December 15, 2016 • mccsokinawa.com
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t wasn’t until the 20th century that Japan began to adopt Western commercial holiday activities. The annual holiday sales, started by major Japanese department stores in the 1930s, coincided with the end-of-year bonuses. Around this time Japan also started exporting lots of holiday decorations and toys for the Western market. Today, holiday décor like reindeer, hanging lights and Santa Claus pop up right after the paper pumpkins and plastic ghosts come down. Holiday illuminations, or large light displays, are a mainstay at local resorts. In Japan, the festivities are usually on Christmas Eve. December 24 is considered a romantic holiday for couples, similar to Valentine’s Day. It is a time when the unmarried may express their
inside
intentions, give flowers and other small gifts—or bemoan the fact they don’t have a date. Fancy restaurants and romantic getaway hotels are often booked up at this time of year. Christmas cakes, instead of fruit cake and pumpkin pie, are a favorite in Japan. Bakeries feature confections like round cakes topped with a Santa figure, and sweets in the shape of yule logs. This tradition began during the days of occupied Japan when people purchased buttercream sponge cakes from Western-style restaurants and bakeries. Since few Japanese homes have a full-size oven, cooking a whole turkey is not common. Fried and roasted chicken is the popular alternative and Christmas Eve brings booming business to Kentucky Fried Chicken chains.
Kenwood Christmas Sale | 3 Christmas Parties at the Clubs | 3 Culture Corner: The Original Japanese Gladiators | 5 Japanese Phrase of the Week | 5
"December 24 is considered a romantic holiday for couples..." So to celebrate Christmas Japanese-style, forgo caroling for a romantic night out with your loved one—and don’t forget the cake and chicken, maybe from Red Barn Country Kitchen at Kinser Surfside? Read on for more of what MCCS has to offer during the holidays!
Pick of the Week: Christmas...Japanese-Style | 7 MCCS: Your Home for the Holidays | 9 Off-Base Events | 11 Semper Fit Events | 11
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livingatlarge
Kenwood Christmas Sale
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here’s nothing worse than listening to a favorite song on a tinny inadequate sound system that starts to distort with the volume knob turned to ‘3.’ New car speakers and head units aren’t just for people wanting to send their bass rumbling down the street. A few simple upgrades to
your current audio system can lead to significant improvements in sound clarity, quality and power. Get somebody a gift that will make their rides thump! Typhoon Motors island-wide will be cutting their prices on Kenwood automotive audio equipment with savings
of up to 20% on select products until December 16. Their grins will last for miles and miles! For more information on the Kenwood sale, call your nearest Typhoon Motors or visit mccokinawa.com/ typhoonmotors.
events&happenings
From top to bottom: Thomas Alan Smilie, karandaev/bigstock.com
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Chief Marketing Officer | Jim Kassebaum Managing Editor | Ashley Snipes Art Director | Hector Nieves Cultural Research Specialist | Ayako Kawamitsu Graphic Arts Manager | Henry Ortega Graphic Designers | Margie Shimabukuro, Lisa Miyagi, Catherine Newquist Editor-in-Chief | Mike Daley WRITER/EDITORS | Ryan Anastoplus, Shelbie Thilmony Digital marketing manager | Thomas Alan Smilie Ad/Sponsorship Manager | Roy Forster Ad Sales | Yoshihiro Shinzato, Aya Chilcote, Yoriko Yamashiro, Tomoko Taylor, Carina Fils-Julien Distribution | Kelli Kreider Marketing Accounts Manager | Andrew Menges Accounts & Research | Marissa DeSmet, Ashley Herring, Kristen Wong, Katherine Melrose, Allison Dixon Broadcast | Kathlene Millette, Gabriel Archer, Emi Komiya Volunteer | Jessie McKean INTERNS | Chloé Stevens, Valeria Solorzano Questions? Comments? Please e-mail OLW@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org. To advertise in Okinawa Living Weekly, 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.
