NHK World continues to bring stories from Okinawa and this time it features a story on Pamela Ann Matsunaga’s Greek-style cheese using Okinawan goat milk. The cheese and yogurt she makes looks so delicious and I love the fact that she doesn’t use any preservatives. Her shop’s name is also cute: Cheeseanista (located in the …
Author Archives: Haisai Richie
Elizabeth Miki Brina’s “Speak, Okinawa”
I’m looking forward to reading Speak, Okinawa (my mother is also from Okinawa — my father is a 3rd generation Japanese-American) as I’m sure I’ll find some similarities with my own childhood. Fortunately, I’m from Hawaii where there are many like me but there were still instances where I learned that I had a different …
Sanshin no Hi March 4, 2021
The 29th annual Sanshin no Hi (さんしんの日) is taking place on Thursday, 4th March 2021 (“34 Day” Japan time). There will be 3 parts to the celebration with Part 1 featuring artists as China Sadahito 知名定人 (Sadao’s son), Matsuda Kazutoshi 松田一利, Hatoma Kanako 鳩間可奈子, and Miyara Kōsei 宮良康正 (my relative) among others. Part 2 will …
Shimabukuro Seina’s Wedding Announcment
View this post on Instagram A post shared by 島袋聖南 (@seina4444) Model and actress Shimabukuro Seina probably best known for her appearances on the reality show Terrace House has announced her marriage to Noah who also appeared on the show. Congratulations! Follow Seina on Twitter (via Sora News 24)
Twitter User @kubocchi0617 Shares Rare Footage of Amuro Namie
In the short 2-minute clip Amuro and her best friend since preschool walk through Heiwa-dōri. Looks to be around the time she made her solo debut from Super Monkey’s (and before she hit it big) as hitomi’s CANDY GIRL (from 1995) is playing in the background (why not one of Amuro’s songs?!).
2021 Marks SPEED’s 25th Anniversary
Wow, it’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years since SPEED made their debut. To commemorate this occasion the group released a special box set called SPEED MUSIC BOX -ALL THE MEMORIES- for ¥19,968 ($199 USD) containing several booklets, CDs, and Blu-rays — definitely a must-have item for diehard fans. Of the 4 members, …
Okinawan Folk Musician Oshiro Misako RIP
Sad news from Okinawa Times reporting that minyou great Oshiro Misako has passed away. RIP.
YouTube: Yonaha Tōru Band Live at Output Naha
Enjoy this live concert of the Yonaha Tōru Band from their performance at output in Naha December 30, 2020. Tōru is a musician who’s able to masterfully perform in both koten (classical) and minyou (folk) — add roots pop to that too. He has two channels on YouTube but this is the one that’s being …
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Miyazawa Kazufumi on J-MELO
If you have the NHK World app (website link) be sure to catch the latest episode (1/10) of J-MELO (it’s on VOD until March 12, 2021) to see Miyazawa Kazufumi perform an acoustic (sanshin-only) version of Shimauta. It’s always interesting to see an artist’s rendition of a song they’ve played 100’s (probably 1000’s in this …
YouTube: Hidden Gems in Okinawa
The manjū pictured for the video’s thumbnail is my grandmother’s favorite and it’s become one of mine’s too. Check out the I Will Always Travel for Food’s YouTube channel for Day 1’s video as well as upcoming and archived videos.
