Aug. 27, 2015 - Sep. 02, 2015
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Happy Music Festival celebrates Koza Music Town Fantastic Okinawa
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The Happy Music Festival celebrates the 8th anniversary of Koza Music Town with SNG as one of the performers.
he Happy Music Festival event this Saturday celebrates the 8th anniversary of Koza Music Town Sound Market. The event is divided in two parts; “The Time Contact with Music’ and ‘ The Time to Enjoy Sounds and Goods’. In the part 1, Okinawa idol group Ryuguunotsukai (Oarfish) will perform live music starting at 2:10 p.m. At 3:10 people in the audience are invited to play hand-made instruments together. A hula performance starting at 3:50 p.m. will conclude the first part. The second art of the festival has people enjoying music while eating foods and a few cold suds at a one-dayonly “Beer Café” to be opened on the street in front of the Music Town. The café serves snack-style foods like yakitori and yakisoba, and sweets that are guaranteed ladies will love. All are designed to be a perfect match to cold beer. The café will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., during which local artists take turns on stage. As a special live performance, the first X-Factor Okinawa champion, Sky’s The Limit, and All Japan Goith, a local band playing a mix of Ska, Latin and Okinawan music will be on stage together starting 8 p.m. Other evening performers include Mahalo Hula Studio performance, SNG and Miss. Children, a cover band for a popular Japanese band Mr. Children. The Happy Music Festival takes place on Saturday, Aug. 29th, from 14:00 to 21:00. Admission to the Koza Music Town Sound Market first floor open air event is free.
Obon is time for family gathering to remember ancestors Obon, festival of deceased
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he 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. Obon used to be a major holiday in Okinawa but these days, all retail shops, restaurants and public offices stay open as normally scheduled, although many small private companies and shops still close, especially in the countryside. Eisa is performed to honor and entertain the spirits of the ancestors, and is traditionally the job of young men in the community to participate. Obon is a time for celebrating the life
of one’s ancestors, and welcoming their spirits home for a family reunion. It’s based on Buddhist beliefs as ancestor spirits are believed to return to the human world at this time for three days to visit relatives. In Okinawa, Obon is observed according to the lunar or Chinese calendar and always takes place from Jul. 13th through 15th, which is Aug. 26th ~ 28th of the western calendar this year. According to the beliefs, the gates of the afterworld open on the 13th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar, and the deceased are allowed to leave to visit the living, and three days later they must return. Although many people in Japan are not particularly religious, Buddhist services are held at temples and in private homes for ancestors, friends and relatives who’ve died, with particular focus on those who’ve passed away within the past year. Food for Obon is specific, and it has to be on table throughout all three days. Wednesday was the first day of Obon, Unkeh, a time for families to gather at the primary family residence to purify the home and its altar. Family members will Continues on page 2
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Some Eisa dancers manage to create a fittingly ghostly image with their make-up.
Japan Update Classifieds
Aug. 27, 2015 - Sep. 02, 2015
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Kadena Town Eisa Festival features samurai roots
Eisa ‘ga-e’ features moves borrowed from Karate.
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adena 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 town, and Senbaru Eisa will perform bon dances on the town’s main street. Specifically, Senbaru Eisa is a group that has more than 100 years of history dating back to around 1800. Senbaru is a part of a small settlement that was built by samurai class people from places like Shuri, Naha and Kume Island. According to the tradition, Senbaru Eisa is said to have started by young people in the community as a tribute to their ancestors and for praying for people’s prosperity and health. The trademark of Senbaru Eisa is that only men dance, and sing using Buddhist terms and words in songs such as ‘Namuamidabutsu.’ Sometimes they also incorporate moves from karate into their performance. The festival takes place on Saturday (Aug. 29th) starting at 18:40 on the Shinmachi Street at 446, Kadena, Kadena Town https://goo.gl/maps/f6qI2 . Shinmachi Street will be closed for vehicle traffic 17:00~22:00. As the parking in the area is non-existent, organizers urge people to use public transportation to and from the area.
Program
• Minami-Ku (South District ) Junior Chamber 18:40~ • Kita-Ku Residents Eisa 19:00~ • Nishi-Ku (West District ) Junior Chamber 19:20~ • Higashi-Ku (East District ) Eisa 19:40~ • Nishihama-Ku Junior Chamber 20:00~ • Chuo District Junior Chamber 20:20~ • Senbaru Eisa 20:40~ • Eisa ‘ga-e’ or ‘o-e’ (‘Fighting’ Eisa) 21:20~
Unjami has ensured good catch, safety in Ogimi for centuries
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Women wade into the ocean to greet and encourage Haarii crews at the highlight of the Unjami Festival.
Uchikabi, money for ancestors’ spirits, is burned on the last day of Obon.
Obon
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place fruit, water, sake, tea and a pair of sugar cane stalks on the altar in preparation for the visiting spirits. In the evening, the family lights candles both at the altar and the gateway to the house to invite the spirits inside. Obon is a time of celebration, and Okinawa’s unique dance, Eisa, is performed in many places to the tune of sanshin music and drums. It’s also one of the major travel days in the prefecture, as children and grandchildren return from elsewhere in Japan to Okinawa to pay homage to the ancestors. Last year airlines reported over 520,000 reservations for the week of Obon. Obon is also a time of gift giving, a time to present Ochugen gifts to relatives and bosses and colleagues in the workplace. It’s a major sales season for
The Eisa groups perform on Shinmachi Street.
