June 9, 2016 • mccsokinawa.com
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here is nothing to do here. Go ahead. Say it ten times and get it out of your system. And then let’s talk. This is our least favorite expression. In fact, we hate it. But we hear it a lot. Honestly, it’s fine; we do understand. This is a foreign country. They don’t speak English everywhere (although many places do), and many of you have come to this island without a choice. What do you know about this place? Nothing. Maybe a few hot news stories. Allow us, if we may, to reintroduce you to Okinawa. Summer is here, and you either just arrived to this Jurassic Park-looking jungle or you’ve been on this tiny island for a year or two now and have run out of things to do. Summer is when Okinawa sizzles. The whole island is rich with culture, food, world-class beaches and diving, waterfalls, sushi and karaoke. It is nick-
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named the “Hawaii of Asia” with good reason. It is a sub-tropical paradise. We have created this issue as a guide to your summer on Okinawa. Revel in the sunshine and find some adventure. You will never be as young as you are right now. Grab some life—head outdoors and outside the chain-link. How many other places can you snorkel or dive and, in the same day, swim in a lagoon under a waterfall? Okinawa pulses with adventure. Sure, there will be a few wrong turns, it won’t always be comfortable and you may have to challenge yourself, but in the end, it’ll be worth it. Discover your summer bucket list on pages 6 and 7. (Some items will take a little research on your part, but we believe that’s how all the best adventures start.) For more Okinawa information, check out our FREE monthly, Okinawa Living Magazine,
Summer Reading | 3 Learn To Swim | 3 Hello Summer 2016 | 5 Summer Bucket List | 6
where we cover in-depth cultural features or our annual publication, Okinawa Guide, a comprehensive overview of Okinawa. Each week look for a new Okinawa Living Weekly to get some ideas about what MCCS offers and what to do with your weekend. Now, turn the page, grab your shades and let’s hit the road.
Summer Bucket List continued | 7 Devil Dog Days of Summer | 9 Off-Base Events | 11 Semper Fit Events | 11
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livingatlarge
Summer Reading
M
CCS Libraries’ Summer Reading Program, Read—For the Win! (June 19 to July 30) will be a celebration of sports and achievement. This six-week program and all of its associated activities are FREE. Read—For the Win! Summer Reading Program has six age categories. All children aged zero to 23 months can attend a Lapsit Program.
Curious ones aged 24 to 48 months can join the Tales for Tots Program. Preschool Storytime provides a halfhour program for children 4 to 6 years old. An hour-long School Age Storytime will be offered each week for those aged 6-11 years old. The Teen Program (12 to 17) rewards readers with small prizes. Lastly, all MCCS libraries offer an
Adult Program. Adults also receive small prizes and accumulate points through reading, completing quizzes and participation in weekly adult programs. For more information about Read—For the Win!, contact your local library or visit mccsokinawa. com/libraries.
events&happenings
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
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.
Top: Raschka, bottom: shock/bigstock.com
Learn To Swim
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ant to be able to do more than just the doggie paddle? MCCS Aquatics’ summer Learn to Swim program will help you get started. The best perk of swimming on Okinawa is the recreation it provides for individuals and families. From pool parties to snorkeling
trips, water activities abound on island. Swimming is also a lifetime sport that works practically every muscle in your body and keeps your heart and joints happy and healthy. Classes meet every weekday for two weeks. The registration fee ($50
for parent/child lessons, $75 for regular lessons) includes eight classes. Classes are between the times of 7:30 to 11 a.m. or 4:30 to 6:45 p.m. Visit mccsokinawa.com/learntoswim for information on upcoming sessions: July 18 to 28 and August 1 to 11. Registration opens June 30.
This publication printed with
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ugh August) MCCS is hosting All summer long (from now thro p r on Oura Wan Beach at Cam Devil Dog Days of Summe . day rday and Sun Schwab every Friday night, Satu my) for a friendly (or not-soGrab your best pals (or archene Kadena Outdoor Recreation. friendly) game of paintball at ds at Forest Adventure Park. Zip above the Okinawan woodlan the name. It’s comprehensive. Just Comprehensive Park—it’s in e. (It won’t be enough time.) trust us, go and spend the day ther board and race down all the Grab a flattened piece of card A few starting points: Tobaru roller slides on the island. ungou Koen and Urasoe Park. Koen, Nishizaki Athletic Park, Kaig CS Tou rs+. Tou rs run thro ugh Conquer Mt. Fuji with MC July and Aug ust. le the Hill through tropical jung Enjoy a boat ride at Bios on s. ride cart ng and meet the water buffalo givi er at an old one). Taiyo Golf Pick up a new game (or get bett Development programs Club offers FREE Player a July 4 to Aug. 5 fuel up with Shis throughout the week. And from 8 p.m. Pizza and wings from 11 a.m. to
ous monkeys at the Southeast
Pet a capybara and some mischiev Botanical Gardens.
