After a couple of years of suffering from all the lovely flora and fauna that Okinawa has to offer, we thought it was a good idea to do a series of health and home articles on what to do when the flora is not so friendly! If you live on or off base, you are likely to encounter several critters that you maybe wouldn’t at home. Whether it’s the guiness book winning cockroaches or huge spiders, you are bound to come across something you either need to evict or kill at some point!
We’re starting off with Dani which are Japanese dust mites. At this time of year, they’re not prevalent but when it starts to get hot and humid again, you may start noticing bites and irritation especially from sofas or beds. They normally live in Tatami mats, which most of you won’t have at home but they are also capable of living within any soft furnishings.
Dani - Japanese Dust Mites
The temperature and humidity of Okinawa make it a perfect environment for them.
So the question is, if you think you have the little critters how do you prevent or get rid of them:
1. Ventilate your apartment daily. Keeping the humidity down not only reduces the chance of mould but also reduces the nice friendly atmosphere for dust mites. Also consider a de-humidifier, locally sold ones are now small and pretty effective. We’ll do a future article on links to Amazon on which ones to buy.
2. Vacuuming. Dani can be sucked up by a regular vacuum cleaner, so get sucking and clean the apartment regularly. Don’t forget to hoover curtains, sofas as well as carpets.
3. Bedding. This is probably the most important. Whether you have Japanese futons or a regular matress it’s important to air it regularly. Dust mites and mould will still grown beneath a regular matress in Okinawa unless its aired regularly.
Finally, get hold of some Dani insecticide if you need it. Ask for dani sacchuzai in the drug store or supermarket. You can also identify the correct chemical as the can has a small metal nozzle for inserting into tatami mats. Apart from the spray there are also paper sheets with chemicals to put between carpets and other soft furnishings and powders.
So if you feel a scratch in the night or wake up with lumps and bumps then Dani might be the cause!
Posted 1 week, 3 days ago at 8:46 pm. Add a comment
We’ve spent a great deal of time crawling the web for the best Okinawa based used and new car dealerships. It’s not easy finding English information on where to buy a car. Rather than promoting one or two businesses we have put everything we can find with links to their car sales pages on one page. That way you can visit each site in turn and decide who to buy from.
In general when it comes to buying a car in Okinawa make sure you get a good warranty as you can’t test drive cars here unless they have number plates which the majority don’t. 6 months is common at reputable dealers.
Check out our Okinawa car sales page by clicking here and if you have any questions or comments feel free to post them below and we will do our best to answer them.
Posted 2 months ago at 10:59 pm. Add a comment
We’ve just added a new listing for United One World. They are an Okinawan based charity/self-help group that offer advice on self esteem issues. Apart from their main website which offers help and support, they also have a book dealing with self-help for low self esteem issues. The book not only deals with the issues that affect your everyday life but also proposes that the cause behind the horrific actions of mankind is Low Self-Esteem (LSE).
The writer of the book believes that low self esteem is a disease and should be treated as such and that it is responsible for many of the problems in the world today. It also sets out to try and help individuals on a personal level on their road to recovery.
The book is available as a digital download in English, Japanese & Korean as well as a paper copy from Amazon. Click the image below for their website or click here for other Okinawa associations.
Help with Low Self Esteem from United One World
Posted 3 months ago at 3:41 am. 1 comment
In the spirit of the Typhoon Season, we thought it would be appropriate to compile a list of typhoon websites that are very useful while in Okinawa, Japan.
1. www.typhoon2000.com - This typhoon site is unique in that it compiles all the other typhoon agencies information into one very useful typhoon information center. Definitely one of the best resources for typhoon information.
2. http://www.jma.go.jp/en/typh/ - This is the Japan Meteorological Agency English typhoon site. They do a great job presenting the track of the typhoon in their maps. In addition they use local time which makes is easy to understand.
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3. http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/ - These guys are great. I love how they color coat the typhoons depending on the category. Check out their wundermap - Somehow they combine Google maps with the typhoon track! Great info for typhoons.
4. http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic/ - This site is interesting and has some really interesting satellite images of the typhoons. First you need to find the West Pacific area and click on the typhoon name. Once you are on the typhoon page click on some of the satellite images to get the full view of the typhoon.
5. http://www.tropicalstormrisk.com/ - This site is very easy to use and understand. Color coated typhoon tracks and brief explanations. Simple is good.
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6. http://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc.php - Our friends at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii. Aside from Zulu time and 6 hours between typhoon updates, they can be somewhat useful.
7. http://www.cheunghy.com/shared/tc - This site compiles about 6 major storm tracks into a useful resource for checking which way the typhoon is forecasted to go.
8. http://www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/Tropical/ - Here is another site out of Hawaii. Not to much different from any other typhoon site, but it does give you another perspective on the storm track.
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9. http://www.buoyweather.com/wxnav6.jsp?region=OK&program=nww3BW1&grb=nww3&latitude=26.0&longitude=127.5&zone=9&units=e – Wow, that’s a long address! Check the waves around Okinawa with this site.
10. http://weather.kadenaservices.com/update/tccor.htm - and of course the local typhoon conditions.
We hope this listing is useful to you and your families. If you would like to add to this list, please feel free to post a comment.
Posted 3 months, 3 weeks ago at 11:30 am. Add a comment
Hearth Cafe is located just at the end of the seawall in Sunabe. They are now open seven days a week. It’s a great place to sit outside under the deck and watch the sunset over the East China sea. One of the best things, or the best of many things is their menu. It is probably one of the most extensive unique menus in Okinawa from breakfast in the morning through to their great lunch sets for 1000 Yen.
