I am a person who likes dessert. I am also a person that is very picky about the desserts that I like. I like desserts that leave me thinking about them later… long after they have been eaten, and have me looking for a reason to enjoy them again.
One night after a delicious sushi dinner with my husband and some friends, we found a place that did just this. It is in a wonderful location, as it is located between two of my favorite sushi restaurants on the island: Newport Sushi and Yoshihachi Sushi, both of which I recommend that you try if you have not already. This sweet little gem, that we happened to stumble upon, is called Entremets. When you walk inside, not only are you immediately exposed to wonderful smells that are coming from the kitchen, but also a beautiful presentation of individual treats that range from cookies and cream puffs, to cakes and fruit tarts. There are also full sized cakes and treats that have very unique decorations and designs.
Everything is showcased with care and includes labels in English with prices clearly written. The shop is small, but inviting, and has a charming display of various owl décor. The staff is very friendly and professional and took care to wrap each of our desserts in adorable little boxes for our to-go order. There is one little table within the shop, should you chose to eat your dessert right away- which you may want to do if you know what you are getting.
I have visited this shop twice now. On my first visit, we purchased 2 different items, both of which were delicious. I had a mascarpone triangle and my husband had the cream puffs. I would recommend them both! We also had the extreme good fortune to be gifted with a bonus strawberry shortcake like dessert that we also very much enjoyed, even typically being someone that is swooned only by chocolate. I am unsure if the extra gift was because it was our first time, or because it was around 8 PM and they were closing soon. Either way it was delicious and made us feel very special.
We were so impressed with this little bakery that a few weeks later, after having dinner with some family at Yoshihachi, we again visited Entremets. We all ordered a dessert to go and again everyone was very pleased and the staff was wonderful. I had a chocolate mousse that was airy and delicious, and my husband had a packaged pistachio cookie that he found delightful. On this visit we were given a frequent customer punch card that has 35 squares for punches. I am not sure what happens after they are all full, as the staff’s English is very limited, but I am sure it will be something great!
Here in Hamby Town, a restaurant has recently opened which deserves to be classed as genuine Turkish cuisine. A young couple, the fellow from Turkey and his wife from Japan, have opened up a small restaurant two blocks north of Hamby Town San-A, very close to the main entrance of Araha Beach Park. For those familiar with Dean’s Kitchen, they have taken over that location.
For a starter, we were given a small portion of hummus and baba ganoush, both of which were excellent, clearly homemade and delivered with a nice presentation on crackers. The hummus was flavorful, moist without being too oily; and the baba ganoush was extremely delicious, even to someone who would normally avoid eggplant entirely.
Next, we ordered two kebab wraps, for our picky eaters, with the salad on the side, and two wrap sets for us. There was no problem at all having the salad separate, as our hostess spoke very good English. One of the kebab wrap sets came with soup and fries, the other came with rice and salad. The soup is homemade tomato with a nice flavor that introduced the other food quite well.
Currently, E&C is offering three different types of kebab: lamb, beef and chicken. We’ve all tried the lamb, a few times now, and it is really fantastic. The meat is flavorful, nicely spiced and cooked well without being dry or tough. Overall, very succulent and really the one dish which has kept us coming back. We also tried the chicken, which was also spiced well and also very tasty.
The restaurant itself is very pleasant with hand painted drawings in the interior and Middle Eastern objects placed about tastefully. There are hand-knotted rugs on the walls and a picture of Turkey on the front window. Overall it is a welcoming little place. There are about four tables inside and two on the veranda. The neighborhood is very quiet and sitting on the veranda, which has an awning, was very pleasant in nice weather.
The pricing is slightly higher than the other kebab place in the neighborhood, but the lamb is unique and worth a visit all by itself. See picture of menu below:
Address: 2 Chome-10-5 Chatan, Chatan-chō, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa-ken 904-0116, Japan
Coordinates: 26.3030401, 127.76054010000007
Directions: From Camp Foster,
Take a right on 58 North when leaving the commissary gate, then take a left at the light which is just after the Hamby Town San-A. The Brand Plaza store is on the corner and the local police station is on the opposite corner. Take a left, drive down past San-A (Climax Coffee is on the right), and then take a right at the light right in front of the park. Take the very next right, then left again, then right. The restaurant is on the north side of the street to your left. If you run into the building that has Asian Danny’s, you’ve gone too far.
It was my 30th birthday. I told my husband that I wanted him to surprise me with where we went to dinner because for my birthday I didn’t want to have to be decisive. After talking to friends at work, he chose a fancy French restaurant with an amazing view that we hadn’t visited before: Lierre Blanc.
I have to warn you, the road going up to the restaurant is scary terrifying. Like going up a really steep rollercoaster without the knowledge that your seat is securely attached to the frame. That being said, it was worth the fright.
We arrived and just stood for a moment in the parking lot admiring the view. When we finally went up to the restaurant, we were greeted and seated immediately. The waitress took us back to a secluded area with the same amazing view we had been appreciating in the parking lot. The décor was lovely; nice but not so fancy that my husband felt out of place in his nice jeans and polo shirt.
We were brought water and the waitress explained the menu to us. The menu on the table has English, but it doesn’t explain any of the main courses you can choose from. You can choose a five course meal with one main dish or two main dishes. I don’t know how often the main dishes change (they were written on a chalk board in Japanese) but we had five options: duck, beef, quail pie, steak and fish. My husband always goes for steak, but I wanted to be adventurous and ordered the quail pie.
