Living
Pick Up Stories

yu-i FACTORY, Changing the Habu Brand [Living]
Even if you’ve only been on Okinawa for short time, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the infamous habu. The habu is a deadly, venomous snake c...Read More

Kyan Kensetsu makes dreams come true [Living]
Many people fell in love with Okinawa after visiting this island, and many of those would like to settle to live here for the rest of their ...Read More

Light displays start signaling year-end … [Living]
Although snow is in short supply and the holiday season is still a few weeks away, there are plenty of signs on Okinawa of the holiday spiri...Read More

Makiminato by-pass connected, to open for traffic this year [Living]
The last span of a bridge on Makiminato by-pass, a.k.a. Urasoe Kita Road, connecting Makiminato in Urasoe and Uchidomari in Ginowan was installed on Monday. The road that runs alon...

yu-i FACTORY, Changing the Habu Brand [Living]
Even if you’ve only been on Okinawa for short time, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the infamous habu. The habu is a deadly, venomous snake common throughout the Okinawa island chai...

Kyan Kensetsu makes dreams come true [Living]
Many people fell in love with Okinawa after visiting this island, and many of those would like to settle to live here for the rest of their lives. But when it comes to settling dow...

Japanese magazines can offer plenty even if you can’t read them [Living]
By Lily Kuwae When foreign people think about Japanese publications, Manga or Japanese comics is what they have in mind first. When average Japanese think about our publications, w...

Shimenawa, sacred New Year rice straw festoon brings good luck [Living]
“Shimenawa,” literally a “closing rope” is a decoration mostly seen at Shinto shrines to mark holy places where spirits reside. A variation of shimenawa is also known as a New Year...

Foreign tourists are discovering Okinawa in droves [Living]
By David Higgins Recently, I visited the Rycom Mall and immediately noticed how many foreign tourists there were meandering through the shops. Rycom Mall is by far, the largest mal...

Hideki Urakami creates art with “characters of heart” [Living]
An unusual art exhibition called “Kokoro Moji” (characters of heart) will be held at Ayakari-no Mori in Kitanakagusuku near Costa Vista Hotel, this weekend. Kokoro Moji is a specia...

Hotel Lion Queen offers reasonable accommodation at any time [Living]
Hourly hotels that rent rooms to customers without advance booking and no questions asked discretion have been available in Europe for a long time, and in Japan what is called “Lov...

Nanjo shops showcase “Lucky Charms” and other artworks [Living]
Artists who design products for commercial enterprises to produce for sale have organized and event called ‘Hanto (Peninsula) Art Festival’ every year since 2008. This year, the ni...

Light displays start signaling year-end approach [Living]
Although snow is in short supply and the holiday season is still a few weeks away, there are plenty of signs on Okinawa of the holiday spirit starting to shine brightly with specta...

Scams in Japan target elderly, people hungry for quick cash [Living]
By David Higgins Most people think of Japan as a peaceful, safe and honest place, but, as any other country, it has its share of scammers, crooks and fraudsters. Lately, there has ...

Okinawa Soba has its special day on Oct. 17 [Living]
A bowl of soba is to an Okinawa resident what a hamburger is to an American, fast food that about everyone craves for at least once a week. Those, who are new to the island will in...
Okinawa Total Living Show this weekend in Ginowan [Living]
The 30th Okinawa Total Living Show, a comprehensive exhibition on everything related to housing and living started today, Friday, at Okinawa Convention Center in Ginowan. The event...

Japanese Manga is fun way to understand local culture [Living]
By Lily Kuwae Japanese manga is a cultural export from Japan that has spread in countries throughout the world. Even the word “manga” itself has been adopted into English language ...

Cool eating with “hiyashi somen” chilled noodles [Living]
By Yuka Arata Hiyashi somen are thin wheat noodles served chilled with a tsuyu, a dipping sauce, especially during the hot and humid summer months in Japan. In mainland Japan, it’s...

H.I.S. Beach Park offers watery fun on Toyosaki Churasun Beach [Living]
Churasun Beach in Toyosaki is the largest man-made beach on Okinawa. It’s famous for its spectacular sunsets, and relaxed resort atmosphere. The beach is also home to the newest an...

Ryubo pottery exhibition “Maigyo” showcases works of Hideyoshi Kinjo [Living]
Anyone interested in Okinawan pottery knows the name of Jiro Kinjo. He was a pottery artisan who became the first Okinawan to have the title living National Treasure bestowed on hi...

¥1,000 gets you ‘senbero’ – a couple of cold ones and snack [Living]
By Jun Ikemura Summer is just around the corner, and that means days are getting much longer! So, what is your favorite thing to do in the summer? As most people know, Okinawan peo...

Hana-block is Okinawa’s original wall art [Living]
By Jun Ikemura For foreigners, or even visiting mainland Japanese, the most striking feature in Okinawa is the use of concrete for almost anything. Most buildings here are made of ...

Ikuko Matsukawa spreads special message with her choir groups [Living]
Music has a way of opening up one’s soul to a world filled with a wide variety of moods via various tempos and styles that resonate from countries around the world. Ikuko Matsukawa...