Today, March 8, 2016, Anonymous posted a comment asking: “How do I get tickets for the event if I don’t book through a travel agency?”

Click here for the latest information re this question.

I’m planning to attend, but I’m not 100% sure I’ll be able to. I’ve never been to one. In fact, I’ve never been to Okinawa. I’ve explored available tour costs and compared them to the best prices I could find on my own on the web, and I learned that I could do the Taikai for about a third of quoted prices. This was a couple months ago, so the prices might’ve gone up.

Anyway, the downside of traveling independently is having to forego the tours and English-speaking guides — as well as having to make all the arrangements without the help of seasoned tour operators. Still, if I do go, I’ll more than likely do it independently.

Perhaps the biggest question mark is getting tickets to the official Taikai events — the question that Anonymous is asking. It seems as though tour operators have an inside track on getting those tickets. At least, this is the impression I believe most people have.

But is it true? Do we have to sign on with an escorted tour group to get tickets? Or can we get them on our own, preferably online?

I guess we could ask those who attended past Taikais. Were they able to purchase tickets upon arrival in Okinawa by going to ticket offices or branches? Or did they see others buying tickets? Could we walk up to the ticket window at the gate to purchase them on the day of the event? Or were they sold out?

Hopefully someone with reliable information will enlighten those of us who plan to attend independently. Will we be able to purchase tickets on our own? How?