June 24, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo
On June 24, the Okinawa Prefecture Department of Culture, Tourism and Sports announced that there were 44,000 visitors to the prefecture in May, a 94.7% (790,900 people) decrease compared to May 2019. This is the largest drop recorded, in both percentage and actual number of visitors and is the first time since September 1976 that the number of visitors has dropped below 50,000. The visitors in May were all domestic, making it the second consecutive month with...
April 11, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo
(Ishigaki) On April 10, Seifuku Distillery (based in Ishigaki, Okinawa; president: Kenryu Kanna) held a press conference at Ishigaki City Hall and announced that it will start manufacturing awamori called “Seifuku 77” having a 77% alcohol content.
The...
February 5, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo
The spread of a pneumonia brought about by the corona virus has had an ever-increasing impact on the global economy, and it has cast a large shadow over the economy of Okinawa, which had previously been enjoying continued growth in their tourism industry.
Okinawa...
January 22, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo
Yomitan – The 2019 “Top 100 Pro Selection for Tourism, Food, and Souvenirs,” a list voted for by travel companies nationwide in Japan, have selected Okashigoten (Hideki Takushi, CEO) in Yomitan as the best souvenir store in Japan.
The store first...
January 24, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo
The Okinawa Prefecture Department of Culture, Tourism and Sports announced on January 23 that the prefecture welcomed 10,163,900 tourists in 2019, a 3.2% increase (or 316, 200 visitors) from the previous year.
The record growth in tourist arrivals for...
January 23, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo
On January 22, AirAsia X, a low-cost carrier based in Malaysia, commenced regular flights between Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur and Naha Airport.
Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki and staff from the Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau greeted the maiden...
January 17, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo
Tokyo – On January 15, JA Okinawa held a tasting and promotional event in Tokyo to increase awareness of Japan’s earliest watermelons, Nakijin watermelons, outside of Okinawa.
Workers promoted and provided tastings of winter watermelons to consumers,...
December 26, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Yuki Nakamura
In the new year, Co-Op Okinawa (Urasoe City, Okinawa) will begin importing the Lao traditional alcohol Lao-Lao into Okinawa to support industrialization in Laos. Currently, Lao-Lao is produced and sold in Laos and a portion of profits is...
December 19, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo
Okinawa’s chrysanthemum flower producers have welcomed peak shipping season ahead of the New Year.
To accommodate the increased output, the Okinawa Flower Grower’s Co-op set up an expanded delivery schedule in partnership with ANA Cargo.
Each...
December 17, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo
On December 16, South Island Spice Co., Ltd. (Naha City,) owned by Spice Works Inc. (Tokyo, CEO: Wataru Shimotono) launched the “Okinawa Kokusai Noren-gai” food hall complex inside the former Okinawa Mitsukoshi building in Makishi, Naha City.
The...
November 23, 2019 Ryukyu Shimpo
Kubota, Okinawa City— On November 22, the Plaza House Shopping Center unveiled its newest additions: Roger’s Food Market, a food hall which features quality delicacies from around the world, and the Cinema Plaza House 1954, a mini-theater.
Plaza House...
Webcam(Kokusai Street)