July 16. Ocean Expo Park Summer Festival 2011

The Largest Fireworks Show in Okinawa!!

Come feel the energy of Okinawan’s popular summer festival! There is no other fireworks show more magnificent than this one, for 10,000 fireworks will be set off from the Emerald Beach. You will be dazzled by the spectacular fireworks in the beautiful sky of Northern Okinawa.

Date: July 16, 2011/14:00- 21:00
Beach Attraction 14:00-18:00 (Beach soccer etc)
Sunset Concert 18:00- 19:55

★Fire works Show 1st stage 20:00-20:15
                              　 2nd stage 20:25-21:00
Fee: Free
Venue: Emerald Beach, Ocean Expo Park
Address: 424 Ishikawa, Motobu, Okinawa 905-0206
Access: From Naha Airport - Ocean Park by car (2hrs)
        　   From Naha bus terminal (NO.111)- Nago bus terminal - Kinenkoen-mae (NO.65,66,70)

*Free shuttle buses will run between the temporary parking site and the fireworks site (until 24:00)
*Please note that the traffic will be very crowded, and there will be traffic regulations near the area.
*The schedule could be changed in case of bad weather or another reason. Thank you for your understanding.

Okinawa Commemorative National Government Park
Phone: 0980-48-2741
Fax: 0980-48-3339
URL:  http://oki-park.jp/en/index.html

July 16-17. The 23rd Itoman Hometown Festival/The Eisa in Itoman Festival

The Itoman Hometown Festival will be held concurrently with the Eisa in Itoman Festival. During this event, Itoman’s specialty goods are sold, and visitors will be treated to the performance of traditional performing arts and concerts, as well as the introduction ceremony of Ms. Itoman. Also, to promote Itoman as an Uminchu (fishermen) town, delicious fish soup is sold.

【July 16】17:00-21:00
-Itoman Specialty Fair
-Itoman traditional stage performance
-Live Bands
-Fireworks Show

【July 17】16:30-21:00
-Eisa Show
-Itoman Specialty Fair
-Fireworks Show

The 23rd Itoman Hometown Festival/The Eisa in Itoman Festival

July 16-17, 2011

Venue: Nishizaki Athletic Park
Address: 3-1 Nishizaki, Itoman City, Okinawa 901-0305

Access: From Naha bus terminal - Itoman bus terminal (NO.89/45min-60min/600yen)
         　  From Naha airport - Itoman circle by taxi (2,500yen - 3,000yen)

Itoman City Office
Address: １-１ Shiozaki-cho, Itoman City, Okinawa 901-0392
Phone: 098-840-8135

You can find information about the Eisa Dance and events schedule including a map Here

Orion Beer Festival 2011 in Ishigaki

For beer lovers: Enjoying live performances with a brewery- fresh draft in hand.

Every year about 15,000 citizens join the Ishigaki Orion Beer Festival at Ishigaki Shinei Park, sponsored by Okinawa's own Orion Beer. The line up of food outlets starts with the beer stand where Orion Beer, freshly delivered from the brewery, is available at a reduced price, and it is easy to always have a beer at hand while one enjoys the line-up of live entertainment provided by Okinawan performers. The party goes on until a spectacular fireworks display signals the end of this summer festival.

Don't drink and drive!

Orion Beer Festival 2011 in Ishigaki
Date: Sat. July 9, 2011/Time: 15:30-20:50
Location: Ishigaki Shinei Park
Shinei Cho, Ishigaki City, Okinawa 907-0014
Admission: Free (not including food and drink)

Orion Beer Co., Ltd.
Website: http://www.orionbeer.co.jp/event/beerfest/ishigaki.html

July calendar download!

the july calendar for you to download! Click and download the large size, enjoy : )
oh and in case you missed last month, you can find those on our flickr page!

July 2011

[photo1] 1024×768  *   1280×800 1280×1024  *   1680×1050

[photo2] 1024×768  *   1280×800 1280×1024  *   1680×1050

See previous calendar
Okinawa Story on Flickr! http://www.flickr.com/photos/okinawastory/

Shurijo Castle Park

By Maki Nako

When getting to know the people of Okinawa, their arts and culture, one of the places you simply cannot pass up during your time on the main island is Shurijo Castle Park.

The islands of Okinawa were once known as the independent Kingdom of Ryukyu, and Shuri was its capital. From around the 14th century, the Ryukyu Kingdom flourished through trade with neighboring Asian countries, and through these trading routes, brought back various influences in the arts, religion, politics and academics.

At Shruijo Castle Park, located in Shuri, Naha City, visitors can take a trip back in time surrounded by the impressive residence of the Ryukyu royalty. The Seiden, or the Main Hall, was destroyed by fires a number of times in the past, but each time, the people of Ryukyu restored it at the same location. The Castle was last left in ruins in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, but was again restored in 1992 and is now the proud symbol of the Ryukyu heritage.

My favorite place at Shurijo Castle Park is the Shoin Sasunoma and the Garden, serving as a teahouse located along the touring route of the fare-paid zone of the Castle itself. Here, visitors are given a brief introduction on the functions of the facility by a Shurijo employee (offered in English, too!) as you enjoy the delightful Okinawan tea and confectionaries and while you take in the simple, yet serene beauty of the Ryukyuan garden accented with limestone and cycad trees. Along with other uses, this area was used by the royal princes to entertain guests and dignitaries. It’s exciting to know that you are at the exact place where the Ryukyuan royalties went about their daily business, and to wonder what thoughts went through their minds as they gazed out to the garden, centuries ago.

Shurijo Castle Park offers so much to see and learn about the history of Okinawa through their informative displays and fantastic art exhibits, not to mention the architecture within the grounds. Surrounding the main, fare-paid zone are various sites to enjoy, admission-free. You can spend a good portion of the day there, viewing the different gardens, and other historic sites and structures within the Park. If you happen to drive by or be in the area after sundown, be sure to catch a glimpse of the awe-inspiring Castle which is dynamically illuminated on most nights until around midnight. It is certainly a graceful, grandeur sight to see.

Shurijo Castle is one of the nine sites in Okinawa collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the title, Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. 

Check out the Shurijo Castle Park website for details:
http://oki-park.jp/shurijo-park/english/

Learn more about the other World Heritage Sites on Okinawa:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/972