Okinawa Series
Pick Up Stories
Land-locked Haebaru’s name is quite spec… [Okinawa Series]
Haebaru Town is the only municipality on Okinawa that doesn’t face the ocean, being land-locked and surrounded by six other cities and towns...Read More
Castle ruins is center point to Nakagusu… [Okinawa Series]
By Jun Ikemura Nakagusuku Village is the second in Japan in terms of population density, following Kitanakagusuku Village, and has also been...Read More
Urasoe City: From Past to Present [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Urasoe City is located in the southern half of the Okinawa main island. Though it seems overshadowed by its neighboring city, Naha, which is...Read More
2024.12.30
Visiting Okinawan Shrines for the New Year [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Have you ever partaken in a Hatsumoude? Have you even heard of a “Hatsumoude”? “Hatsumoude” is a Japanese custom where Japanese people pay a visit to a shrine or temple on January ...
2024.12.09
A Look Underneath Ginowan City’s Natural Water System [CURRENT ISSUE Okinawa Series]
Ginowan City is the 5th populated city in Okinawa and has rapidly changed its urban makeup over the years. This is especially true for places like Oyama, Mashiki, and Uchidomari di...
2024.12.02
Motobu has more than Expo Park and Aquarium [CURRENT ISSUE Okinawa Series]
Motobu Town is located in the northern part of Okinawa, Kunigami District. The town has a total area of 54.30 square kilometers. Several islands can be accessed from Motobu such as...
2022.09.17
Land-locked Haebaru’s name is quite special [Okinawa Series]
Haebaru Town is the only municipality on Okinawa that doesn’t face the ocean, being land-locked and surrounded by six other cities and towns immediately southeast of Naha City. Its...
2022.08.23
Castle ruins is center point to Nakagusuku region [Okinawa Series]
By Jun Ikemura Nakagusuku Village is the second in Japan in terms of population density, following Kitanakagusuku Village, and has also been a key community dating to the 15th cent...
2022.05.07
Urasoe City: From Past to Present [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Urasoe City is located in the southern half of the Okinawa main island. Though it seems overshadowed by its neighboring city, Naha, which is the prefectural capital of Okinawa, bac...
2022.02.10
Old Katsuren Town ⑤ Henna & Heshikiya districts [Okinawa Series]
Waitwui Waitwui is a road once used heavily by farmers. It is well known for its rock walls features on both sides. The road is located in Henna District of old Katsuren town. The ...
2022.02.08
Old Katsuren Town ④ Tsuken Island [Okinawa Series]
Tsuken Island is a remote island off the coast of Katsuren, and like Hamahiga, was part of old Katsuren Town. Visitors need to take a ferry to the island. It is just a 30-minutes r...
2022.02.06
Old Katsuren Town ③ Katsuren Castle Ruins [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Katsuren Castle was built around the 11~12th century and has been the focal point at one time in Okinawa’s history. One Okinawa’s great lords, Lord Amawari, had presided over the c...
2022.02.04
Old Katsuren Town ② Hamahiga Island [Okinawa Series]
Hamahiga Island is connected to Henza Island which in turn is connected to the main Okinawa Island. Henza, Miyagi, Ikei islands were part of old Yonashiro Town, but Hamahiga was a ...
2022.02.02
Old Katsuren Town ① – A Glimpse Back in Time to the Old Ryukyu Kingdom [Okinawa Series]
Old Katsuren Town was once a popular fisherman’s town on the middle eastside of the Okinawan main island. In 2005, the town had merged with three other municipalities, Yonash...
2021.12.01
Nanjo City is full of history, beaches, places to see [Okinawa Series]
By Natalie Nakamatsu Nanjo City is one of Okinawa’s largest areas, and arguably can be called one of the most fun packed cities in Okinawa. One could say it is the total opposite o...
2021.10.03
Yabuchi Island: Old Yonashiro Town ⑤ [Okinawa Series]
Yabuchi Island is a very small uninhabited island that once belonged to the then Yonashiro Town. The island is connected to the mainland by the Yabuchi Bridge which was built in 19...
2021.09.28
Ikei Island: Old Yonashiro Town ④ [Okinawa Series]
Ikei Island is the final island along the chain that belongs to the Yonashiro District. The red painted bridge that connects Miyagi and Ikei was built in 1982. In the Okinawan dial...
2021.09.21
Miyagi Island: Old Yonashiro Town ③ [Okinawa Series]
The next island from Henza is Miyagi Island which is also connected by a bridge, albeit it is much, much smaller than the Kai-chu-doro. In fact, the bridge is about a few car lengt...
2021.09.15
Henza Island: Old Yonashiro Town ② [Okinawa Series]
The first island you will reach after you cross the Kai-chu-doro bridge is Henza Island. This tiny island had flourished in the mid-1900s due to its location which was easily acces...
2021.09.07
The Islands of Old Yonashiro; Uruma City’s Forgotten Town ① [Okinawa Series]
Uruma City’s Yonashiro District was, at one time, Yonashiro Town. That all changed in 2005 when 4 municipalities, Ishikawa City, Gushikawa City, Yonashiro Town and Katsuren Town me...
2021.06.15
Itoman; a peace theme and old fashioned city [Okinawa Series]
Itoman City is the southernmost city on the Okinawa main island. It is a city that is often referred to as a ‘fisherman’s town’; because for many, fishing is a way of life here. Th...
2019.11.19
Ginowan is founded on history, tradition and legend [Okinawa Series]
By Natalie Nakamatsu Ginowan City is located in the south-central part of Okinawa, on the west coast of the island facing the East China Sea. It borders Chatan Town and Kitanakagus...
2019.08.27
Railroad helped build Yonabaru [Okinawa Series]
By Natalie Nakamatsu A little known historical fact of Okinawa is that it once had a railroad, and Yonabaru Town connected citizens to Naha City via a dozen stations. Yonabaru Town...
RYUKYU PRESS