The first course came out – a cold plum carrot soup with some bread with a slice of cold meat on top. It was delicious! The second course was a vegetable turkey dish; another cold dish which was perfect on that warm day. There was cooked cauliflower, tomatoes, heart of palm, cucumbers and clams topped with sliced turkey and served in a vegetable type of broth/paste. It tasted just as good as it looked. Next came a corn chowder for my husband and a creamy risotto for me. We were so excited when it came to the table that I forgot to get a picture! My husband didn’t think the corn chowder was anything particularly special, but my creamy risotto was perfect. Then it was time for our main dishes. They didn’t ask how my husband wanted his steak cooked, so it was cooked a little more than he prefers but was still good. My quail pie looked like a little quail wrapped up in pastry. I don’t know that I would order it again, but it was good and a fun experience. Dessert came as a little medley of 4 different treats. A rich, thick chocolate cake, cheesecake, green ice cream (we couldn’t decide what flavor it was) and a strawberry fluff. Everything tasted wonderful and was fun to mix up and eat together.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.The whole time, our waitress would nonchalantly check on our progress and quickly bring out our next course as soon as we finished the current one. Although her English was limited, everything went very smoothly and the evening was relaxing and enjoyable. My husband and I hadn’t been out on a date with just the two of us for quite a long time, and this was perfect for us. It is a great place for adults to go to dinner, but I would not recommend bringing small children.
I’m not sure if reservations are needed, but we made one and I believe they are at least highly advised. It wasn’t busy there on a Wednesday evening when we went, but they asked if we had a reservation when we arrived.
The total price for my husband and myself ended up being right around 5000 yen without any alcohol.
Address: 315-1 Yoshihara, Chatan, Nakagami District, Okinawa Prefecture 904-0105, Japan
Directions:
From Kadena gate 2: Turn right after the little bridge onto 23.
Turn left at the stoplight with the red and white 100 yen store on your right, continue until you see a Coco de Bake on your left.
Turn left at the stoplight after Coco de Bake.
Continue past the mausoleums, and follow the road around a big curve to the right. It will then curve to the left and you will see a park on your left.
Turn left onto the second street on the left. (If you get to the stoplight by the Japanese elementary school, you have gone too far. You can still turn here, then take your first left and it will be the road the restaurant is on.)
Take your first left. (This is the super scary crazy uphill road.) You will see the restaurant on your right, by a big container that looks like a water reservoir. The restaurant looks like a white apartment building with the parking underneath. Look for the sign on the front.
Coordinates: 26.3161, 127.77453609999998
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We will be publishing base reviews of all US Military Installations on Okinawa over the course of the rest of this year. Many thanks to Anthony for taking on this time-intensive and incredibly helpful series for our readers!
Camp Hansen is located adjacent to the north end of Kin bay and is the third northernmost Marine Camp on Okinawa. It is named after Private Dale M. Hansen who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions during the Battle of Okinawa, specifically for heroism in the fight for Hill 60. Camp Hansen is one of several installations throughout Okinawa which make up the Marine Corps Base Smedley D. Butler.
Lodging
Camp Hansen does not currently have family housing units. Most accompanied personnel who work on Camp Hansen reside on Camp Courtney, Camp Mc Tureous, or off base. As of May 2015, you can only live off base if your designated housing areas are 98 percent filled or above. Housing units at these locations range from multiplex to tower apartment style quarters. The housing occupancy numbers are updated weekly. You can also get on the housing wait list a month prior to arrival by filling out and submitting an advance housing application to the Kadena housing flight. All housing on Okinawa is run by the Air Force. For more information or floor plans you can visit the Okinawa housing website at: http://www.housing.af.mil/okinawa/
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Camp Hansen does also have bachelor quarters for junior enlisted, Staff NCO, and Officer unaccompanied Marines. Most individual units manage their own barracks but SNCO and Officer Quarters are managed by the base’s Camp Services Section.
Contrary to common knowledge, Camp Hansen does have temporary lodging units. Typically most inbound families to Camp Hansen stay at the:
The base has a moderately sized exchange in building 2419 which offers decent electronics, apparel, household goods, recreation, and stationery sections. The main exchange building houses a food court, community bank ATM, barber shop, beauty shop and mini mall. The Exchange here also has a military clothing store which has a decent selection of Navy and Marine Corps uniform items. Inside the exchange mini mall is the Dry Cleaning, tailor, Softbank cell phone retailer, plaque shop, souvenir shops, music instrument store and exchange new car sales office. The main website for the Exchange on Camp Hansen is: https://www.shopmyexchange.com/exchange-stores/Okinawa/OKI/Camp%20Hansen/Camp-Hansen-Retail-Store-1771113
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There is an exchange convenience store near the post office and bowling alley which sells alcohol, snacks, drinks, hotdogs, medicine, magazines, and rents videos.
There are two financial institutions located adjacent to one another on Camp Hansen. Community Bank is located in building 2374 and is the one of the two financial institutions that can exchange foreign currency. Navy Federal Credit Union is next door and serves all branches of the military, to include DoD members and their families. For more info on Navy Fed visit their website at: https://www.navyfederal.org/branches-atms/locations-by-service.php?branch=MarineCorps
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There is a fully functional United States Post office in building 2385 that offers retails services such as Express Mail, Priority Mail, standard shipping, stamp sales and money order sales. The post office accepts cash, credit, or debit cards. The Hansen post office also houses PO boxes which are issued to personnel with an area clearance. Despite many misconceptions, a sponsor can reserve a PO Box for an inbound family as long as he has a copy of that inbound family’s area clearance and orders. It is extremely helpful for a family to know their new mailing address before they move to Okinawa.
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Dining
The Exchange food court in the main exchange offers franchise favorites such as Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Popeye’s, Burger King, Charley’s and Subway. All food court eateries accept cash, credit, debit and yen. You can also order your meals online for pickup via the Hansen Food Court online menu at: https://aafesprem.imenu360.com/544 .
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The Camp Hansen club is called the Palms which host an Officer, SNCO, and Enlisted lounge as well as an all-ranks full service restaurant called Trade winds. A favorite event at Trade winds on Friday and Saturday night is the Chariot of Beef, which is a cart in the center of the dining room that serves hand carved beef prime rib, loaded mashed potatoes, parsley carrots, creamed spinach, and Yorkshire pudding.
