Dear Okinawa.com
My name is Akihiro Inafuku.I’m okinawan.
so Now I send e-mail to you for teach "Urasoe weastern beach".
This place is paradice whatever this is in city.
beautiful nature,seaside. you can’t think this place is in city.
but Urasoe citizen don’t know about this place.
and Urasoe city try to destroy this beautiful seaside for road and earn.

If you have intaresting to this beachside.please visit seaside.

By tha why I update it to youtube.
If you need information please watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRSuITUPwng

Thank you.
———
editor’s note: Much of the natural seaside of Okinawa has been "developed" by construction companies that have erected concrete seawalls everywhere. This beach is still in a somewhat natural state because of its proximity to Camp Kinser

from Tom Corrao:
Hello Friends,
As Goodwill Ambassador to the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai I have taken on the role of spreading the word about our web site and YouTube video site. I just wanted to let you know that new videos have been added to the you tube sight of the Chicago Okinawa Kenjinkai.
Continue reading →

“Himeyuri” in Portland
(Outline)

1) About documentary film “HIMEYURI”
Excerpts from the official website of documentary film “Himeyuri” http://www.himeyuri.info/himeyuri_english_top.html
This film documents the testimony of a group of World War II survivors, young women later known as the ‘Himeyuri Students’. They speak of their harrowing experiences and their friends who committed suicide in the Battle of Okinawa.

Remote islands at Japan’s southernmost extreme, Okinawa was the battleground in fighting between U.S. and Japanese forces during the last months of World War II. More than 120,000 Okinawans lost their lives in these battles, many of the Himeyuri Students among them.
222 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 were mobilized to the front to act as nursing aides, without any prior training. The hospital where they worked, situated on a battlefield with shells flying overhead, had no Red Cross flag for protection.
In the end, surrounded by U.S. forces, the students were dismissed by the Japanese military. Many of these students were killed in the war, not only in battle but also by their own hand, refusing to be taken prisoner. In total, 123 girls lost their lives.
Continue reading →

A friend sent this along:
You may be interested to know that there is a "Critical Mass" bicycle ride here in Okinawa on Saturday 26th April at 5.00pm. It starts from the open area outside Naha Main Place in Shinto Shin….Just up from "Starbucks" under the giant TV screen. All are welcome, the more the merrier. Not an agressive demonstration, just a gentle ride to highlight the joys of cycling and to respectfully ask other road users to share the road with us safely. The focus is on friendship and safety.
The Critical Mass URL is : www.critical-mass.info/ and the email address for info about the ride in Okinawa is : criticalmass at y7mail.com

Earl B. submitted some photos from his stay on the island in 1968. They are available for viewing in the Okinawa.com photo gallery

From Redding.com
"Eighty-five-year-old Robert Rock recently donated more than 200 photographs documenting pre- and post-invasion Okinawa to a nonprofit historical research society there. He’s returning in May as an all-expense-paid honored guest."
Heres the link:
http://redding.com/news/2008/feb/08/vet-to-return-to-okinawa/
Unfortunately the photos don’t seem to be online.

The New York Times has an article about the Iriomote wild cat written by Norimitsu Onishi.

"The Iriomote wildcat is said to have roamed this small, subtropical island in the East China Sea for 200,000 years, but proved so elusive that it was not discovered until 1967. To this day, many islanders have never seen the wildcat, and some even stubbornly deny its existence."

The LA Times has a story about Jon Shirota and his new play "Voices From Okinawa" written by Dinah Eng.

"Throughout his life, author and playwright Jon Shirota has been exploring the meaning of identity. The 80-year-old’s newest work examines the relationship between U.S. and Okinawan culture in a present-day setting that evokes several parallels with the current war in Iraq.

"Voices From Okinawa" tells the story of Kama, an American of one-quarter Okinawan descent who receives his own cultural education as he teaches English to local Okinawans struggling with their relationship to American military GIs. The dramedy has its world premiere Feb. 13 at East West Players."

Nature On Display. Photos taken by Jay Nielsen with a different look and feel than those usually seen of Okinawa. These images are not so much about culture as they are about nature. The images also have a different mood than the typical tropical beach images that you see frequently. Jay’s favorite area to photograph is Cape Zanpa so you will see several images of the lighthouse showing many of the different moods that the weather and lighting can provide there. Jay is a nature photographer who sells fine art nature prints through his website www.natureondisplay.com.
You can see examples of Jay Nielsen’s work in the Okinawa.com Media Gallery.

Okinawa.com: Can you tell us what a yuta in Okinawa is?

Tuthill: Yes a yuta is a fortuneteller, who is part of the religious structure in Okinawa. A yuta is sort of a psychic psychologist who serves as a spiritual guide to many people in Okinawa.

Okinawa.com: How did you learn about the yuta?

Continue reading →