April 28, 2016 • mccsokinawa.com
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very year in Japan, spring is welcomed by koinobori, or “carp streamers.” Hanging the koinobori starts in early spring, but the season truly begins April 29—the first day of Golden Week and the largest string of holidays in Japan (rivaling even New Year). Koinobori are scaled in a distinctive carpskin pattern often in red, blue, black or gold. Outside homes, the traditional koinobori hanging begins with a multi-colored streamer with a family crest. Then, below that, flies a large black or dark-colored carp representing the father; slightly smaller is the mother— a red or darker color than the children and then one small, bright carp for each child. The carp was chosen for its strength and determination fighting against the river’s current as a symbol for the strength of Japan’s young boys. Children’s Day (the last day of Golden Week—
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May 5) was originally known as Tango no Sekku or the boy’s festival. A girl’s festival, known as Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival), is still held in March. However, Tango no Sekku has evolved into Children’s Day. Parents pray for their children (regardless if they are male or female) for a strong, healthy and successful future. On Children’s Day, families with boys display dolls called Gogatsu Ningyo (May dolls) or miniature sets of samurai armor inside their homes. These displays are given to boys to symbolize famous legendary heroes of Japan. Together, the dolls and streamers embody their parents’ wishes for a successful life for their kids. Golden Week is a celebration of many different festivals—and a number revolve around children. To learn more about the different holidays, check out “Culture Corner” on page 5. These festivals encourage kids to commune
Because She Deserves the BEST | 3 Cinco de Mayo at the Clubs | 3 A Guide to Golden Week | 5 Japanese Phrase of the Week | 5
“...turn towards the sky and enjoy the colorful swim of koinobori...” with nature and society. Younger children (kindergarten and first and second graders) make their own streamers. You may see them flown around public places like government offices, banks, post offices and police stations. This week, turn towards the sky and enjoy the colorful swim of koinobori and the bright futures they signify; it’s a uniquely Japanese experience.
Pick of the Week: Roadside Ice Cream | 7 Resiliency: The Ultimate Strength | 9 Off-Base Events | 11 Semper Fit Events | 11
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livingatlarge
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Because She Deserves the BEST
tart your mother’s special day off right with a breakfast fit for a queen. On Sunday, May 8, you can enjoy a delectable breakfast buffet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Surfside on Camp Kinser and the Habu Pit on MCAS Futenma. Filled with all of your breakfast favorites, these buffets will give you a chance to spend some quality time over a great meal with the best mom in the room. The prices for these buffets are $9.95 for adults, $4.95 for children ages 5 to 11 and FREE for children under 5. The only thing better than a breakfast buffet is that delightful blend of lunch and breakfast— brunch! And the only thing better than that is your mom. Stop by The Butler Officers’ Club on Plaza Housing or Tengan Castle on Camp Courtney from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to indulge in an exquisitely prepared brunch buffet with all your favorites. Brunch prices are $17 for adults, $8.50 for children ages 5 to
11 and FREE for children under 5. This Mother’s Day, show mom you care by starting her morning with breakfast or brunch at a MCCS club. There may be no way of ever fully expressing your gratitude, but a nice morning out is a perfect place to start. Maybe it will at least redeem
you for that vase you broke while playing kickball in the house. Reservations are recommended for brunches. For more information on MCCS Mother’s Day breakfasts or brunches, call the nearest participating club or visit mccsokinawa.com/clubs.
events&happenings
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Cinco de Mayo at the Clubs
elebrate Cinco de Mayo with savory Mexican food and electrifying fun at your local MCCS club or restaurant Thursday, May 5th and Friday the 6th. On May 5, Thirsty’s E Club on MCAS Futenma and the Ocean Breeze on Camp Foster will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo with prize giveaways, complimentary appetizers and more at 6 to 10 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. respectively. The Palms on Camp Hansen will be offering an especial Cinco de Mayo lunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for $9.95. On Camp Kinser, Surfside will be serving complimentary Mexican-themed appetizers in their enlisted and SNCO lounges from 6 to 10 p.m. One day of celebration certainly deserves another and the Cinco de Mayo food and fun continues on Friday May 6 at the BeachHead on Camp Schwab with a Cinco de Mayo Lunch Buffet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $9.95. From 6 p.m. to midnight,
Legend’s Officers’ Club on Camp Courtney will be holding a Cinco de Mayo Celebration featuring salsa dancing, a DJ and complimentary hors d’oeuvres from 5 to 8 p.m. To round out the festivities, the Habu Pit on MCAS Futenma will also fea-
ture music and dancing from 5 p.m. to midnight with complimentary hors d’oeuvres from 5 to 8 p.m. For more information on MCCS Cinco de Mayo events and festivities, call the nearest participating club, or visit mccsokinawa.com/clubs.
