CONTRIBUTED BY SHELL BURGER

While walking back from my neighborhood farmer’s market, which unfortunately I did not know is closed on Sundays, I decided to stop in at the green-signed building just on the corner. The sign is completely in kanji so I had no idea what they sold. I have walked and driven past this store several times and always wondered what it was. I know it is popular with the locals, since I see people coming and going from there all the time.

In a spur-of-the-moment decision we decided to stop in.  Worst case scenario, I thought, we would apologize and leave if it wasn’t kid-friendly. However, much to my surprise the building was actually a small, specialized grocery store.  

This one is different than the Kane-hide and San-A I have wandered and shopped at before. The store is made up mostly of frozen foods and sauces, with a small produce, drink, and dairy section. We had been looking for some yakitori sauce so we could grill at home, and we were very pleased to see a nice variety.

The store boasted just about every type of meat you could imagine all frozen, from shrimp to large fillets of fish, slabs of red meat, and ready-to-grill yakitori sticks. The nice part was the meat was all reasonably priced. We ended up purchasing some ready-to-grill, yakitori-style kabobs along with a huge bottle of yakitori sauce.

They also had ready to heat-up and eat spring rolls and gyozas, as well as a variety of frozen vegetables. I was happy to find some nice frozen Japanese pumpkin. We walked out with a bag full of food for roughly 2,000 Yen. Not bad for the amount of stuff we got.

Most of the items in the store are labeled in Kanji, so I recommend either bringing a Japanese reading friend with you or take a chance and buy a variety of items to see what you like. Most of the items are in see-through bags so you can see what you are getting, and the prices are very reasonable.

You will need to bring bags with you for your purchases, as they did not have any to provide that I could see. The checkout guy asked me for one in Japanese; I was able to make out the word “bag”. Luckily, I had one in my stroller I had planned to use at the Farmer’s market.

The employees we came across at the store did not speak English, but we were able to shop and check out just fine. If you have been looking for ready-to-cook Japanese fare, as well as ingredients to start cooking items at home, this is the store for you. I am very happy we decided to stop in today, and I see us making “Gyoumu Supa” one of our new favorite stores.  

After a quick Google search on this store, I discovered they are part of a chain store and have several locations around Okinawa. They are also known for their Halal foods. There appear to be eight stores on Okinawa from Uruma to Naha. The directions provided are to the one located in the Takahara/Awase area. Happy shopping!

Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Phone: 098-932-4807

Payment: Yen only

Direction: From Kadena Gate 2 go straight on route 20, you will go through both 330 and 329 intersections. Once you pass 329, you will come across a Enos Gas station on the right side, turn Right at that intersection. (If you see Mos Burger and Max Value you have gone to far.) When you turn the gas station will be on your left. Follow this road a couple of blocks. (You will pass a farmer’s market on the leftside, at the next road turn left. You will see the green Kanji  “業務スーパー” sign. Parking will be on the right side. There is a parking lot.

Address: 6-9-1 Takahara, Okinawa

Website: Gyouma Supa

CONTRIBUTED BY LEAH MAGID

Editor’s Note: This is an update to the original article on Okinawa Fruits Land we published in 2010.  You can read that one HERE.

Much like the girl in every “Nerd-To-Princess” movie ever made, Okinawa Fruitsland has gotten contact lenses, dyed its hair and is now showing a little leg. Formerly an afterthought for people turning the wrong way out of the Pineapple Park lot, this little treasure is all shiny and new. A lot of thought was put into the revamp and it shows.

Before: A place where plant and fruit nuts would drag their children, trying to keep them engaged by counting the little terra-cotta colored shisa dogs or asking how many star fruit were in the trees.

Now: A story-board engages children from the entrance, as does a stamp-sheet that requires many stops. Little fairy houses and huts are scattered around the park.

Before: Faded, photocopied signs declared the names of the fruits. End of story.

Now: Electronic quiz kiosks delight children and adults (I am in my forties–I was amused) alike. The “sparkly” sounds for the correct answers to multiple choices about myth, botany and nutrition are just too darned cute. I blocked out the “you’re wrong” sound, so I can’t speak about that. And it only happened once. OK. Twice.

