CULTURE
Pick Up Stories
Nishihara Town is center of Okinawa's ed… [Okinawa Series]
By Jun Ikemura Everyone in Nishihara Town thinks education, with a couple of universities and a junior college within its boundaries, and th...Read More
Itoman welcomes Lunar New Year in tradit… [Community]
By Bill Charles The sheep becomes king next Thursday as the Lunar New Year begins. Old calendar traditions are both common and popular in Ok...Read More
Nago City is large, beautiful and center… [Okinawa Series]
By Jun Ikemura Okinawa’s Nago City to the north is the largest autonomous community on the island, and spans the breadth of the island from ...Read More
2015.03.01
Nishihara Town is center of Okinawa’s education [Okinawa Series]
By Jun Ikemura Everyone in Nishihara Town thinks education, with a couple of universities and a junior college within its boundaries, and there’s a high school famous for its march...
2015.03.01
On White Day ladies get treats back three times over [Community]
By David Higgins One of the great advantages of living in Japan is not having to worry about remembering Valentine’s day. In fact, if you’re a man living in Japan, you will ...
2015.02.26
Global Culture Festival draws attention to diversity [Community]
A Global Culture Festival is slated for Saturday afternoon to provide people in Okinawa with a perspective of other cultures present on the island. The 1 p.m. festival at the Uraso...
2015.02.26
Kokoro Tsunagaru Project focuses on handicapped [Community]
Professional entertainers, handicapped sports figures and people involved with the Kokoro Tsunagaru Project will be leading the afternoon Saturday at the Ginowan City Gymnasium. Ad...
2015.02.21
Musically diverse concerts at OIST [CULTURE]
Music and art lovers will be fascinated and entertained this weekend as the Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate Univ...
2015.02.16
Youths from Asia-Pacific unite in fight against corruption [Community]
This week, I would like to introduce JU readers to the pioneering work of Transparency International. Later this year an Okinawa meeting is planned with the hope to empower local ...
2015.02.15
Itoman welcomes Lunar New Year in traditional style [Community]
By Bill Charles The sheep becomes king next Thursday as the Lunar New Year begins. Old calendar traditions are both common and popular in Okinawa, where fishermen will hoist specia...
2015.02.09
Okinawa City completes giant wall paintings [Community]
Huge scale wall paintings are now decorating the outer wall of Gintengai Mall at Koza Crossing in Okinawa City, heralded as the new symbol of Okinawa City. The city government has ...
2015.02.01
Nago City is large, beautiful and center of controversy [Okinawa Series]
By Jun Ikemura Okinawa’s Nago City to the north is the largest autonomous community on the island, and spans the breadth of the island from Pacific Ocean on its eastern boundary to...
WWII Japanese Army cave hospital adds new dimension to visits [History]
Haebaru Town Culture Center officials have made a visit to the WWII Japanese Okinawa Army Hospital cave a bit more realistic. Official at the Haebaru Town Culture Center that maint...
2015.01.19
Hanta Path is walk through history [History]
Hanta Path was once a part of the Ryukyu Kingdom’s main road connecting Katsuren Castle, now part of modern day Uruma City, with Shuri Castle, the seat of the government, through N...
2015.01.16
Mochi-making festivities held Saturday at KIP [Community]
Koza International Plaza is the venue for Saturday’s New Year’s Mochitsuki Taikai, a traditional rice cake pounding. The rice cakes, known as Mochi, are created by the literal poun...
2015.01.09
Coming of Age Day introduces thousands to adulthood [Community]
For thousands of young men and women in Okinawa, and countless thousands more in mainland Japan, Monday’s going to be the biggest day of their lives. Seijin no Hi is coming up Mond...
2014.12.28
Shuri Castle celebrates heritage with New Year ceremonies [History]
The symbol of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the world heritage-listed site Shuri Castle Park will host many ceremonies to open the New Year. The ceremony ‘Ukejo’, which heralds opening the c...
2014.12.15
Machigwa illumination set to catch holiday revelers’ eyes [Community]
The biggest shopping arcade on Okinawa, Naha’s Makishi Kosetsu Ichiba, is aiming to dazzle visitors through the end opf January. The so called ‘Machigwa’ shopping district is ready...
2014.12.15
Onna Industry Fair focusing on local produce, unique foods [Community]
The 17th Onna Village Industrial Festival is putting the final touches on its program for Dec. 20th and 21st, when the village, which is surrounded by rich nature, showcases its lo...
2014.12.04
Everyone SHOULD be a Santa on Saturday [Community]
Ever thought about being a Santa Claus? Ever wondered what it would be like to be Santa and bring joy to the community? Feel like getting into the holiday spirit on Saturday? Org...
2014.11.21
Ink-wash paint artist stages exhibition [CULTURE]
The Ichiro Kikuta Byobu Exhibition is at the Nakamura House this weekend, providing aspiring artists a chance to see one of the island’s most famous ink-wash paintings expert’s bes...
2014.11.19
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...
2014.10.17
Celebrate Okinawa Soba Day with big bowl [CULTURE]
By Bill Charles There are numerous holidays and ‘special days’ on the Okinawa calendar, but few evoke a more fervent interest than today’s Okinawa Soba Day, during which tens of th...
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