LIFE
Pick Up Stories

Pro-Baseball Spring Training 2025 [Family Sports]
Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture in Japan, and that means it’s the warmest place in the country in the wintertime. Because of that, ma...Read More

The ‘Ritou Fair’ puts Focus on the Outer… [CURRENT ISSUE Shopping]
A three-day annual fair called the ‘Ritou Fair’ opens Friday, November 15th at the Okinawa Cellular Stadium Naha at Onoyama Park in Naha Cit...Read More

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 ent...Read More

Nature Miraikan is studying facility from kids through seniors [Nature & Environment]
Nature Miraikan is a camping facility located in Kin Town, where visitors can pitch their own tents on the premises or stay in one of the facility’s rental cottages. Its tent campi...

“Taanmu Passport” leads visitors on walking tour through Kin [Gourmet]
Kin Town, the self-proclaimed “Taanmu Capital” of Okinawa introduced “Kin Town Taanmu Passport” in March in order to promote the town’s trademark tuber. The passport is...

Fried Taanmu (Taimo) [Cooking Recipe]
Ingredients (for 4 people) ・2 Taanmu ・Potato starch ・Frying oil ・2tbs Soy sauce ・2tbs Sugar ・1tbs Water Directions 1. Cut taamu into thick slices and batter in potato starch. 2. De...

Kin Town is prefecture’s main producer of taanmu [Gourmet]
One of the most famous agricultural produces of Kin Town is taanmu, a kind of taro that is grown only on paddy fields with plenty of fresh water available. Kin Town has plenty of p...

Kin Town is the birthplace of Okinawa taco rice [Gourmet]
By Yuka Arata Kin Town has the distinction of being the place where popular lunch dish taco rice was originally created back in the ’60. Over the years, has since spread to mainlan...

Yui Yui Yuirail: It all begins at Naha Airport Station [Living]
Yui Rail is the only rail transportation system on Okinawa. It is now running only within Naha City area, but an extension to Urasoe City is currently under construction and schedu...

Unique local Okinawan brands you can be proud of [Shopping]
By David Higgins The term ‘globalization’ is on the lips of all politicians and economists these days but what does it actually mean and how does it affect us? Can you ...

Shimarakkyo and octopus carpaccio [Cooking Recipe]
Ingredients (for 4 persons) ・1/2 bdl shimarakkyo ・1 octopus tentacle ・1/2 season-fresh onion ・1/2 paprika (Dressing) ・2tbs olive oil ・1tbs lemon juice ・1tsp garlic paste ・1tsp salt...

James Skinner to hold lecture at Okinawa Convention Center [Education]
An American James Skinner came to Japan when he was 19 years old and has stayed here the past 21 years by now. A fluent speaker of Japanese, his main business is business consultin...

Chicken and waffles are not so strange bedfellows [Gourmet]
By David Higgins If you have ever wandered along the Sunabe Seawall then you have surely passed by the CC’s Chicken & Waffles restaurant, only to be stopped in your track...

Shima Rakkyo-Kimchi Pickle [Cooking Recipe]
Ingredients (for 2 persons) ・ 1/2 bundle shimarakkyo ・ 1/2 cucumber ・ 1 tbs kimchi no moto (spicy seasoning) ・ 1 tsp salt Directions 1. Wash the shimarakkyo, peel off the thin ski...

Machizemi promotes local shopping with workshops, lessons [Shopping]
By Miki Shioda Amid ever-increasing competition from giant shopping malls, merchants in the local Koza shopping area have come up with creative new ideas to attract people to their...

Japan is land of unique gifts and amazing souvenirs [Shopping]
By David Higgins My sister has been fascinated with Japan since I moved here over 10 years ago. To a North American like my sister, Japan is a country that holds mysterious and int...

Renaissance Okinawa Resort presents special promotion for mothers [Gourmet]
The Renaissance Okinawa Resort, one of the jewels among Onna Village resorts, presents a special promotion for all mothers on Okinawa. Starting on Apr. 16th and continuing through ...

Shimarakkyo Tempura [Cooking Recipe]
Ingredients (for 2 people) ・1/2 bundle of shimarakkyo ・100 g flour ・1/2 beaten egg ・50 cc water Directions 1. Wash shimarakkyo, peel off its thin skin and dry with a paper towel. 2...

Sweet tooth has field day at Chura Sun Beach this Sunday [Gourmet]
Very few things are as irresistible as the aroma of freshly baked bread or cookies, and unforgiving has to be the character who can fight without succumbing to the temptation. A fe...

Salted Shima Rakkyo (salted scallions) [Cooking Recipe]
The vegetable of the season this month is ‘Shima rakkyo,’ a variety of scallion that is grown in Okinawa. Shima rakkyo, called ‘racchou’ or ‘dacchou’ in Okinawa dialect, is harvest...

Documentary attempts to set facts straight on Japan whaling controversy [Nature & Environment]
One of the most controversial and most talked about documentaries in Japan in the last few years has without doubt been the 2010 Academy Award winning film titled ‘The Cove,’ that ...

Weekend BeerFes Okinawa 2016 calls for ‘Kampai’ [Gourmet]
Anyone who is complaining that beers in Japan are but same bland-tasting lager that any of the four huge Japanese breweries make, should head this weekend to the Seamen’s Club near...

‘Igimi-tiguma’ craft fair shows skills of Ogimi artisans [Shopping]
The name of Ogimi Village in the northern part of the island used to be pronounced ‘Igimi’ way back in time and ‘tiguma’ can be translated as ‘nimble fingers,’ so organizers of thi...