ne of the most traditional rituals on Okinawa called Unjami Festival takes place in the fishing villages of Ogimi and some outer small islands around Okinawa. Unjami takes place after the end of Obon on the 17th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar, which this year falls on Aug. 30th. The main event takes place at Shioya area in Ogimi. Unjami is a ceremony to pray for safe fishing and good catches. The festival is said to date back some 400 to 500 years to the Ryukyu Kingdom era. On that day, Noro, female shamans, pray to Niraikanai (Lotus Land or paradise in Okinawan mythology) for safe fishing and good catches. There is dancing, in which only females can participate. A Haarii tournament is held after the dance, during which women wade into the ocean waist deep clapping hands and beating drums to cheer and encourage haarii boats racing towards the coast of Shioya. The Ungami of Shioya was designated a Significant Intangible Folk Cultural Asset in 1997. Ogimi Village is located in the northern part of Okinawa, just north of Nago City, west of Higashi Village and south of Kunigami. Ogimi is famous for the longevity of its people and also as Okinawa’s biggest producer of Shiquasa, a citrus fruit, and Bashofu, a very traditional Okinawan cloth. More than 60% of Shiquasa production in Okinawa comes from Ogimi Village and this citrus contains remarkable quantities of citric acid, nobiletin, vitamin C, vitamin B1, carotene and many minerals. Especially important is nobiletin, which is credited for preventing cancer in general. It is also said that shiquasa could be a factor in the area’s longevity.
Another group of Obon-time Eisa dancers is performing to entertain the spirits.
local retail stores that rack up hundreds of millions of yen in sales, with typical Ochugen gift set costing ¥2,000~¥5,000. Food seasonings, towels, beer and gift certificates are popular choices. Obon is an important event socially, as well as from a religious perspective. It is a time when it is nearly mandatory that family members return home to be together. Friday, the final day of Obon, is called Uukui. It’s the time when the family gathers and celebrates with a big dinner before sending the ancestral spirits back to the afterworld. Special paper money, uchikabi, is offered to the spirits for use in the afterworld. About midnight, family members will remove the offerings from the altar and move them to the gate in front of the home. Incense will be lit, the uchikabi burned, and the families say goodbye to the ancestral spirits for another year.
Special Obon foods and incense is set in front of a home altar.
Aug. 27, 2015 - Sep. 02, 2015
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Japan Update Classifieds
Island Boat in Ginowan Marina is dream maker tain a clean and effective marina for people. The owner of Island Boat Mitsuaki Tabata says, Ginowan Marina is one of largest marinas in the western Japan. Its location is very good because facilities like Tropical Beach, Marine Park, Convention Center, and a large San-A shopping center are in the vicinity of the marina. We have a very large parking lot, and people can have fun in the area all day long. We are planning to promote more events on the Marina in the future, and get people to come here more and more.” He says that visitors from overseas coming by yacht to Ginowan Marina are not so rare. “I welcome them, and sometimes take them to sightseeing spots or dinner while they are staying,” he says, and adds, “I want to take care of visitors who visit this little but beautiful island, and I want
to promote Okinawa’s ocean related businesses, because the Okinawan ocean is a very important asset for inviting visitors to the island. While we take care of this beautiful ocean, we can make more business because of it,” Tabata concludes. Ginowan Marina has moorings for 357 boats by the piers, and 275 more have a berth on land. Its parking lot can accommodate 590 cars. It has a belt crane that can lift up to 15-ton boats, a water supply, electric supply, oil supply, and toilets and showers in the office building. Ginowan marina is located at https://goo.gl/maps/ 1Xuhm Island Boat Co. is at https://goo.gl/maps/dalW7 Island Boat Ltd. website is at http://www.islandboat.com
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Mitsuaki Tabata is the owner of Island Boat Ltd. By Jun Ikemura
ow many of us have not dreamed of sailing to the sunset onboard our own yacht, chasing the big ones on a full-blooded fishing machine, or just lounging under the sun somewhere off a sandy beach with a group of friends. Those are the dreams, and Island Boat Ltd., an Okinawa-based operator of a multi-language boat trading website island-boat.com is there to help those dreams come true. The company website has a large selection of boats and yachts of various types and sizes for sale, both brand new and used. The company is also ready to help you to find your dreamboat, if they don’t have one listed on the website. Just tell them what you want, a cruiser under $50,000, a fishing boat or small yacht, and they will search and find it for you. And not only do they buy and sell as an agent, they also import new boats and yachts, or help you to export your beauty if you have it here already. Anything related to marine business, and they can find it and get it to Okinawa even if it’s not currently available in Japan. Island Boat Ltd. has had a contract to manage the Ginowan Marina since April 2015, and it works to main-
Ginowan Marina is one of the largest marinas in western Japan and very well located. 2
Japan Update Classifieds
Aug. 27, 2015 - Sep. 02, 2015
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Higashi Village Festival offers activities to every taste man-made river that flows from the dam. The dam facilities are open for tours to show how it was constructed and how it is operated. The festival takes place on Saturday at Higashi Village Athletic Field at https://goo.gl/2jRTt8 and Fukuchi Dam at https://goo.gl/kJnI5e
Program
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Canoeing on the calm waters of Fukuchi Dam is a relaxing experience.