Christmas Parties at the Clubs
et jolly and enjoy a healthy dose of holiday cheer with your MCCS Clubs and Restaurants. Before Santa starts his worldwide tour, visit a Winter Wonderland at Legends Officers’ Club on December 16 from 6 p.m. to midnight. Then next week, head over to Hashmarks SNCO Club for their Christmas “Deck the Halls” Party on December 23 from 6 p.m. to midnight. On December 24, Camp Kinser’s SNCO Lounge in Surfside will have festivities from 5 p.m. until midnight. On MCAS Futenma, the Habu Pit will celebrate a Hawaiian-style Christmas Eve from 6 p.m. until midnight. Help direct Santa to The Landing Zone inside the BeachHead on Camp Schwab from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Bayview on Camp Courtney will be celebrating from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Globe & Anchor Enlisted Club
inside Ocean Breeze on Camp Foster will also celebrate Christmas Eve from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Enjoy “A Cove Christmas” at The Cove on Camp Lester from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. After you’ve enjoyed one of the many Christmas Day buffets on December 25, visit the Enlisted
Lounge located inside the Surfside on Camp Kinser from 5 to 10 p.m. Then head over to Camp Foster where both the Globe & Anchor and Chesty’s SNCO Lounge will be open from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. For more information on Christmas events at MCCS Clubs, visit mccsokinawa.com/clubs.
This publication printed with
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culturecorner
japanese phrase of the week
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Sumo Burrito de tabemasho Let's eat at Sumo Burrito.
Clockwise from the top left: Thomas Alan Smilie, Nonchanon35/bigstock.com
For details about FREE Japanese language classes, please call Marine & Family Programs-Resources at 645-2104/2106.
The Original Japanese Gladiators
here are six Grand Sumo tournaments (honbasho) each year in Japan which are immensely popular and sell out frequently. Experience the historic and electrifying Japanese sport in person with MCCS Tours+ at the Okinawa Convention Center in Ginowan. Professional sumo tournaments can be traced back to 1684, where the original wrestlers (rikishi) were gladiators—masters of hand-to-hand combat. Much of the ferocity, as well as many of the ancient ritual traditions continues to be part of the sport. Although the wrestlers may appear out-of-shape, make no mistake— they are powerful warriors throughand-through. The rules of sumo are simple: the first wrestler who touches the ground with anything besides the soles of his feet, or is pushed out of the ring before his opponent, loses.
Sumo wrestling is as fascinating as it is exciting with many rituals tied to the Shinto religion. When a wrestler enters the dohyo (ring made of clay and sand) he claps his hands and stomps his legs to drive evil spirits away of the dohyo. Each wrestler is given a ladle of chikara-mizu (power water) to rinse his mouth and chikara-gami (power paper) to dry his lips. Finally they toss a handful of salt into the ring to purify it before entering for battle. Interested? Tickets are available for $60 (for one day of the tournament) and include transportation to and from the Okinawa Convention Center. The tournament runs this weekend on December 17 from 2 to 9 p.m. and December 18 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. These tickets are heavily discounted—the cheapest tickets available at FamilyMart convenience
stores island-wide are ¥8,000 (around $73) per person, and do not include transportation. Tickets are very limited. Visit the Camp Foster Tours+ office today to purchase yours. For more information, call 646-3502 or visit mccsokinawa.com/tours.
If you have any burning questions about Japanese culture, please send them to OLW@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org.
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getting there
pickoftheweek
M Okinawa Grand Mer Resort How to get there: Exit straight out of Camp Foster’s Legion Gate (#6) onto Route 81. Continue straight for approximately 5 km until you hit Route 329, and turn left. Proceed for about 500m, and turn left at the Okinawa Grand Mer Resort sign (It’s a narrow street without a traffic signal). Continue up the hill for 1 km following the road as it curves to the right, and Okinawa Grand Mer Resort will be on your left. Ample parking is available.
Christmas…Japanese-Style
uch like home, Christmas in Japan is a time for celebration, gift-giving and eating tons and tons of delicious holiday cuisine. Although turkey and ham are popular Christmas menu items in the West, Christmas cakes are a favorite holiday tradition in Japan. During this time of year, bakeries nationwide feature all sorts of confections, including round cakes sporting edible Santa figurines, confections created to resemble the traditional yule logs, and other elaborately decorated sponge cakes. Want to indulge in this Japanese holiday tradition? At Okinawa Grand Mer Resort’s Dress Diner you can have your cake and chicken too! For only ¥3,000 (which is quite reasonable with the current yen rate) you can pick up their Premium Chicken & Cake Set. Reservations will be accepted until 5 p.m. December 20, and sets can be picked up
December 23–25. Reservations can be placed by calling 098-931-1585. While you’re there, gift yourself a mouthwatering all-you-can-eat lunch at Dress Diner or a traditional
From top to bottom: Courtesy of Okinawa Grand Mer Resort, Thomas Alan Smilie
photooftheweek
American Village is fully decked out for the holiday season. Make sure to stop by and take a gander at the decorations.
sushi lunch at Waryu Sushi Shuna. Also, try a body and facial oil massage at Yukuru Spa. Consider it a Christmas gift for yourself…because you deserve it!