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For those who desire a less formal meal, there is also a new Chili’s Express in the area previously occupied by the Coconut’s fast food bar. For more info visit: http://www.mccsokinawa.com/thepalms/
Recreation
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There are two base gyms on Camp Hansen. The House of Pain gym is located in building 2431 and offers a large weight room, adequate cardio room, racquetball courts, basketball court, HITT room, sauna and martial arts room. House of Pain North gym is located in building 2828 and offers a combined weight and cardio room, softball field and second floor martial arts room. For specific information on hours or contact info, please visit the MCCS Fitness Center website at http://www.mccsokinawa.com/fitness/
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The Camp Hansen aquatic center is located in building 2457. The 50 Meter pool offers both recreational and lap swim while the 25 Meter pool is reserved for unit training. For more info visit: http://www.mccsokinawa.com/aquatics/
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There is a well-stocked scuba shop on Hansen which offers lessons and certifications called Tsunami Scuba. Despite not being able to access the ocean directly from the base, there are several nearby beaches which offer crystal clear waters teeming with exotic life. Okinawa is truly a diver or snorkeler’s paradise. The website for all the island dive shops is: http://www.mccsokinawa.com/tsunamiscuba/
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Strikers Bowling Center is located in building 2406. This bowling alley might not be as large as some of the other bases, but it makes up for the smaller size in charm and friendly staff. For more information on all the MCCS bowling centers on island visit: http://www.mccsokinawa.com/bowling/
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A favorite communal spot for most stationed on Camp Hansen is the ever popular Hansen USO in building 2214. This particular USO is larger than most on island and offers free refreshment and recreational equipment rentals. There are partitioned media, reading, and gaming rooms as well as an abundance of comfortable seating. Popular events at this location are the free Flapjack Fridays and Waffle/pancake breakfast on Sunday mornings. For current info visit: http://pac.uso.org/Okinawa/Camp-Hansen/
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The Hansen Exchange Movie Theatre is next door to the Main Exchange in building 2416. The Theatre plays current theatrical releases in regular and 3D formats. For current prices and show times visit the Exchange Reel Time website at: https://www.shopmyexchange.com/reel-time-theatres/Camp-Hansen-1771113
Education
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The base Education Center (building 2339) offers tuition assistance help as well as hosts various self-help and transitional classes offered by MCCS. The education center contains offices manned by representatives from the main College Campuses offered on Okinawa as well as flyers and literature from various online campuses. For more info on the education options through MCCS visit: http://www.mccsokinawa.com/educationandcareerservices/
There is a MCCS-run library on Hansen co-located in the Education Center that checks out books, movies and video games. There are also a variety of resources on site such as computer access, printers and reference materials. All MCCS libraries are networked so a book checked out on another base can be returned at this location. For more information visit their webpage at: http://www.mccsokinawa.com/libraries/
Unique Attractions
Camp Hansen has a well maintained 3.2 mile endurance course called the Medal of Honor Endurance Course. Note that though the course is available to anyone with base access, the only approved attire for running the course is boots and utilities or civilian equivalent clothing due to the vegetation and rough terrain. The course is open daily from 0600-0830 and from 1600-1800. Outside of these hours the course can be reserved for units or groups by contacting the Camp Operations Office in building 2860 in person or by calling 623-4274.
Camp Hansen also hosts the world famous Bushido Mud Run annually. Here is an informative article penned by our former Local Manager Marie Lewis: http://okinawahai.com/bushido-mud-run/
Family Services
Marine and Family Programs have a well-equipped facility which is located within building 2339. For more information you can go to their webpage at: http://www.mccsokinawa.com/mfp-r/
Medical
Camp Hansen has its own medical and dental branch clinics which can see family members on a referral basis but is primarily for active duty personnel. Specific information on the Hansen Medical clinic located in building 2386 can be found at: http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nhoki/Patients/PrimaryCare/Pages/Hansen.aspx
The auto hobby shop on Camp Hansen is Typhoon Motors. This facility is run by MCCS and offers full service repairs or bay, lift or tool rental for those wanting to get their hands dirty. The main page for all things Typhoon motor related on island is: http://www.mccsokinawa.com/typhoonmotors/
Marine Corps Bases Camp Butler offers a camp to camp bus service called The Green Line for service members and space available transportation for authorized ID card holders. The Camp Hansen Buses are the #3 line to Camp Courtney and the #14 line that goes from Hansen to Camp Foster. For more information you can visit the MCB Butler Shuttle Service main page at: http://www.mcbbutler.marines.mil/BaseInformation/TheGreenLine.aspx
There are many attractions near Camp Hansen that are well worth visiting. You can find all our Okinawa Hai reader-reviewed restaurants on-island, with an extensive section covering the Naha-Kinser area on our To Eat Index – By Location page.
Here are but a few other gems surrounding this northern base:
You may have visited Hamahiga Island, home of Muruku Beach, but if Muruku has been your only stop- you are missing out! Hamahiga Island and is about a 20 minute drive from Gate 2 of Kadena. Listed as the third best place to visit in Uruma, This island is certainly worth your time and the drive.
You are going to pass a lot of neat places on the way to Hamahiga Island. First if you look up to the left as you get closer to the Kaichu Bridge you will see the Katsurenjyo Castle Ruins (worth stopping to see, takes about an hour if you take your time), and then you will cross Kaichu Road. It is built into the water. It’s a hot spot for wind surfing if you’re into that. Many people use the stretch to run or briskly walk for exercise.
As you near the end of Kaichu Road, you will turn right to cross a bridge which leads over the water to Hamahiga Island. Take your first left and follow it around. You will come to a point where you have to go left toward Muruku, right toward a residential area, or “up” to the Hamahiga Resort. If you take a left here and then immediately turn left you can visit a small beach with a trail that leads back to cliffs where people sit and picnic or fish as well as a small beach. The rocks are very sharp so I suggest wearing shoes or flip flops and exercising caution when climbing over them.