Before: Lots o birds. Like a Hitchcock movie.

Now: Still lots of birds. I strongly dislike birds. But at least they’re in an enclosed area.

Before: After walking through the exhibit, I found myself thinking, “Well, that was OK. But I am glad I didn’t drag a little kid through here. It would be melt-down time.”

Now: I am not even going to post a picture of the exciting conclusion to the fairy-house adventure. But let me say this: it’s full of wonder. And computers. And I didn’t understand what I was supposed to do, but all the other people (children and adults) that were there were making noises like they were impressed!

Before; Cute little café for food upstairs. Fruit-glutton heaven downstairs. A little expensive, but how can a person go all that way, stare at all those fruit trees, and then not eat?

After: Same.

Before:  Gift shop that is loaded with fruit, clothing, candy, salt, toys, sugar, glassware, coffee, tea, jewelry, purple kit-kats, chocolate covered stuff, white chocolate covered stuff, towels, bags, boxes, keychains, pickled seaweed, crunchy crackers, dozens of kinds of cookies, cakes and castellas…you know. Standard fare.

After: Yes – the same.

So, if you have been to Fruitsland before and were not impressed, try it again. Double up with the Pineapple Park, go on the way to or from any one of the amazing attractions in Nago, and see if you can’t figure out that bonus room at the end.

Hours:  9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. daily

Payment: Adults 800yen, Children 400 yen

Directions:  Take the expressway all the way north until it ends.  Continue driving north on 58. Turn left on 84 heading through Motubo peninsula. Pass the Pineapple Park on your right and start looking for a colorful Fruits Land sign a couple blocks up on your right and turn right into the parking lot.

CONTRIBUTED BY LAURA SNELL

Sheesah Lounge is a bar/lounge/restaurant located on the 10th floor of the Dai Ichi Hotel. The menu offers home-style Okinawan dishes. The menu is not extensive but has enough to choose from so that there is something for everyone (including kids).

This is a smoking establishment, so if you are sensitive to smoke, this might not be the place for you. The drink menu is beyond impressive. There are all kinds of fruity cocktails and concoctions. They even have habu sake if you are so brave as to try it!

The menu offers selections such as a cheese plate, taco rice, tenderloin steak dinner, teriyaki chicken dinner, Caesar salad (which comes with shrimp and some grilled Spam), and chips and dip.

What’s most impressive about this 10th floor restaurant is the view. Equally impressive during the day and night, it will not disappoint and you will be guaranteed to get a wonderful photograph.

During the busy travel season, the bar/lounge/restaurant does get quite busy and books with parties; it’s best to call ahead before going to make sure that it is open.

Hours: 6:00 p.mm – 11:00 p.m.

Payment: Yen and credit card

Phone: 098-931-1500 (hotel) or 098-931-1585 (reservations)

Address: 2-8-1 Yogi, Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture, 904-2174 Japan

Website: http://daiichihotel-okinawa.com/en/sheesahlounge.html

Directions from Kadena Gate 2:  Exit Gate 2 and turn right at the intersection onto 330.  Pass Plaza House Shopping Center on your left then turn left onto 22.  Continue on 22 and go through your third traffic light  and turn right at the end of the road.  Go straight and turn right after passing Hotel Hawaii on your left.  The hotel will be on your right (after driving on the winding road for a short time) marked with a red sign.

CONTRIBUTED BY RYAN P. BURGER

Looking for a beach that isn’t Toguchi or White Beach? How about someplace a little less crowded and a little more scenic? If you don’t mind a gorgeous drive to Hamahiga Island, then Muruku Beach is for you!

This beautiful spot is hidden on the east side of Hamahiga-jima, down a dirt path sandwiched between the ocean and a cliff face. At the end of this mysterious road you’ll find a small clearing that has been fashioned into a grass parking lot. The fee is an affordable 500 yen, payable at a small surf shop in the clearing. Stairs in front of the lot will take you down to the beach and to a small slice of paradise.

