Welcome

This blog was created in 2014 by 2nd-year English Writing students at Meio University in Okinawa, Japan. Meio is located in the town of Nago, in Yanbaru, the northern region of Okinawa. Nago rests on the edge of the Nago Bay, facing southwest toward the East China Sea. Each year, students in the English writing classes will add to the site.

We created this site in order to introduce Nago and the surrounding area to English-speaking visitors from around the world. We especially would like to welcome students from other universities who are interested in studying at Meio. Nago is a great place to live. There is a lot to do here, but it still has a "small town" feel. It is surrounded by beautiful nature, both on sea and land. It is also only a short bus-ride or drive from the bigger cities of Okinawa, Chatan, Naha, and others, or from the famous Churaumi Aquarium in Motobu.

We have written about our favorite restaurants, sweet shops, tourist attractions, scenic locations, and more. We hope that you will come visit Nago and discover how beautiful it is, just as we have.

Welcome!

2018 Thursday Class

We are: Ayana, Mifuyu, Masaru, Aileen, Yusuke, Ibuki, Yumi, Keiya, Kentaro, Shogo, Aya, Lisa, Yumeno, Ayaka, Tam, Haruka N., Ginnosuke, Yuichi, Hana, Haruka M., Rina, Kana, Kumiko

2018 Friday Class

We are: Momoko, Nana, Ryunosuke, Sae, Shiho, Kurumi, Kyoko, Nozomi, Mai, Yu, Chiho, Maiko, Otoka, Nanami, Rio, Utana, Kei, Hikari, Ryo, Yuri, Tsubasa, Junpei

2018 Friday Class

We are: Kohei, Miyu, Nanami, Daiki A., Kasumi, Miki, Daiki U., Nagi, Eiko, Toranosuke, Mikoto, Yukari, Sana, Erisa, Kira, Taiki, Genya, Reika, Hana, Yuko

2017 Monday Class

We are: Yuna, Haruka, Yuka, Sayaka, Ryunoshin, Issei, Yang, Saya, Yuna, Mia, Ayano, Ayaka, Konomi

2017 Thursday Class

We are: Sayaka, Takaaki, Kouki, Sawa, Sena, Souken, Ryoga, Rinko, Mai, Satomi, Sachie, Yurika, Ayame, Ayumi, Ryo, Rio, Yuta, Yuika, Naoki, Yu, Yuki, Aika, Mine, Hiromasa, Moriyuki

2017 Friday Class

We are: Kazuaki, Yuko, Hiromi, Yosuke, Hikaru, Airen, Maya, Katsunori, Yumi, Shota, Shota, Toshiya, Mizuki, Kafu, Suzuka, Ryo, Takehiro, Asuka, Natsuki, Etsushi, Ryuto, Mukai, Ayano, Yuriko, Seiya, Sayuri, Natsumi, Minami, Yuya, Kohei, Riku, Hikari, Chihiro, Mika

2016 Monday Class

We are: Risa, Moussa, Nozomi, Natsu, Aya, Hana, Yuka, Taira, Yoshino, Towa, Shinki, Maria, Akio, Anna, Tatsuki, Karen, Takumi, Soshiro, Yuuto, Kotaro, Madoka, Ryoki, Kaede, Nanase, Honoka, Daiki, Ayaka, Nanase, Risako, Atsushi, Akari, Akira

2016 Thursday Class

We are: Rui, Kakeru, Katsuki, Nozomi, Saho, Arina, Hibiki, Taito, Hayato, Riona, Maho, Shuhei, Riko, Takuma, Haruka, Minami, Kenya, Suzuno, Hirokazu, Ai, Yasuka, Jirasak (Jay), Hisao, and Marina

