February 18, 2016 • mccsokinawa.com
N Thomas Alan Smilie
ow a large part of Japanese culture, from its business mascots to its merchandise, Japan looks like it was dipped in a bubblegum vat of kawaii (cute). And in this culture of cute, loveable, fuzzable, squeezable, real-life animals fit right in. Even more appropriate are the places to get up close with cute—petting zoos. Unsurprisingly, Okinawa has plenty of these fuzzy opportunities and of course we explored them. Southeast Botanical Gardens Walk through an enclosure filled with curious squirrel monkeys, vying for your attention and your food, and one wire-haired rodent of unusual size, the capybara. There is another pet-
inside
ting zoo; this one is self-serve meaning “pay the small fee on honor-code,” and then hand-feed the animals a cup of lettuce leaves. This one has the odd, but adorable, array of rabbits, chickens and one slothful tortoise. Bios on the Hill The more-rugged pick, Bios on the Hill features an orchid paradise, a jungle cruise along a river and a ride on a buffalo cart. Take a happy goat for a walk or feed some mini pigs. Okinawa Kodomo no Kuni Located near the back of the zoo, find the soft and the sweet—goats, chicks, rabbits, turtles and
Understanding Student Loans | 3 Breakfast and Brunch Buffets | 3 Culture Corner: Noodles 101 | 5 Japanese Phrase of the Week | 5
guinea pigs to have and to hold in the petting zoo. Or to hold and to wish to have. Neo Park A cross between a zoo and botanical garden, Neo Park has many free-roaming animals. There is a separate petting zoo area with goats, pigs, a tortoise, llamas and capybaras. There is also the smaller (and thus cuter, according to the scientific rules of cute) rabbits, guinea pigs and small dogs to play with. Contact your local MCCS Tours+ office for discount tickets to these locations. Cuddle up with kawaii because technically, you’re embracing culture when you embrace that tiny llama.
Pick of the Week: Sakura Scene | 7 PADI Instructor Development Course | 9 Off-Base Events | 11 Semper Fit Events | 11
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livingatlarge
Understanding Student Loans
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aying for college is a stressful task for most families to deal with, but there are ways to ease the pain. Student loans, if used correctly, can make a significant difference when paying for college. Be educated on student loans at the Understanding Student Loans and Repayment Options Brief at the Camp Foster Education Center on February 22 at 5:30 p.m. This brief will educate students about how to be smart consumers when using student loans to pay for college, as well as tips to save money when repaying such loans. Being on a military base, there are many advantages and disadvantages given to us. The brief will review each type of loan, their terms and repayment plans. Students will also learn how to save money while repaying their loans. Using student loans in a careless manner can come back to haunt you after college. Living with debt is
dangerous and unhealthy financially. Becoming educated on student loans and saving money is extremely important to know, therefore, attending this brief is wise. You will learn to understand the basics of having a
student loan and the terms that are associated with them, as well as key factors such as how to keep track of your student loan borrowing history and what to do if you are in default. It’s never too late to plan ahead.
events&happenings
Top: karenroach/bigstock.com, Bottom: weyo/bigstock.com
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Breakfast and Brunch Buffets
hat makes weekends the best? It’s when we unwind. Monday through Friday we rush through our mornings with coffees in paper cups, pre-wrapped pastries and cold bagels. Weekend brunch is a time to relax and enjoy a proper stack (or five) of food during the most leisurely time of day—that magic hour between breakfast and lunch we’ve come to know as brunch. Even as far back as 1896 we knew the benefits of such an eating arrangement, written in Hunter’s Weekly, “…brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting […]It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” Brunch remains a rather “American” tradition difficult to locate off-base. Not all countries have yet embraced the marriage of breakfast and lunch foods of pancakes,
pastries, waffles, bacon and hash browns with a carving station and omelet cook. Good news is you can find all these things at your local MCCS club. Sunday brunches at the Butler Officers’ Club on Plaza Housing runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and at Tengan Castle on Camp Courtney from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Brunches are $17 for adults, $8.50 for children ages 5 to 11 and FREE for children under 5.
Sunday breakfast buffets at Surfside on Camp Kinser runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Habu Pit on MCAS Futenma. At the Ocean Breeze, have breakfast buffets all weekend long from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Breakfast buffets are $9.95 for adults, $4.95 for children 5 to 11 and FREE for children under 5. For more information, visit mccsokinawa.com/clubs.
