional Japanese: tatami floors, sliding wooden doors, and rice-paper accented privacy screens. Most ryokan feature common bathing areas segregated by gender, using the water from a nearby hot spring (onsen). Higher-end inns provide private bathing facilities. These Japanese inns also provide yukata for guests to wear, and geta (wooden sandals) are available at exits for strolls outside.

Based on a number of reviews, we selected room 502 of the Arimoto Hotel, a very large corner room on the top floor of the ryokan, featuring sunset views of Miyajima’s famous “floating Torii,” as well as private outdoor hot-spring fed bathing and personalized in-room dining. Check out the hotel’s website; our room is featured as the inn’s “Guest of Honor” billeting, and is also featured in a bridal shoot. I must admit that it does serve as a fabulous setting to accent the beauty of a beaming bride, certainly more so than it does for my cheesy Japanese peace pose.

Ukata (浴衣 literal “bath clothes”), are casual Japanese garments, sometimes referred to as a summer kimono, worn by men and women. Designed for hot weather, they are unlined and often made of cotton. As with kimono, the general rule is that younger women (and kids) wear bright, vivid colors and bold patterns, while older people wear dark, matured colors and dull patterns. Men in general wear solid dark colors. Yukata are staple wear during a stay at ryokan, commonly seen throughout the establishments. I rather enjoyed my own interpretation of their wear!

I initially wore the yukata to and from our private balcony bath fed by the resort’s on-site hot-spring. The deep-soak tub was set to offer 180 degree views of the setting sun over Miyajima’s western shore. But since there was really no way for anyone to be a voyeur of our bathing habits, I quickly did away with any clothing at all. The yukata was, however, very comfortable to wear for dinner after a long afternoon soak to soothe achy muscles from the day’s adventures.

The main tatami room serves three important functions: dining, tea and for sleep. Breakfast and dinner are served there, with tea service in the afternoon. But at night, tables and floor chairs and hidden away and lush futon bedding is spread out directly on the tatami floor, where ample pillows, sheets and blankets are provided for a deep, restful sleep after a day of hiking around Miyajima.

Now, on to the food. Our menu was personalized each night, it’s approval demonstrated by the han-stamp of the resident chef of the ryokan. The dinners were all served as 12-course meals, each choice indicated on the menu with a distinct line of Japanese. We attempted to translate each one, course by course. But as you might guess, something often gets lost in translation.

“Live Fish Bowl Prime.” Sure, it sounds like an obscure faddish cartoon shown on Adult Swim back in the 1990s. Or at least it should’ve been. But it turned out to be a machine translation (Google Translate via iPhone) of an item on Jody’s Japanese menu during dinner our first night at a high-end ryokan on Miyajima.

“What on earth does that mean?!” I asked Jody, laughing at how much technology fails a simple translation. “Who knows!” she responded with an anticipating smile, staring at her phone.

Some of our favorite translations, besides “live fish bowl prime,” include “Hiroshima cow” and “fried bird”…. Or the one shown below. Concrete soup. Yummy.

Ryokan stays include dinner and breakfast, and most guests take their meals in their room. Meals are central to a ryokan stay: the price and ratings of inns are heavily based on the quality of their food. Traditional Japanese cuisine called kaiseki, a meal consisting of a number of small, varied dishes, is featured, which includes seasonal and regional specialties. The meals are tailored and cooked to order, and service times are selected by the guests daily.

While we got off to a rough start with the ryokan staff, due mainly to some of our specific dietary requests and the lack of English-speaking staff, we came to thoroughly enjoy our in-room meal service. Dinner was unrushed and personal, served by a private waitress, course by course, and lasted anywhere from two to three hours.

We had the opportunity to enjoy some local Hiroshima wine while Jody tried quite a few new fish dishes, as I focused my meals more and more on the local high-quality and perfectly delicious Hiroshima beef…with some pork and chicken thrown in as well. Lucky for us, after the first night of only machine translation of our meal, a waitress called “Emmy” was placed with us, who having spent 8 years in England spoke quite good English, even if it was more aligned to the Queen’s. She actually stayed an extra day to help us in our culinary adventures as she was moving on to a 9-month contract job on an Italian cruise ship as a hairdresser.

Hiroshima specializes in farm-raised oysters, which were served fresh and in a multitude of ways. One of the more surprising items that Jody enjoyed was fresh stonefish, and not only was she served the delicate and sometimes poisonous meal (if prepared wrong), the fish itself took center stage in her dinner’s presentation! I can’t say it’s appearance is all that…appetizing.

But the most surprising course was a small covered dish of fresh seafood destined to be steamed tableside during dinner. Just after being placed on the table, the dish made a loud knocking sound, quite to our collective surprise. Our waitress, as curious as we were about the sound’s source, innocently lifted the dish’s top. And out flopped a large, live shrimp! We jumped back a bit as the crustacean made good attempt to escape, which our waitress was all too happy to block. Trapped back in its ceramic cell, the dish was placed on a flame for steaming, and no other sound was heard…until Jody’s coos upon eating the poor crustacean.

