Virtual Okinawa Blog

I was born in Okinawa in 1979 and wondered if someone could direct me on where to find a picture of the hospital. I have very few pictures of Okinawa and would love to actually see the building where I was born. Thanks a bunch!

Arrived on the island at the age of 15. Quickly became immersed in the night life with the locals and other americans at the skating rink just south of Makiminato Service Area. That time was very special in that I met a very sweet girl named Chieko who was at the time a student of english at Okinawa Christian School. I was smitten with her friend Kyomi and dated her for a couple of years. Chieko and I were very good friends the entire time I spent in Japan.

The wonders of the Island are many and I think I found most of them. There is no concept of drinking age, If you can walk … A bunch of kids figure these things out very fast, and drink we did! Beyond that, we also found Okuma and the mountain waterfall nearby. Nago, Motobu, Ie shima, Sunrises on the east side sunsets on the west side, the turtle back graves, Mabuni (Suicide Cliff), Naha, Kokusai Street, Yomitan, Moon Beach (whenever we skipped school we ended up at moon beach), Shi-shi (the entry guard dogs), Shuri (absolutely beautiful).

The sights, sounds, as well as the people were nice beyond description. The local folks were warm and friendly and invited us to parties and special celebrations in the neighborhood. I did so many things and have so many good memories that they are difficult to recall in detail. I learned the Japanese language while there and was able to converse in japanese and picked up some of the okinawan language as well. We hung out with several of the rock bands that played the clubs on BC Street and played in bands ourselves and toward the end of my time on the island was really living the rock and roll lifestyle to the point that a lot of memories are murky.

99% of my memories of Okinawa are good. Now, for the one and only regret. Chieko and I were very very good friends.. Oh, how I wish that had never changed. There is rarely a day that goes by that I don’t think of her. We spent a lot of time together the first two years that I was there, sightseeing shopping, skating, clubbing, and all sorts of just hanging out. Then her friend and I broke up, our friendship carried on. We didn’t spend as much time together as before, but we still met from time to time and hung out. Chieko moved to Tokyo with her sister and worked for Mr. Udo, the famous concert promoter. The summer after I graduated from high school she called and invited me to visit, which I did. I saw Ozzy Osbourne 3rd row center at Nakano Sun Plaza Hall for his Speak of the Devil tour that week. We went to Shinjuku, Ginza, Harajuku, and had a wonderful time just hanging out. I went back home. We conversed from time to time over the next year and a half, then she moved back. When she moved back I had really changed. I was living in a constant cloud from all of the drinking and partying and, yes the harder stuff.

I was, at this time, in no condition to fall in love nor to really care. I was 21 years old and having what I thought was the time of my life.

Hello, in summer I m going to Okinawa in Naha to see my fiance and by occasion i would like to find some small job. I m french. My japanese language is basic.

 Is it possible if I have a tourist visa? And where can I try to find some information about job there? Help me please. Thanks

It was early morning when I first arrived in Okinawa.  I was eighteen years old and on my first tour in the Far East (February 1959).  I was aboard a Navy Transport ship that off loaded hundreds of Marines for duty with the 3rd Marine Divison.  I can remember standing at the rail of the ship while it docked in Naha.  It was a real thrill to be in a far away exotic land that looked and smelled like nothing I had ever experienced before.

We off loaded and were assigned to waiting trucks to be transported to the various Marine camps throughout Okinawa.  I learned that I was going to Headquarters Battalion located at Camp Courtney.  The ride from Naha up to Camp Courtney was simply amazing.  The landscape, the people, the villages - all so new and different. 

I learned to like:  Omi Rice; Ashai Beer; taking long runs from Courtney down pass the deep water pier up and around to pass by Camp McTureous, into Agena and then up the long fairly steep road back to Camp Courtney; taking “skosh” cab rides to Kadena and Fort Buckner (PX and Theater); drinking a beer or two at the e-club overlooking Chimawan Bay (Spelling is Questionable); watching the honor guard platoon parade each morning on the Division HQ parade ground; weekend liberty runs to Ishigawa Beach for beach parties and sun bathing; these are among so many great memories of my first tour. 

When I was ready to rotate back to the U.S. I was selected to be a courier so I got to fly back on a MAC flight via Tachikawa Japan and Pearl Harbor into Travis AFB in California.  This is really heady stuff for a teenager that had never been out of California.