The beach is littered with shells, bits of coral, massive fallen boulders from the cliffs above, and a fair share of mushroom-shaped rocks carved by the sea. The beach is fairly long and wide, giving you plenty of room to stretch out and explore. I highly recommend taking a blanket and picnic with you as you’ll probably be hungry by the time you reach it.

My wife and daughter (toddler) loved sticking their toes in the water, and checking out all of the debris from the sea scattered about the beach. I would highly recommend visiting this beach at low-tide as this beach is fairly shallow. I use Tides4Fishing to check low/high times before planning a visit to any beach. Based on the debris line marking high-tide, almost half of this beach disappears twice a day. This leads to a lot of “stuff” being deposited by the tide from the mundane shell/coral to the WWII brass US Army coat button my wife found.

The drive out can be a bit long depending on traffic and your origin point. If you know your way out to the Henzajima causeway, you’ll be able to find Muruku Beach without any trouble.

Payment:  500 yen cash for parking, collected by attendant

Directions from Kadena Gate 2:

1. Head straight out Gate 2 and continue down Route 20 (pass over 330/Koza Music Center)
2. Dead-end into Route 85, hang a left
3. Dead-end into Route 37 (at the Kinbu Bay seawall), hang a right
4. Follow Route 37 and hang a left on to Route 10.  This will take you across the iconic red Henza-jima bridge
5. Hang a right on to Route 238 towards Hamahiga-jima, you’ll cross over another long bridge
6. 238 dead-ends as soon as you cross the bridge, hang a left and follow the seawall around the east side of the island
7. You’ll end up at the entrance to Hamahiga Resort (up a steep hill), DO NOT go right towards the resort, go LEFT towards the ocean.  There will be a small sign with red lettering stating “Muruku Beach”
8. The road will get a little rough (unpaved) and narrow, our small Honda Spike Mobilio with a low ground effects kit made it with no issues
9.  There will be a small clearing at the end of the road – pay your parking fee and enjoy!

 For those of us blessed with phones smarter than we are, I have an alternative mapping solution for you…GPS coordinates!  The following coordinates are to the entrance of the  dirt road that will take you back to Muruku Beach: 26.321797, 127.966883

 I’ve tested them out on my device on both Apple Maps and Google Maps.

 Coordinates for Muruku Beach itself (GPS navigation does not “see” the dirt road as a valid option): 26.319662,127.965848

CONTRIBUTED BY LORI

Lori contributed a write-up about her on-base housing in New Lester last week and agreed to tell us about her experiences using government furniture while stationed here in Okinawa.  We have two other posts on this topics in our archives; Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE.  We have closed comments on those older posts in order to keep the new conversation going on this one, but the input from our writers and readers over there is still invaluable.  (And, as you can see from the pictures across all three entries, not much has changed in this area since 2008…)

Government furniture. Are there two less inspiring words in the English language? Still, it was a source of curiosity for me before we moved here and remained mostly a mystery until ours arrived.

What to bring is one of the biggest dilemmas before moving to Okinawa, especially given that you won’t know where you’re living until you arrive. Would we be able to live off base? If so, would our furniture fit through doorways and stairways, then into the space we had? And if we’re living on base, what will be provided and what should we bring?

The dilemma was mostly moot for us, since we were on weight restriction. This meant that what furniture we didn’t sell on Craigslist went into non-temporary storage. We learned too late on this that if you’re storing dressers, you need to either remove your belongings yourself or let your packers know that it needs to be packed separately. It’s fortunate that we moved to a warm climate since most of my sweaters, long-sleeved shirts, and socks will reside in Florida for the next couple of years.

We had heard that there would be some opportunity to choose our furniture from a list or catalog, but were told by our housing agent that it wasn’t an option anymore. She said she’d try to add a bookshelf to our order, but otherwise, we’d just get the standard set for a couple with no children. (We didn’t get the bookshelf, but were pleasantly surprised when our shipment came to find that we hadn’t sent ours to storage.) Our furniture would be delivered before we could pick up our keys. If there was anything we only needed temporarily or didn’t want, we could schedule a one-time pick up. Anything we wanted to return after that, we’d have to bring ourselves.