igashi Village on the northeastern coast of Okinaw main island is best known for its Azalea Festival in the spring, its large Eco-park camping ground, and for golfers, also as the hometown of professional woman golfer Ai Miyazato. Higashi Village also organizes an interesting annual summer festival that takes place this Saturday. The festival is known as the Higashi Village Comprehensive Festival because its organizers aim to cover a lot of events at two separate venues. At Higashi Village Athletic Field at Taira, an opening ceremony starts the day at 10 a.m., although the festival program does not begin until 1 p.m. The program consists of a mix of local musicians’ live performances, women’s arm wrestling
tournament and, of course, eisa. There are also a few experience events where people can try their hand on making bingata, pineapple jam and rubber sandals from old car tires. The number of people who can participate in the experiences is limited, but anyone can watch and learn. Fireworks end the day at 8:45 when 1,500 fireworks are shot to the skies. At the nearby Fukuchi Dam, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., visitors can try paddling in canoes on the dam or ride on a powered sightseeing boat. Canoeing costs ¥300, and the price for the sightseeing boat ride is the same. The number of people able to participate is limited also in these activities. There are also some nature workshops, crawfish catching and a water slide in the
@Higashi Village Athletic Field 10:00~ Opening Ceremony 13:00~ Paper-scissors-rock Tournament (13:00~, 16:40~) **free-for-all event 15:00~ Wakana Shimanaka music live 16:00~ Fish Auction Experience **freefor-all event 17:15~ Arime Eisa 17:45~ Higashi Village Ladies Arm Wrestling Tournament 18:00~ Ryuta Shiroma live 18:40~ Soluna live 19:15~ Suguru Ikeda live 19:50~ Aimoco live
20:45~ 1500 fireworks 21:00~ Close
Free workshops (registration from 10:00)
• Bingata experience/11:00~ / first 10 people • Pineapple jam making experience / 13:30~ / first 20 people • Workshop of slipper making from waste tires / 14:00~ / first 10 people
@Fukuchi Dam / 10:00~16:00 • Canoe riding experience: 9 times between 10:30 and 15:00 / ¥300 (over high school age)/ first 20 people (over 4-year-old children and older)/ • Sightseeing boat tour: 8 times between 11:00 and 16:00 / ¥300 (over high school age)/ first 42 people/ride Parking for people visiting Fukuchi Dam Summer Vacation Nature Experience is at Higashi Village Athletic Field. A shuttle bus is available between Fukuchi Dam and the Athletic Field.
The sightseeing boat makes eight trips and carries up to 42 passengers each time.
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Aug. 27, 2015 - Sep. 02, 2015
Third round of ‘intense’ talks Monday in Naha
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiro Sugita arrived at Okinawa Sunday morning for the third round of ‘intensive’ talks between the Okinawa Prefectural Government and the Central Government in Tokyo, to defuse the fight over the relocation of MCAS Futenma to Henoko. After his arrival, Sugita visited several places on the island, including MCAS Futenma, the returned western part of the former Futenma Housing Area on Camp Foster, and the planned Industrial Corridor Area. The 3rd meeting was scheduled to take place Monday morning at the Prefectural Government Office in Naha. At the meeting, Sugita was scheduled to discuss the problem with directors of the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Okinawa Prefecture, in addition to Deputy Governor Mitsuo Ageda and the director of the Prefectural Executive Office.
Students rally in Mihama against security bills
‘SEALDs Ryukyu’, a protest group in Okinawa against the new security bills, consisting mainly of young students of colleges and universities on Okinawa, organized a protest rally in the afternoon of Aug. 23rd in front of Carnival Park Mihama in Chatan. At the rally, local students and housewives delivered speeches one after another in the rainy weather. The rally was one of the protest rallies against the Security Bills that were organized to take place on the same day at 40 places across the nation. The protesters urged people to joint forces to scrap the bills.
New U.S. Consul General in Naha takes post
The United States Consulate General has a new boss as the new consul general took his post on Aug. 18th. The new consul general is 52-year-old Joel Ehrendreich, who officially took over the job on Aug. 18th. He visited Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga at the Prefectural Government Office on Friday. Ehrendreich talked with Onaga in Japanese saying, “I have a respect of the opinions of the prefecture governor and people of Okinawa. I am willing to cooperate with people of Okinawa and do my best to curb U.S. military-related incidents and accidents.” Ehrendreich who replaces his predecessor Alftred R. Magleby, is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has previously worked at U.S. Embassies in the Philippines, Singapore, Tokyo and Australia.
Army corporal nabbed for DUI Saturday morning
Okinawa City Police arrested a 22year-old Army corporal on Highway 58 in Sunabe, Chatan, Saturday morning on suspicion of drinking and driving. According to Okinawa Police, Cpl. Tyler Price, stationed on Torii Station, rear-ended a car that had stopped at a red light about 6:30 in the morning on Aug. 22. A subsequent breathalyzer test showed about four times the legal limit of alcohol in Price’s breath.
Pref. mulling expanding OKICA fare payment system
The Okinawa Prefectural Government is mulling the feasibility of expanding the IC-card based OKICA payment system to replace the current ticket system in ferries
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Japan Update Classifieds serving Okinawa’s remote islands, and for payment of taxi fares on those islands. The Okinawa Urban Monorail, known as the Yui Rail, replaced the old paper tickets with the OKICA system in October last year, and the four local bus companies on the main island of Okinawa joined in last April. However, there is no public bus transportation on the remote islands and people have to rely on taxis instead. The aim is to improve convenience for people who visit or live on the remote islands by expanding the service, as the same card could be used both on Okinawa’s main island and other areas.
Skymark announces new flight schedules, routes
Skymark Airlines, a budget airline currently in bankruptcy protection, announced Aug. 21 its planned changes to its flight schedules during the winter season between Oct. 25th and Feb. 25th, 2016, and spring from Feb. 26th to Mar. 26th, 2016. Skymark will start a new route connecting Naha and Ibaraki by the way of Kobe that is scheduled to start Oct. 25th with one round trip a day. The aircraft on the route will be Boeing 737-800 with 177 seats. Tickets are priced starting from ¥10,500 one way. During the winter schedule, the flight will depart Ibaraki Airport at 10:30 and land at Naha 14:45. During the spring schedule, the departure from Ibaraki Airport will be 10 minutes earlier with the arrival at Naha five minutes earlier than in the winter. The flight from Naha back to Kobe and Ibaraki takes off 16:25, and the arrival time at the Ibaraki Airport is 20:05, both in the winter and spring. Skymark is reducing flights between Naha and Haneda by one round trip per day to five round trips during the winter schedule. However, during the spring schedule, the airline will revert to the current sched-
ule of six round trips per day. The flights connecting Naha and Kobe are scheduled to decrease by half to two round trips a day.
