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Sunflower festival begins in Kitanakagusuku.

Sunflower festival begins in Kitanakagusuku.

January 22, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 21, the 4th Sunflower Festival in Kitanakagusuku began in the fields of the Ogido and Adaniya districts behind Kitanakagusuku Junior High School. It is an annual event held during the sunflowers flowering season and it involves many local organizations and groups. The Kitanakagusuku Municipal Office planted sunflowers in unused farmland as green manure and also to create the opportunity for people to enjoy viewing the flowers. This year’s festival...

 

Planting of rice begins on Ishigaki Island – the earliest in Japan

Planting of rice begins on Ishigaki Island - the earliest in Japan

January 17, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

On January 15, the planting of rice commenced on Ishigaki Island, which is known as the top rice producing area in Okinawa. This is the earliest planting of rice anywhere in Japan. Atsushi Nakaarashiro a 75 year-old rice grower who produces koshihikari...

”Good luck” shisa cheer up Fukushima at an exhibition in Koriyama

”Good luck” <em>shisa</em> cheer up Fukushima at an exhibition in Koriyama

January 17, 2012 Kiyoshi Ujiie of Ryukyu Shimpo

In attempt to offer encouragement to the people of Fukushima, who are worried about radioactivity from the nuclear accident following the Great East Japan Earthquake, 35 year-old shisa craftsman from Naha, Mitsuo Miyagi crafts shisa...

New Year’s ceremony held at Shuri Castle

New Year's ceremony held at Shuri Castle

January 3, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

From January 1 to 3, an event called Shinshun no Utage or New Year’s Banquet was held at Shuri Castle in Naha. The Chouhaiokishiki or Imperial Court New Year’s morning ceremony, which used to take place at Shuri Castle on New Year’s...

Seahorses swim gracefully at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

Seahorses swim gracefully at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium

January 1, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

As it does every year, to celebrate the Year of the Dragon the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Motobu organized a special display of creatures. Visitors enjoyed watching sea horses and other creatures named after dragons as they swam gracefully in their tanks.

The...

Peace Candle service held at Henoko on Christmas Eve

Peace Candle service held at Henoko on Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, a Peace Candle service was held in front of the No. 1 gate of Camp Schwab at Henoko in Nago. The service has been held there every Saturday evening by residents who wish to preserve the sea of Henoko and to persuade the government to cancel plans to construct the replacement facility...

Town office to carry out an environmental survey in the Hamby area of Chatan regarding the defoliant issue

December 16, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

With regard to the defoliant containing the deadly poison dioxin being a serious threat to the health of residents, Chatan Town Office is carrying out an environmental survey in the Hamby area in an attempt to find evidence of pollution. U.S. military veterans...

Okinawa’s birth rate the highest in Japan for 37 consecutive years and divorce rate is also top, but marriage rate comes second

December 9, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

Statistics released recently by the Okinawa Prefectural Department of Welfare and Health from its Population Survey Report – Definite Values for 2010, have clarified that the overall fertility rate, an estimated number of children each woman in Okinawa has...

5th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival attracts a record 7363 participants from outside Okinawa, including 5317 from abroad

December 6, 2011 Tsuyoshi Arakaki of Ryukyu Shimpo

The 5th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival Executive Committee announced that the official number of participants from outside Okinawa who attended the festival in October was 7363, an increase of more than 2400 people, or 1.5 times the number who...

World’s Longest Ishigaki Kebab created to mark New Ishigaki Airport

World’s Longest Ishigaki Kebab created to mark New Ishigaki Airport

November 28, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

On November 27, at the site of the planned construction of the New Ishigaki Airport in Shiraho, Ishigaki, the city held the “Ishigaki Beef BBQ Festival” and set a new Guinness World Record for the longest kebab-style BBQ. The kebab was measured at 107.6...

Tonaki Island wins public design award

Tonaki Island wins public design award

November 22, 2011 Yukiyo Zaha of Ryukyu Shimpo

Tonaki Island has been selected for a block award in a public design contest organized by the Japan Urban Design Institute (JUDI). The award has been given for the beautiful landscape and foot-lights on Village Road No. 1.

Features of Tonaki...