What we got was a couch, two chairs, coffee table, two end tables, dining room table (seats 8 with two leaves put in), six dining chairs, China cabinet, desk, desk chair, double bed, two nightstands, tall dresser, and a large dresser with a mirror. Is any of this a style of furniture we would choose for ourselves? No. But the couch and chairs were brand new and everything is clean and in good condition.

The one problem we had was the bed. My husband is 6’2 and easily takes up a double bed by himself. We asked about the possibility of getting a queen size bed, but were told they were for senior officers only, so we had to buy one. The only other thing we needed to buy was a microwave since they aren’t built into the kitchens in our housing like they had been in our previous homes. We did also buy a grill and patio furniture we found on Okinawa Yard Sales since we have a patio and small yard here.

When we first moved in, our living room looked a lot like a dorm common room to me, lacking in any personality. But then I bought a rug from some neighbors about to PCS (who had the same furniture we do, so I felt confident it would go nicely) and a tablecloth from Uptight Imports, both of which helped to break up all of the oak furniture and flooring. Once our shipment came, we put up our artwork, added in the furniture we did bring (TV stand, cedar chest, ottoman, bookshelf) and filled the China cabinet with our own glassware, wedding cake toppers, and my grandma’s cookie jar. With our bedding on the new queen size bed in our room and the government double bed in the spare room, decorations from home and things we collect here, it feels so much more like home already.

I’m never going to fall in love with the looks of my government furniture and I know I’ll be happy to have our own furniture back when we get back to the States. But already I can tell that we’ll have great memories evening spent lounging on our couch and dinners eaten around the table with friends that will make me look back fondly on them.

My advice? Bring or buy the things that will make your base housing feel like home and embrace the government furniture for the rest. Anyone you might want to impress with your decorating taste probably has that very same blue couch anyway.

Editor’s Note: I’ve lived overseas twice, in Germany and Okinawa.  Both times we took advantage of using government furniture while living abroad; the first time because we were newlyweds who hadn’t yet lived together and didn’t own any, and the second time because the Army severely restricted our weight allowance.  I’d love to echo what Lori has said: what you’re given to use during this tour might not be even close to what you’d choose to purchase for yourself, but it works.  With a little creative decorating – a few colorful throw pillows here, a one-size-fits-all slipcover there, and a $10 tablecloth to hide the scratches on that dining room table, you may find that you can infuse your own style into it pretty easily.  For more tips about how to spruce up your living quarters on and off base in Okinawa, check out all the posts in our Making Your Home category.

We would also like to note that with the exception of some senior personnel, all government furniture is equal.  He gets it, she gets it, and that family over there likely has the exact same coffee table, dressers, and bedside tables that are in your house, too.  Though leaving the majority of your furniture behind in non-temporary storage for a few years stinks, knowing that you don’t have to spend your hard-earned money to replace it when you get here is one of those often unrecognized benefits afforded to us.

CONTRIBUTED BY LAURA SNELL

The Yukuru spa is located on the 14th floor of the Dai Ichi Hotel. I have been to the spa at least three times and each time I have been impressed. The spa is located in a converted hotel suite that looks out over the ocean. The rooms are private and peaceful. From the second that you walk into the spa you are put at ease by the dim lights, the calming music, and the fresh smells.

I have gone for a massage, facial, and a reflexology treatment. Each time they were running some kind of special that not only made the service cheaper but also extended the time that I was receiving. My most recent treatment (a massage) was 5,000 yen for a 60-minute massage and 30-minute reflexology treatment. The specials are always changing, so it’s best to ask what specials they have. Another way to see some of the specials is the various signage in the hotel (and elevator).

Some of the various services that they provide are: body and facial, oil body massages, reflexology, pink porcelain lily facial, and a variety of men’s services.

