The O-Files

[...] An Okinawan full moon Jyuu Roku Nichi, Okinawa - New Year's for the Dead 16th of January, New Year's for the Dead. To the Okinawans [...]

[...] A view from Nanza Iwa Nirai Kanai In Okinawan mythology, Nirai Kanai can be best described as a mystical world, a paradise if you will, separated by the ocean. This [...]

[...] led us to it. The name of this cave is called Mayaa Gama. The term Mayaa means cat in the Okinawan language. It is one of several 'Mayaa' caves that are in Okinawa Prefecture. The gentleman said it [...]

[...] may possibly mean (and I may have to accept we may never know). He did say that 'Ka', in the Okinawan language, does refer to something that is metallic in nature  such as money. Metaphorically this [...]

[...] who have been to Amami Oshima that I have spoken to said they do speak a variant of the Okinawan language. The language similarity would imply that some of the Okinawan cultural traditions may [...]

[...] to Map It! Okinawa. I have found that during many of my short distant travels here on Okinawa Prefecture, there were just too many interesting stories and topics that I could not fit in the Map It! [...]

[...] and this is based on a technicality. Amami Oshima and its nearby islands north of Okinawa Prefecture were once part of the Ryukyu Kingdom. They are now part of Kagoshima Prefecture which [...]

[...] Mayaa means cat in the Okinawan language. It is one of several 'Mayaa' caves that are in Okinawa Prefecture. The gentleman said it was called the cat cave cause the mouth of the cave looked like that [...]

[...] A Tokkuri Kiwata Tree, Ginoza Village, Okinawa Main Island Closer look The Tokkuri Kiwata Flower Thorns often found  on the trunk [...]

[...] like being an Orion Campaign Girl and how did it all happen? Aimi, who was born and raised in Ginoza Village, explained that the whole idea actually came from her father. Aimi recalls being quite [...]

[...] the end of typhoon season here on Okinawa. But where have the typhoons been? As far as the main island of Okinawa, we have not had one to raise an eyebrow at. Just tropical depressions. Other areas [...]

[...] areas in northern Okinawa. Is Jyuu Roku Nichi celebrated every year? Okinawans here on the main island have told me it was mainly for those who had died that previous year. So in this case, not [...]

[...] , you get to meet a lot of people from different walks of life. I met Milano 2 years ago at a local cafe where she was working as a barista. She was just a happy-go-lucky gal, cheerful and eager to [...]

[...] had the great fortune of meeting Ms. Aimi in 2011 while she was working at her second job at a local cafe. Her adept English skills was what started the whole conversation. The more I got to know her, [...]

[...] everything and anything about Okinawa. One day in his bar (his office) he showed me his Okinawan blog which has become quite popular both internationally and here on Okinawa. It was great stuff. [...]

[...] Entrance to Mayaa Gama Mayaa Gama, The Cat Cave We heard of a cave in the nearby area, tucked away from view. An Okinawan [...]