Chief Marketing Officer | Jim Kassebaum Managing Editor | Caylee Reid Art Director | Catherine Newquist Cultural Research Specialist | Ayako Kawamitsu Graphic Arts Manager | Henry Ortega Graphic Designers | Margie Shimabukuro, Lisa Miyagi, Kelli Davis, Hector Nieves Editor-in-Chief | Mike Daley Editor | Ryan Anastoplus 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, Kelli Kreider Marketing Accounts Manager | Andrew Menges Accounts & Research | Jennifer Dowd, Marissa DeSmet, Ashley Herring, Katherine Melrose, Jenessa Reutov 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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! e t a r b e l e
Renkyû Consecutive Holidays For details about FREE Japanese language classes, please call Marine & Family Programs-Resources at 645-2104/2106.
A Guide to Golden Week
usinesses and schools close, traffic thickens and Okinawa surges with mainlanders vacationing. Golden Week is the time for Japanese to take an extended holiday to relax, pursue recreational activities or travel to visit friends and relatives. But what is Japan celebrating? This is a mini guide to Golden Week’s holidays. April 29: This celebratory week begins with Showa no Hi, or Showa Day. The day is dedicated to the late Emperor Showa’s birthday. After his death in 1989, the holiday became known as Midori no Hi, or Greenery Day, and celebrated the environment because of Showa’s expertise in biology and love of nature. Several years ago, the two holidays were separated and now Midori no Hi is celebrated on May 4. May 3: The day before Midori no Hi is Kenpo Kinenbi, or Constitution Day. On this day in 1947, the new post-war constitution was put into ef-
fect, replacing the Meiji Constitution of 1889. This holiday can be likened to America’s celebration of July 4 as Independence Day. May 5: Kodomo no Hi, or Children’s Day, follows Midori no Hi. On this day, time is set aside to pray for the health and happiness of Japan’s children. Observed since ancient times as a festival for boys, Kodomo no Hi became a national
holiday in 1948. As we covered on the cover, families will fly brilliantly colored carp streamers. Since Okinawa is a resort destination with beautiful beaches and unique cultural attractions, expect the population to increase with tourists and plan accordingly. Get caught up in the festivities this coming week—you will certainly get caught in the traffic.
Clockwise from the top left: ProVectors/bigstock.com, Thomas Alan Smilie
If you have any burning questions about Japanese culture, please send them to OLW@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org.
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getting there
Hwy 58
Take a drive on a hot day on Hwy 58 and you're bound to find a BIC ice cream stand or three.
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Roadside Ice Cream
ou’ve seen them. The simple, bright blue and white stands with a single umbrella and paper cutout of an ice cream cone. They come out en masse on the weekends during summer. There’s a teen or two sitting there. It reminds you of a graduated lemonade stand. You’re curious. But you haven’t stopped yet. There were too many cars behind you and you weren’t sure if that was maybe a bus stop. And is it even any good? In Japan, especially Okinawa, it is perfectly acceptable to pull over and grab an ice cream cone. It’s one of the many reasons we love it here (do you need more than roadside ice cream stands and world-class beaches?). I have heard rumors that those BIC ice cream stands carry two flavors, the classics: chocolate and vanilla. However, every time I have pulled over—a lot—it’s been one flavor: homemade vanilla. But that one flavor is enough because it tastes like true homemade
vanilla. Like the vanilla you made in your grandma’s hand-churned ice cream maker. The vanilla that never tasted any better or sweeter or purer because you made it—your entire arm went numb with churning effort and you couldn’t even hold your ice cream after, but it didn’t matter because it was so good kind of vanilla. This is that kind of vanilla.
Thomas Alan Smilie
photooftheweek
Hija River in Mizugama, where Kadena Town boasts a stunning array of Koinobori.
And a cone is only like ¥250. Feel the heat creeping up? Or in a celebratory mood from all the matsuris (festivals)? Or just need a pick-meup? Finally succumb to the BIC ice cream stand’s call and let all the dripping sugary sweetness remind you of what’s good in life. —Caylee Reid
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more details
spotlight
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May 26, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Camp Foster Community Center Auditorium
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For details, please call 645-3910 or visit mccsokinawa.com/wellness.
