Community
Pick Up Stories
Day of Naha: Immerse Yourself in the Cap… [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 syl...Read More
Hamauri ritual purifies body of evil spi… [Community CURRENT ISSUE]
Hamauri is one of Okinawa’s oldest customs, a time when people cleanse themselves of evil spirits. On Mar. 3rd of the lunar calendar (April ...Read More
Day of Naha: Immerse Yourself in the Cap… [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 syl...Read More
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 ...
Okinawa Holiday Season Illumination Guide 2023!! [Community ENTERTAINMENT]
OKinawa Illumination Guide!! Okuma illumination Nov.1 ~ Feb. 29 From sunset till dawn @Okuma Private Beach &Resort (913 Okuma Kunigami Village) https://okumaresort.com/season...
Hamauri ritual purifies body of evil spirits [Community CURRENT ISSUE]
Hamauri is one of Okinawa’s oldest customs, a time when people cleanse themselves of evil spirits. On Mar. 3rd of the lunar calendar (April 22nd of the Gregorian Calendar in 203), ...
Coming of Age Day introduces thousands to adulthood [Community]
For thousands of young men and women in Okinawa, and countless thousands more in mainland Japan, Monday’s going to be the biggest day of their lives. Seijin no Hi is coming up Mond...
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 ...
A town in Okinawa city has the same name as the American vice president elect [Community CURRENT ISSUE]
Kamala Harris is going to be the first female vice president of the United States. The locals of the Kamara district in Okinawa city are delighted because they pronounce the name o...
Kuwanso Daylily in Nakijin is in full bloom [Community Nature & Environment]
The Kuwasano (daylily) field at Zamami Farm in Unten Nakijin village is now in full bloom and the farm is offering a flower picking experience for visitors. One interesting fact is...
N-Bus offers free rides in Nanjo city [Community]
N-Bus it’s a local community loop line bus service driving around Nanjo city. They will celebrate their first year anniversary for this service and will be offering free rides on t...
Okinawa welcomes ancestor spirits on Obon [Community]
Obon has a special place in the yearly calendar of Okinawan people. For three days from Tuesday, Aug. 13, through Thursday, local people observe, mainly at their homes, the three p...
Friends Abroad is looking for foreign members for the Culture Teaching Program! [Community Education Family]
Are you interested in an International Culture Exchange in Okinawa!? Now Friends Abroad is looking for foreign members for the Culture Teaching Program! Culture Teaching Program: I...
Spotlight on Yomitan, most populous village in Japan [Community Okinawa Series]
By Natalie Nakamatsu Yomitan is located on the west coast of central Okinawa, bordered by Onna Village to the north, Okinawa City to the east, Kadena Town to the south, and the Eas...
Fundraising for Fukushima, An Okinawa Charity Event [Community]
Many still remember the Great 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami in northeastern Japan. Claiming over 15,000 lives and leaving many towns in ruins, the earthquake and the tsunami t...
Tsunagu Festival: Raising Awareness on Animal Abuse [Community]
The 4th Annual Tsunagu Festival takes place Sunday, April 15th from 11:00 to 17:00. This is a special festival designed to raise awareness on animal cruelty and abuse. In Japanese,...
Prefectural library to close temporarily in April [Community]
The Okinawa Prefectural Library in Naha will be closed in April while it moves into a new facility in the new Naha Bus Terminal in Asahibashi. The library stays partially closed th...
Display at AEON Mall shows 20 bus routes real time [Community]
The Okinawa General Bureau has started a demonstration and experiment of real-time display of 20 bus route services at five places in the premises of AEON Rycom in Kitanakagusuku. ...
Ichihanari Art Project draws attention to Uruma’s outer islands [Community]
Ikei Island north of Katsuren Peninsula has seen its resident community to shrink as young people moved off the island to cities and towns in search for easier life, and fewer chil...
Exhibition of origami animal works opens in Ginowan [Community]
“Kamitterune! Okinawa no Doubutsutachi,” an exhibition of animal figures made from folded paper, opened in Ginowan Municipal Museum in Mashiki, Ginowan City on Wednesday. The exhib...
Ginowan sets up panel exhibition of O-tsunahiki [Community]
A photo panel exhibition of two O-tsunahiki in Ginowan, tug-of-war festivals in Oyama and at Okinawa International University, is running through July 28 on the first floor of Gino...
Nakijin vineyards tout earliest grape-picking Japan [Community]
Two vineyards in Nakijin tout the earliest purple grapes ripe for picking in Japan. Starting this weekend, Komesu and Ishikawa vineyards in Nakijin invite visitors to enjoy picking...
Population of Nanjo City increasing [Community]
The population of Nanjo City, a southern Okinawa municipality in its 11th year of existence after the merger of four municipalities, is increasing. For a while its population decre...