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER | Jim Kassebaum MANAGING EDITOR | Ryan Anastoplus ART DIRECTOR | Hector Nieves CULTURAL RESEARCH SPECIALIST | Ayako Kawamitsu GRAPHIC ARTS MANAGER | Henry Ortega GRAPHIC DESIGNERS | Margie Shimabukuro, Lisa Miyagi, Kelli Davis, Catherine Newquist EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Mike Daley EDITOR | Caylee Reid PHOTOGRAPHER | Thomas Alan Smilie AD/SPONSORSHIP MANAGER | Roy Forster AD SALES | Yoshihiro Shinzato, Aya Chilcote, Yoriko Yamashiro, Carina Fils-Julien, Lisa Hicks DISTRIBUTION | Gideon Juko MARKETING ACCOUNTS MANAGER | Andrew Menges ACCOUNTS & RESEARCH | Amanda Bakun, Katherine Melrose, Kayla Christen, Jenessa Reutov, Jennifer Dowd, Marissa DeSmet BROADCAST | Victor Mercado, Kathlene Millette, Gabriel Archer CAREER PRACTICUM INTERN | Skylor Stevens
Questions? Comments? Please e-mail OLW@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org. To advertise in Okinawa LivingWeekly, call 645-2245, fax 645-0975, or email sales@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org. MCCS is not responsible for designing and editing outside ads. No Department of Defense, U.S. Marine Corps or Marine Corps Community Services endorsement of commercial advertisers or sponsors implied.
This publication printed with
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japanese phrase
culturecorner
of the week
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Sugu modorimasu. I will be right back.
Clockwise from the top left: Pablocalvog/bigstock.com, Thomas Alan Smilie
For details about FREE Japanese language classes, please call Marine & Family Programs–Resources at 645-2104/2106.
s you have probably noticed, noodles are a big part of Japanese and Okinawan cuisine. From ramen, Okinawa soba, udon, somen and the various ways they can be prepared, identifying the one from the other can be confusing to those new to the noodle game. The big four of noodles in Japan are soba, ramen, somen and udon. Soba: Soba noodles are flat and wide. There are a ton of different types of soba varying by region, type of noodle, broth, toppings and hot or cold soba dishes. Okinawan soki soba is a local specialty—Okinawa soba topped with pork ribs in a braised pork noodle soup. Another traditional topping in Okinawa soba is san-mai-niku (pork belly). Ramen: Ramen noodles are thin, round, strands. Certain shops have signature broths and dishes that can take years to develop. Many ramen shops (over 200,000—more than any other kind of restaurant in Ja-
Noodles 101
pan) are small, family run shops. Ramen chefs grow up learning the stuff. Like soba, there are different variations of ramen depending on the region, broth and toppings. Somen: Somen are the thinnest of the four noodles. Somen is often served cold with a dipping sauce called tsuyu, as hiyashi somen—a favorite during the summer months.
Udon: Udon noodles are fat ropes of rolled wheat flour. Udon is the fattest of the noodles we’ve talked about. It’s chewy and soft. It’s usually served hot and topped with chopped scallions and tempura. Udon also varies from region to region, varying widely in thickness and shape of the noodles. —Ryan Anastoplus
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getting there
pickoftheweek
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Starbucks will be selling Sakurathemed drinks, desserts and collectable mugs and tumblers at locations Japan-wide through March or while supplies last. Don’t have the time to hit a Starbucks? Some convenience stores will be selling Sakura Blossom & Strawberry lattes (pictured above) for a limited time.
herry blossoms, which bloom for no more than two weeks per year, represent mortality and are a symbol in Japanese art. They are also a metaphor for love, affection, good fortune and the coming of spring. Their short-lived beauty is representative of mono-no-aware (the pathos of things), transient nature of beauty and the bittersweet sadness of their passing. It also means sakuraflavored food, from cakes and chocolates, to potato chips and drinks. For some, true sakura season has nothing to do with when the flowers bloom, but when the flavors do. Our modern-day version of mono-no-aware—such as the limited-run varieties of Starbucks frappiccinos—have unveiled their much anticipated sakura flavors. The line of sakura treats, or the “Sakura Scene” as Starbucks calls it, includes Sakura Blossom & Strawberry Frappuccino, Sakura Blossom & Strawberry Latte and Sakura Chiffon Cake.
Sakura Scene
Sakura as an ingredient in cooking is mainly as a fragrance. The main flavor you’ll get from these drinks is strawberry and cream, but the subtle aroma of sakura is what makes this drink not only unique but addicting. Topped with strawberry whipped cream and sakurastrawberry chocolate shavings, these
drinks make it hanami (cherry blossom viewing) in your mouth. The hunt for the perfect cherry blossom tree is over. Why bother with all the driving and walking around when you can grab the perfect cherry blossom experience in a Venti? —Ryan Anastoplus
Clockwise from topleft: Kelli Davis, Thomas Alan Smilie, Thomas Alan Smilie
photooftheweek
Even the Ryukyu Green Pigeon, a species native to Okinawa (sometimes spotted in Taiwan), has travelled to view the cherry blossoms.