Before your treatment you soak your feet in a warm foot bath that has a beautiful orchid floating in it. If you get a massage there is a small glass dish with an orchid placed directly under where your face is (so if you choose to open your eyes that’s what you see).

Immediately following your treatment and any additional relaxation time that you might want/need, you are provided with some of the most delicious tea. They also sell the loose tea there.

Hours: 4 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Payment: Yen and credit card

Phone: 098-931-1500 (hotel) or 098-931-1510 (spa)

Address: 2-8-1 Yogi, Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture, 904-2174 Japan

Directions: (From Kadena Gate 2) Exit Gate 2 and turn right at the intersection onto 330. Pass Plaza House Shopping Center on your left then turn left onto 22. Continue on 22 and go through your third traffic light and turn right at the end of the road. Go straight and turn right after passing Hotel Hawaii on your left. The hotel will be on your right (after driving on the winding road for a short time) marked with a red sign.

CONTRIBUTED BY SHELL BURGER

When we found out last January we were moving to Okinawa in June, we were very excited; then came the daunting task of preparing. Luckily, when we got word we quickly googled moving pets to Okinawa. WOW. There was a LOT we had to do to bring our dogs with us. Since they are part of the family, we never considered not bringing them with us. 

Most of the guides out there mainly focus on military PCS’s with pets, however, since we are civilians we did not have access to military vets. Thus, our process was a little more difficult, costly, and time consuming. As most guides will tell you, the first step is to make sure your dogs have been micro chipped with an ISO (International Standard) compliant chip. Once you have the chip, you will need two rabies vaccinations at least 30 days apart, but not more than one year. Then you can get the FAVN test, which checks the rabies vaccination level in the dog’s blood. Okinawa and Japan are rabies-free and they want to stay that way, so they are very strict on bringing animals into their country.

Both of our dogs had been micro chipped years ago and were up to date on vaccinations, however, when we went to our civilian vet we found out that one of our dogs chips was not ISO compliant. This of course, cost more money and time. Did I fail to mention there is a six-month quarantine? I will get into that more in a moment. 

One of our dogs, Miaka—a salt and pepper schnauzer—was able to get her second rabies vaccination and have blood drawn to start the FAVN test. You can have the second rabies shot and FAVN done on the same day. Our other dog, Malfoy—a black and white schnauzer—had to get the micro chip and first rabies shot, then wait 30 days to get his second rabies vaccination and start the FAVN test. Once the FAVN test is sent away, the six-month quarantine period starts. Luckily, you are able to home-quarantine your dogs while in the states.  If you don’t reach the full six months, like we did not, you are still able to bring your dogs with you when you PCS. You will just have to finish your quarantine at an on-base location, whether that is Karing Kennels or an on-base residence.

That is just to start the ball rolling to move them to Okinawa; to actually get them here is another lengthy process. First, you should make arrangements as soon as possible to get them on the same flights with you. When we finally got our orders to move to Okinawa, the Patriot Express was already full so we ended up on United Airlines. Let me tell you how much of a struggle it was to get our dogs just booked with United. When we PCS’d, United had just changed their pet policies and not only increased the safety and care the animals received, but also the cost. United started using “Pet Safe,” a procedure to prevent animals from sitting on the tarmac for hours in the heat; instead the animals would be placed in air-conditioned vehicles until the last minute to load. We really liked this idea. Another new policy of United was that they restricted where animals could fly out of, mainly due to airplane types and whether cargo holds were pressurized or not. This again is another new safety feature. This did mean we had to drive more than an hour to a different airport when we were moving—even though we had an airport 20 minutes away—but it was worth it to take our doggies with us.

One thing to keep in mind when booking your pets with an airline is to check the route all the way to Okinawa.  United partners with ANA (a Japanese airline that goes from Tokyo to Okinawa) and to get our dogs on the ANA flight, we had to have the travel agent change the flight code from a United Flight to ANA. Luckily, our agent was able to do this and we were able to book our dogs all the way through, after several hours of phone calls with several companies. You definitely need some patience when trying to book your dogs. Also, you will be faced with a cost from United for your dogs and a cost from ANA or the Japanese carrier for each dog. 

