CULTURE
Pick Up Stories
Itoman Haaray; a traditional and fun eve… [CULTURE Festival]
The Itoman Haaray takes place on the May 4th of the Lunar Calendar. This day is actually June 18th 2026 of the Gregorian Calendar. Most peop...Read More
Golden Week, Japan’s Mega Holiday [CULTURE Family Festival]
Spring is here. And in Japan that means warmer weather, cherry blossoms, and rainy season. But, before the rainy season takes hold and shrou...Read More
Shiimi: A time to remember and honor th… [CULTURE]
April marks the beginning of one of Okinawa’s most important and sacred religious ceremonies, known locally as shiimi. This particular cerem...Read More
2026.06.15
Itoman Haaray; a traditional and fun event in southernmost of Okinawa [CULTURE Festival]
The Itoman Haaray takes place on the May 4th of the Lunar Calendar. This day is actually June 18th 2026 of the Gregorian Calendar. Most people in Itoman adhere to the Lunar Calenda...
2026.04.26
Golden Week, Japan’s Mega Holiday [CULTURE Family Festival]
Spring is here. And in Japan that means warmer weather, cherry blossoms, and rainy season. But, before the rainy season takes hold and shrouds Japan in a blanket of gray clouds and...
2026.04.04
Shiimi: A time to remember and honor the dead in Okinawa [CULTURE]
April marks the beginning of one of Okinawa’s most important and sacred religious ceremonies, known locally as shiimi. This particular ceremony takes place exclusively in Okinawa P...
2026.03.02
Sanshin, The Heart and Soul of Okinawa [CULTURE]
The sanshin is easily the most recognizable musical instrument in Okinawa. Its distinctive, high-pitched sound can be heard throughout the island from soba shops and grocery stores...
2026.02.26
Hina dolls bring health, happiness to small girls [CULTURE]
‘Hina Matsuri is one of the customs that most people in Japan no more observe but that gives an insight to the Japanese thinking and traditions in the past. The Japanese custom of ...
2026.02.15
Lunar New Year ushered in this weekend [Community]
Unless someone ventures into Itoman City this weekend, it’s unlikely that anyone would realize that Tuesday is Lunar New Year. The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Yea...
2025.12.27
What do you do on Okinawa during the New Year? [CULTURE LIFE]
It’s finally the end of the year 2025, and so it’s time to ask how was your year 2026? Good memories, bad memories, each person has their own. Probably many local people are still ...
2025.10.05
October 17th, Okinawa Soba Day [CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT Gourmet LIFE]
A bowl of soba is to Okinawa what a hamburger is to America. Here on the island you can see Okinawa soba signs everywhere. It has become entrenched in the Okinawan psyche. Those wh...
2025.10.02
Naha City’s World Record Giant Tug-of-War [CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT Festival]
The Naha Giant Tug-of-War is the largest of its kind throughout the world. This feat was officially recognized and recorded into annals of the Guinness Book of World Records in 199...
2025.09.30
Itoman Tug-of-War marks end of summer [CULTURE CURRENT ISSUE ENTERTAINMENT]
Many Okinawan farmers and fishermen, in some form or fashion, pay tribute to the Gods, seeking their blessing and favor for a great harvest or to net large sums of fish during the ...
2025.09.11
Respect for The Aged Day [CULTURE]
In Japan, there is a National Holiday to honor senior citizens that is called “Keirou-no-hi” in Japanese, meaning “Respect for The Aged Day” in English. It has been set for the thi...
2025.09.07
All Okinawa Eisa Festival 2025 [CULTURE Festival]
The Zento Eisa Matsuri, the All Okinawa Eisa Festival, takes place every year on the first weekend after Obon. This tradition began in 1956 at what was then called Koza, what would...
2025.08.28
Obon is time for family gathering to remember ancestors [CULTURE CURRENT ISSUE]
For three days starting on Thursday, September 4th through Saturday, September 6th, many privately owned businesses on Okinawa will close their stores to take timeout to honor one...
2025.07.28
Remembering Reversion and Driving on the Right Side, or is it the Left? [History]
When Okinawa was returned to Japan on May 15th, 1972, part of the package was an entirely new set of challenges that needed to be met. For Okinawans, the joy of being returned to t...
2025.07.03
Day of Naha: Immerse Yourself in the Capital City of Okinawa [Community CURRENT ISSUE]
July 8th is Naha Day in Okinawa. This special occasion originated from the use of play-on-words or rather, a play-on-numbers. Naha’s two syllables ‘Na’ and ‘Ha’ are also syllables ...
2025.07.02
Tanabata is precursor to Obon season, and day for wishes [CULTURE]
Tanabata, also known as “Shichiseki” that takes place on July 7th, is one of the five season-related celebrations in Japan. Empress Koken is credited to have imported Tanabata to J...
2025.04.01
Shisa get their day on Thursday [History Living]
April 3 is the “Day of Shisa” in Okinawa. Four is SHI, and three is SAN in Japanese. This is why April 3rd is the Day of Shisa. The day was established in 2002 to expand Shisa from...
2025.02.13
Valentine’s Day in Japan is all about romance and chocolate with a twist [CULTURE]
February 14, Valentine’s Day, is considered world over a day when romance blooms and lovers whisper sweet nothings to each others’ ears. Seemingly, there is no one in the entire wo...
2025.01.23
‘Year of the Snake’ begins in Okinawan fishing communities [CULTURE CURRENT ISSUE]
Legend has it that Buddha asked all animals to meet him on the Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one, and announced that people born in each animal’...
2025.01.06
Muuchii’s big lunar day is celebrated today [CULTURE]
Muuchii is the day that in Okinawa is traditionally considered as the beginning of the winter. It’s December 8th according to the lunar calendar, which by the Gregorian calendar fa...
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