Okinawa Series
Pick Up Stories
Spotlight on Yomitan, most populous vill… [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 eas...Read More
Visiting Okinawan Shrines for the New Ye… [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Have you ever partaken in a Hatsumōde? Have you even heard of a “Hatsumōde”? “Hatsumōde” is a Japanese custom where Japanese people pay a vi...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
2019.03.12
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...
2018.12.28
Visiting Okinawan Shrines for the New Year [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Have you ever partaken in a Hatsumōde? Have you even heard of a “Hatsumōde”? “Hatsumōde” is a Japanese custom where Japanese people pay a visit to a shrine or temple on January 1st...
2018.11.30
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...
2018.10.26
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 ...
2018.10.25
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...
2018.10.24
Old Katsuren Town ③ Katsuren Castle Ruins [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Katsuren Castle was built around the 12~13th 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...
2018.10.23
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 ...
2018.10.22
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...
2018.09.19
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...
2018.09.18
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...
2018.09.14
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...
2018.09.13
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...
2018.09.12
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...
2018.08.07
Tomigusuku City, Okinawa’s Fastest Growing City [Okinawa Series]
Tomigusuku City is located just south of Naha, the capital of Okinawa, and has become a rapidly growing region in recent years. It became the fastest-growing city in Japan six time...
2018.06.15
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...
2018.05.30
A Look Underneath Ginowan City’s Natural Water System [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...
2018.05.17
Escape to Kunigami Village [Okinawa Series]
Located in the northern most part of the main island of Okinawa is the quiet village of Kunigami. It is an area mostly left untouched by the fingerprints of modern society. Here yo...
2018.04.02
Venture into Southern Paradise…Yaese Town [Okinawa Series]
Yaese is a new town created by the merger of Kochinda Town and Gushikami Village in 2006, the name originating from the Yaese hills within the town limits. Yaese Town is located so...
2018.03.20
“Onna Village” – A Relaxation Paradise [Okinawa Series]
Onna Village is located on the west coast of central Okinawa and occupies a long, narrow stretch of the coastline, extending 27.4 kilometers north to south and 4.2 kilometers aroun...
2018.02.28
Higashi Village, a Natural Paradise [Okinawa Series]
Higashi Village is well known for its scenic beauty, fresh air and abundant nature. It sits on the north eastern part of the Okinawan main island, surrounded by the Pacific ocean ...
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