Category Archives: Culture

Yafaiian Music Concert 2014 in Hawaii – May 18

Posted on April 20, 2014 by loochoo77
Posted in Concert, Culture, International, Music | Tagged | Leave a comment

Okinawan-Americans in Hawaii Targeted for WWII Study

Posted on April 20, 2014 by loochoo77

Updated 4/21/14 According to the Ryukyu Shimpo (10 Apr 2014), “the Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) will carry out a project to interview and collect the stories of Okinawan Americans who worked for the U.S. military during the Battle of Okinawa.” … Continue reading →

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‘Karakara’ – 2012 Canada-Japan Film Set in Okinawa

Posted on April 4, 2014 by loochoo77

Updated 5/3/14 Karakara is a joint Canada-Japan film, released on August 31, 2012. It was written and directed by Claude Gagnon and stars Gabriel Arcand, Youki Kudoh, and Megumi Tomita. At the 2012 Montréal World Film Festival, it won the … Continue reading →

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Miss International 2012 Contestants Visit an Okinawa High School

Posted on March 22, 2014 by loochoo77

The following HD (1280×720) video was uploaded to YouTube by missinterokinawa on 10/15/12. The central focus is the Miss International contestants, but just as if not more fascinating is the glimpse at Okinawa’s high school students. Note appended to the … Continue reading →

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Takuya Uemura: All-Japan High School Kata Champion 2010

Posted on March 22, 2014 by loochoo77

The following video was uploaded to YouTube by TheOKINAWATIMES on 8/10/10. Uemura’s spirit and concentration is phenomenal. “At ‘Churasima-sotai,’ All Japan High School Athletic Meeting in Okinawa, 2010, Takuya Uemura [Konan High School] won the 1st prize for male Karate … Continue reading →

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Miss Universe Japan 2014 Originally from Okinawa: Karate Champion in High School

Posted on March 22, 2014 by loochoo77

Last updated 10/31/14 Okinawa High School Sports Competition 30 May 2011, the final of karate do individual kumite, female. First Place Winner: Keiko Tsuji (Koza Highschool, Okinawa City). Second Place Winner: Erika Spina (Koza Highschool, Okinawa City). At Naha International … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, International, Karate, Video | 2 Comments

London Okinawa Day 2014

Posted on March 22, 2014 by loochoo77
Posted in Culture, Fair, History, Images, International, Karate, Music, Travel | Leave a comment

Doll Festival: Parade in Traditional Ryukyuan Costume

Posted on March 22, 2014 by loochoo77

“For the Doll’s Festival, people dressed in traditional Ryukyuan costume walked through the streets in a michijune parade in the First Commercial Avenue in Okinawa City on March 1″ (Ryukyu Shimpo, 3/2/14). “Okinawa (沖縄市 Okinawa-shi?, Okinawan: Uchinaa) is the second-largest … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Festival, History, Images, Travel | 2 Comments

‘Okinawa Hai’ Blog – All About Okinawa in English

Posted on January 14, 2014 by loochoo77

Okinawa Hai blog was started by Meredith Novario. Here’s a brief excerpt from their about page: This is a blog for all of you in or on your way to Okinawa, Japan.  Most of us are connected, in some capacity, to … Continue reading →

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Matt Gillan: ‘Imagining Okinawa: Japanese Pop Musicians and Okinawan Music’

Posted on November 22, 2013 by loochoo77

Excerpts from Matt Gillan’s “Imagining Okinawa: Japanese Pop Musicians and Okinawan Music,” Perfect Beat, Equinox, 2009. Gillan is an art and music faculty member at International Christian University, Tokyo. In addition to Okinawan popular music being used to construct Okinawan … Continue reading →

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Ryukyu Underground – Okinawan Fusion Duo Jon Taylor & Keith Gordon

Posted on November 22, 2013 by loochoo77

The following are excerpts from Stephen Mansfield’s “Putting Down Roots with Ryukyu Underground” (Japan Times, 11/22/13). The Englishman, who hails from Newcastle in the northeast, met his future wife, an uchinanchu, or Okinawan, while backpacking in Australia. He confesses to … Continue reading →

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Uta no Hi 2013 Photos: A Mahalo to Hawaii’s Okinawan Community

Posted on June 30, 2013 by loochoo77

Updated 1/2/16 I did it. I watched the entire 7:00PM to 1:30AM live webcast, beginning Friday evening and ending early Saturday morning, of the “Uta no Hi” concert from Kadena, Okinawa, Japan. The annual event, I learned, was developed and … Continue reading →

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Gackt

Posted on June 27, 2013 by loochoo77

Last updated 3/28/19 8:16 am In the video1 below, Gackt2 and Wang Lee Hom perform “Orenji no Taiyou,”3 theme song from the film Moon Child4. Their co-stars Zeny Kwok and Yamamoto Taro also appear on stage. Missing is Hyde, who … Continue reading →

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