My Hawaii

MY HAWAII BY Colin Sewake DAYTIME SAKURA VIEWING ON MT. YAEDAKE Location: Motobu-cho, Feb. 7, 2018 When I think of symbols that represent Japan, three images come to mind: Mt. Fuji and Hello Kitty and sakura cherry blossoms. Fortunately for me, I’m able to enjoy these beautiful flowers in bloom every winter season, even while....

MY HAWAII BY Colin Sewake “Okinawa is such a beautiful place, not just the ocean and scenery and culture, but the people. I’ve been treated well and taken care of by many people here in what has become ‘My Hawai‘i.’” — Colin Sewake HAWAI‘I-OKINAWA SOFTBALL TOURNEY PREPS Location: Yomitan; February 2018 For about a year....

MY HAWAII BY Colin Sewake Columnist’s 46th Birthday Sparks a Reality Check “Okinawa is such a beautiful place, not just the ocean and scenery and culture, but the people. I’ve been treated well and taken care of by many people here in what has become ‘My Hawai‘i.’” — Colin Sewake I don’t know why it is,....

MY HAWAII BY Colin Sewake VISITING AUNTY FUKUE Location: 3-36-2 Iso, Urasoe-shi, Nov. 22, 2017 On my way to work, I stopped by Takayesu Soba, located behind Urasoe General Hospital in the Iso area of Urasoe City. A while back, I told you the story of how a few of us, myself included, helped Takayesu....

TYPHOON REPORT LOCATION: Okinawa, Oct. 28, 2017 Just thought I’d give everyone an Aloha Saturday morning typhoon report from Okinawa. Yes, it’s windy and rainy here, as we are being hit by a small typhoon. The Japanese system has labeled it Typhoon #22, but the Joint Typhoon Warning Center labeled it Tropical Storm #27 and....

TAKAYESU SOBA LOCATION: Urasoe, January 2017 Keiko’s older sister Yasuko is married to a rice farmer and they live in Hokkaidö, the northernmost prefecture of Japan. She flies home to Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture of Japan, every January to visit the family. During Yasuko’s visit earlier this year, we picked her up from Naha Airport....

SHI-MI Location: Gushikawa Memorial Park, April 2017 The Obon season concluded while I was in Hawai‘i, volunteering with the Okinawa Prefectural Library staff at the Okinawan Festival. Several Uchinanchu who were in Hawai‘i on work-related projects in late August rushed back to Okinawa by Sept. 3 in order to be home for Obon. Most of....

MY HAWAII BY Colin Sewake Colin Sewake Hawai‘i Herald Columnist HAPPY 18TH ANNIVERSARY AND SLAB PARTY Location: Nagahama, Yomitan, May 3, 2017 Happy 18th Anniversary to Keiko and me! No, it’s not our wedding anniversary — we were married Aug. 8, 1996, and celebrated 20 years last year. May 3, 1999, was the day we....