2015.01.22
A&W hosting custom car & hot rod show
Okinawa meets Americana Sunday as A&W Okinawa Makiminato stages its 5th annual Drawing and Hot Rod & Custom Car Day.
The Drawing and Hot Rod & Custom Car Day runs 10 a.m. ~ 6 p.m., and is free. The event features many old classic custom cars, motorcycles, and live pinstripe painting by professional painters. A&W remembers the good old days, and wants to share the nostalgia in both the old cars and the car culture, which is ingrained in Okinawans much more than in other Japanese prefectures. Okinawa was under U.S. administration from World War II to 1972, and Okinawans readily identify with many things American.
The organizer, Isamu “ISM” Nakanishi, says that “of course Okinawa is a small island, but Americans or other foreigners who love hot rods or old custom cars will be satisfied by this event, even though it is much smaller than the same kind of shows in the U.S. Okinawans enjoy the cars, too, and even though our A&W event size is not so big, each customized car or painting is good enough to watch.”
Nakanishi says he believes the A&W show is as good as those in America, mainly because it is in Okinawa. His goal is “to make it larger than larger with all kind of nationalities participating”.
Finding A&W Makiminato just off Highway 58 is easy. The map is at https://goo.gl/maps/IHb67