Author Archives: loochoo77

From Southern Exposure: Modern Japanese Literature from Okinawa, edited by Michael Molasky and Steve Rabson, translated by Davinder Bhowmik, University of Hawaii Press, 2000. Source: books.google.com

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Okinawan Festival in Honolulu will once again be held virtually. Here’s a quick glimpse of the Hawaii United Okinawa Association’s (HUOA) two-day schedule of events. For more information, go to www.OkinawanFestival.com. Day 1, Saturday, Sep. … Continue reading →

Watch these events live:  On the okinawanfestival.com homepage from 2:00 pm Sunday! Hosted on Zoom. Streaming Live on HUOA’s YouTube Page Streaming Live on HUOA’s Facebook Page 2:00 pm (Hawaii Time)  Welcome / Opening Statements  Greetings from Special Guests  Performance: … Continue reading →

Watch these events live:  On the okinawanfestival.com homepage from 2:00 pm Saturday! Hosted on Zoom. Streaming Live on HUOA’s YouTube Page Streaming Live on HUOA’s Facebook Page 2:00 pm (Hawaii Time​) Welcome / Opening Statements  Greetings from Special Guests  Tingsagu … Continue reading →

FRIDAY, Sep 4, 5:00 – 7:00 pm (Hawaii Time) Webinar: 120th Anniversary of Okinawan Immigration Streamed live from http://www.okinawanfestival.com.

This video is from the webinar, “Shaping Okinawan Identity and Community in Hawaiʻi During World War II,” held on 18 May 2020 from 5:30-6:30 PM (HST). The photos are especially fascinating. For details on this presentation, see “Okinawan POWs in … Continue reading →

Shaping Okinawan Identity and Community in Hawaiʻi During World War II Monday, May 18, 2020 5:30-6:30 PM Live Webinar — Zoom To join the live webinar, please register using the sign-up link. You can also visit our Facebook page or Youtube channel to … Continue reading →

Al Toma is a member of the Okinawan Genealogical Society of Hawaii (OGSH), which is part of the Hawaii United Okinawan Association (HUOA). He says that the new Okinawan database just went online. This means that we can submit an … Continue reading →

UPDATE 9/4/21: DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE 2021 TAIKAI WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL 2022 October 30  to November 3. Ryukyu Shimpo, 1/17/20: Governor Denny Tamaki announced during a regular press conference on January 16 that the 7th World Uchinanchu … Continue reading →

2/26/20: Here’s a YouTube video that my sister, Bessie, shared with me: 安里屋ユンタ 氷川きよし See related post: ‘Asadoya Yunta’ – A Common Bond for Okinawans the World Over

Note: The electronic version of this book is available free at play.google.com. The following excerpts are from pages 381-385 and 409. -js Élisée Reclus, edited by A. H. Keane, The Earth and Its inhabitants, Asia: Vol. II, East Asia: Chinese Empire. … Continue reading →

DATES: Aug. 31, 9am-5pm Aug. 31, 5:30pm-9:30pm – Bon Dance only. Select food booths will be open. All other booths/rooms will be closed. Sep. 1, 9am-4pm

Marla Miyashiro says: August 5, 2019 at 8:24 pm My maternal grandmother’s last name was Za. She was reportedly from a place called Zyasu, somewhere near Tomigusuku in Okinawa. Could Za be a variant of Zaha, which you have on … Continue reading →

Gena Hamamoto, archival researcher on a forthcoming 5-part PBS series on the history of Asian Americans, is looking for photos of A’ala Park in the 1950s-60s. She’s also interested in photos or footage of Chinatown during the ‘50s-60s, or even home … Continue reading →

Ukwanshin Kabudan 7/11/19 announcement shared by Rodney Inefuku 7/12/19: The Bon Dance at Jikoen [731 N School St, Honolulu, HI 96819] offers Ukwanshin an opportunity to hold its annual fundraiser with a food booth that will feature an all-Okinawan menu. … Continue reading →

Robert H. Stiver Pearl City “Letter: U.S. Marines shouldn’t violate Okinawa bay” Star-Adv Letter to Editor, 5/1/19 As an Army-occupying-force member from 1966-72, who married a lovely Okinawan gal and moved my family to Hawaii in 1972, I read and … Continue reading →

Last updated 4/23/19 11:38AM Thomas Feldmann is writing a biographical book about Ankō Itosu (1831-1915), “one of the most important characters in the development of modern Karate.” As part of his research, he’s seeking answers or leads to two questions: … Continue reading →

ALLEGIANCE – THE MUSICAL MANOA VALLEY THEATRE COMES TO THE HAWAII THEATRE CENTER MARCH 28 – APRIL 7, 2019 a musical drama book by Marc Acito, Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione music by Jay Kuo Inspired by true events, Allegiance … Continue reading →

Saturday, 23 March 2019, 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm Forum Featuring Yasuhiro “Denny” Tamaki Windward Community College 45-720 Keaahala Road, Kaneohe, Oahu Hawaii Hale ‘Akoakoa, Conference Rooms 101, 103, 105 Free and open to the public. Ukwanshin Kabudan is honored … Continue reading →

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki will be meeting with Hawaii residents on March 21 at the Pagoda Hotel’s International Ballroom from 6:30-8:30 PM and on March 23 at Windward Community College from 6:30-7:45 PM. The events are free and open to … Continue reading →

Acknowledgment: Mahalo to Eric Wada and Ukwanshin Kabudan, Ed Kuba, and Rodney Inefuku for this notice.

Acknowledgment: Mahalo to Eric Wada and Ukwanshin Kabudan, Ed Kuba, and Rodney Inefuku for this notice.

Last updated 10/7/18  5:00 PM To read the PDF version of The Okinawas1: Their Distinguishing Characteristics, click the image below. From the cover: Okinawan Studies No. 2 The Okinawas: Their Distinguishing Characteristics Confidential Office of Strategic Services Honolulu, Hawaii March 27, … Continue reading →

The Honolulu 2018 Okinawan Festival was held at the Hawaii Convention Center (Sep. 1 & 2) instead of Kapi’olani Park for the first time. I was concerned about the size of the center. Would it be able to accommodate all … Continue reading →

SATURDAY SCHEDULE 9:30 AM – Ryukyu Sokyoku Koyo Kai Hawaii Shibu Derek Fujio, President & Sara Nakatsu, Vice President | Jane Kaneshiro Sozan Kai | Bonnie Miyashiro Soho Kai | Yamashiro Yoneko Sokyoku Kenkyu Kai | Yasuko Arakawa Aki no … Continue reading →

There’s a lot to see and do in Okinawa during the summer. Here’s a great starter list that I found in Okinawa Stripes (6/10/18). I added a video (or photo when videos weren’t available) to each to give you a sense of … Continue reading →

I received the following message from raquvar: Hello Jim. I wonder if there are any relatives of my grandmother, Haru Teruya, in Hawaii. I remember my mother telling me stories about Haru’s relatives that had emigrated to Hawaii and were … Continue reading →

The Okinawa Prefectural Library set up an issei immigration genealogical reference service booth during the 6th Sekai Uchinanchu Taikai that took place from Oct. 27-30, 2016. The service searched 1st generation immigration records for information such as name in kanji, birthplace, travel … Continue reading →

Message from Leilani Beardsley (5/29/18): I am trying to find Shikina, Mayeshiro and Takushi families in Okinawa My response: Leilani, I’m publishing your comment as a post in hopes that those with information will respond. -Jim