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When you come out of this area you have the option to keep driving around to the left on the little road you came in on. If you do this, it will take you to Muruku Beach, a beautiful beach with shells and sea glass. The parking is 500 yen and you can rent snorkels or floats from the shop next door (which also has showers). I have seen folks bring their dogs out here as well without issues. The road leading back there is a little bumpy and tight.
If you go “up” toward the resort, there is a café and restaurant and a wonderful view of the island and ocean. If you turn right into the neighborhood, you can also find some amazing beaches. Just follow the road until you can turn left and then follow the arrows. You will come across a few different beaches and a large loading dock. Both Japanese and Americans utilize this more secluded area for small gatherings, primitive camping, bringing their dogs and various water activities. One of the first beaches is Shirumichu beach (named for one of the creator gods of Okinawan mythology).
Pull to the end and park at the docks in the parking lot. When you get out here, to the right is viewing area that you can access for 300 yen – very pretty. If you keep walking along the road to the back it will take you to the Cave of Shirumihcu. This is the creator god of Okinawan lore. Many locals bring shells and coral and lay them at the opening of the cave while offering prayers for fertility and blessings upon their families.
If you get back into your car and meander further inland, you will come to another long road. Take it back to the left and you will dead end into an area that closes at 5pm. This is a more private beach. There is a little shop at the end that sells sea salts and offers pottery classes. You have to park your car and walk about 300-400 meters back to the beach, it’s beautiful and worth the walk.
When you leave just head the opposite way. You will pass through a small village and there are a couple of local farm stands that sell fresh garlic, onions and other vegetables. You will eventually make your way back onto the main road. The inner neighborhood roads are a tight squeeze and have tight turns, so keep that in mind. As you make your way back to the bridge that leads you to the island you will see a seaside restaurant nestled up a hill. It looks like a cabin with lights on the patio. They have a great crème brulee made from the purple yams found in Okinawa.
If you pass the bridge and head towards the other side of the island there is another hotel and café with a smaller beach and community. We spent the day on Hamahiga Island and found some great shells and sea glass. It wasn’t very crowded and we found the local people to be very friendly and helpful. It is also a great place to bring guests when they come to visit and if you like a more private beach experience.
There’s only ONE WEEK left in our Overseas Yes Kickstarter campaign, and we still need YOUR help! We only have 36% of the pledges needed to fund another Overseas Yes site for families stationed in Bahrain; if we do not reach our full funding goal, we will not receive any of the money pledged so far. Without your donations, more Overseas Yes sites are not possible.
If you haven’t already, please donate to help other military families stationed abroad benefit from a site like Okinawa Hai.
THANK YOU to those who donated to our fundraiser this past week. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Okinawa Ultimate Streetball Championship. Okinawa Music Town, 3F 1-1-1 Uechi, Okinawa. Okinawa City. ¥1,000 – ¥6,000 (Advance at Family Mart, Music Town). Tickets can be purchased at the door or via info@crossover.okinawa. 098-926-4551. Doors open 6:00pm, Tipoff 7:00pm.
Capoeira workshops. $125 per student, $200 per family. Includes t-shirt, belt fees, and certificate of completion. Capoeira Academy Okinawa, Chatan Town. 10am Friday, 11am Saturday, TBD Sunday. 098-936-8883
June 6th
Tea Ceremony
Miyahira-Sensei teaches a small group tea ceremony & etiquette class. ¥1,000. Contact Nagisa (KIP) at 989-6759 for more information and to register. 2pm – 4pm.
Jazz performances by Akira Ishii, Tomokazu Sugimoto, Sebastiaan and Kaptein. Parker’s Mood Jazz Club. F 11-9-3 Kumoji, Naha. ¥2,500 Advance, ¥3,000 Same Day. Doors 7:30pm, Show 9pm.
Vocal duo from Okinawa debuting their new CD “Sing a Song – Present for…”. Livehouse Output, B1 Kume Building 2-5-7 Kume, Yubinbango, Naha 900-0033. ¥3,500. Door 6:00pm, Curtain 6:30pm. 098-943-7031
Last year I took a trip to Taiwan and tried xiao long bao for the first time. Xiao long bao is a steamed dumpling that is filled with hot broth and usually a mixture of meat and vegetables. Ever since that day, I have cravings for these hot round pockets of savory deliciousness. So you can imagine how excited I was when I heard that there was a restaurant in Okinawa serving them.
Bonus is that they are not far from Kadena and they even have an English menu! A few days later I went to KarenTaiwanBistro on my lunch break. I went with two coworkers which was good because we got to share the different small dishes that come with each lunch set. The small dishes included edamame, pickled lotus root and daikon. The set also includes a small cup of hot and sour soup which was served piping hot and loaded with fresh vegetables.
Everything leading up to the main course was full of flavor and was just the right amount of food- I did not want to be stuffed and not be able to enjoy the xiao long bao! Shortly after my last sip of soup, one of the ladies behind the counter brought over bamboo steamers filled with 8 dumpling each. My coworker and I split the first tray so the bottom tray would stay hot.
If you have never had xiao long bao before, there are instructions that show step by step how to enjoy them for maximum flavor. Push it into the spoon with your chopstick, poke a hole to slurp the broth and then eat the dumpling. Just be careful because the liquid is super hot! I burned the side of my tongue on my second dumpling.
So if you find yourself craving some authentic xiao long bao I suggest you try Karen. They do get busy- my coworkers and I had to sit at the counter seating when we arrived around 2pm on a Thursday. I plan on going back to try some of the other dishes such as the congee with pork and century egg and the green onion pancake.
A few weeks ago on one of our famous Oki Fun Days, we headed out to Hamahiga Island for the first beach day of the year! On my way to 413 Cafe (it was closed – boo), I spotted this handmade shop and couldn’t help myself. It was such a gorgeous day, I was happily listening to music with the windows down, and couldn’t resist the idea of buying another little piece of Oki.