Okinawan goods on line at discount with gov. subsidy
A new Internet shop outsourced by the Prefectural Department of Commerce, Industry and Labor to sell Okinawan local products at a 30 % discount started Monday. The goods are sold at discount by taking advantage of a subsidy fro the national government. The OPG outsourced the job to three companies, Rakuten, Ryukyu Shinpo and Okinawa E-commerce Association, which sells the products on their Okinawan Mall site at http://www.okinawanmall.ryukyu The target is to generate a total of ¥340 million in sales. The prefecture has also set a limit to the project expenses at 50 million yen per participating company. Continues on page 6
President Editor/Publisher Staff Accountant
Jun Ikemura James Williams Junko Yamada Yuka Arata
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Most of Arises have quite a busy weekend that continues all the way through the first week of September. A few people can find themselves pondering the purpose of life and other deep subjects. If you have any friction in your romantic relationship, it would be better to deal with it right away. During the first half of September you could run into some kind of a drama affecting your daily life.
This weekend promises to bring good opportunities to create new and useful contacts. They could be quite deep and far-reaching, but there are also dangers. So, a healthy dose of critical thought is required. But if you play your cards right, you also stand to gain handsomely from these contacts. The best moments of this weekend are related to your female friends and relatives.
Okinawan goods Continued from page 5
The subsidy for the project is coming from the national government budget for local revitalization and livelihood support. One of the companies taking part in the project, the E-commerce Association, is already selling local products such as Motobu Beef, Sanshin and Kariyushi wear at 30% discount on its website.
Although your life has been quite uneventful so far this year, some things are about to change. Your relationships are going to turn into more intensive in both good and bad. Your closest friends are going to provide you with the life jacket that keeps you afloat. Even if you’d like to change, there are pressures from the outside that force you to stick with your old and tried ways.
You are now in the flow of planet Saturn’s positive influence, and besides adding color and excitement to your everyday life, it will give you an urge to do something special. This is a phase in your life that could open new horizons and novel perspectives. That, in turn, could give you space to move and explore new ideas, especially in the realm of romance. You should take advantage of it.
The family is planning to come back to Okinawa this week. The parents report on the website, “The results of the last test he underwent the other day were pretty fine, and he has not had a fever nor caught cold. In addition, he has increased his stamina and muscles. We are so much looking forward to coming back to Okinawa.”
Urasoe High School team sumo championship U.S. Consul General Alfred wins Students of the Urasoe Junior High Magleby leaves post School took the top spot in the team com-
Alfred R. Magleby, the U.S. Consul General in Naha, paid a courtesy visit to Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga at the Prefectural Government Office, Aug 17th, to inform the governor that he is leaving his office. At the meeting, Magleby said, “I would like to be involved in the Japan-U.S. relations issues, and continue to keep in touch with Okinawa’. Magleby left his office on Aug. 18th, and was going back to Washington. His next post has not been announced yet. Magleby had been on his post in Okinawa since 2012.
Young Chatan heart recipient to return home
The doctor of 13-year-old Rai Matsushima from Chatan, a recipient of a heart transplant in February at the Colombia University Hospital in New York, has granted him the permission to return to Okinawa. Rai’s parents reported the news on the website “The Charity of Saving Rai” at http://rai-aid.com/. Rai had the heart transplant because of a severe cardiac illness, and was able to go to have the costly operation in the U.S. thanks to a successful community fundraising effort that collected enough money to cover the cost of the operation and all related expenses.
petition of the 45th All Japan Junior High School Sumo Tournament in Towada City, Aomori Prefecture, Aug. 23rd. This is the first time for a team from Okinawa to win the tournament. Members of the team are Ryuji Nakazato, Tsuguto Toma and Rusei Shiroma, who are all 15 years old. IN the final match, they defeated Saisei Junior High School 2-1.
Okinawa and Tokyo still apart after 2nd meeting
Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga held their second meeting regarding the relocation of the MCAS Futenma. The meeting that lasted 30 minutes took place Tuesday in the prime minister’s office in Tokyo. Accompanying Onaga at the meeting was Vice Governor Mitsuo Ageda. Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, Okinawa Affairs Minister Shunichi Yamaguchi and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiro Sugita also attended the meeting. Regarding Okinawa’s demand to close the MCAS Futenma within five years, Suga stated that it would be difficult to close the air station within five years without relocating it to Henoko. Defense Minister Nakatani stressed the strategic importance of the U.S. bases in the prefec-
Your life continues to be very busy socially, but the romantic side is going to slow down after the end of the month. You can expect this weekend to be quite eventful. Physical activity and business deals are in the picture very much. There could be some disturbance in your social circle of friends that could take some time to smooth everything up. Unfortunately, it’s up to you to try to do it.
This weekend you could be the focus of the crowds, if you like it. Everyone is ready to root for you, although that could later also be a cause for some friction regarding your responsibilities between your friends and home front. This is a period of strong emotions for you, and that’s why, for the moment, it would be important to postpone any significant decision, especially concerning money.
ture.
On his part, Onaga stated his doubts about the deterrence effect of the U.S. Marines on Okinawa, and also said that it’s a common misunderstanding that Okinawa gets a larger amount of budget for local development from the national government than any other region. Although the sides remain deadlocked in their respective positions, they agreed to continue the talks to try to reach mutual understanding. The third meeting of the ongoing ‘intense’ talks is scheduled for Aug. 24th in Okinawa.
Third round of ‘intensive’ talks yield scarce results
The third round of the ‘intensive’ discussions between the Japanese central government and Okinawa Prefecture in Naha, Monday, brought a first agreement between the fighting sides as they agreed to cooperate on efforts to eliminate danger from the MCAS Futenma. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiro Sugita, who’s visiting Okinawa for the talks and Okinawa Vice Governor Mitsuo Ageda reached the agreement during the Monday at the Prefectural Government Office Building. However, no progress was made in the main sticking point of the relocation itself with Tokyo continuing to insist that the relocation to Henoko is the only option and Okinawa sticking to its stance that the Futenma base has to be moved outside the prefecture. After the working-level session, Ageda told reporters, "We must work with the same level of awareness on the elimination of danger." In the talks, the Okinawa side asked the central government to reverse its decision seek suspension of Onaga's order to halt the offshore work related to the transfer of the Futenma base. However, the central government was adamant, saying, "Our view has not changed."
