Virtual Okinawa is back!!
by adminHello to all you “Okinawans” both old and new. As you know the site has been down for a while; a short time ago we were given the chance to buy the site so we took a look at what we could find out about Okinawa apart from the fact that there was an American base there. I should explain that ‘we’ is Andy and Rob, I’m Rob and Andy is the clever one, you’ll here more of us later!
I’ve always had a love of the Orient and its people and have wanted for a long time to visit Japan, a short study via the internet convinced me that this was my sort of place. A good climate, proximity to the sea and fabulous beaches plus traditions going back centuries with influences from many different countries a fabulous sounding mix.
I’ve read a few stories from other sites of American servicemen who couldn’t wait to finish their tour of duty and get back home yet there are others who have revelled in the new experience and have been sad when it’s come time for them to leave.
I shall be coming out to visit next year to experience the place for myself and to do some virtual tour photography but in the meantime I would love to hear of the life on Okinawa, both in the present and in past times. Please remember that what soon becomes a way of life and the ‘norm’ to anyone living on Okinawa is often fascinating and interesting to strangers. We would love to hear tales and see photographs of all aspects of Okinawa life, I can’t offer payment but I can certainly promise an invitation to join me for a few beers when I finally visit you.
We want you to feel that you’re part of this site, your contributions will be there for all to see for years to come, by starting your own blog on VirtualOkinawa.com you’ll become part of the site and will influence the way the site develops from here on in. Please don’t feel that you have to conform to any norms (apart from decency and respect for others) as we want a variety of opinions and experiences on all manner of topics and facets of life on Okinawa.
August 14th, 2006 at 9:52 am
Are you the same people who ran the old site? If not do you know why it became defunct? It is great you brought it back whoever you are! Okinawa is a magical place yes you should visit.
August 14th, 2006 at 6:34 pm
Hi JohnS,
I’m so pleased to hear from someone who knew the site before. No, we’re not the same people but we’re very quickly getting drawn in to the magic of the orient and this wonderful sounding spot. I’m certainly going to visit next year and am looking forward to all the advice I’m hoping to get from those that live or have lived on Okinawa.
August 15th, 2006 at 10:43 am
Naha is exciting but a horrible traffic nightmare, the north of the island is much more peaceful. Also there are many other islands in the archipelago, and without the influence of the U.S. bases, it would take years to explore them all, I wish I could go with you!
August 25th, 2006 at 9:20 am
We are soon to be stationed in Okiawa. We are very excited about the adventure that awaits us! I have 1 question, however. Do my children and I, in additon to our no fee passport, need a tourist passport as well if we wish to explore the neighboring countries or will the no fee passport be sufficient? Thank you!
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:43 am
Talk about a small world…… I had an e-mail from a gentleman asking us to put some of the old content of the site back up. It’s for the clean beach project and we were very happy to oblige. We put the content back and added a blog section so that they can let everyone know what they’re doing and the results etc. I wrote to the man Edo Heinrich-Sanchez, telling him the pages were back on etc. using my main e-mail address which has my signature, company and Tel No. This happens to be in Tenerife, a small Spanish Island in the Atlantic Ocean, part of the Canary Islands. I received a very quick reply from Edo stating that he originates from Tenerife! Incredible that two small Islands should have such a connection.
October 3rd, 2006 at 6:40 am
Talking about this connection between the two small islands, I found an article in a local paper in Tenerife about a beach clean here:
CLEANING UP IN EL PUERTITO
Adeje councillor for the Environment Jesus Alvarez Marichal has announced that the clean up operation of the sea bed in El Puertito de Adeje was a great success.
The volunteers who cooperated in the operation collected a tonne less of rubbish than last year which Marichal interpreted as a sign of the increase in awareness of the local population. Free Shark España, The Ocean Dream Factory, Live Arico, Project Aware, Padi, Vai Moana and the town hall of Adeje cooperated in the operation which formed part of the “Adeje vive Adeje convive” project to encourage cooperation and tolerance between the residents of the borough.
Five volunteers cleaned up the sand on the beach while thirty two divers took care of the depths.
After cleaning up the sea bed three Tortugas caretta caretta otherwise known as the tortuga boba, which had been being treated in the Tahonilla Wildlife Rescue Centre in La Laguna , were set free off the coast of El Puertito.
October 3rd, 2006 at 9:42 am
My wife and I will be in Okinawa from November 3-28, 2006.
Does anyone know of any inexpensive lodging in Okinawa. We would like to rent a place for the duration of our visit. The internet hasn’t been much help.
Does anyone know anything about this place? http://www.city.okinawa.okinawa.jp/site/view/contview.jsp?cateid=131&id=2214&page=4
Robert McLain
October 10th, 2006 at 2:34 pm
I was the original creator of the site. Nice work on bringing it back! Would be nice to know what happened.
July 28th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Andy And Rob, you have your work cut out for yourselves, but I would remind you that we are guests of the Ryukyuan people and they can boast their customs and culture are the greatest in all this world. I love every one of them and I would like to put my arms around the whole populace of these beautiful green islands.
I have very little use for the Self Defense Forces that are rapidly being morphed into what will once again be the Imperial Japanese Military. The Japnese people have had 62 plus years of Peaceful existence, but it appears the PM wants to change the Peace Constitution.(Do away with Article 9.)
July 29th, 2007 at 1:46 am
Allow me to correct mistakes that occured over the past 62 plus years
First, We win WWII and the Japanese sgned the INCONDITIONAL Potsdam Surrender Papers. The Potsdam Papers separated Yhr Ryukyu Islands from Japan as per the Cairo Accprds of 1943 and FDR brought this about before he died.
The Ryukyuan people were once more in charge of their islands, but the Japanese were hot to steal it back and should you wonder at this, I suggest you put ther name Takichi Nishiyama into Goggle and read how this man “spilled the beans” on just how Japan was going to take back the Ryukyu Islands in spite of the fact that the Surrender Papers were labeled as “UNCONDITIONAL, yet JAPAN phoneyrd up a reversion and bought the Ryukyu Islands back
ALL THIS IS VERY UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
Lately the Japanese remover 8000 Marines from Okinawa and replaced them with a like amount of Self Defense Forces and they now share the Command with the Americans on Kadena Air Base and they are now the 2nd largest military in Asia with the best of our Military equipment/ and candidly I do not trust the Japanese today anymore than I did 62 plus years ago
Today Hong Kong, Taiwan and even Okinawa are speaking of Independence and I hope it comes to pass, but I would also like to see our military return to the States from all over the world.
October 27th, 2007 at 11:13 am
I just read my blog from July 2007 and I was ashamed that I wrote a letter with so many mistakes in the spelling - it changes the whole tenor of the letter. Seems I had trouble with the word “the” and I see what my problems is - (T is too close to Y.)
I am a wanna-be Okinawan whois married to a lovely Ryukyuan lady and I have worked for the Ryukyu Islands for the past 62 years.
I made some rambling remarks about the Cairo ccords and how the Islands were taken from the Japanese and how they managed to “steal” it back, but I would like to be a little more lucid reference
Independence for the Ryukyu Islands. Click on the below story;
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/nn20071008a2.html
I can be contacted at mwsteele@neteze.com