. nse through Kadena Aero Club Earn your private pilot lice
al Manza Beach Resort At ANA Intercontinent through all the water inflatables. bounce, fly and climb your way nawa Marriott Resort & The 47.5 meters-long slide at Oki alike. Spa is a rush for adults and kids
to Taa Taki, Todoroki no Taki, Chasing waterfalls: River trek r own waterfall. (Tips: Bring a Hiji Falls, Aha Falls or find you A picnic lunch is a nice touch.) couple other friends for safety! ld—the one underwater—and Explore the other side of the wor the Tsunami Scuba shops or get scuba certified from any of specialty course. go deeper with an advance or
lives. Take the Lifeguard Soak up the rays and protect be an MCCS lifeguard. Certification Course and Scuba now sells locally-made Surf the Rock: Tsunami e to handle Okinawa’s waves surfboards that are custom-mad abe, Hedo and Ikei Island. and terrain. A few surf spots: Sun all and then go find your own Go beach Hunting. Visit them soak in paradise. private beach—bring a float and Torii Beach, Zanpa Misaki Beach “Dive” into the tide pools at and Seragaki Beach. ing Kerama Islands with Snorkel the breathtak gh mangrove trees on the MCCS Tours+ or kayak throu Yanbaru Kayaking Tour. Beach Bash on July 17. Check out the sizzling Kin Blue a fishing boat. Hook your dinner on a deep-se
at one of the Pool Bashes Welcome summer with a splash at MCCS Aquatic Centers. Check happening throughout the summer online for dates.
app . Hav e end less fun. Geocaching. Dow nloa d the trea sure s. little e thes Oki naw a is cho ck-f ull of
g ths of Eart h. Go spelunkin Disc ove r the dee p, dark dep the join er Oki naw a Wo rld. Or in the larg e cav e syst em und thro ugh diffe rent cav es that e mbl scra Tunnel Rats and ing WW II. Bot h tou rs ava ilab le serv ed as bun kers and she lter dur thro ugh MC CS Tou rs+. land , bea che s and find a cute Bike the islan d. Ride pas t farm café as a pit stop . is a spo rt that take s plac e on low Climb the rock. Bou lder ing than an opt iona l mat to soft en rock s with no equ ipm ent, oth er wal l in the Gun ners Fitn ess a land ing. Trai n at the free rock l mov es, hea d to Cor al’s rock wal Cen ter or, for more adv anc ed a. naw Oki in out s you r skill (nea r Cam p Fos ter) , then test les, mou ntai ns and fore sts of Walk it out: hike the jung ltipl e hike s up), Mou nt Kat su, Oki naw a— Nag o Mou ntai n (mu Park , Yam ada Sto ne Brid ge, s Ben oki Dam , Ishi kaw a Peo ple’ and thes e thre e neig hbo ring Spid er Alle y, Kay auc hi Ban ta, nt Inyu and Mou nt Yon aha . mou ntai ns: Mou nt Tam atsu ji, Mou hav e star san d, som e are sacred Go island hopping— som e ng. Try to see them all (the re are and som e hav e wor ld-c lass divi Isla nd cha in). 140 out er islan ds in the Ryu kyu Heritage Sites on Oki naw a. Hit all of the UNESCO World d cam pgroun ds arou nd the islan Pitch your tent at vari ous ch, Bea r Tige , Fall s, Fore st Park (and neig hbo ring islan ds): Hiji Tori i Stat ion Bea ch, Fuc hak u ch, Bea hiro Nas Sera gak i Bea ch, imo tob u Bea ch, Ses oko Isla nd, Bea ch, Dia mon d Bea ch, Sak ma Mili tary Rec reat ion Bea ch, Yag aji Isla nd, Zam ami Isla nd, Oku i Stat ion Bea ch, Sed ake Bea ch, Oku Bea ch, Ada Bea ch, Ges ash Teru ma Bea ch, Whi te Bea ch Kan na Bea ch, Cou rtne y Bea ch, and Hya kun a Bea ch.