Another topic that came up in the discussion was Okinawa’s request for the early return of the southern part of Camp Foster. The prefecture is planning to use to land to create what is called an Industrial Corridor. Next, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and Onaga, are scheduled to meet in a few days. A total of five rounds of ‘intensive’ talks is scheduled before the government declared halt in the construction off the coast of Henoko is scheduled to resume on Sep. 9th.
Okinawa continues to be popular destination for school student tours
The Prefectural Department of Culture, Tourism and Sports released Aug. 20th the statistics on school trips to Okinawa in 2014. According to the department figures, the number of schools whose student groups visited Okinawa in 2014 increased by 59. The number of students and teachers, who took part in the trips, increased by 14,625 to 450,959. The data was collected from tour companies dealing with the school trips. High schools accounted for the largest proportion of all schools. 1,725 high schools comprising 67.5% of all schools organized a trip to Okinawa. That is an increase of 4.2 % compared to the year before. The second largest group was junior high schools, which made up 30.8 % of the total with 787 schools. The number of junior high school students visiting Okinawa decreased by 2.7 % to 100,668. 17 elementary schools took the trip bringing 943 visitors and nine vocational school groups with 843 participants. Two college student groups and 15 special schools also took the trip. Most schools visiting Okinawa came from Tokyo, both for the number of schools and students, followed by Osaka and Kanagawa Prefecture.
This is the time when you take an inventory of your emotional and spiritual status. You are pressed between your desire to try something completely new, and the opposition from your friends and family to change. In other words, you have a dilemma to solve. That could lead to many arguments first, but luckily cooler heads will prevail and the situation is going to calm down to your satisfaction.
The weekend is going to be active as far as your friends and neighbors are concerned, but you have to wait for a romance, if that’s what you have in mind. A complex problem concerning communications involving most of your friends could arise. It would require you to keep a close eye on what is going on, think your options carefully, and then take a firm stance in your position.
As you have successfully finally taken care of tasks, which honestly should have been completed some time ago, you have, at the same time, gone through a test of nerves. Now you can expect those nagging responsibilities to ease up, and even disappear. As a result, your personal relationships and love life could now have a big boost, as you can again concentrate on the better things in life.
Autos
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This weekend could be a real eye-opener and, at the same time, very inspiring. The signs are good that your social life is really picking up. And even if there is a slowdown over the next couple of weeks, it’s only temporary. The fact is, there’s love in the air, and you can have your fair share of it. The point is, even if there are fewer parties to attend, it leaves you more time for romance.
Child Care
STOP LOOKING! PIT STOP USED CAR SALES has what you need, high quality at low prices. We give cash credit for junk vehicles, all refunds are yours. TRADE-IN VALUE UP TO $ 1,500. Every vehicle comes with a 2Years JCI, Current Road Taxes, Preventative Maintenance, Recycle, Registration with warranty up to one year. We provide the BEST FINANCING PROGRAM on island at 0% INTEREST with NO MONEY DOWN REQUIRED, we match down payment up to $ 1,000. CASH DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE. BEST PRICE for JCI INSPECTION AND REPAIR. FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE and FREE LOANER VEHICLES available. Call Us! 098898-4061 or 090-3328-7341 and ask for TOM. Email info@pitstopcars.jp. View our web-site, www.pitstopcars.jp
Baby123 Island Style Daycare, Enroll Now! Between 2month old-4years old. We are the only daycare in island, kids get to go to the beach every morning during summer! Apply now. We open 7:00am-5:30pm. Baby123 located near Sunabe sea walls, just go down to the ocean from Kadena Gate 1. Half day program also available, 9:00am2:00pm, 4days/week. We have Exercise Wednesday, Yoga Thursday, art, Japanese, counting numbers, math, alphabets, every morning. Please check out YouTube(Baby123island style daycare Okinawa), Facebook, okinawadaycare.jp. 098-926-0826
☆ Kiddie Castle☆ Bilingual We teach Japanese and Education English language. Learning We offer both American Activities and Japanese cultural activities in an enjoyable environment. And children can learn Japanese every day♪ We are a one big family. 【 Open】 Mon 【 Time】 7:00 A.M to through Fri 7:00 P.M 7:00 A.M 1:00 P.M Half day) 【 Age】 18 months to 6 years old For more details please call:098-936-4713 ～
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Although everything seems to be going smooth for you, there could be a minor headache ahead regarding your finances. Other than that, the next few days, and especially the weekend, is almost too harmonious to be true. All excitement seems to happen to your friends while you are left to watch the action almost entirely from outside. However, it turns out to be the best option to you.
Business
WallZack LLC. Seeking motivated Bilingual staff members. Currently we are looking for staff that are proficient at general computer skills, book-keeping, and accounting. Our company deals primarily in the IT field, however IT skills are not required. Please contact us at: corporate@wallzack.com, or contact me at:080-6482-5735 (Matt Walls) for inquiries.
Music
Electronic piano (88 keys) needs new home. Keys are sticky; needs power supply (missing original); may need TLC. Need to move things out of the house ASAP to make room for new 4K. Bill bronco_billy60@hotmail.com
Pisces are now concentrating on thinking deep. Philosophies and exotic places are foremost in their minds. But that makes it easy for them to have a conversation with anyone, and thus become the highlight of any party. Finding a new romance is no problem, and those in a steady relationship can see sparkles fly in the bedroom like never before. This is the best time of the year for them.