Yadokari (Hermit Crab) Studio is very charming. I felt like I was on some tropical vacation, checking out handmade vendors on a boardwalk or something! If I didn’t actually live in Okinawa, I guess, that’s exactly what I would have been doing. The work shop and studio is in the front part of a home and the owners are so nice. They welcomed me, speaking a little bit of English, and were patient as I looked through everything.
The pieces are beautiful and there’s quite a variety! Some of pendants reminded me of space… it was like they took a photo of the stars and put it inside the glass. I know that sounds a bit cheesy (read: a lot cheesy), but I really think that’s what it looks like.
Most of all of the necklaces are on leather cord, but you could easily put it on a silver or gold necklace to “fancy it up” a bit. You can also choose your own beads and cord to make a bracelet. I think kids would love this, but maybe that’s just because I remember doing something similar in Ft. Myers Beach on our family vacations every year.
While you’re there, you can also check out how they make their glass beads (tombo-dama). I believe they offer a workshop, where you can make your own bead and learn to dye fabric using the fukugi tree. I haven’t done the class, but I think it would be really fun!
If you’re headed to Hamahiga Island, stop by and show Yadokari Studio some love! I think you’ll be happy that you did.
Hours: 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., closed for holidays and special events
This post is sponsored by Amazon Mom; affiliate links included throughout but all text and opinions are ours.
CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER GELORMINE
Back when I was pregnant with my daughter, my husband and I were stationed in Germany. We were still newlyweds at the time, with two modest salaries and a house filled with government furniture, so needless to say we certainly didn’t have any baby gear. This was the first grandchild on both sides, and our families were excited to help us out… but with the Atlantic Ocean separating us, an in-person baby shower with our families just wasn’t going to happen (and this was back before Skype was available to the general population).
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Having a baby overseas is stressful, whether your delivery is smooth and easy and you’re all home the next day…. or you end up delivering a month early in a (really great) German hospital where only half the staff speaks English, and you’re discharged before you’re told the hospital will be admitting your sorta-premie to the NICU for two weeks where they keep her covered with a large downy pillow… I mean, not that this happens, except… well, let’s just say it was an interesting experience, and thank goodness for the military liaisons to help translate.
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(All’s well that ends well; we all survived intact, and even though they never put an ID bracelet on her, I’m certain she’s mine: she looks – and acts – exactly like me.)
If you’re expecting a baby – or if you’ve got one at home with you already – make your life a little easier – sign up for a FREE 30 Day trial of Amazon MomImage may be NSFW. Clik here to view., and take advantage of the low prices, wide selection, and fast overseas shipping.
If you sign up through the links on this page, you’ll receive a free, no-commitment 30 Day trial of Amazon MomImage may be NSFW. Clik here to view.; there’s no extra cost for you – in fact, through these links you’ll get special offers not otherwise offered – and you’ll also help keep Okinawa Hai running. Thanks!
We have four days left until our Kickstarter campaign closes. We have only received 1/3 of the pledges needed in order to create and run an Overseas Yes site for military families stationed in Bahrain, and none of the funding needed to launch sites in mainland Japan and in Guam.
Need a breakdown of how these funds will be used? Here ya go:
$1,000 in setup costs (purchasing URL, creating logos, setting up back end of site)
$4,000 to run the site for one full year (server & security fees, pay for managers and writers)
That’s a total of $5,000, most of which will be used to pay the people who create and run the website. Yes, $4,000 for operating costs sounds like a big number up front, but divide that between 2 managers and multiple writers over the course of 12 months and… well, if you do that math you can see we’re not in it for the money. (You don’t work for free, do you? Neither do we, even if this is just pocket change!)
If Okinawa Hai has helped you at all, please consider donating to this campaign so that we can help others who are also navigating their way through the overseas life. Even a one-time $5 donation will get us that much closer to helping military families benefit from the resource we can provide… but only if our funding goal is reached.
If you have a few moments, please watch this video from our Overseas Yes General Manager, Joelle.
If I am completely honest with you, I am not really a hotdog fan. My husband & I joke that it’s because I don’t have any ‘American’ in me (I am from New Zealand), but after hearing about The Doghouse and their unique hot dog flavors I was not only excited about heading there for lunch, but I also suggested it!
The Doghouse which opened late 2014 by a Japanese/American husband & wife duo is located on 329 in Nakagusuku; really easy to get to especially from Camp Foster.
As soon as we walked in the girls made a beeline for the kids area; as parents we absolutely love it when we find places with kids play areas, it makes dining just that much more relaxing!
With the girls happy & content playing we headed to the counter to check out the menu and order (as well as the hanging menu board, they also have some other options on the counter); classic dogs for the girls, a pizza dog for myself, and the genius idea of a Japanese curry dog for hubs.
Didn’t taco-rice come around by marrying the American’s love of tacos with the Japanese love of rice? I guess the curry-dog is just another way of marrying the two cultures/cuisines together!
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.My pizza dog was really good, unfortunately the curry dog was demolished before I could get a bite but he did say it was awesome! My oldest was pretty excited about her hotdog too, however my youngest was too busy playing so we ended up taking hers to go… but not before ordering another, this time the Chili Cheese Jalapeno dog. It wasn’t because we were hungry, we just really wanted to try as many flavors as we could! We split this one in half and it was definitely my favorite!
As well as hotdogs, they serve sides of nachos, potato chips, coleslaw, ice-cream and homemade applesauce. Hot dogs range in price from 240 yen – 390 yen.
We didn’t try the Italian Soda, but I seriously contemplated getting one…with added ice-cream of course!
Erin (the co-owner), was working the day we visited, and was so lovely; whenever she wasn’t preparing food, or serving others she would come and hang out on the ‘shop floor’ to chat with her customers!
Despite my dislike of hot dogs I am really looking forward to returning to try some of the other flavors, particularly the pineapple chili dog!