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more details
spotlight MCCS: Your Home for the Holidays
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Clockwise: serkucher/bigstock.com, dolgachov/bigstock.com
Check out mccsokinawa.com/holidays for a full listing of 2016 Your Home for the Holidays events and offerings island wide, and take advantage of FREE events, entertainment and more to make your holidays even merrier!
he winter holidays, as merry as they can be, can also mean busy schedules, party planning (and execution), shopping, tension and a fair amount of stress. And, unfamiliar surroundings only compound it. Traditionally, the holidays equate to time spent sharing good times and festive meals with loved ones. However, for someone living a thousand miles away from family and friends, as well as the familiar sights and sounds of home, the holidays can seem to be tinged a very different shade. Holiday blues, the feelings of loss or sadness some experience during the holiday season, most often strike when people are away from those they love. Finances can be another source of stress. Overspending during the holidays can increase tensions as people try to make ends meet while ensuring everyone on their gift list is “happy.” Physical demands, including the strain of actual shopping and
wrapping, attending social gatherings and preparing holiday meals can wipe people out. Feeling exhausted increases stress, creating a vicious cycle. To help alleviate holiday stress and chase away these blues, MCCS Okinawa is once again offering many activities—from DSTRESS events promoting healthy stress-
free activities, FREE sporting tournaments and FREE holiday meals to child-friendly activities such as Family Fun Nights with Santa, Winter Carnivals at MCCS Teen Centers and much, much more. Visit mccsokinawa.com/holidays for a complete list of events
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tours+
adventure begins here Japanese Tea Ceremony December 16, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Adults $35, Children (3–11) $28, (under 3) FREE Experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Learn the steps to making tea, and eat Japanese sweets in a very traditional manner. After tea, have lunch and go shopping on Kokusai St. Please wear or bring white socks.
Peaceful Illumination (Itoman) December 17 and 18, 4:30-10 p.m. Adults $23, Children (12–14) $18, children (3–11) $11, (under 3) FREE Have a memorable night with the most beautiful Christmas lights and decorations you have seen at Itoman City. They will be hosting a laser light show along with lots of entertainment, food and games.
Kanucha Stardust Fantasia December 17 and 21, 4-10 p.m. Adults $30, Children (3–11) $14, (under 3) FREE Take in a wonderful meal at Camp Schwab’s BeachHead restaurant, and then head to “Stardust Fantasia,” a display of over a million holiday lights that will enchant every member of your family. Bring dollars for your dinner and extra yen for spending.
Battle Sites Tour December 18, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Adults $28, Children (3–11) $18, (under 3) FREE Visit Kakazu Ridge, the Battle of Okinawa Historical Society’s museum and explore the Japanese Naval Underground Headquarters. End the day at Peace Memorial Park. Participants should wear comfortable, non-skid shoes and a hat.
*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
Yomitan Pottery Market December 16-18, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Yomitan Pottery Village Yomitan Village
Proud sponsor of MCCS Youth Sports
Athletics/Adult Sports
Thomas Alan Smilie, sveta_zarzamora/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
Uruma City Industry Fest December 17-18, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Ishikawa City Gym and Ishikawa City Hall in Uruma City FREE
Kanucha Resort Stardust Fantasia December 15 -February 28, 6-11 p.m. Kanucha Resort Hotel Nago City Tickets: ¥1,500
upcoming semperfitevents MLK Basketball Tournament January 12–16 Camp Foster Fieldhouse Register at any MCCS Fitness Center by January 2 at 1 p.m. for $250 per team, or at Gunners Fitness Center by January 6 at 1 p.m. for $300. Team and individual awards will be given to the first, second, and third place finishers. Details: 645-3521.
Softball Tournament January 6–8 MCAS Futenma Semper Fit Fitness Center Register at any MCCS Fitness Center by January 3 at 1 p.m. for $100 per team. Participants must be 16 years or older. Team awards will be given to first, second, and third place. Details: 636-2672.
classof theweek
Tabata Interval Tabata Interval training is in highintensity, low- (or no-) equipment workouts. This structured interval workout consists of 20 seconds of allout work, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for a total of eight times on the same exercise. Camps Courtney and Foster For more information and a full schedule, visit mccsokinawa.com/groupfitness