holiday

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Did you know?: Higan, 3 days before and after spring and fall equinox

Higan is a seven-day Buddhist memorial service held three days before, after and on the spring and autumn equinox (Mar. 20 and Sep. 22) to honor loved ones who have died.
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Whose day is it anyway? Washington’s Birthday or Presidents’ Day

In the middle of February, the federal government grants us a small reprieve from the doldrums of work with a three-day weekend.
The 30-foot memorial of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a social activist, civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, stands tall in the sunlight, June 6, 2013, at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The sculpture was designed as a lasting tribute to Dr. King Jr.’s legacy and as a monument to freedom, opportunity and justice for which he stood. (U.S. Air Force photo by L. Cunningham)
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“I Have a Dream” still inspiring

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ … I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
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Did you know?: Coming-of-Age Day in Japan

Becoming an adult is an important milestone in most cultures, and in Japan, it is celebrated on Seijin-no-Hi, or Coming-of-Age Day.
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VIDEO| Coming-of-age day, a rite of passage to adulthood

Becoming an adult is an important milestone in most cultures, and in Japan it is celebrated on Seijin-no-Hi, or Coming-of-Age Day, the second Monday of January (Jan. 13 this year).
Photo by Shoji Kudaka
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Okinawa basks in the glow of seasonal illuminations

Okinawa shined bright like a diamond this holiday season. One of the premiere locations for catching the seasons illuminations is the zoo where visitors could stay for extended hours as the zoo animals basked in the glow.
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Speakin' Japanese: New Year talk

Here are some useful Japanese words and phrases you can use during the holiday season:
Photos by Shoji Kudaka
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Food & Drink
Cuisine: Japanese

Start 2020 off right with a Japanese tradition

Although there are many “good luck foods” for the new year in this world, the majority of locals in Okinawa have only one thing in their mind New Year’s Eve: Okinawa soba.
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Did you know?: New Year, one of the most important holidays in Japan

New Year’s, or oshogatsu, is one of Japan’s most important and longest holidays.
South Vietnam, December, 1967: Pfc. Orville Painter, 22, of Modesto, Calif., leans out of his bunker at Ka Tum, 50 miles northwest of Saigon, to hang his Christmas stocking. He jokingly pointed to the sky and said, "Santa Claus will assault from there." Painter is with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. JOHN OLSON/STARS AND STRIPES
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Cheer through the decades: Stars and Stripes holiday photos show the military celebrating the season

Stars and Stripes has been all over the world covering the U.S. military community continuously since World War II.
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Did you know?: The story behind Green tea on Okinawa

Green tea was very popular amongst Okinawans during the Ryukyu Kingdom (1429 – 1879). During this time, tea imported from China was only served to upper class people and “kuma cha,” as green tea was called, was widely consumed amongst the general masses.
Photos by Shoji Kudaka
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Okinawa's Rollup Burritos serves up fabulous Mexican food

Burritos are not common in Japan. To top that, putting one together can prove a challenge. 
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10 spicy Japanese snacks you'll get a kick out of

Unlike in South Korea or Bhutan, winter in Okinawa doesn’t take a lot of spicy hot-pot-type dishes to get through. That may be one reason why the subtropical island didn’t offer many spicy foods in the past.
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Here's 25 foods you must try while in Japan

With so many delicious Japanese foods, narrowing it down to 25 is no easy feat. But here is our definitive list of 25 delicious must-eat foods in Japan!
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Cuisine: Japanese

Nothing says summer like bonito

Fallen cherry blossoms and greening mountains may be telltale signs that summer is nigh for most. For many in Japan, however, the real harbinger of summertime is the sight of the first freshly caught bonito fish at the market.
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Kakigoori: Cool down this summer with Japanese treat

Summer in Japan gets scorching and steamy. Mid-summer Temperatures often reach 95 F or higher depending on the region. Along with beer, watermelon and soomen (cold udon noodle), kakigoori (shaved ice) is a popular cold food that cools us down during summer.