Furniture
Black marbled top circular cafe table with adjustable height. 2 chrome backed chair stools with wheels and adjustable height. Contact: jab.34@mac.com
Modern glass top computer desk with glass sliding keyboard tray. Housed in solid black metal frame. Contact: jab.34@mac.com
Lessons
LEARN REAL CONVERSATIONAL JAPANESE! Global Village Okinawa, located in the heart of Ginowan, has been offering private Japanese language classes and small group lessons for students of all levels. We offer a wide variety of comprehensive Japanese language courses taught by professionally licensed native speakers. Those looking to take the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) can benefit from our JLPT prep course. We offer flexible scheduling for those seeking private tutoring. Make a reservation for a free consultation and level check today! www.gvokinawa.com or 098-896-1577 Global Village
Help Wanted
女性営業スタッフ募集（パート） 外人向け 賃貸住宅を扱う不動産会社です。バイリン ガルの方、英語で接客や電話対応できる方 を 募 集 し て い ま す 。 10： 00 15： 00 土 ・ 日 ・ 祝 祭 日 休 み 週 4日 勤 務 特別手当あり、委細面談にて。 宮永 ハ ウ ジ ン グ 098-937-6767 又 は in fo@ miy ana gahous in g.com ～
新聞 配達 スタ ッフ 募集 ！毎 週木 曜日 のみ の午 前８ 〜９ 時ス ター トで ３〜 ４時 間ほ どの お仕 事で す。 開始 時刻 によ って は午 前中 で終 了も 可能 。自 家用 車持 ち込 み必 須、 学生 可、 ベー ス パ ス 保 持 者 尚 優 遇 。 日 給 ¥5 0 00 ガ ソ リ ン 代込 み。 応募 希望 者は 履歴 書を 郵送 もし くは メ ー ル で お 送 り く だ さ い 。 宛 先 は 9 0 1- 2 22 4 宜 野 湾 市 真 志 喜 2 - 6- 1 0 （ 株 ） 琉 球 P r es s E m a i l : i n f o@ j a p a n u p d at e . co m 0 9 8- 9 43 61 8 0 ま で 。 アメリカンスタイルのハンバーガーレスト ラ ン 50 's C af e で は キ ッ チ ン 兼 レ ジ の ア ル バイトスタッフを募集しています。 時給
￥７５０〜、勤務時間はシフト制で ① 10: 30〜 1 6:3 0 ② 16: 30〜 21 :3 0。 週 ４ 〜６ 日、土日祝日出勤可能な方（相談に応じま す ）。 ド ン ・ キ ホ ー テ う る ま 店 １ 階 5 0 ' s Ca fe 098- 973- 2080
CWTSatoTravel is seeking experienced International travel Counselor. Individual will be responsible for completing successful travel arrangements within CWT and client guidelines, meeting the standards of excellent customer service as well as the office operation. Sabre or other GDS experience required minimum of 2 years. Please send your resume to WAntonio@cwtsatotravel.com No phone inquiry accepted.
We are looking for teachers. Position can be from toddler through 6th grade teacher. Teaching experience is preferred. Basic workdays are Monday through Friday. We are located close to Foster. For more details, please call 098-935-4751. We are looking for a bilingual tax staff or/assistant. Must native level Japanese, writing and reading skills of English (above 700 of TOEIC Score) , work experience of accounting or tax filing and a qualification of at least bookkeeping 2nd grade. The work consists of Individual income tax reporting and tax orientation. Starting from a contractor or permanent staff. If interested in applying, please contact us at tax.recruit@jp.ey.com
A small English school in Urasoe is looking for English teachers. We emphasize emmersion environment and no Japanese language skill is required. Candidates must have a college degree and willing to study sentence grammar. For details, call 090 9786 8312.
We are looking for a bilingual graphic designer to join the staff of Japan Update. Must speak and write light Japanese, spoken and written English or Chinese and web design are a big plus. The work consists of designing print advertisements for Japan Update but also graphics design or translation work. Starting pay ¥800 per hour. 3 or 4 days per week fine. If interested in applying, please send your resume and samples of your graphic work by email to info@japanupdate.com
Japan Update Classifieds
Aug. 27, 2015 - Sep. 02, 2015
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Ginoza Garaman Hall presents Tokyo Jazz Circuit 2015
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into his guitar amplifier that allows him to blend his vocals with his guitar, in a similar way to George Benson. Rosenwinkel, who is known for his distinct style o sound and improvisation, has released several albums since his debut in 1995. Originally from Philadelphia, he currently lives in Berlin, Germany. Israeli trumpeter Avishai Cohen and his band Triveni will present their first performance on Okinawa in the second part of the Friday’s concert. Yoni Zelnick in bass and Kendrick Scott at drums will join Cohen, whose motto is “Music is not a product, it’s a process.” Cohen is called “ a musician with an individual sound and a quest spirit, and evercreative player and a composer who’s open to multiple strains of
jazz.” Jazz violinist Tobias Preisig with his quartet, who played to a great acclaim last October at a concert at the Garaman Hall in Ginoza, will be on stage Saturday, Sep. 5th, starting at 19:00. Tobias Preisig is a Swissborn violinist, who plays alternative and experimental improvised jazz. He has toured Switzerland, France, Austria, Germany, Japan, and China since 2009 with his quartet that in addition to himself includes pianist Stefan Aeby, bassist Andre Pusaz and drummer Michi Stulz. In the same Saturday concert with Preisig, cellist Asja Valcic and accordion player Klaus Paier Duo from Austria will show their passionate performance that delights the audience with a
fusion of various genres of music including jazz and tango. Tickets for each concert are ¥4,000 in advance, and ¥4,500 at door. Combined two-day tickets are ¥6,000 in advance and limited to 100 tickets, first come, first served. All seats are nonreserved. Children under six years of age are not permitted to the concert, and children of elementary school age and older must have a ticket. Advance tickets are avarable at e-plus: http://eplus.jp/sys/ T1U37P0429040350, Garaman Hall home page at http://garaman.jp/ or by phone at 098-9832613. Garaman Hall is located at 314-1, Ginoza, Ginoza Village, map is at https://goo.gl/qtcCoZ.