Hearth Cafe Sandwich
We thoroughly recommend the BLT sandwich set that normally includes the soup of the day, a BLT sandwich, dessert of the day and your choice of drink from a choice of both alocholic and non-alcoholic. Other main courses are available if you don’t feel like a BLT. Also not to be missed are their amazing desserts. They have a menu and pictures on tneir website. To sum the desserts up though they are anazing waffly towers of fruity sweet goodness. Check out the pic on their website and you will see what we mean! They also have cocktails available and also their own special blend of freshly ground coffee. Ask for a point card and after spending 10,000 yen get a 500 yen discount. Directions and their menu are on their website.
Click to visit Hearth Cafe Sunabe
Posted 3 months, 3 weeks ago at 12:42 pm. Add a comment
We’ve changed things around a bit and now have all the cinema showtimes on the Events Page
We provide current movies across island as well as links to each cinema. We have also translated movies and showtimes and whether they are in local language or subtitled.
Check it out and save yourself the hassle of trying to work out what’s on locally!
For telephone numbers, google maps and business information then check out the cinemas page.
Orange Pages - Cinemas
Posted 5 months ago at 5:57 am. Add a comment
Yui-Rail (Okinawa Monorail)
Many people know that Okinawa has a monorail system in the Naha area, but not many know that the monorail is great for sightseeing around Naha!
Yui-rail (Okinawa monorail) runs within the city of Naha and connects the airport, city and other sightseeing destinations. Our tip is if you have a car, to park at Naha airport with plenty of free cheap parking, and then to take the monorail to visit the areas around each station. The monorail station at the airport is a very short walk from the car parks and terminals.
Here are some of our tips for what to see and do close to each monorail station:
Kencho-mae Station gives access to west entrance of Kokusai-dori (One of the most popular streets in Naha for visitors, filled with all kinds of shops, restaurants, bars and more)
Miebashi Station gives access to Okiei-dori Street, Naha Tourist Information Center, Kokusai-dori Street, and Heiwa-dori Street.
Shuri Station gives access to Shuri Castle area, Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Awamori Liquor Brewery
A one day pass for the monorail is only Y800 for adults and Y400 for children.
Click here for the website (Japanese only)
Posted 5 months ago at 4:45 am. Add a comment
If you don’t like screeching away in a public bar with the whole world looking on and jeering at you, then a karaoke box may be the place to go!
Big Echo Karaoke is located close to the American Village in Chatan. The best thing about karaoke in Japan is that unlike Western Karaoke you get a box to yourself and you can screech in private! Karaoke boxes basically have their own karaoke system, sofas or chairs, air-conditioning and a phone to order supplies of drinks and food!
Big Echo does have some English speaking staff but it helps if someone speaks some Japanese as the Karaoke machines are in Japanese. They are not too difficult to work out though and they do have thousands of English songs to chose from. Great for letting loose some stress after works or for a girls or guys night out - What happens in the karaoke box stays in the karaoke box!
Directions:
Go south on Route 58 from Kadena Gate 1 then turn right at the Jomo Gas station near Camp Lester Gate 2. Then first right and it’s on the right.
Coupon:
We also found a coupon for what looks like a 10% discount on their Japanese website. We’re not 100% sure of all the rules listed but worth printing and see if you can get the discount! Click here for coupon and print!
Looking for another choice?
If you head from Big Echo in the direction of Naha and cross over the junction there is another karaoke venue taking up the top floor of the building on the corner. There is also a sushi bar on the ground floor for food before you sing. We’re post more details on this one soon!
Posted 5 months ago at 3:36 am. Add a comment
The End-of-life Vehicle Recycling Law came into effect in January 2005 with the aim of lowering chlorofluorocarbon emissions, preventing illegal disposal of materials such as shredder dust and increasing vehicle recycling.
Japan’s massive economy has boosted mass production, mass consumption and mass disposal. In recent years, however, awareness of environmental degradation, resource depletion and related problems has increased, emphasizing the importance of resource recycling and greater
interest in environmental protection.
The end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recycling law, enacted in 2002 and put into force from January 2005, was prompted by the problem of insufficient landfill space, which led to illegal disposal of automobile shredder residue (ASR) generated when vehicles are scrapped. By systematizing vehicle recycling, the law specifies the responsibilities of car manufacturers and importers, the recycling fees to be paid by vehicle owners, and the registration and licensing of processors. The changes it has brought about have encouraged more companies to enter the field.
Car ownership in Japan totals around 80 million vehicles, and as many as five million are disposed of yearly, so vehicle recycling is a key step in establishing a recycling-based economy in Japan.
So importantly providers should be able to junk your car for free because when you bought the car you would have paid, or the previous owner would, the recycling fee mandated by law.
You should check that the provider is registered and authorized by local authorities to junk and deregister vehicles. They should follow all regulations for recycling automobiles, including parts, lubricants, and fluorocarbons contained in your vehicle.
Most providers will also pick up your car for free and complete all the paperwork required for deregistration. In most cases disposal of the car is also free.
We recommend B&M Okinawa as they have a great website with plenty of useful information as well as great services for all your auto needs including junking.
B&M Okinawa - JCI, Repair & Junking
Posted 5 months, 2 weeks ago at 1:08 am. Add a comment