ri all the cast les and ruin s: Shu Castle chasing— hun t for s, Ruin tle Cas Ruin s, Kat sure n Cas tle, Nak agu suku Cas tle Cas tle Ruin s. imi Zak and s Ruin Nak ijin Cas tle the cliff s belo w the tow erin g Wat ch the wav es cras h aga inst Yom itan . Cape Zanpa Lighthouse in som e exp lorin g and pict ures at Pho to Op! Take the fam ily for nese Gardens. the stun ning FukushŪen Chi ts on the islan d, an elep han tOne of the mos t bea utifu l spo an wav es— Cape Manzamo. sha ped cliff ove r foam ing oce erst and the Oki naw ans ’ plig ht. At Peace Prayer Park, und ional summer Okinawan On July 29, exp erie nce a tradit kyu Mur a. The re will be firef ly festival-style event at Ryu ws, gam es and muc h more. wat chin g, Oki naw an dan ce sho Ava ilab le with MC CS Tou rs+. ure through the important and Glimpse into the Japanese cult ony. Tours available through precise Japanese Tea Cerem MCCS Tours+. cele brat e the larg est fest ival on End the sum mer with a ban g: tival on Aug . 4, 5 and 6. Oki naw a, the Zento Eisa Fes
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Make some homemade frozen treats with fresh fruits from one of the many farmers’ markets.
Dye t-shirts, scarves and bags using piec es of coral at Shuri Ryusen.
Nothing is sweeter than a slab of honeycomb in ice cream— available at Okinawa YOHO.
Make your own pottery shis a (guardian) at Ryukyu Gama in Nago.
BIC ice cream stands populate Highway 58 (mostly on the weekends and Japanese holidays) in the warmer months. It’s perfectly acceptable to just pull over for a cone of homemade vanilla.
Scavenge for some beautiful artis an Okinawa pottery in the Yomitan Pottery Village.
Find a random beach, cave or both and grill up some slabs of tuna from the local fish market .
explore Churaumi Aquarium, the world’s second-largest aquarium with captivating whale shar ks. Blow your own glass at the Ryukyu Glass Factory.
Ryu-Pin in American Village serves a mountain of fresh, seasonal fruit in a bed of powdery “sno.” The whole thing is drizzled with condensed milk and topped with a single scoop of ice cream. Bring friends—you’ll have to share.
Read to win great prizes from June 19 through July 30. Open to all ages. Available at Cam ps Foster, Courtney, Kinser, Hansen, Schwab and MCAS Futenma Libraries.
Pineapple Park for the cute and the sweet—it involves riding in a happy, little pineapple cart and eating everything pineapple.
Get involved! Register with the MCCS Volunteer Coordinator and find the perfect fit for you on or off base.
On Aug. 27, feel the heat at the Hawaiian Luau Dinner Show at Tengan Castle on Camp Courtney.
Learn some Nihongo (Japanes e). Start with the FREE course through Marine & Family Prog rams-Resources and then practice out in town.
Go on a quest to discover the cutest and most charming café on the island.
Make a craft out of your island treas
Enjoy a sunset cruise on the East China Sea and a delicious BBQ dinner, yakiniku style, from the open-air upper deck. Available in July with MCCS Tours+.
Maximize your potential at one of the MCCS Education Center open houses. Visit with all four universities on the island and enroll. August 16 on Camp Han sen and August 18 on Camp Foster.
Conquer every single flavor in one sitting at Blue Seal with their Ice Cream Mountain (available at participating locations). At the Urashima Dinner Theate r, savor the varied flavors of Okinawan cuisine and enjoy trad itional entertainment, music and dancers. Available in July with MCCS Tours+.
ures: seaglass and driftwood.
Get some errands done and wait for the sun to return: take advantage of the Typhoon Mot ors Super Summer Tire Sale throughout the month of Aug ust.
