Blue Ribbon Billiard Hall Okinawa

Blue Ribbon Billiards Hall

We’ve just added Blue Ribbon Billiard Hall into the directory. It’s a great place to visit if you’re looking for somewhere for some serious billiard play. We all know there are plenty of places around with a table stuck in the corner of the bar, but where do you go when you are looking for somewhere a bit more professional where you can have a serious game and maybe join in a tournament against other players.
They have over 10 tables as well as bar and darts. When we visited they had their weekly house tournament on. That takes place on Thursday night at 9pm and only costs Y500 and is open to everyone.
They’re open 7 days a week as well from 1pm until late.
Click here for their website

Kokusai Dori (Street) on Sunday

Kokusai Dori is a great place to visit on Sunday. The road is closed for most of the day so you can wander up and down without worrying about getting mown down by the usually busy traffic!

Apart from the road being closed and the numerous shops most of which are quite touristy, great if you’re looking for a gift to send back home, there are usually several groups or bands entertaining the crowds. When we visited, they had a rock violin group playing outside Tower Records called “Asia Aria” who were very good and there were also several drum groups dancing in formation. One we saw was doing a traditional Japanese drum dance to hip hop music! A definite must see!

Here’s one video we captured:

Karaoke in Okinawa!

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!