2016 Friday Class

We are: Saori, Haruka, Misato, Yusuke, Rin, Nao, Nagisa, Aimi, Kohei, Tamaki, Yuya, Sho, Naomi, Yua, Minami, Sebastian, Shinpei, Eiichi, Hijiri, Hajime, Himika, Reina, Ayaka, Nagisa, Yurie, Ren, Erina, Masahiro, Haruka, Sawa, Rimi, Emi, Shigeyuki, and Jina

2015 Thursday Class

We are: Yurie, Aya, Yukari, Kenji, Satoe, Fuya, Risa, Keiichiro, Yasuki, Saori, Kayla, Miyu, Makoto, Ruka, Miyu, Yurika, Rei, Masaki, Kosuke, James, Nanami, Shinnosuke, Teruko, Yuna, Misuzu, Gao, Saruka, Shogo, and Stone

2015 Friday Class

We are: Yukine, Airi, Chinatsu, Kazuki, Ryo, Takeru, Takahiro, Daigo, Ayaka, Daichi, Marina, Yoshitaka, Tatsuya, Emi, Yuji, Natsuki, Hikari, Ruki, Rino, Ayaka, Miyu, Yumi, Kaito, Ronshi, Ketsukei, Michiru, Seishiro, Saki, Akino, Yuzuna, Keita, Hayato, Saki, and Daichi

2014 Tuesday Class


We are: Hampei, Masamitsu, Tokinari, Kanta, Taishin, Haruno, Karen, Keisuke, Ryohei, Aimi, Koki, Yui, Yutaka, Haruka, Chinatsu, Ayuka, Shoko, Arisa, Sakura, Yuka, Mana, Ryoka, Saki, Aoi, Meiko, Takuma, Kodai, Katsuya, Tetsunosuke, Nozomu, Yoichiro, Shinya, Toru, Nariko

2014 Friday Class


We are: Nana, Misaki, Eri, Megumi, Jun, Rena, Natsumi, Ai N., Yuki, Yu, Mitsuki N., Hiroki, Yui, Mitsuki K., Ai T., Shun, Arashi, Phanipuk, Vane, Claire, Jose, Amanda, Cammie, Mika, Mizuki, Airi, Hiromi, Fuko

Snorkeling on Kourijima

Hello guys, have you ever been snorkeling in Okinawa before? If you haven’t, what have you been doing your whole life? We have also never snorkeled before, so we went on the 3^rd of June for the first time. If you are in Okinawa or planning to go, we recommend you do so.

 We went on a rainy day, so we were worried that we couldn’t swim in the sea and see any underwater sights. The wind was a bit strong, so it was a little chilly. Although we were lucky and saw many fish and a lot of coral, we still recommend you go on a sunny day.

To snorkel, there is some equipment you need to prepare. The day before we went, the four of us went to buy water shoes and snorkel masks. You can get them at a local sports shop or Mega Donki.

We wore clothes that were very light and easy to move underwater. You should bring an underwater camera to save the unforgettable memories. Oh! Don’t forget the food and drinks just in case you get hungry. Now that you are prepared, you are ready to go!

The water was cold because we started swimming at 10:30 in the morning.

It is difficult putting on the mask at first so make sure to loosen the belt beforehand or else you will end up like this.

Next, practice breathing underwater with the mask on. It takes time for your body to get used to the water, but when it does, it is very fun. The deeper you go in the ocean, the more beautiful sights you can see. The ocean was so vast, it was like being in outer space. And you will be able to swim with many kinds of fish. here were many fish swimming around us, like Nemo and Dory. It was so close that our fingers almost touched the fish. The hard part was when the water got into the mask and made it hard for us to breathe but the view was so beautiful that it was worth it.

It was our first time to snorkel, so we were very scared, but this experience was fun and exciting. We would like to go again. The oceans of the northern part of Okinawa are especially beautiful. Not only can you see the beautiful ocean of Okinawa, but you can feel it by swimming in it. How about giving it a try?

How to get to Kourijima.
Head toward north on route 58. When you pass by Neo Park, turn left at the second Familymart. Now all you have to do is follow the signboard.