But was it worth truly worth the expense? In terms of such an important celebration, sure it was! Spending money on treasured experiences is never a bad thing. Enjoying “live fish bowl prime,” the premium fresh seafood served to us during our ryokan stay: priceless!

**For more information on the ryokan Kevin stayed in, please visit their website: Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto

CONTRIBUTED BY CAPTAIN IAN

Looking for a sheer, unadulterated, organic adventure in the form of a gorgeous fresh water river trek? Here’s our answer!

I have been trekking up this river for 2 years. I discovered it during a Coleman Camping photo shoot. Coleman sent a small team of spot scouts looking for the perfect place to capitalize on their new advertising campaign. They did well! I showed up for the shoot and was AMAZED by the beauty and innocence of the surrounding jungle and fresh-water river. I was so awe-struck that I began to wonder up a small stream. For two hours! I couldn’t stop! Around each bend the river water got more clear, and the green leaves began to reflect the sun in a glitter more impressive than a disco ball made of diamonds. My mind said “Go Back, you’ve got modeling to do!” Buy my heart said “Dude… You’re dumb if you don’t find out what’s beyond the next bend!” So, I continued to walk. Eventually I made it back to the team and nobody noticed I was gone. Success! I am either really ugly, or extremely unimportant… Bahhh! (I’ll bury that deep down inside).

The next week I was back at the river to do some serious exploring with my dogs. I spent five hours wandering up the river and through the jungle. Still, I never reached a section that didn’t encourage me to press further. It’s that beautiful!

I have been on countless river treks in Okinawa. Most have been average, and some even bad experiences. Once I got bit by a strange bug and had to go to the hospital. I ended up with swollen hands that resembled Mickey Mouse. Other rivers were dirty, or littered with trash, or crowded with people. But not the Ogimi River Trek!

If you make the best decision of your Okinawan life and venture to explore this river, be prepared to get wet up to your waist at some points. Bring bug spray, or a long sleeve shirt and pants just to be safe. However, wildlife on the river is very tame and shouldn’t send you to the hospital. Find yourself a good walking stick and take off up any stream or river you are led too. You have many options! Please be kind to the surrounding nature. Let’s keep it natural!

Directions: From Kadena gate 1 go right on 58 towards Nago (about 1 hour 20 minutes). Pass Nago. Pass the big Aeon Mall and NEO park as you near the end of Nago. Begin looking for Highway 14 once the ocean appears on your left again. Make a right on Highway 14 (if you hit a Family Mart on your RIGHT side you’ve gone too far). Stay on highway 14 for 1 kilometer. Make a right immediately after the first small bridge. Continue straight on that road for as long as you want. The road follows the natural path of the river. Stop at any point you believe is beautiful and begin hiking up stream. I recommend you drive at least 10 minutes along the river before you begin your trek. It gets more beautiful the further you go.

*If anyone can supply the google coordinates, we would love to add this to the map!*

The 2016 calendar has been available for purchase since November 2015. If you don’t already have one, get one now!

The photo on January’s page was of Kume Island.
Photo Credit: Pete Leong

CONTRIBUTED BY CAPTAIN IAN

Eureka! I have found the source of all Ice Cream! It’s called Ark Café and is located in the most beautiful location in Okinawa; overlooking Ocean Expo park and a few islands on the Motobu Peninsula. They have over 15 delicious flavors in their unique style of ice cream. My personal favorites are the fruity flavors. The nailed the exact taste of Mango, Passion Fruit and Guava. In my opinion, all Ice Cream everywhere in the world, comes here first to see the standard by which they will be judged!

There are a few things that were completely unexpected when I discovered this place:

• They only have 3 menu items of food. And that’s all they need! I have never tasted taco rice so unique, or coconut curry so flavorful and spicy! The sea food pasta is… Well… Seafoodie?
• The house was built by the owner and founder of BIC ICE CREAN (side of the road ice cream, and no, the “N” in Crean is not a typo. That’s how they spell it in most of their signs.) He apparently continued to build upon the original small house. Now the structure is a towering 4 story mansion perched high on the side of a mountain. He and his brother built everything. I encourage you to pay attention to every small and large detail. You will be impressed!
• The owner is also the landscaper. He takes care of the beautiful gardens and fountains around the place. You are allowed to go all the way to the 4^th balcony and take pictures of the incredible view, sit anywhere you want to eat, and walk through the impressive gardens.

The sun sets directly in front of Ark Café. I highly recommend, at some point in your life, you experience a sunset from here. I can say honestly, in all my traveling throughout Okinawa and surrounding islands, this is head and shoulders above any other eatery, establishment or café in all the land. Just check out the photos and imagine they don’t capture even a fraction of the taste and beauty Ark Café truly possess.

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to Sunset. Closed on the first Sunday of every month.

Phone: 098-051-6565

Address: 950-1 Hamamoto, Motobu Town, Kunigami County, Okinawa

Directions: Act like you are driving to the aquarium and Follow the colorful Ice Cream signs once you pass over the big blue bridge. The signs are in the shape of a two scoop cone, painted bright green and orange.