Hours: Saturday & Sunday (11.00 – 20.30)
Phone: 098-955-5351
Payment: Yen, dollars, Visa, MasterCard & American Express
Address: 1919 Kuba, Nakagusuku-son, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa-ken 901-2401, Japan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedoghousejp?fref=ts (I recommend following their facebook page because they will post if they are sold out for the day which could save you the drive over)
Near the center of Kokusai Street, a new entertainment center has opened called HAPINAHA. The complex is large, bright, and inviting; it has a kind of Willie Wonka candy factory meets anime character theme park vibe. The interior hosts a multitude of various shops and restaurants that one can enjoy as well as a comedy theater and spooky interactive fun house tour.
The first floor is a kid’s paradise. There is a section of the store called Happy Sweets Street, which has a candy shop, ice cream shop, and Okinawa souvenir confections store to name a few. If the sweets on this floor become too much for you, there are also a few coffee and wine shops as well as a cafeteria deli and gourmet foods store.
The centerpiece of HAPINAHA for many Westerners is the arrival of an actual Pokémon Store in Okinawa. For those aficionados who actually follow Pokémon this is a big deal since previously the only way to visit a Pokémon center or store was to travel to mainland Japan. Pokémon stores are known to have exclusive deals and items not found anywhere else.
The second floor has a large restaurant called Ocean Grill run by the Suntory Company. It is a Japanese BBQ themed establishment. Across from the restaurant is Happy Kirakira Paradise, which sells anime themed accessories, cosmetics and sundries.
The third floor is the where the main ticket counter for the comedy show and haunted house are located. Both shows are produced by the Yoshimoto Kogyo Company which has brought a comedy troop of actors to run and staff the haunted house and comedy show.
The haunted house may not be what Westerners are used to when they think of a traditional haunted house. This is more of a spooky department store tour in which the owner of the establishment asks for the help of the members of the group to banish wayward mischievous spirits. As you traverse the many levels of the haunted store, the main objective is to earn all the hidden “Ishiganto” (a charm that wards off evil) which are kept in several challenge stations. The challenge stations are interesting in that they require the members of the group to complete tasks such as answering questions or ripping a table cloth off a table without knocking off the dishes. When all the Ishiganto are earned, the tour places the talismans on a special table to officially win over the ghosts. The haunted tour is dark creepy fun that may disappoint thrill seekers but would be appropriate for school aged children. The haunted house charges 1,200 yen for adults and 700 yen for elementary school children.
Hours: Main floor 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Second Floor 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Phone: 098-862-5111
Address: 2 Chome-2-30 Makishi, Naha-shi, Okinawa-ken 900-0013, Japan
Directions: HAPINAHA is located in Kokusai Street nearly across the street from Don Quixote and a large covered market. Kokusai Street runs parallel to Highway 58 in central downtown Naha. From Camp Kinser travel south on the 58 until you see a red modern art looking sculpture at the Highway 58 and route 42 intersections. Turn left at this intersection and follow the signs for the underground parking.
Many thanks to all of you who pledged to our Overseas Yes Kickstarter fundraiser! You’ve shown us that our efforts have not gone unnoticed, and that there are those who believe our mission is valuable. Unfortunately we did not raise enough funds by the end of the campaign to collect any of those pledges.
However, our goal has not changed. It may take longer than one month, but we will begin again collecting donations over the next weeks and months in hopes of reaching the initial $1,000 needed to build and launch a new site like Okinawa Hai for our military families in Bahrain. The second $1,000 will be used to launch a site in mainland Japan.
If you would like to support our mission, click the Donate button below to contribute to our Overseas Yes fundraiser.
As funds are collected we will add your name to our Overseas Yes Supporters pages, as well as posting updates here about our progress in expanding the Overseas Yes network to support military families living abroad.
After a failed attempt to Space-A to Iwakuni, we finally made it to Hiroshima. We had one last ferry to take before we made it to our accommodations on Etajima, but we were here! Thankfully, we didn’t have trouble making it onto the boat or getting to our house, which that has everything to do with Rikki and his friend, Yohei, who answered all of my frantic phone calls and picked us up at the ferry port… with beer!
Yohei gave us a tour of the house, showing us where we would be sleeping and the cool bathroom that plays music when you turn the light on. Then, he set out to start a bonfire for us. It was exactly what we needed after such a long day and we loved every minute of it. He told us interesting stories about his life and about Hiroshima while we drank beer and listened to music. Bliss!
The next morning, Kacey and I went on a short walk around the area to catch a glimpse of everything during the day. We knew we had to have a beautiful view and we were definitely right! The rows that you see in the water are for harvesting oysters! Sugoi! (<< “so cool” in Japanese)
The area reminds me a lot of Okinawa because it’s rural and small. The roads are narrow and the people seem friendly, keeping in line with Oki. Etajima is much smaller, but I think it has plenty to offer and you’re only a short ferry ride away from the city! The house itself is very old, but has a certain charm to it. If you’re looking for a “getaway” without any bells and whistles this place is for you. After looking around, Yohei took a photo with us and gave us a ride to the port. He even waited until we boarded the ferry before he left. So nice!
When we made it back to Hiroshima, we headed to our next guesthouse, K’s House Hiroshima. Kacey booked it last minute after we realized how long it took to get to Etajima and I was so grateful! I kind of (read: totalllyyyy) dropped the ball on this trip, regarding accommodations, and she bailed me out this time around.
It was a beautiful day so we just started walking around to explore with plans to make it to Peace Memorial Park with some shopping and food in the mix. This is where I should note that Hiroshima has a great travel magazine, Get Hiroshima, that comes with an awesome map and reviews of shopping and restaurants. It’s like Okinawa Hai in print…. and about Hiroshima. Ha!
Peace Memorial Park is really beautiful. All three of us loved how it was both a memorial and a functioning park. There were people enjoying a picnic lunch, playing soccer, and walking their dogs. It made for an interesting dynamic – it was a mixture of pure joy and pure sadness.
The museum itself is solemn, as expected, and eye opening. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t know much about the atomic bombing and it is overwhelmingly heartbreaking. I kept expecting people to start yelling at me because I’m American and because I felt guilty. I must say, the museum isn’t actually at all focused on hatred. I thought it was a very factual presentation of how and why everything happened the way that it did. It’s a must-do if you’re in Hiroshima.
