Okinawa 情報局

[MISC] [CULTURE] [RECREATION] [SHOPPING] [DINING]
(originally posted 10 August 2005; refiling to be indexed by search engine)

Format guidance (contributors please read) - UPDATED!

[MISC]
(originally posted 29 July 2005; refiling to be indexed by search engine)

Contributors, please add one or more of the following keywords in [square brackets], UPPERCASE, tiny font, boldface, and text color #ff9900 (that's third row, third column from the top-left if you're using the color palette) copy and paste one or more of the following HTML code snippets to the first line of your post (switch to Edit HTML mode to do this) in order to facilitate searching (once Google indexes this blog, that is). Thanks! If you have trouble getting it just right, don't worry, I can help tidy up the formatting of your post after you've published it.

UPDATE: Forget everything above. I finally decided to just set up a post template that's prepopulated with all topic tags. Move them around to indicate order of relevance. Delete the ones you don't need. It's that simple! :)

In case you delete any of the tags by mistake, you can then copy and paste the following code snippets back into your post.

UPDATE (3 November 2005): None of the code below works at this point. Just use the template. :)

Cooking (recipes, tips)

<a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=%5BCOOKING%5D&ie=UTF-8&sitesearch=ryukyu411.blogspot.com"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff9900;"><strong>[COOKING]</strong></span></a>

Culture (language, music, handicraft, festivals)

<a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=%5BCULTURE%5D&ie=UTF-8&sitesearch=ryukyu411.blogspot.com"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff9900;"><strong>[CULTURE]</strong></span></a>

Dining (restaurants, izakayas)

<a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=%5BDINING%5D&ie=UTF-8&sitesearch=ryukyu411.blogspot.com"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff9900;"><strong>[DINING]</strong></span></a>

Health (fitness, repetitive stress injury)

<a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=%5BHEALTH%5D&ie=UTF-8&sitesearch=ryukyu411.blogspot.com"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff9900;"><strong>[HEALTH]</strong></span></a>

Misc (anything)

<a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=%5BMISC%5D&ie=UTF-8&sitesearch=ryukyu411.blogspot.com"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff9900;"><strong>[MISC]</strong></span></a>

Recreation (books, gardening, hiking, water sports, hobbies, movies, travel)

<a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=%5BRECREATION%5D&ie=UTF-8&sitesearch=ryukyu411.blogspot.com"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff9900;"><strong>[RECREATION]</strong></span></a>

Shopping (100 yen shops, fashion, gadgets, groceries, omiyage)

<a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=%5BSHOPPING%5D&ie=UTF-8&sitesearch=ryukyu411.blogspot.com"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#ff9900;"><strong>[SHOPPING]</strong></span></a>

Okinawa Yellow Pages

[MISC] [CULTURE] [RECREATION]
(originally posted 11 August 2005; refiling to be indexed by search engine)

Ryukyu 411

[MISC]
(originally posted 29 July 2005; refiling to be indexed by search engine)

For those who are not familiar with US N11 telephone codes, 411 is the number for local directory service. It has also become a slang term meaning "information."

Dining, leisure, omiyage, and culture are just a few areas of interest that will be covered here.

Topic Tag Search Operational

[MISC]
After rewriting the post template and updating each and every post with new HTML codes, topic tag search is finally working. There is also a new navigation bar below the title words "Ryukyu 411." There are still six blog entries from August and July that have not been indexed by Google -- after all, the blog search software is still under beta testing -- but I'll find a way to get those indexed as well, perhaps by reposting them with a more recent date stamp.

琉球三国志 -- complete videos!

[CULTURE]

Some of you might remember this Ryukyuan musical extravaganza from last year and the year before that. Well, they're not planning on it this year. So if you want to see Ryukyu Sangokusi -- The Song, The Dance, The "Pray" of Ryukyu -- you gotta go to this website and watch the streaming videos. Rather well done, surprisingly. T and I were actually looking to buy a DVD of the entire show, but we couldn't find it, so this is the next best thing. Tons of other interesting stuff at this website. Go rook.

Celebration in Kadena 30 Sep to 2 Oct

[RECREATION]

Kadena will be celebrating the 400th anniversary of introduction of sweet potatoes to the island. You probably would have noticed the big banner in front of Lawson at Navel Kadena. Looks like there will be plenty of BBQ sweet potatoes to feast on, plus a fireworks display on Sunday. Check out the organizer's website for the program schedule. If you miss this one, you probably have to wait another 50 years for another grand celebration of this scale. I should have known earlier.

