February 9, 2017 · mccsokinawa.com
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T
he vibrant red, fragrant, heart-shaped and juicy strawberry is quite possibly the most divine of fruits—the bonbon of choice for gods and lovers. Dunked in chocolate, whipped cream or chomped straight, there can be no wrong way to enjoy what is divine by definition. Historically, strawberry plants were used for medicinal purposes. Strawberries as we know them today originated in France during the 18th century. When a French spy smuggled a sub-species of the strawberry plant out of Chile in 1714, and bred the native fragaria virginiana with the smuggled fragaria chiloensis, the present strawberry was born. On Okinawa, strawberries are a highly sought
inside
after delicacy, but it’s no secret that fruit in Japan is expensive. This is because fruit is a labor of love— carefully cultivated by farmers at their small familyowned plots. They strip excess fruit from the vine, closely monitor soil beds for optimum moisture levels and even hand-pollinate some fruit to perfection. Some farmers call their plants “their babies,” and after all this nurturing, it is easy to see why Japanese strawberries are some of the sweetest, most fragrant and densest you may ever find. Now is the best time to get strawberries on Okinawa, and MCCS Tours+ can take you on a strawberry spree to a local farm on February 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is your chance to try the culti-
Massage Therapy | 3 Cupid is Stupid | 3 Culture Corner: Japanese Toilets | 5 Japanese Phrase of the Week | 5
Join MCCS Tours+ to harvest your piece of heaven vated perfection and eat as many as you want during your visit, then take a pack home for ¥450 each. Prices for adults are $33, $23 for children 7–12, $20 for children 2 to 6 and FREE for children under 2. For more details, call MCCS Tours+ at 646-3502 or visit mccsokinawa.com/tours.
Pick of the Week: Valentine's Oil Sale | 7 Valentine's Day at the Clubs | 9 Off-Base Events | 11 Semper Fit Events | 11
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livingatlarge Massage Therapy
M
assage Therapy is about more than muscle tension relief. Those who experience headaches, discomfort from pregnancy, or mild to chronic pain can all benefit from the soothing strokes and pressure of a massage. Treat yourself (or your loved one) to a 60, 90 or a 120-minute massage by one of our certified MCCS massage therapists. Massage is a body and mind therapy where people can have their stress rubbed away while their mind also surrenders to tension release. Patrons can choose from a variety of massage styles from Deep Tissue and Oriental, to pre-/ post-natal and Taiwan Reflexology. The best part about using an MCCS massage therapist, aside from the physical and mental health benefits, is the savings: a 60-minute massage is only $30.
Camps Courtney, Foster, Futenma and Kinser each host various massage therapists who specialize in some of the many different types of massage. Go to mccsokinawa.com/ massage_therapy to read a brief de-
scription of the types and benefits offered, and then make an appointment at the MCCS Fitness Center with the massage therapist who offers what you are looking for.
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, Catherine Newquist, Jongeun Spencer Editor-in-Chief | Mike Daley WRITER/EDITORS | Ashley Snipes, Shelbie Thilmony Digital marketing manager | Thomas Alan Smilie Photographer | Sarah Head Ad/Sponsorship Manager | Roy Forster Ad Sales | Yoshihiro Shinzato, Aya Chilcote, Yoriko Yamashiro, 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.
events&happenings
From top to bottom: luckybusiness/bigstock.com, Gleb Guralnyk/bigstock.com
Y
Cupid is Stupid
ou know what? Cupid is Stupid. Seriously, who cares about a baby in a diaper shooting arrows at people causing them to fall in love? Frankly, the plotline of “Game of Thrones,” is more believable, and there’s dragons in that show. Furthermore, love itself can be a crock of crap. You invest yourself in someone and what do you get in return? A dear John letter. Grab that picture of your ex you’ve been holding onto for no particular reason, or maybe go buy one of those bears with a heart that says “I WUV U” and bring it to the Globe & Anchor at Ocean Breeze to shred. That’s right… to shred. E-5 and below are invited to dress in all black and bring an item to shred in exchange for a raffle ticket for prize drawings. There will also be a DJ for you dance out your drama to, and finger foods while supplies last.
So on February 11, when your coworkers are stuck blowing wads of cash because Hallmark told them, come down the Globe & An-
chor from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. and celebrate your singleness with songs and a shredder.
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.
This publication printed with
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japanese phrase
culturecorner
of the week
I
Otearai wa doko desuka? Where is the restroom?
Clockwise from left: Dirima/bigstock.com, Dean Drobot/bigstock.com
For details about FREE Japanese language classes, please call Marine & Family Programs-Resources at 645-2104/2106.
Japanese Toilets
f instant noodles are Japan’s number one invention, Washlets are definitely number two. Japanese toilets don’t just flush—they also cool or heat the bathroom at a certain time, wash and dry the user and automatically flush. Shintoism places importance on finding a place for both spiritual and physical cleanliness. This place has ended up being the toilet. The Western style toilet didn’t arrive in Japan until after WWII. Japan combined American, Swiss and French toilet technology and created the Washlet— a standard of human achievement. Today, Japan’s rival toilet giants TOTO Ltd. and Inax Corporation race to create the most advanced toilet. The battle began in 1982 when TOTO introduced the electric bidet with the advertising slogan, “our butts want to be washed too.” In re-
taliation, Inax Corporation released a glow-in-the-dark toilet equipped with a sensor that lifts the lid of the toilet to greet visitors. Most public toilets are equipped to play the strumming melodies of a koto (Japanese harp), a babbling brook, chirping birds or wind chimes. TOTO created a device called “Sound Princess,” which imitates the sound of flushing, drowning out embarrassing noises. Find yourself in a bathroom without it? Don’t worry, they make portable Sound Princesses too.