My favorite memorial within the park was definitely the Children’s Peace Monument. The monument is in memory of Sadako Sasaki, a little girl that died from leukemia that was caused by her exposure to the atomic bomb. She folded paper cranes while she was in the hospital with hopes that it would help cure her.
She lost her battle, but now more than 10 million cranes are donated to this memorial every year in honor of the children that were killed by the atomic bomb and in prayer for world peace (learn how to donate cranes here).
We wanted to check out the Atomic Bomb Dome but they were checking to make sure it was still structurally sound, which is something that they do every three years. It involves covering the entire structure in scaffolding. Luckily for us, it was this year… I’m being sarcastic. It was unlucky.
We took a few pictures anyway and then went to this adorable little cafe that sits on the corner of the canal. I had a delish fuzzy naval made from freshly squeezed orange juice and we geared up to plan the rest of our evening.
I’m a parent, and while it’s not in my nature to worry (I seem to be lacking that gene) I think about my kids’ safety regularly.
They are both still elementary-school aged, so my most pressing concerns are currently: Is it safe to let them ride their bikes unsupervised around the neighborhood? To walk to school without me accompanying them? To use a public restroom if I don’t go inside with them?
For parents in a more advanced stage of life than I am, the worries can extend more globally: Will my child be safe when living abroad in a foreign country without me?
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
While our main focus here at Okinawa Hai is to help military families make the move here easier, and to find great things to do during their tour, we also have an audience of concerned parents on behalf of their adult children, who just want to learn more about the country where their offspring will be living for awhile.
Earlier this year the managers of our sister site, Korea Ye, were contacted by one such parent who wanted to know our thoughts about sending his young adult daughter to study abroad. With his permission {and some redacting of personal information} we’ve decided to bring his questions – and our answers – to a larger audience. Though our answers are tailored to the experience of living in South Korea, our thoughts about sending young adults to live abroad for awhile are global. (Embedded links are to links on Okinawa Hai; some words may have been changed for our readers living in Okinawa.)
The reason I am contacting you concerns my 20 year old daughter. She attends {a stateside university} and just got accepted into its Semester Abroad for studies in Seoul this fall. {This} program will have her attending {a university in South Korea}, taking classes and earning college credits toward her major.
As a dad, I always have a huge safety concern, which has been heightened by the recent attack on the US Ambassador. I am asking for your honest feedback concerning a lone young American female living in Seoul for a semester.
There appears to be conflicting viewpoints here back home, so I thought I would contact some people who are there right now.
I would very much appreciate comments that both myself and my wife could digest regarding:
(a) Living in Seoul these days- -my daughter speaks intermediate Korean.
(b) Young people’s attitudes towards young American females. I heard it was male chauvinist negative.
(c) Would you have your own daughter live there right now with you back here in the states?
(d) She could go to {Europe} as an alternative semester. Would you?
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.From Christine:
Coming to Seoul from the US, we knew very little about the area, language, or customs. I researched a lot online, using Korea Ye to get us set.
Once we got here and got settled in our off-post apartment, we dove into exploring and learning more. The people have been very friendly, there are signs in English everywhere, and we feel that this is the safest place we have ever lived in (even with the recent and unfortunate attack on the ambassador; my Korean friends were very upset and embarrassed by that incident). With that said, we are still careful and watchful – never good to be lulled into a sense of perfect safety.
I taught myself to read Kanji and that helped a bit further with understanding, so if your daughter knows intermediate Korean, she will have little problem communicating and finding her way. She will actually get a certain amount of additional respect for that, as a foreigner who has tried to learn Japanese ways/culture.
Seoul is an amazing place – the food, the cultural events, the history, the markets, the nature parks/mountains – all make it a thriving and exciting place to live. We are going to miss it when we PCS this year and have been frantically trying to do as much as possible from our “Korea bucket list”. The transportation system is amazing – I use the subways to go everywhere with my young son – and there are plenty of busses and taxis. We are not “party” people, so the side of Seoul that involves a lot of drinking and clubbing has not been on our radar too much – but it does exist and I am sure students would be more involved with that. That’s where she would need to be careful.
As I am not young by Korean standards and I have a child with me most of the time, I have not had any firsthand experience with {discrimination against young women}. I will say, however, that there is a certain amount of male chauvinist attitude here in general, even with a female president. Change takes time, and there is progress being made, but the patriarch-centered traditions/culture create a certain amount of “natural” chauvinism.
The thought of my child being that far away from me makes me very nervous, no matter where it would be. Add an Asian country to the mix, which can seem even more foreign at times, and I understand your concerns. That being said, having lived here and experienced firsthand the lifestyle, community atmosphere (you share in Korea – food, time, events and celebrations), cultural events, etc., I am so very glad we came. I would want my child to have that experience and adventure.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.And from Joelle:
I have been traveling alone since I was about 17 years old and have lived long-term in the UK, PR China and Japan. I second everything that Christine said, but I’d love to add a contrast with Europe to the discussion.
The thing about Europe is that is FEELS more familiar to us. The words on the signs appear to be things we might be able to sound out, the food looks vaguely familiar, and people look more like what we are used to.
In Asia, everything is foreign. EVERYTHING. However, it is my opinion that the Asian attitude towards life is safer and more respectful towards all people.
An example: A friend of mine in Okinawa had lunch at a local cafe and then walked home with her daughter. She was a 4-minute walk from the cafe when the waitress came running up behind her with her wallet in hand; she’d left it at the restaurant and they’d raced after her to deliver it.
Another example: A friend left their snorkeling stuff at the beach one day and went back hours later to see if it was there. Not only was it there, but it had been rinsed off and moved into a nice pile on the seawall.