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more details
spotlight
PADI Instructor Development Course
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Dates: February 25–March 6 Tsunami Scuba’s Camp Foster location
Clockwise from the top left: OSTILL/bigstock.com, Aletia/bigstock.com
Visit mccsokinawa.com/tsunamiscuba or your local Tsunami Scuba office for more details.
o you spend as much time exploring the beautiful world under the sea as you do on land? There are people that have not yet had the opportunity to see some of these untold wonders. You can be the one to show them. Sign up for the PADI Instructor Development Course and become an instructor. You must meet the following requirements in order to become a scuba instructor. • Be 18 years of age or older. • Be a certified diver for six months, a PADI Dive Master, or have a leadership-level certification with a recognized recreational diver training organization and have 100 or more logged dives that include navigation, deep and night diving. • Submit a medical statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months stating that you are physically fit for diving. • In the last 24 months, you are re-
quired to have completed CPR, First Aid Training and be a certified Emergency First Response instructor. Once you complete the Instructor Development Course and meet all the requirements, you must pass the instructor exam administered by an authorized PADI representative before becoming an instructor. This course is meant to help qual-
ified divers become certified instructors, so they can not only do what they love, but they can teach others as well. An instructor can introduce a whole new view of the world to eager new underwater explorers. For more information or to sign up for the Instructor Development Course, please call 645-4206.
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tours+
adventure begins here. Japanese Baseball Game February 20, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Adults $45, Children (5–15) $40, under 5 FREE *no seat Watch the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants face off against the Yokohama DeNA Baystars in a pre-season game at the Okinawa Cellular Stadium in Naha. Tea Ceremony with Kimono Dressing February 20, 3–8:30 p.m. Adults $48, Children (3–11) $38 Take part in a traditional tea ceremony, discover the history behind the kimono and dress in a traditional Japanese kimono. The Tea House will provide a complimentary photo of your immersion into Japanese culture. Afterwards, travel to Naha Main Place for dinner and shopping.
Whale Watching February 21, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Adults $54, Children (4–11) $35 An experience of a lifetime, watch the mammoth-sized creatures surface around the stunning Kerama Islands on their journey to warmer waters. After a refreshing morning on the East China Sea, head to Kokusai St. for lunch and shopping. Battle Sites February 21, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Adults $28, Children (3–11) $18 Visit the Battle of Okinawa Historical Society’s museum on Camp Kinser. Explore the Japanese Naval Underground Headquarters and end the day at Peace Prayer Park.
*Bring yen for additional food, drinks and/or purchases. For more information, contact MCCS Tours+: Camp Foster 646-3502 | Camp Hansen 623-6344 | Camp Kinser 637-2744
off-baseevents get out and explore.
Onna Village Industrial Festival February 20-21, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Onnason Fureai Taiken Center Onna Village FREE
Proud sponsor of MCCS Youth Sports
Athletics/Adult Sports
Top to bottom: Eugene Onischenko/bigstock.com, Kateholms/bigstock.com
645-3521/3522
Aquatics 645-3180 Courtney Ironworks 622-9261/7297 Futenma Semper Fit 636-2672 Gunners Fitness Center 645-3985/2235 Hansen House of Pain 623-5558/4831 Health Promotion 645-3484/3910 Kinser Fitness Center 637-1869/1114 Schwab Power Dome 625-2654/2442 Taiyo Golf Club 622-2004 Tsunami SCUBA 645-9500 Youth Sports 645-3533/3534
Motobu Handmade Market February 21, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Motobu Town Market Motobu Town FREE
Flamenco Live February 21, 5:30 p.m. start Top Note Naha City Tickets: ¥4.000
upcoming semperfitevents Open Basketball Tournament February 26–28 Camp Foster Gunners Fitness Center Register at any MCCS Fitness Center by 1 p.m. on February 22 for $100. This event is open to participants island-wide. Awards will be given to first, second and third-place teams. Tournament brackets and rules will be emailed to each participant. Details: 6453003/4866.
Open 6-on-6 Soccer March 4–6 Camp Courtney Ironworks Fitness Center Register at any MCCS Fitness Center by 1 p.m. on February 29 for $90. This event is open to participants island-wide. Awards will be given to first, second and third-place teams and individuals. Tournament brackets and rules will be emailed to each participant. Details: 622-7297.
classof theweek Turbo Kickboxing Kick start your day with this high-intensity, invigorating class. Shadow box and kick your stress away!
For a full class schedule and times, visit mccsokinawa.com/groupfitness.