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

Sky is limit for creativity at tuna dish creation contest [Gourmet]
The sky is the limit for imagination when, for the second time, student teams from Okinawan schools that specialize in enrolling young students who want to become professional cook...

Open House set for Global Oceanographic Data Center [Technology]
Japan’s Global Oceanographic Data Center (GODAC) is again opening its doors to the public with an Open House on Saturday in Nago City. The Open House, which runs from 10 a.m. ~ 5 p...

Nanjo Herb Festival showcases Okinawa’s treasure of herbs [Nature & Environment]
Herbs are increasingly popular among people who enjoy cooking. Not only are they healthy, they also add new interesting nuances to everyday dishes that might have become rather bor...

Tonight’s the night for Beaujolais Nouveau [Gourmet]
All around the world, wine-lovers are gathering tonight to celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau — a French wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region that is released fo...

Good times are awaiting at Oki-NightLife.com [Technology]
Almost as soon as an American service member, or any other foreigner for that matter, has settled down after taking care of the immediate needs of everyday life of housing and tran...

AmerAsian School marks 15th anniversary [Education]
Okinawa’s only school offering an English and Japanese education for AmerAsian children is celebrating its 15th year of service to the community this year. The Ginowan City-based s...

New ideas introduced at TEDxRyukyu [Nature & Environment]
By Edo Heinrich-Sanchez Last weekend saw the coming together of brilliant minds and ideas worth sharing at the TEDxRyukyu, which was held at the OIST auditorium, Nov. 9th. In the ...
OIST welcomes Prof. George Iwama as Executive Vice President [Education]
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), is welcoming Prof. George Iwama as the executive president starting January 2014. Prof. Iwama was born in Na...

Coastal cleanup efforts continue after NOWPAP workshop [Nature & Environment]
By Edo Heinrich-Sanchez It has been a busy month for NPO Okinawa O.C.E.A.N. after hosting the Okinawa NGO Asia-Pacific Environmental Forum followed by the United Nations Environmen...

Brief History of SPAM on Okinawa [Gourmet]
By David Higgins Some may wonder why local Okinawans are so fond of canned meat that is more associated with economic hardship back in North America. Personally, before I came to O...

1st Beaujolais Nouveau shipment arrives [Gourmet]
The uncorking of this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau wine is set for November 21st, and this week the year’s first shipment of thousands of bottles have arrived from France. The Seamen’...

Woodcraft on display at Plaza House through weekend [Living]
Okinawa is not known exactly for its vast forests and timber production, but there are woodworking craftsmen on the island who are putting the results of their labors on display at...

Weekend A-Lunch Championship invites citizens to judge [Gourmet]
What began as an opportunity to ‘show off’ culinary skills by a group of Okinawa restaurants has turned into a really big deal; so big, in fact, the A-Lunch Championships has had t...

Japanese vending machines; weird and wonderful [Shopping]
By David Higgins Vending machines in Okinawa are here, there, and everywhere. Although the abundance of vending machines here can be an eyesore, they are also a great convenience f...
80% of schools teach or use Okinawan dialect [Education]
According to Okinawa Board of Education survey, 80 percent of public elementary and junior high schools in the prefecture had classes and school events in Okinawan dialect in 2012....
‘Sake and Plates’ Exhibition slated for this weekend [Shopping]
Moriyuki Kamimura, the president of awamori brewing company Kamimura Shuzo, and three pottery artists will host a collaboration event named “Sake and Plates Exhibition,” from tomor...

A&W celebrates 50 years in Okinawa! [Family]
A&W was the first American-style hamburger shop chain to enter Okinawa. The brand is best known for its root beer and root beer floats. It was also the first successful food fr...

Sea Farming Center offers family fun [Nature & Environment]
A visit to the Okinawa Prefecture Sea Farming Center is unique, and this week’s special opening to the general public is an event for both adults and kids. The Saturday open house ...

Makeman Urasoe open in new premises [Shopping]
The largest Makeman hardware store in Okinawa, often known to Americans living on the island as the “Monkey Store” because of its ubiquitous handyman monkey logo, opens today in ne...

Hello Kitty takes on Halloween grin at Mr. Donut [Shopping]
Ghosts and goblins are making their way onto store shelves, and into food establishments, as Halloween approaches, and Mr. Donut has joined the fun with Hello Kitty specials. The d...