Have a good trip!

Wakage no Itari Village

I know the coolest and funnest place in Nago. Have you ever heard of Wakage no Itari Village?

Concept

Japanese society has a problem which is local depopulation. As a solution, Wakage no Itari Village is thinking about self-sufficiency to fulfill all of their supplies, and curbing population outflow to the city to help with survival in the local areas. And they are making an example community.　

These are their slogans.

• Make the future which we want, by ourselves.
• Do interesting things which will impress everyone.
• Do it now, without hesitation.

Activities

Raising Rice and Organic Vegetables--They raise rice at Kayo, nearby the village. At the time of harvest, many local people join and help. And they also raise organic vegetables at the village.

Music Festival--They held a music festival. In total, about 200 to 300 people participated. It was so powerful and a very interesting festival.

Manufacturing Workshop--Sometimes, they hold manufacturing workshops. They make houses, Sanshin, furniture, and many other things.

Location

Wakage no Itari Village is in Futami, Nago city, Okinawa prefecture, near Henoko base. It takes about 30 minutes from the center of Nago city to the Wakage no Itari Village by car.

Book Cafe Aether

Book

In the Book Cafe AETHER, there are more than 100 books. They have many kinds of books. It's called the “destiny library” and “destiny books.” One of AETHER’s themes is the “destiny library.” Many people donated the books that changed their destiny from all over Japan. I will introduce some of the destiny books.

As you can see, there are so many kinds of books in the destiny library. So, you can find the book that will change your whole life!!!! 

Food

They use healthy organic ingredients. These dishes are very delicious and make us healthier, more beautiful. We will introduce some menus.

〜Island Curry〜

Fresh vegetables, fragrant spices & Bonito soup.

〜Chiffon Cake〜

Plain chiffon cake with a rich taste from black, unrefined sugar.

〜Beauty & Fat-burning Fresh Juice series〜

Flat lemon: said to promote fat burning

Ginger: many beauty & health benefits

(It is my recommendation!!)

〜Water Extracted Ice coffee〜

Extracted drop by drop, mellow and smooth.

There are other menu items. The Beauty drink has a refreshing taste. So good! These dishes and drinks have good taste and are very healthy. If you care about your health and beauty, try to eat and drink these.

Onokuri Card

There is an attractive service in the cafe. It’s called “Onokuri card.” This card means pay it forward coffee. Anybody can use this service easily.

How to use

1. Choose one card. Cards have written conditions. You have to choose a card which has requirements you meet.
2. You write a response message on the card. Then, show the card to the staff. This card is mailed to the person who gave the cup of coffee.
3. Also, you can give a cup of coffee accompanied with a message on a postcard to someone who comes to the cafe next.

Staff

There is a nice staff at Book Cafe AETHER. If you go there, they’ll welcome you

warmly.

Naoto Shimoda

He is Book cafe AETHER’s owner and he is CEO of Espacio corporation. Last year, (July 2017) he started his shop. He said, “I want to make a place that connects people with others beyond time and space.” His wish has come true. He incorporated oversea’s shop style. For example, the Onokuri card.

Tomoe Shimoda

She is Mr. Shimoda’s wife. She started the cafe with her husband. She wanted to create the community “How people can be happy and how to live can be realized” too.

Nishio Tomohiro

He is shop manager. He always works in the cafe. Two years ago, he lived in Hiroshima in a mountain. He opened the cafe, and did product development using local specialty tea. But at this time he moved to Okinawa.

Megumi Henmi

She was a regular customer. The first time she went to the cafe, She was moved by AETER’s charm. Especially, she liked the “Onokuri card,” feeling that people are connected. She is friendly. She often talked about various topics when we visited the cafe. But recently, she left the café to go to England. If she came back to Nago, maybe you can hear about England.

Book cafe AETHER’s charm is not only food, drinks, and books, but also the Staff!