Finally, we had the dogs being home-quarantined and they were booked on flights. Our next step was to send all the necessary paperwork to the Japanese AQS (Animal Quarantine Service) at least 40 days prior to arrival. You can find all the necessary forms on the website for the AQS. To submit our forms, we emailed the completed and signed items to na-k1@aqs.maff.go.jp. We received approval within two days of sending the forms. They will email you back the approved forms that you will need to print off and bring with you to provide at AQS when you arrive at Tokyo. Make sure not to change anything on the forms after they approve them, or you will need new forms.

After the AQS paperwork was all completed and approved, 10 days prior to our leaving the states we had to get a health certificate for the airlines. Part of getting this health certificate involved getting USDA approval of the certificate. If you have access to a military vet while in the states this process is easy, since the military vets are all USDA certified, but once again, as civilians we were not able to use a military vet. There were two ways to get approval: overnight the health certificates to the USDA vet in your area and have them overnight them back, or drive to the nearest USDA vet to get the forms approved. Most states only have one or two civilian USDA vets. Since we were leaving just after a holiday weekend, we decided to just drive to the vet and have them approve the forms. And honestly, that is all the USDA vet does, approve forms; they don’t inspect your dogs at all. We had to get the health certificates from our normal vet then take the forms from our vet to the USDA. It felt like a waste of time, but both the airlines and AQS did look at the paperwork. You can find more information about USDA vets and what all you need at their website. If you have questions, just call your closest office; they are very friendly and know what all you will need.  They can also verify your local vet can complete the health certificate.

After the USDA forms, we were set with paperwork for our dogs. We used the airlines guides to find crates suitable to transport our dogs, and followed the guidelines for paperwork, names, food, and water with the dogs. Something brilliant we read was to freeze water in the dog dishes in the crate so they could have something to drink while in flight. We did make sure they had both a food and water bowl in the crate, as well as an old towel; most airlines won’t let you have a “mat” in the crate. One thing I would do differently is to have more than just one serving of food for each of our dogs because we were delayed overnight in Tokyo. Luckily, the airline found a hotel to put us up in that allowed our doggies to stay on the docks, so my husband was able to at least walk them and feed them, but we felt bad since they had only one meal in 48 hours. I would recommend taping an extra meal or two to the dog crates.

Once we handed over our dogs to the gate agent in the states, we did not see them again until we landed in Tokyo. Once we got through customs and immigration, we proceeded to pick up our bags and dogs, then head to the AQS counter. Both dogs were each on a cart ready for us, so all we had to do was proceed right to AQS.  The lady took our paperwork, reviewed them, and stamped our dogs’ paperwork and told us to check in at the military vet. I think she barely glanced at our dogs. It seems the paperwork is the most important thing for them.  We had followed suggestions and had probably 10 copies of everything for each dog. That was way too many copies, and a lot to carry. Honestly, we only needed three, but I would probably have about five to play it safe.  You never know who all will want copies of what. 

I will say that the people at the airport are very helpful and friendly. The guy checking our luggage through the customs section, after we had our dogs and ALL our bags, actually helped us push some of the carts we had loaded. We definitely over-packed; we had six large suitcases, six carry-ons, a convertible car seat, stroller and two dog crates. We were probably quite a sight: my husband and I, with all our luggage, 18-month-old daughter, and two dogs. I honestly look back and cannot fathom how we managed it all. 

Once we got to Okinawa, our sponsor picked us up and helped us drop our dogs off at Karing Kennels. Make sure you work with your sponsor to either get pet-friendly quarters for when you arrive or make reservations at the Kennel on base. During PCS months, aka the summer, the kennel books up fast. They also have after-hours drop off if your flight arrives late at night like ours did.

As the Japanese AQS people will tell you, you will need to register your pets with the military vet within a set period of time. I cannot remember the exact time, but I know we arrived on a Saturday night and registered the dogs that Monday. You don’t need an appointment to register; it is walk-in for registering. For more information on Kadena’s Vet Clinic and tips for PCSing with a pet you can check out their website.