Toilets today greet the user and automatically lifts its lid. Sensors measure blood sugar, pulse, blood pressure and body fat and sends this data to the user’s doctor—because the toilet is wifi enabled. There is no telling how much further toilet technology will go. Maybe next we will forgo flushing for soft, robotic hands that gracefully carry our waste away. For more information about Japanese culture, check out mccsokinawa. com/culturalawareness.
If you have any burning questions about Japanese culture, please send them to OLW@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org.
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7 | OKINAWA LIVING WEEKLY | February 9, 2017
didyou know?
pickoftheweek
F
Motor oil should be changed around every 3,000 miles or 4,800 kilometers
Valentine's Oil Sale
or some of us, our automobile is as special to us as our significant other. It’s been with us for years, through good times and bad. Our cars don’t discriminate, it accepts us for who we are—it doesn’t judge us for where we go or for secretly stashing candy bars in the glove box. It’s always there to serve. But your vehicle only treats you as well as you treat it. If you don’t treat your car with care, don’t expect to be treated with the same sort of respect. That’s why Typhoon Motors is offering a Valentine’s Day special for you and your special hunk of steel and grease. On February 14, get FREE KIX All Fleet Motor Oil for your vehicle with an oil change service at Typhoon Motors. This offer is valid at any Typhoon Motors location. At Typhoon Motors you will not find a higher concentration of great people with a wealth of knowledge in the automotive field. Typhoon
Motors also sells a wide selection of tires and wheels, stereo equipment, performance parts, accessories and much more. Why not take the money you save with this deal and give your
car an upgrade? You both deserve it. *Offer valid for active duty Marines and Sailors only. Contact your nearest Typhoon Motors for more details.
Clockwise from left: Tatomm/bigstock.com, Nneirda/bigstock.com, Sarah Head
photooftheweek
There's more to see at Ocean Expo Park than Churaumi Aquarium. MCCS Tours+ offers regular tours to these attractions. Visit mccsokinawa.com/tours for more information.
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make
spotlight
today
Valentine’s Day at the Clubs
reservations
Butler Officers’ Club 645-7530 Taiyo Golf Club 622-22020 Tengan Castle 622-9413 Habu Pit 636-3081
Clockwise: davinci/bigstock.com, llaszlo/bigstock.com
Ocean Breeze 645-3666
L
ove is in the air at your local MCCS Clubs and Restaurants. Let MCCS help you woo your sweetheart. Butler Officers’ Club in Plaza Housing is offering a seven-course dinner on February 10 starting with cocktails at 6 p.m. For $50 per person, begin your experience with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and champagne during cocktail hour. Taiyo Steakhouse at Taiyo Golf Club is upping the game by offering ladies complimentary flowers and a beverage for the weekend before Valentine’s Day (February 10 to 12) and on the February 14. On Tuesday, February 14 from 5 to 9 p.m., Tengan Castle on Camp Courtney will be the perfect setting to let sparks fly between you and your beloved. Dine out at the MCAS Futenma Habu Pit’s Evening of Romance. Head over to MCAS Futenma on February 14, their specialty four-course
menu is $45 each, or $80 for a couple. The Veranda in Ocean Breeze on Camp Foster will feature a chocolate fountain and special gifts for mom
and the kids, the Valentine’s Day Family Dinner Buffet starts at 5 p.m. on February 14. For more information go to mccsokinawa.com/clubs.
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tours+
adventure begins here Pre-Valentine’s Sunset Dinner Cruise February 11, 3:30–8 p.m. $159 per couple Spend a romantic evening with your special someone on the water. Enjoy a dinner of steak and garlic shrimp while live music and a setting sun create a sultry mood. Whale Watching Tour February 11 & 12, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Adult $51, Child (4–11) $35 Join us on a whale watching tour in the surrounding warm waters of the East China Sea. Take in the beautiful scenery of the Kerama Islands while witnessing the magnificence of mammoth-sized humpbacks firsthand.
Northern Highlights February 12, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Adult $ 39, Child (3–11) $24, (under 3) FREE Visit Nago Pineapple Winery, Nago Glass Factory and the Orion Beer Factory. Follow that up with a buffet lunch at Yanbaru Ikoi No Mori. Kariyushi Beach Resort Illumination & Dinner February 14, 5–10 p.m. Adult $52, Child (6–12) $32, (4–5) $23, Under 4 FREE Enjoy the breathtaking view of over 1.4 million lights and a romantic dinner with your sweetheart.
*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
Naha Cherry Blossom Festival February 9–12, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Yogi Park, Naha City FREE
Athletics/Adult Sports
dolgachov/bigstock.com, bunyarit/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
Ryukyu Lantern Festival February 9–26, 6–10 p.m. Murasaki Mura Theme Park, Yomitan Village Adults ¥600, Children 13-18 years ¥500, under 12 ¥400
Heart & Smile Festival February 11, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Ishikawa Area Activation Center Butenkan, Uruma City FREE
upcoming semperfitevents Flag Football February 10–12 MCAS Futenma Soccer Field Register at any MCCS Fitness Center by February 6 at 1 p.m. for $120. This event is open to participants island-wide. The top three teams and individuals will receive awards. Details: 636-2672/2674
Basketball Tournament February 24–26 Courtney Ironworks Gym Register at any MCCS Fitness Center by February 21 at 1 p.m. for $120. This event is open to participants island-wide. The top three teams and individuals will receive awards. Details: 622-7297
classof theweek Aquatics Maximum Power Intense Training AMP-IT is based on deep water running for an intense, high resistance workout.
Camp Hansen, Monday, Wednesday, Friday 5:45–6:45 a.m. For more information, visit mccsokinawa.com/aquatics