Okinawa Santa Run

If you're looking for a fun, laid back event to attend around the holidays, the Okinawa Santa Run is for you.  The registration fee includes a one-size-fits all Santa suit for adults and a Santa hat for children.  The money raised goes to provide Christmas presents to children spending Christmas in local hospitals.


As with most things in Okinawa, the event is on island time.  We showed up about 1/2 and hour early to register and get ready for the run but the "run" didn't actually start until an hour after it was advertised.  This was actually fine by me as we didn't have any other specific plans until evening.


Besides, they had plenty of live entertainment to keep us occupied.  Among these were a band playing festive tunes, pop dancers, a jazz singer and many more.

I don't eat before a run so I didn't take part in devouring several of the local food venders stands.  However, the smells were divine.  There were also tents with local products for sale.

Also, participants were encouraged to walk in the "run" and enjoy American Village.  They even had incentive cards for participants to stop in various shops throughout as those shops were offering discounts and other goodies to race participants.


Parents with children in strollers were diverted from the run course or asked to turn around at one point because the course was not stroller friendly.  But there was free ice cream waiting back at the start/finish line and more entertainment lined up.

III MEF Band Summer Concert

Every year, the III MEF Band hosts its summer concert for the public.  This years concert was held at the Okinawa Convention Center just adjacent to Ginowan Seaside Park.

The concert included everything from jazz to traditional music, quintets to the full band performances.  The band played, marched, and sang in the attempt to bring an enjoyable evening of music to its community.

Big Band @ Camp Hansen

The big band performed an awesome concert for the Kin town public in the local square just outside of Camp Hansen.  It was a great way for the Japanese community to interact with the local Marines in a positive setting.  Not to mention provide some good entertainment for the guys up North who miss out on the many happenings down South.

I was personally really glad I could park at the USO on base and walk over with O.  Sometimes finding parking out in town can be a real hassle.  And O made friends with a little Japanese girl.  They were super cute to watch dancing and playing O's little toy trumpet together.  :D

Big Band @ Koza Music Town

The band loves to do performances for the public as often as possible. Especially if the local Japanese community will be able to attend.  That is why they were honored to have their big band play at Koza Music town on Gate 2 street.

Koza Music Town is located on route 330 on the corner of Gate 2 street (I'm not sure the name of the actual road, but if you go directly out of Kadena's Gate 2 you are on it.)  Koza is another name for the city of Okinawa.  This particular street offers lots of shopping opportunities, food, and MUSIC!  Several parades and other special events happen here throughout the year.

Nago Cherry Blossom Festival (Sakura Matsuri)

The cherry blossom bloom on Okinawa a few months earlier than they do on the mainland.  Mostly because of our tropical weather and the fact that it gets warmer here much sooner.  As a result, the Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festivals) here on island also happen earlier in the year.

We've been on the island for a month now.  I was starting to wonder when I was ever going to get to hear my husband play again.  The band always seems to be busy, but they don't have many public events here on island.  So I was excited to finally go and see them at the Nago Cherry Blossom Festival.

O loves to hear the music but is also very curious.  So while the band played we checked out the surrounding stands and interacted with the people in the crowd.  It's a good thing we did too, cause we had to leave with the band shortly after the performance.  Hopefully next year we'll get to check out the festivities a little more.

Next year I hope to take a nice stroll up to the Nago Castle Ruins.  I hear they make an excellent place to observe the Cherry Blossoms (if they had not bloomed later than usual this year).  Apparently Nago Chou Park has some 20,000 Taiwan Cherry trees.

The festival also takes place in other parts of Nago (Sakura Park, the Nago Main Crossroad, and at Nago Fishing Port) offering local music and dance performances, a parade, vendors and games.

III MEF Band takes the stage.

The only Cherry Blossom Tree in sight that was blooming.  Apparently all the trees bloomed a week after the festival.