Although the process to bring our dogs with us to Okinawa was costly, difficult, and time consuming, we could not imagine being here without them. Hopefully, our experience will not discourage you from bringing your pets with you, but instead will provide you some insight into the lengthy process so you can prepare. Forewarned is forearmed.

Useful Websites:

Japan Animal Quarantine Service

USDA – Animal Export to Japan 

US Army Veterinary Services

Kadena Veterinary Clinic

Karing Kennels

CONTRIBUTED BY MONETTE EAMES

When I found out that Borders, one of my favorite stateside hangouts, was closing its doors in the summer of 2011, I was heartbroken. I have such good memories of going there for study groups, browsing the travel section whenever I was planning one of my complex trips, sitting and listening to live music whenever someone was trying to promote their new CD, or even just people-watching with an Irish crème soda when I wanted a break. Those days are now long gone, and although I often desire to find a place similar to it, the only ones I have found are bookstores in other countries with books and magazines in languages I can’t comprehend.

So imagine my joy when I found a place that recreates the atmosphere of Borders! While driving on 58 one night, I noticed a huge sign that said, “Creators Residence.” I recalled one of my students telling me about her father starting a new business with the same name, so we decided to check it out.

His intention in opening this place was to have an environment where creative ideas flow, and people are free to relax, study, and work side-by-side in a warm, comfortable setting. I may have found my new hangout. It has a cafe, coffee house, conference area, movie venue, party area, video golf and more.

The people who work here actually create video games, an added bonus because of their computer genius. You know those games you play on your iPod or Wii? Well, the busy game-makers are on the first floor. It is not open to the public, but just the thought of it is pretty cool. The second and third floors are open to the public, where you can get a drink at the coffee bar, or a meal at the cafe, read a book or two or three (that you will have to bring with you), watch a movie on the huge 250-inch screen TV, or just chat with friends while munching on a snack.

Or, if you must study, this is the perfect place, and that is what most people who come here are doing. Wi-fi is included in the entrance fee. It’s such a relaxed place, and the décor is beautiful. The atmosphere of Borders lives in in Okinawa! 

So it’s bye-bye Borders Bookstores, but hello to Creator’s Residence!

Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. daily

Payment: 800 Yen for the whole day, 500 Yen from 5 p.m. – close

Directions: From Camp Foster Commissary Gate, turn right out of the gate, and continue on 58 about half a mile until you see a large yellow building with a curved roof, and a sign reading “Creators Residence.” This sign is not lit up at night.

CONTRIBUTED BY MUNEERAH BEE

If you grew up on Calbee snacks like I did, you’d probably be as excited as I was to see the brightly-colored and chirpy-looking Calbee Plus store along Kokusai Street  in Naha.

 The store has a wide selection of special Calbee products which I don’t usually get to see, ranging from potato chips to Jagarico and Jagabee (potato snacks) and my childhood favorite, Kappa Ebisen (shrimp-flavored snacks).

 I think for most people, the highlight of visiting a Calbee Plus store is getting freshly made chips and other snacks in different flavors and dips. If you’ve never had potato chips with chocolate sauce or maple syrup, this might be the place for you.  

I remember there was also a little corner with some Royce chocolates, if you’re not in the mood for fried snacks.  

 Well, I sure was and I brought home some unique snacks, including a bag of mentaiko (spicy cod roe) flavored potato chips and I‘d definitely want to return to stock up on other flavors! And I love seeing the cute little giraffe mascot in different attires and costumes.

Calbee Plus stores are also found on mainland Japan and apparently this one in Okinawa opened less than a year ago.

Address: 3-2-2 Makishi Naha city

Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. (last order for freshly made snacks is 8:30 p.m.)

Phone: 098-867-6254

Payment: Cash

Directions: About 5-minute walk from Makishi monorail station in Naha

Living overseas has its challenges, and a commonly agreed upon one is finding that perfect place to live. To help those of us who are curious about the different options for living on Okinawa, readers have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about on-base housing. 