Jap Food - Hanamaru Udon

[DINING]

Tired of Okinawa soba? How about some udon instead? Try Hanamaru Udon chain which runs 2 outlets in Okinawa: one along Naha Kokusai Dori and the other inside food court of Jusco Haebaru (南風原).

Tasty rating: 3/5

Btw, if you are a die-hard fan of Okinawa soba, Jusco Haebaru offers you a chance to turn back the clock to the Showa period and enjoy a bowl of soba in an interesting "old street" which features several soba shops and shokudous including the famous 我部祖河そば.

Okinawa Donuts 冲绳开口笑

[DINING] [MISC]

Known as サーターアンダーギー in Okinawa, they come in many different flavors. Not-to-be-missed spots selling these local snacks:

Where: 許田道の駅 in Nago along Route 58
Recommended: sesame, brown sugar, and beniimo versions
Cost: 80 yen
Comments: Most expensive among my favorites, but everything is freshly made on the spot!

Where: かぼ天の店なかそね, located in Hamby Town, opposite an open-air ramen stall 长老拉面and beside a yellow building (see photo of shop front)
Recommended: only pumpkin version available
Cost: 75 yen
Comments: The best pumpkin flavored I have tried!

Where: Kanehide Navel Kadena store
Recommended: only original version available
Cost: 50 yen
Comments: The cheapest and largest donuts you can find! Obasans buy them in bagfuls of over ten pieces. Note that the store does not offer this "店内自慢" item everyday and you really have to count on your luck to get a taste of it!

Where: なみ食　along Route 6 in Yomitan near Okinawa Bank and opposite to Hokka Hokka Tei
Recommended: only beniimo version available
Comments: Benice brought these "purple devils" to an office party recently. A good and cheaper alternative to the Kyoda version if you think the long drive up to Nago is considered non-economical and time consuming.

Where: Cafe Kurukuma in Chinen
Recommended: various versions including pumpkin, ginger (yes!), goya (yes!), and others.
Cost: a pack of six for about 350 yen
Comments: They don't come cheap considering they are the smallest in size (almost half that of the Kanehide version), but they are certainly good omiyage options and the ginger version is unique.

Tasty rating: 5/5

If anyone knows of other good places offering these snacks, please let me know!

Typhoon supply wishlist

[MISC] [RECREATION] [SHOPPING]


Here in the Ryukyu Islands, typhoons and earthquakes are regular occurrences. As I write, Super Typhoon Nabi is whirling past, hitting the eastern and northern islands hard but sparing Okinawa-proper. We were prepared for the worst and stocked up with supplies of all kinds, but nothing beats having these amphibious vehicles around for our peace of mind should disaster strike (island hopping, anyone?):

• Platypus utility 4x4, made in Australia, US$40,000.
• Rodedawg diesel SUV with PLA seal of approval, made in China, under US$50,000.
• Hydra Spyder 500HP sports jet, made in USA, over US$155,000.
• Aquada sports hydrofoil, made in UK, US$275,000.
• Terra Wind motor coach with luxurious living room and bedroom, made in USA, over US$850,000.

Dunno about you, but I think I would prefer utility over an arm and a leg:

Near-Death At Maeda Point

[RECREATION]
Well, all right, maybe we weren't that close to death :P but we did feel rather intense currents trying to pull us out to sea at the same time that rough waters tried to throw us against the sharp coral cliff. Our exhausting thirty-minute struggle against nature seemed to last forever. Some experienced-looking divers got out of the water after us, waving back newcomers and warning them it was too dangerous to proceed.

Don't let what I said scare you, though. Maeda Misaki (真栄田岬) is, from what we were told, normally quite calm, and it is a very popular spot for snorkeling and scuba diving. Also right around the corner is Maeda Flats with its nice sandy beach. To get there, take Highway 6 toward Cape Zampa until you see signs for Maeda Point. Just follow the signs. Park in the parking lot. Try not to use the shower and bathroom facilities there -- kind of dirty. Walk down rock-hewn stairs or climb down the middle of the coral horseshoe cliffs to enter the water. Corals can cut, and sea urchins sting, so be careful!

The first picture is how Maeda Point normally looks like, contrasted with how it actually felt like when we were there:



(first photo by Stephen Heintz; second photo by "C" Hagland)