From Kadena Gate 1:  1 go right on 58. Stay on 58 until Nago (about an hour). Go left on 449. Follow the coast for 20 minutes until you go over a tall bridge and meet a T intersection, go left at the T. Quickly turn right at the first traffic signal across from a small hotel. Now it gets tricky, so follow the Ice Cream Cones. Cones will lead you to your second left. Go left. You will pass a construction quarry on your left. The road will be kind of bumpy. About 200 Meters after the quarry you will arrive at Ark Café on your left.

Website: http://bicice.com/71074/

CONTRIBUTED BY KEVIN KING

The animal passed close abeam, close enough that I could stretch out an arm and allow my hand to brush against the length of its flesh as it swam by. I was breathing slowly, trying to take in as much as I could, this being my first time swimming with such massive creatures. But just as the gentle giant was halfway past, it decided on a rather abrupt change of course. In doing so, its tail started a full swing in my direction, with both speed and force. Seeing it coming and knowing I was no more than a rubber ducky in bathtub, I turned to take the impact on my back. “UGH” I went as the tail struck solidly, and then smoothly shoved me aside. Spinning back around, I was able to see the tail, as tall as I, complete its strong follow-through. Truly a massive and powerful creature!

The whale shark is a slow-moving filter feeding shark and the largest known living fish, growing as long as 40 feet and weighing in excess of 20 tons. They are, by far, the largest living non-mammalian vertebrate, and are thought to have originated about 60 million years ago. Whale sharks have very large mouths which they use to filter-feed, mainly on plankton. Despite its size, the whale shark does not pose significant danger to humans; they are docile fish and juveniles often play with scuba divers.

Although you can view these magnificent creatures in Okinawa’s fabulous Churaumi Aquarium (沖縄美ら海水族館), one of the few in the world that display multiple what sharks, they cannot be truly appreciated unless you are wet, up close, and personal! And the waters off Okinawa’s west coast offer just the opportunity. The experience can be booked through the “Torii Scuba Locker,” one of the military-run dive shops on the island at Torii Station, but a local Japanese boat is used, although you are escorted and guided by an American Divemaster for the trip.

The dive trip starts at the Torii Scuba Locker, where anything you may need for the dive can be easily and cheaply rented or purchased. After filling out standard paperwork, a group briefing is provided which clearly lays out the flow of the dive. The only real concern of this particular dive that diving will occur in an overhead “netted” environment that offers no direct access to the surface, and the slight possibility of temporary entanglement with the net. Both concerns are easily addressed by the Divemaster. Caravanning to the nearby Yomitan Fishing Port, you’ll park in proximity to the dive boat and setup your kit. The actual boat ride to the site is measured in single digit minutes, so it’s important to be ready to go. And, although it’s a short boat ride, it can be rough: take your Dramamine at least an hour before boarding.

At the whale pen, a low back-roll will get you quickly into the water, and after your Divemaster splashes in, a quick descent and check of the group is completed en route to the underwater opening at the top of the cylinder-shaped netted pen.

The top of the pen is about 15 feet below the surface, where the first distant, hazy glimpses of the giants can be had. The whale sharks kept here, while not anywhere near record size, still dwarf the divers as they enter the cage. We swam with two individual specimens, one smaller at about 18’, and the other quite larger, at least 25-28’ in length! The actual enclosure is much larger than you might think; it’s impossible to see completely across the 330 feet from side to side, while the floor of the pen bottoms out at 65-70’.

We waited at the net while the lead Japanese Divemaster opened the entry and cleared the way. Passing head down through a small hole in the top edge of the net, our group gathered inside, where we observed feeding for about 10 minutes. An abundance of other fish, all hangers-on, continually clouded our view in their hopes of bagging some spillover krill, a whale shark favorite food.

When the feeding concluded, the Japanese Divemaster signaled “free swim” with a loud rattle. Whale sharks are not shy; if they think you have food, they will approach straightforwardly, sometimes with their mouths wide-open. While that sight can be intimidating, the fish are not aggressive, and upon realizing you have no food, off they veer.

As the larger shark tended to stay shallow, I descended to near the bottom of the pen, where I was almost alone. There was only one other Japanese diver there and we enjoyed the smaller animal that swam this lower depth’s perimeter. Having the animal brush right by and interact with us eye-to-eye was astonishing.

Free-swim lasts about 20 minutes, and sure enough around a half hour into the dive we heard another series of rattles from the Japanese. Sadly, time to leave our new aquatic friends. We completed our three minute safety stop and ascended to our boat.

Those who have a chance to swim with whale sharks will never forget such a magical encounter.

Reservations to dive (sorry, no snorkeling option) with the whale sharks must be made 24 hours in advance, and the trip costs $135 per person – tanks included. An Advanced Open Water certification OR more than 20 logged dives is required. Contact Torii’s Scuba Locker at 644-4263 and ask for Ashley – she’ll take good care of you!