LORI has given us a glimpse into her lovely home in New Lester housing on Camp Lester. Thank you so much!

What military base is your home located on? Camp Lester

What area of the island is your home located on (i.e. North Island, Central Island, South Island)? Central

What is the name of your neighborhood in which your home is located? New Lester

Generally speaking, most on-base homes are approved for occupancy based on military or government rank.  If you would like, please provide the range of ranks that your home is approved for? O1-O3

What DODDS school district is your home attached to?  Is there a schoolbus system available?
Elementary: EC Killin Elementary on Camp Foster (bus service available)
Middle: Lester Middle School (no bus service available)
High: Kubasaski on Camp Foster (bus service available)

Please describe the “feel” of your neighborhood (i.e. pet-friendly, child-friendly, level of safety, friendly neighbors, spacious, etc.) It’s a very quiet family-friendly neighborhood. A few of our neighbors have dogs and we see people quite often out walking dogs. Now that the hospital is closed, there isn’t much traffic, so it’s also very running/walking/biking friendly. It feels very safe here.

Please describe the style of your home (i.e. detached home, duplex, apartment, age of the home, etc.) We’re in a multiplex, basically four townhomes attached. They were built in the 1980s, but our appliances have been updated since then.

Please provide general information about your home such as square footage, number of bedrooms and baths, number of stories/levels, special amenities, etc. The house is two stories, with three bedrooms, two and a half baths. We have a full size washer and dryer, dishwasher, new AC/heat units in the living/dining room and bedrooms, a pantry in the kitchen, coat closet, big storage closet under the stairs, linen closet in the upstairs hallway, and good sized closets in each bedroom.

What places of services are available near your home such as restaurants, shops, commissary, playgrounds, parks, etc.? There is a playground down the street and we have a Shopette and small unstaffed gym on base, as well as a preschool and the middle school. The nearest commissary is on Camp Foster, though Kadena isn’t much further in the other direction. There are several restaurants and a department/grocery store in walking distance off base in American Village.

How is parking provided for your home? We have one assigned parking space and there are several visitor spaces in our lot. Street parking is also allowed here.

Is there any yard space or outdoor spaces provided for your home? We have small front and back yards as well as a little patio and there is an outdoor storage closet off the patio.

What do you feel is special about your home or neighborhood – what makes it feel like “home” here on Okinawa? Our neighbors are really friendly and offered right away to help us out with anything we needed, which made us feel at home. I had hoped to live on Foster because of all of the amenities there, but really like how small and quiet Camp Lester is.

What housing expenses are included with on-base housing (i.e. utilities, rent, appliances, etc.) Rent, utilities, and major appliances are all included.

Are there any expenses or fees associated with on-base housing? We pay for our cable, internet, and phone. I also pay a middle schooler from the neighborhood to mow our lawn.

Are you satisfied with the maintenance services provided by your on-base housing organization? We haven’t had to call for anything yet, though they did spray for us before we moved in since we saw a roach in a closet when we came to look at the place before accepting.

Finally, what advantages and disadvantages do you feel have been your experience living on a military base here on Okinawa? We had really hoped to live off base, but didn’t have the option since base housing wasn’t 95% full. Originally, we thought we’d apply after a year to move off base, but I don’t think we will. We really like it here, like our house and neighbors, and there are definite advantages to living on base. We have American appliances, lots of space, and get lots of American TV channels. It would be easy to isolate ourselves here with other Americans, but we do make a real effort to get out and explore Okinawa to take advantage of the time we have here, even though we aren’t living out in town.

Please provide any COMMENTS that you feel would be helpful for others about living on-base. I’ve heard complaints from other people about the concrete box style of house here, but it really is for practical reasons – to withstand typhoons. If I was going to have to sell the place in the future, I might worry about curb appeal, but as it is, I like knowing that the building is going to stay up!

If you live in on-base housing OR off-base housing that has not been featured on Okinawa Hai, or in housing that has been renovated since its last post, please contact our Content Manager for the on-base housing template and instructions on how to share your little slice of Okinawa with the rest of us.