Resiliency: The Ultimate Strength
ean Chatzky—American financial journalist, motivational speaker and author of The Difference: How Anyone Can Prosper in Even the Toughest Times—defines resilience well: “Resilience isn’t a single skill. It’s a variety of skills and coping mechanisms. To bounce back from bumps in the road as well as failures, you should focus on emphasizing the positive.” Resiliency is strength. And cultivating resiliency of the body and mind enables us to bounce back from whatever adversity life throws at us. Resilience isn’t a superhuman trait; in all actuality, there’s no trait that is more human. Whether it’s a disease or disability, overcoming the loss of a loved one or even raising a kindergartener while a spouse is deployed, we end some days feeling utterly defeated, but when the next morning comes we brush ourselves off and re-engage life. That’s resilience. So how does one grow to
become more resilient? One great place to start is by attending the Resiliency Health Fair being held Thursday, May 26 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside the Camp Foster Community Center Auditorium. The Resiliency Health Fair will highlight health and fitness resources available locally and will feature talks on nutrition and traumatic brain injury, fitness demonstrations, a fitness challenge and more. In addition, rep-
resentatives from MCCS Health Promotion, the Single Marine Program, Semper Fit Aquatics and Athletics, the Red Cross as well as U.S. Naval Hospital personnel specializing in physical therapy and dental will be on-hand to answer questions. For more information on the 2016 Resiliency Health Fair, call the MCCS Health Promotion Program at 645-3910 or visit them online mccsokinawa.com/wellness.
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tours+
adventure begins here Valley of Gangala* May 1, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Adults $46, Children (5–12) $19, (3–4) $11 Looking for a new, fun place to hike? Not only will you enjoy beautiful scenery but also a spectacular walk through caves. The hike will be approximately 80 minutes so be prepared. Afterwards, have lunch at Okinawa World where you can eat while watching the famous Eisa dancing.
Tea Ceremony with Kimono Dressing* May 6, 3:30–9:30 p.m. Adults $48, Children (3–11) $38 Take part in a traditional tea ceremony that includes the preparation of matcha, the customary powdered green tea served in Japan. Discover the history behind the kimono, and dress in one. Afterwards, travel to Naha Main Place Mall for dinner and shopping.
Dragon Boat Racing* May 5, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Adults $23, Children (3–11) $16, (under 3) FREE Experience Okinawan culture at one of the most well-known events on the island—dragon boat racing. Watch as teams, including ones representing U.S. military branches, entertain spectators with numerous races. Between the races, enjoy live music, shows, street vendors, food booths and games.
Northern Highlights* May 7, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Adults $39, Children (3–11) $24, (under 3) FREE Visit Nago Pineapple Winery, Nago Glass Factory and the Orion Beer factory. Then enjoy a buffet lunch at Yanbaru Ikoi no Mori (included).
*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
III MEF Band Spring Concert May 7, 7 p.m. (doors open 6:15 p.m.) Tedako Hall, Urasoe City FREE (reservation required) Call 645-3919 for more details.
Proud sponsor of MCCS Youth Sports
Athletics/Adult Sports
Clockwise from left: MCCS stock, Thomas Alan Smilie
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
Ie Island Lily Festival April 28–May 5, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Lily Field Park, Ie Island Free
Peace Memorial Park Carp Streamers Festival April 29–May 5, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Peace Memorial Park, Itoman City FREE
upcoming semperfitevents Open 6 vs. 6 Soccer Tournament May 14–15 Camp Schwab Athletics Softball Field #2 Register at any MCCS fitness center by 1 p.m. on May 9 for $90. The tournament rules and schedule will be emailed to each participant. This event is open to participants island-wide. Awards will be given to the top three teams. Details: 625-2654.
Open Basketball Tournament May 20–22 MCAS Futenma Fitness Center Register at any MCCS fitness center by 1 p.m. on May 16 for $95. The tournament rules and schedule will be emailed to each participant. This event is open to participants island-wide. Awards will be given to the top three individuals and teams. Details: 636-2672.
classof theweek Turbo Kickboxing Bust the afternoon slump with this high intensity, invigorating workout. This class provides toning and cardio utilizing punches, kicks and many techniques used when training to box. Camp Courtney Fridays 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. For a full class schedule and times, visit mccsokinawa.com/groupfitness.