Violinist Tobias Preisig
Trumpeter Avishai Cohen
Duo Klaus Paier and Asja Valcic
Kurt Rosenwinkel is called the ‘Emperor’ of modern jazz guitar.
azz is hugely popular in Japan, and the biggest jazz festival in Japan is the Tokyo Jazz Festival that this year is scheduled for Sep. 4 through 6. The Tokyo event started in 2002, and over the years, the Tokyo Jazz Festival has spawned a circuit that offers performers participating in the big event to tour Japan in smaller venues either just before or after the Tokyo Festival. This year the Ginoza International Music Festival is
taking part as a member of the Tokyo Jazz Circuit 2015 with a concert featuring some of the world’s top jazz musicians at Garaman Hall in two concerts on Sep. 4 and 5. (Fri. & Sat.) Kurt Rosenwinkel called the ‘Emperor’ of modern jazz guitar, will bring his mastery for the first time to the audience on Okinawa. His solo performance will take place on Friday, Sep. 4th, starting 19:30. Rosenwinkel’s trademark is his use of a lapel microphone fed
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Aug. 27, 2015 - Sep. 02, 2015
Japan Update Classifieds
TAJ brings authentic Indian curry to Uruma area
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of free parking just in front of the restaurant. Upreti prides himself especially for TAJ’s lunch menu that is very reasonable priced even though the portions are very generous. “I hope our old customers from the Tengan area, and new customers who have not had a chance to visit us in our other locations come to enjoy our genuine Indian curry at our new branch!” Upreti says. The restaurant serves lunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. There are three set-menus to choose from for lunch, priced ¥800 for a basic lunch set that consists of a curry of choice, nan, salad and a soft drink; ¥900-lunch has one piece of chicken tikka added, and ¥1,100 version includes a piece
each of both tandoori chicken and chicken tikka. Soft drink refills are ¥200, and the children’s lunch costs ¥600. TAJ Uruma is a good-size restaurant. It’s about the same size, or perhaps even a bit larger, as their Chatan branch, and it can accommodate parties up to 30 people. Like the other TAJ branches, TAJ Uruma can work out a specific menu for parties to accommodate the organizer’s budget. Take out orders are also accepted. TAJ Okinawa Uruma branch is open from 10:00 – Last order 22:00, English menu available, payment in yen or dollar and major credit cards accepted. For reservations and inquiries call 098-923-4148. TAJ Uruma is located at https://goo.gl/maps/F8mgS
A ¥1,100 lunch offers plenty to eat even for a really hungry person.
well-known curry restaurant on Okinawa, TAJ, has opened yet another branch, this time at Tengan, Uruma City, near Camp Courtney. TAJ prides itself for its authentic India curries where an entirely Indian staff cooks all its delicious and healthy meals. The new branch opened in the middle of July. Sagar Upreti, the manager of the new
branch, says, “I'm very happy that we now have a restaurant in the Uruma area, as we have had many customers who live Uruma area, but could not come as often as they wanted to get our genuine Indian curry because of the distance to our branches in Chatan and Yomitan. Now we are close and it’s easy for them to visit our new branch.” TAJ Uruma is located about one block south of Camp Courtney and there is plenty
Three supermarkets in Okinawa worth visiting
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San-A (= three A’s) stores are easy to recognize for their bright yellow and red signs. By David Higgins
n Okinawa there are three top-notch supermarkets that you should definitely check out and shop at while you are here. Although each one is slightly different from the other, they all have one important factor in common, which is that they are all owned and franchised solely by Okinawan companies. This means that by shopping at these supermarkets, you are supporting local businesses, the local economy and locally grown and manufactured products. My all time favorite supermarket is called San-A. It’s logo is distinctive in that it is made of three letter 'A’s. It is by far the best supermarket on the island. Consistent replication of a quality experience can be pretty much guaranteed in each San-A store. Of the three top supermarkets, San A does have the highest prices on general products but, oddly enough, it has the lowest prices in the liquor department. A highlight in selection and taste
can be found in their sashimi section but you will pay a premium dollar for the higher quality. One of the weak points of this supermarket is in their produce area where it is usually over priced and has a limited selection of items that are locally sourced. If you can organize your shopping so that your produce is purchased at local farms while all other essentials are purchased at SanA's, you may be adding a few years onto your life with the addition of the fresh local produce. My next choice for top supermarket is called Kanehide. It falls somewhere in the middle in terms of quality. San-A definitely beats out all other supermarket chains in terms of consistency, including Kanehide. The produce and sashimi selection also falls short when compared to that found at San-A. This used to be my everyday supermarket before the new San-A was built in my neighborhood. Now, sometimes when I am at a good friend’s house and we visit his neighborhood Kanehide, I do feel
TAJ Okinawa’s newest curry restaurant in Uruma City has plenty of parking.
a pang of nostalgia for the place. The bento lunch boxes at Kanehide are their biggest win and definitely the best out of all three supermarkets, even San-A. There is a wider variety of options and they all are absolutely delicious. The third supermarket is called Union. It is the most traditionally 'Okinawan' of all three chains. This supermarket can often be a hit or miss. Depending on the shop, it may be the most extravagant, organized, stadiumlike supermarket or at a shop in another neighborhood, it may be the smallest, cramped and cluttered, narrow-aisled mini-supermarket. It is not easy to pinpoint exactly what is most endearing about this supermarket but the produce is usually reasonably priced. In terms of product, there is no one item that they carry that stands out as extraordinary by any means. I must say that the best part of Union supermarkets is their butcher shop area. If you are a carnivore and love to eat pork, then this is the place to go for your choice of prime cuts. As you approach the butchers' area, the pungent smell of bleach cleanses your senses and eases you into the butchery proper where you will bear witness to an open display of segmented and chopped up portions of pig carcass. This arrangement is often displayed in a barrel and without a cover. Although I find comfort in choosing my meat swaddled in saran wrap under strong fluorescent lighting, there is an element of respect to be bestowed upon such a display as one can find at the Union butcher shop area. It is a solemn reminder of the way meat had been traditionally displayed for sale when our world was a much simpler place and there was less concern about food poisoning from e-coli bacteria or salmonella. What is consumed and ingested by my body is very important to me as it is essential that it is safe and healthy. This is one of the reasons why my choice
The restaurant has plenty of space and can cater to parties of up to 30 people.