Another example: A friend had a new baby and was out to eat for the first time with her husband. She was trying to hold the baby and cut her steak at the same time (a difficult task). A waitress came over and asked if she could cut her steak so that it would be easier to eat while holding the baby.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
These are just some of my favorite examples of the wonderful nature of the Asian mindset in general. This doesn’t mean there aren’t bad apples, but my experience throughout Asia has been that honor and respect for others is highly prized. This is not as true in Europe (as is also the case in the US).
I lived in China for a year when I was 19 years old. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Unfortunately, this was in 1990 which means that my parents heard from me once a week or so on our Sunday morning phone call. When I would travel they had NO IDEA where I was. I still don’t know how they did it, but they trusted that they had raised me to be able to handle myself and that trust went a long way towards making sure I did.
I hope this is encouraging to you. My eldest is a freshman in college, and I have my fingers double and triple crossed that she too will decide to spend at least a year overseas. It is absolutely life-changing.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
To sum it up: If a young adult has the opportunity to go abroad for a period of time – whether to travel, study or work – the experience will be eye-opening and perspective-altering. Allowing a young adult to broaden their horizons widens their world in ways that staying within the boundaries of their home country will never afford them.
Safety should always be a concern; if your child is serving in the US military be assured they will receive plentiful training and be under the watchful eyes of their unit’s leadership. Though we all know this doesn’t mean these young servicemembers and/or spouses will always make good decisions, they are not released into a foreign country without the tools for understanding what is and is not acceptable behavior while abroad.
They will, however, return to the US with experiences, memories and a sense that the world is a wonderful place to explore; they leave with a bit of that country taking up permanent residence in their hearts.
Please note that all opinions here are those of individuals, not Okinawa Hai, Overseas Yes or any associated agency thereof.
If you haven’t checked out the Green River Café, you are missing out on delicious food and live entertainment. It opened just a couple of months ago and the vibe feels like the island’s own original Hard Rock Café- with guitars decorating the walls and an area or two set up next to the tables for live music. In the daytime, you walk up to a cute, oddly shaped, cottage looking building; but as night falls, the outdoor lighting transforms the entire vibe. On weekends, there are usually musicians performing a variety of music styles. Green River Cafe is a perfect mix of two of our favorite things in life… FOOD and MUSIC!
They offer a variety of cuisines, so you are likely to find something for every member of the family. My husband is a steak-and-potatoes kind of guy, so when he opened the menu and saw hamburger steak listed, he was sold! There are many other choices including pizza, salads and appetizers. Our favorite appetizer, by far, was the lumpia, which is a Chinese pastry similar to a fried spring roll. Many of the entrees were priced between 1000-1600 yen.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.They were incredibly accommodating of our children as well. We sat outside on the balcony, overlooking the river, which kept the kids entertained looking for fish and turtles while we waited for our food. The chef, Jun, came out to the table to greet us and then chatted for a few minutes after we had eaten.
Additionally, Green River Cafe is extremely easy to get to and has convenient parking, which we all know is an unspoken luxury! Prior to living in Okinawa, I never knew just how much parking availability would affect my decision on where to eat. If you are like us, and travel in a relatively large car due to family size, this is always a concern. There were 12 or more parking available right outside of the restaurant!
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 12: 00 a.m.
Phone: 098-957-2554
Payment: Cash, Visa, Mastercard
Address: 315-4 Kadena, Kadena-chō, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa-ken 904-0203, Japan
Directions: From Kadena Gate 1, turn right onto 58. Follow 58 for 3.3 miles and turn left. You will see a little sign on the left that says Green River Cafe.
My girlfriends and I had lunch at this little Cafe a few weeks ago and the food was so delicious I knew I had to share it with you guys. Ima Café is just a few minutes outside of Kadena Gate 2, on 20, and the perfect lunch spot! *Be sure to arrive a few minutes before 11:30 because apparently it gets very popular at lunch time.
They have a small lunch menu that has 5 sets w/ drink included, one of them being the weekly special. There is also a great coffee selection, but be ready to wait a long time. If you’re a coffee lover I suggest you order it as soon as you get seated.
The three of us tried different sets, the salmon sashimi bowl with avocado and raw egg; the hamburger set with sunny-side up egg; and the set of chicken cutlet with cream cheese sauce. Sets included cabbage salad with homemade carrot dressing, soup, and rice. The food was absolutely amazing!
Like their homemade carrot salad dressing? You can actually purchase a little container of dressing by the register. Like many Okinawan Cafes there is a small section of handmade goodies, including jewelry and pottery, among other fun things.
Directions: From Kadena Gate 2 go straight, on the second traffic light take a right onto 23. At the first traffic light in front of the Koza City Stadium sign take a left onto 20. The Café will be on your left before the next traffic light. There are only 3 parking spots.
My husband and I discovered someone that we now call “The Glass Man” on one of our first drives on the island, right after we’d gotten our own car and licenses. We were headed out to Cape Zanpa and I saw a bunch of glass cups and bowls sitting on tables on the side of the road. I knew we needed to pull over. I immediately fell in love with his pieces, and have since taken many friends and visitors to buy this beautiful handmade Okinawan glass.
The Glass Man doesn’t speak any English, but thanks to the Google translate app, we have found out that all his pieces are made from recycled glass. Such beautiful stuff! Sometimes he throws in a “present” with the pieces I have purchased and it totally makes my day. I have so many pieces of his now in my dish collection and they are some of my favorite pieces. I know I will treasure them long after we leave Okinawa. So if you’re looking for some great Ryukyu glass you must check him out.
Hours: In the past he was only open on the weekends: Friday to Sunday, but lately it seems that his business is growing, so he is open most days now.
Payment: Yen Only.
Directions: To get to his stand, head north on rt. 58 from Kadena/Foster. Turn left on rt. 12 in Yomitan (after the turnoff for rt. 6 towards Torii Station). Head down rt. 12 for a few minutes. After passing signs for Yomitan pottery village you will head up a hill and the Glass Man is on your right hand side. If you see the turnoff for Zakimi Castle you have gone too far.
