CULTURE
Pick Up Stories
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 ...Read More
All Okinawa Eisa Festival 2026 [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 ...Read More
Obon is time for family gathering to rem… [CULTURE CURRENT ISSUE]
For three days starting on Tuesday, August 25th through Thursday, August 27th, many privately owned businesses on Okinawa will close their ...Read More
2015.10.19
Discovery Nanjo seeks to attract U.S. military to local businesses [Community]
By Jun Ikemura Team Discovery Nanjo is a trade association that consists of over a dozen businesses in Nanjo City in the southern part of Okinawa’s main island. The team member bus...
2015.10.14
OIST presents Baroque Night [CULTURE]
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) is sponsoring a concert of baroque music in its restaurant in the OIST main building on Friday, Oct. 30, starting at 19:00. Admis...
2015.10.05
POPs to perform smash-hit musical comedy [Community]
The Pacific Okinawa Players introduce their next production as the wildly funny and entertaining Broadway smash musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, October 15th-24...
2015.09.21
Shurijo celebrates harvest with ‘Chushu-no-Utage’ [History]
Chushu-no-Utage (Mid-Autumn Harvest Celebration) is one of the seven banquets that during the Ryukyu Kingdom Era were organized to show hospitality to ‘sapposhi’ envoys of the empe...
2015.09.21
Viva Mexico party to celebrate Mexican Independence Day [Community]
The Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on Sep. 16th. It commemorates the day in 1810 when Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest in the small town of Dolores, Guanajuato, rang the...
2015.09.07
Weed has long history in Japan but now best avoided [History]
By David Higgins Although I am not an advocate or user of cannabis, especially since living in Japan for the past 10 years, I was quite intrigued with Japan’s history of marijuana ...
2015.09.04
September 3 is designated as Day of Kumiodori [CULTURE]
The Japan Memorial Day Association has designated the Sep. 3 as the Day of Kumiodori, which is the traditional Okinawan narrative dance. Sep. 3rd was selected as number 9 (Septembe...
2015.08.28
Kadena Eisa Festival has samurai roots [Community]
Kadena Eisa Festival is a town event that takes place every year on the day after the last day of Obon. Six local Junior Chamber of Commerce groups and youth organizations in the t...
2015.08.25
Obon is time for family gathering to remember ancestors [Community]
The three-day annual observance of Obon started Wednesday, and with the exception of Eisa, a form of ‘Bon Odori,’ the event is mostly held inside homes and in front of home altars....
2015.08.16
Short history of traffic lanes and money on Okinawa [History]
By David Higgins Before WWII in Okinawa, everyone drove in the left lane of the road. During the Edo Period (1603-1867), the Samurai had typically drawn their swords with th...
2015.07.16
Anpanman writer Takashi Yanase Exhibition opens at Urasoe Art Museum [CULTURE]
An exhibition of the life and works of Takashi Yanase, who’s best known as the creator of the cartoon Anpanman takes place at Urasoe Art Museum starting tomorrow and running throug...
2015.07.02
Weekend Dive & Boating Forecast’s Ed Dunn signing off island [Community]
By Wendy Brandon Ed and Kathy Dunn, are celebrating the 4th of July a little early at today’s Thursday July 2nd Independence Day BBQ reception hosted by Consul General Alfred...
2015.07.01
Shirahama Candle Night is local community effort [Community]
Local residents who live at and love Shirahama area facing the Shioya Bay started the Candle Night event in 2011 in order to conserve their natural environment and promote the Shir...
2015.06.25
June brides and Okinawa wedding traditions [CULTURE]
By David Higgins On Okinawa, June is the beginning of the hot summer season. The average temperature is around 29 degrees C and then there is the humidity. June is in the middle ...
2015.06.23
Search for “The Little Girl” is renewed [History]
By E. Heinrich-Sanchez This week, the search for Ray Gillespie’s “The Little Girl” has been renewed. Gillespie, a U.S. Marine from Toledo, Ohio, was a USMC 6th Di...
2015.06.22
Events commemorate 70th anniversary of end of Battle of Okinawa [History]
A number of exhibitions and events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War ll are taking place around the island in the course of this year. An exhibition ab...
2015.06.19
Peace Tower Triangle to lit Okinawa sky Jun. 22 and 23 [History]
Vintage World War II searchlights will create a “Peace Tower Triangle” over the skies of Okinawa as an event related to the 70th anniversary of the end of the Battle on Okinawa. Th...
2015.06.18
‘Minnano Hondana’ is public bookshelf at your service [Community]
By Tony Nakamoto When you finish reading a few books, what would you do with them? Put in your mini-van and sell them at the weekend flea market? That’s a good idea. But why ...
2015.06.04
Six Living National Treasures to share stage Saturday [CULTURE]
“Kamino misaku” features six Living National Treasures on one stage next weekend, presenting the very best of Okinawa cultural artistry. Two shows take place on Saturday, June 6th,...
2015.06.02
When Okinawa was not so peaceful; Koza Riots 1970 [History]
By David Higgins Recently, you may have heard some of the ‘anti-base’ rhetoric that has made its way through Okinawa as people of this island stage peaceful rallies and protests ag...
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