of supermarkets becomes a pivotal part of my own daily quality of life. The journey through the supermarkets here can be intimidating so it is my hope that these reviews will also help you with your own navigation through the numerous choices, while encouraging you to make quality, healthy and when possible, local choices when considering where you purchase your food and daily
life products. Compare and share my top three choices with your friends and family to see where they sit on their own personal lists. You will most likely find that there will be some disagreement with my choices, which could make for some feisty debate, better product choices, money saving changes and healthier lifestyles in the end for all.
Kanehide stores have green trimming.
Union stores are the third Okinawan owned supermarket chain.
Japan Update Classifieds
Aug. 27, 2015 - Sep. 02, 2015
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International party invites foreigners Cooking with Nao By Naoko Ogura-Gayler to share friendships without politics Nasu no ohitashi connect individuals and
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Dancing is communication at the International Party.
ne day, Hideaki Gushiken, better known as “Hide,” the host of the "International Party" series to be held for the 6th time on Aug. 29th, was working at a bar, and was shocked to hear that so many Americans thought they would never have the chance to hang out with the people of Okinawa. He knew that the reason for this state of affairs was because of the impact the Japanese media has had towards foreigners in Okinawa. This is precisely why he decided to start the international party series. According to Gushiken,
there is no reason to criticize individual active duty members who have nothing to do with setting political agendas and policies, and he hopes to create an atmosphere where everyone can enjoy irrespective of nationality, and share an understanding of each other as a "person". A local English School NaNa, owned by Lina Nakama, will co-host this time the sixth installment of the International Party, and will entertain our friends through music, dance, food, art, free stage performances. The party features a newly designed "matching board," which helps the participants to
match their needs and wants. Organizers of the party believe that through this International Party series, which will also be held on Sep. 27 and Oct. 18, everyone can share happiness and peace and radiate it to the society. The party takes place on Saturday (8/29) from 1800-2100 at Koza Central at Chuo 1-7-8, Okinawa City (https://goo.gl/ T1Oua5). The entry is ¥1,000 that includes all-youcan-eat tacos, Okinawa soba, and soft drinks. Alcohol at the party is strictly prohibited. Participants are invited to bring food and drinks to share, but NO alcohol, and their own instruments to play. For more information, contact kokusaiparty84 @gmail.com or phone at 090-6858-9896 (Lina).
- Steamed eggplant with broth
As eggplants are in season right now, I cook a lot of eggplant dishes. This is the dish I like to cook when I have really fresh eggplants (choose short and shiny ones when you shop). This is a very simple recipe but you need fresh vegetables for this type of dish. You can use local vegetables, such as loofah (yes, we eat this in Okinawa) and papaya too. The broth in the picture is bonito based. What you need to look for in a local supermarket to buy this is (dashitsuyu). This particular one you can use as is, but some dashitsuyu needs to be diluted with water. だ
Ingredients Directions
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• 5 eggplants • Scallions and bonito flakes for garnish • ½ cup dashi broth (bonito or kelp, both OK)
1. Peel off the skin of the eggplants and cut them lengthwise and then into halves. 2. Soak the eggplants in water for 5 minutes. 3. Steam-cook the eggplants until they’re cooked. 4. Place the steamed eggplants in a dish and pour in the broth. 5. Garnish with bonito fish flakes and scallions.
Coming up! Introducing Okinawa Cooking 4-week course ¥18,000 Tuesday group starts September 1st and Saturday group is from September 5th. Learn how to cook Okinawan dishes from basic. Fun and very informative cooking class.
Participants can showcase their creativity.
Website: okinawa-cooking.com Facebook: facebook.com/cooking.school.with.nao Tel: 098-955-5311 Address: 862-1 Namihira, Yomitan village, Okinawa 904-0322 Closed on Sundays.
Aug.27, 2015 ~ Sep. 06, 2015 Kindergarten~Elementary school sudents ¥550/30 min; ¥1,000/60 min.
Kokusai Street Yatai Mura
• Aug 21 = Sep 8 Egg Dish Fair
Hapinaha
• Aug 30, Hapinaha Ennichi Show a receipt of a purchase of over ¥500, and play a free game of Wanage, Yo-yo-Sukui or Fusenwari
Hiyamikachi Machigwa-kan
Hiyamikachi Haunted House is open through the end of the month. Admission to the attraction is free.
Hiyamikachi Machigwa-kan (hall) is a pubic event space located on the 2nd floor of a building within Makishi Kousetsuichiba Iryoubu, better known as Heiwa Dori Mall, off Kokusai Street in central Naha. All classes and shows are free of charge. • Aug. 1~31 Hiyamikachi Haunted House, admission free
• Aug 29, 14:00 & 16:00 Green Note Coaster
@OTS Lounge (Matsuo, Kokusai Street)
• Aug 30, 15:00 Ryukyu History • Sep 6, 15:00 Karate Experience • Utuimuchi programs, open every Sunday from 3~3:40 p.m., are free to join. Bukubuku Tea Ceremony experience takes place every Sunday from 13:00~16:00. The participation charge is ¥300 per person (children under 12 with accompanying adult are free)
Okinawa Prefectural Museum
• Until Sep. 6 Mammal Exhibition Open 9:00~18:00, closed on Mondays. Tickets ¥1,200, high school and junior high students ¥600, elementary school students ¥400
San-A Naha Main Place, 2F Open Mall Terrace Utuimuchi Uchina Program
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