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“Odori” – novel depicting the spirit of Okinawa

“Odori” - novel depicting the spirit of Okinawa

June 5, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

Fifty-one year-old Dacy Tamayose, a second generation Okinawan-Canadian residing in Lethbridge City, Canada, has written a novel about the life of her mother, 76 year-old Naoko Tamayose, describing the legacy of the Okinawan spirit and how it seeks peace and beauty. Naoko Tamayose lived through the Battle of Okinawa before emigrating to Canada, where she devoted herself to the study of Ryukyuan dance. After learning Ryukyuan dance from her mother, and visiting...

 

Governor of Okinawa promotes the 5th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival in Canada

Governor of Okinawa promotes the 5th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival in Canada

June 3, 2011 Tsuyoshi Arakaki of Ryukyu Shimpo

A roadshow across North America headed by the governor of Okinawa, Hirokazu Nakaima, who visited Canada to promote the 5th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival scheduled for October, arrived in Calgary City, Canada in the afternoon on June 1....

The WWF Japan discovers a new species of numa-ebi in the sea off Kumejima

The WWF Japan discovers a new species of numa-ebi in the sea off Kumejima

June 3, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

On June 2, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Japan announced that it has discovered a new species of numa-ebi, or Atyidae shrimp, during field research carried at Kumejima Island in February. The numa-ebi species normally inhabits the freshwater of lakes...

Okinawan House to be constructed in New Caledonia as a center for friendship

Okinawan House to be constructed in New Caledonia as a center for friendship

June 1, 2011 by Tsuyoshi Arakaki of the Ryukyu Shimpo

The Okinawan Japanese Community Association of New Caledonia, a special collectivity of France located in the South Pacific, and also known as the “island closest to Heaven,” has recently started construction of an “Okinawan House”...

Made in Ryukyu: phantom camera that was witness to history

Made in Ryukyu: phantom camera that was witness to history

June 1, 2011 by Hutoshi Hanashiro of Ryukyu Shimpo

June 1 is “Photograph Day.” Before the return to Japanese sovereignty, cameras inscribed with the words “MADE IN RYUKYU” were produced in Okinawa. One such camera is the NEW PAX. Originally produced both for export and for sale to U.S....

Memorial journey to pay respects to Okinawans killed in Saipan during World War II

Memorial journey to pay respects to Okinawans killed in Saipan during World War II

May 31, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

On the morning of May 30, members of “the Memorial and Friendship Tour from Okinawa to the Southern Islands” held the 42nd memorial service at the Okinawan memorial near Cape Mappi in Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands, for Okinawans killed in those regions...

Kikuchi finally reunited with a relic that belonged to her father: Battle Of Okinawa

Kikuchi finally reunited with a relic that belonged to her father: Battle Of Okinawa

May 28, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

Durl Gibbs is an 85 year-old U.S. veteran of World War II who now resides in Lewis Town, Montana. Sixty-six years ago during the Battle of Okinawa, Gibbs took the wallet from the body of a dead Japanese soldier, and decades later, he met 69 year-old Noriko Kikuchi,...

Dementia patients enjoy Uchinaguchi picture-card show

Dementia patients enjoy Uchinaguchi picture-card show

May 27, 2011 Ryukyu Shimpo

As part of their therapy, a picture-card show in Uchinaguchi or Okinawan dialect was held at the dementia day-care center “Deigoen” for aged patients of the Amekudai Hospital in Naha, on May 26. Okinawan dialect newscaster of the Radio Okinawa Masakazu...

Typhoon No.2 hits Okinawa with unusual ferocity, causing heavy damage

Typhoon No.2 hits Okinawa with unusual ferocity, causing heavy damage

May 31, 2011 Hiroko Sato of Ryukyu Shimpo

Typhoon No. 2 lashed the Okinawa area during the two days of May 28 and 29, causing extensive damage. A total of 68 injuries had been reported by May 30, including two people in a critical condition. According to prefectural government statistics, at...

While on patrol a police sergeant arrests a large squid with some help from a friend

While on patrol a police sergeant arrests a large squid with some help from a friend

May 22, 2011 by Hideaki Yoneda correspondent of Ryukyu Shimpo

At around 7:30am on May 18, when out on patrol Sergeant Sadao Yoshihara of the Tokashiki Village Police Station found a large squid, known as “sodeika” or diamond squid, floating alive in water about 50 centimeters deep...

Mongol800 eyes the Asian market

Mongol800 eyes the Asian market

May 24, 2011 by Takahiro Miyagi of Ryukyu Shimpo

On May 18, Okinawan band Mongol800 released a new album entitled “Etcetera Works II” featuring a number of their songs released since 2009. The band arranged well-known songs from all over the globe such as “What a Wonderful World” and...