Ta-Taki

We went to Ta-Taki in Ogimi-son in Nago. We went to the destination by car. It was 30 minutes by car from my house. It was about 500 meters from the destination to the waterfall that we were aiming for, and we needed to walk to the waterfall through the river. The road was longer than we imaged , it felt like we were adventurers. On the way, there were many insects and fish and we were able to catch the insects and touch the fish. Okinawa insects are larger in size than other areas, so be careful if you do not like insects. We need to sandals or water shoes.

When we arrived at the waterfall, we were impressed with the scenery. We swam and fished there. We did not catch any fish. There were many tourists in the falls and we talked together and took pictures.

Finally, Ta-Taki is a place where you can be surrounded by nature and interact with people. Please come and visit everyone. 

ENTRO

If you meet a lovely creature, where will you go to eat with him or her? I recommend “ENTRO.”

“ENTRO” means “enter” in Spanish. You can find the signboard on the way to Meio University. The good points are its  interior design, foods and price. The interior design is open-kitchen style. There is a lot of space between tables. So you won't mind other conversations. This is because the owners want guests to relax. In this restaurant, you can see many creative ornaments and unique dishes. They are made by the owner's wife. They make this restaurant more stylish.

The food is very good. All the dishes are made of ingredients Yambaru. My recommendation is "Coq au vin of cheek beef" which is boiled beef with red wine. This is the most expensive dish, but it is worth a try. The best thing is about ENTRO is the price. It is comparative cheaper than the average around Nago and there are dishes which you can eat for 500 yen. Also, you can have a second helping of rice and soup for free. For these reasons, it is popular among young people in Nago. If you want to find stylish and delicious restaurant for a low price, you should go there.

～ENTRO～

Biimata 1220-21,  Nago, Okinawa, Japan

Tuesday to Saturday, 12:00～15:00, 18:00～23:00 (last order 22:30)

Blue seal

Do you know Blue seal? This place is famous in Okinawa. A long time ago, there used to be a Blue Seal only in the U.S. military bases. But it has also spread through Okinawa because Americans wanted Okinawa’s people to eat the ice cream of Blue Seal. We went to Blue Seal last month. We will tell about Blue Seal.

First is the menu. The menu was so big, so we couldn’t chose right away. Blue Seal’s popular menu item is “beniimo” ice cream. Many tourists like it because beniimo is a very famous Okinawa food. There were more than 30 ice cream flavors. There are menus for each season. July is Suppaiman sherbet. June is Green smoothies. April ~ September are Lime sherbet. And the foremost series: Foremost rum raisin, Foremost vanilla, Foremost chocolate, Foremost strawberry, and so on. We want you to try many different foods when you go there. We ordered banana and chocolate crepes, vanilla flavor ice cream, and chocolate cookies swirl. We ate each other’s ice cream. All was so delicious and our choices were great.  

Second is the interior. Especially, the interior of the Blue Seal we went to is so American. There is a big funny and cute man’s statue. The wall is so colorful and interesting. Orange and blue are very characteristic. You should take some pictures. The popular reason is not only ice cream. Japanese tourists took many interior pictures, and shared on SNS. There were many Americans, not only Japanese. We interviewed some Americans. “Do you like Blue seal?” All Americans said, “Yes!” We knew that Blue Seal is loved by many people.

Last is what we can eat there. We thought that we can eat only ice cream. But there were many various menu items. For example, crepes, pasta, floats, or tapioca. Now Blue Seal sells charcoal-burned chicken thighs and grated radish with sudachi citron cold pasta, and Asian style spicy soup pasta. When you go there, please check those.

When you have a chance to come to Okinawa, please go to Blue Seal. Blue Seal in Nago is adjacent to the Nago Bay.  You can enjoy some various tastes, dishes and the location too. You will enjoy all of Blue Seal.

website  https://www.blueseal.co.jp/contact/shop_form/