Paddleboard Yoga at the Kad ena Marina. Stargaze on the beach. Sign the kiddos up for youth sof tball or baseball with Youth Sports (register by June 30). And sign yourself up for coaching. Train for a Triathlon. On June 18, participate in the TriKids & MiniKids Triathlon on Cam p Kinser, and on July 23 join the TriKids, MiniKids and Wom en’s Only Triathlon on Camp Foster. All day on July 22, sport your jammies at Snuggle Up Storytime—complete with stori es, songs, poems and decorating your own teddy bear. (Designed for ages 3 to 9 but all children are welcome.) Part icipating libraries: Camps Courtney, Foster and Kinser. The next Tiger Woods? At Taiyo ’s Junior Golf Clinics, your kid will learn the basics of the game. There are four different four-day sessions througho ut the summer. Master the Learn to Swim Pro gram with Semper Fit Aquatics. Sessions throughout the summer.
For more infor mation on MCC S-related events or services, visit mccsokinawa.com, Okinawa Living Magazine, or pick up a copy of the 2016–2017 Okinawa Guide. For week ly events happening on or off base, pick up the current issue of Okinawa Living Weekly.
Pack a picnic for a moment of peace regardless of where you’re headed or what adventures are planned. String up a hammock between a couple of palm trees. Take a stroll looking for seaglass and seashells. Catc h a seawal l sun set. And then keep catc hing them all sum mer.
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Choose the right sunscreen for you.
Clockwise from left: wollertz/bigstock.com, monticello/bigstock.com
Percentage of UVB rays blocked SPF 15 93% SPF 30 97% SPF 50 98% No sunscreen blocks 100% UVB rays. Most dermatologists recommend SPF 30.
spotlight
Devil Dog Days of Summer
A
s‌ you may have guessed by the climbing temperatures or the ever-growing circles staining the armpits of all your good shirts, summer has arrived on Okinawa. Countries in hot climates are always creative in ways to handle the heat, from local cuisine that uses food that cools the body, to unique commercial products that provide a sweet relief to blazing temperatures.
But one of the most reliable and arguably the best way of dealing with the desperation of heat is something we all automatically seem to know to do when summer hits—go have fun on the beach. The northern coasts of Camp Schwab are the perfect place to spend summer days. No need to lug around a cooler of your own snacks and drinks, because the Driftwood
will provide all that plus entertainment, for FREE. So come out on Fridays from 1 to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and make the most out of your summer. For more information, call 625-2053/2051 or visit the mccsokinawa.com/beachhead and facebook.com/mccsokinawa. clubsandrestaurants.
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tours+
adventure begins here Kerama Snorkeling* June 11, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Adults $73; Children (4–11) $41 Grab your fins and get ready for some fun! Tour includes a boat ride to two snorkeling spots in the breathtaking Kerama Islands.
Tunnel Rats* June 12, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Adults $23; Children (7–11) $16 We’ll explore numerous caves that served as bunkers and shelter during WWII.
Expo Park & Aquarium* June 11, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Adults $37; Children (16–17) $33, (12–15) $26, (6–11) $22, (under 6) FREE Head to Expo Park and visit the four-story Churaumi Aquarium. Watch a free dolphin show, visit an Okinawan Village or relax on Emerald Beach.
Hiji Falls & Okuma* June 12, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Adults $23; Children (3–11) $16, (under 3) FREE Enjoy a hike to Hiji Falls and have lunch at Okuma.
*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
Breakfast at Southeast Botanical Gardens June 11–12, 7–10 a.m. Southeast Botanical Gardens Okinawa City
Proud sponsor of MCCS Youth Sports
Athletics/Adult Sports
alenkasm/bigstock.com, 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
Henza Dragon Boat Race June 12, 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Henza Minami Fishing Port Uruma City FREE
Eisa Night June 12, 7 p.m. Koza Music Town Okinawa City FREE
upcoming semperfitevents Open Tri-Ekiden Relay Triathlon June 12 Camp Hansen House of Pain Register at the Camp Hansen House of Pain for $60 by 1 p.m. on June 10. This event is open to participants island-wide. A mandatory participant’s brief will be onsite at 7:30 a.m. Awards will be given to the top three finishers in each category. Details: 623-5569/5558.
Open Basketball Tournament June 17–19 Camp Courtney Semper Fit Gym Register at any MCCS fitness center by 1 p.m. on June 13 for $100 per team. This event is open to participants island-wide. Awards will be given to the top three finishers in each category. Details: 622-7297.
classof theweek Tabata Interval Tabata Interval training is a highintensity, minimal equipment workout. This interval workout consists of 20 seconds of all-out work, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated eight times. Camps Courtney & Foster
For a full class schedule and times, visit mccsokinawa.com/groupfitness.