Home Sweet Home

Sorry for the delayed post but we haven’t had internet access since we moved off of Kadena Air Base. Fiber optic internet service installation will not take place in our house until Nov 12th, so in the interim we’re limited to WiFi capability when on base.

Well, a lot has happened at this end of the planet. Joanne purchased a 1998 Toyota Starlet that I affectionately refer to as the “shrunk limo.” Almost all of the cars in Japan are small in size due to high fuel costs (Japan imports all of its oil) and narrow roads. Since Okinawa only measures 80 miles by 19 miles at its widest point, even older cars are realtively low mileage vehicles. I’m looking around for a larger vehicle, something mini-van in size. I just completed the driver orientation course and passed the test, so now I'm good to go to obtain my drivers license this afternoon. Driving on the left side of the road for the first time should prove interesting.

The "Shrunk Limo"

We moved into our new digs last Friday. The house is located in Yomitan Son (village) on the west side of the island. Depending upon traffic, it’s about a 15-20 minute drive to Kadena Air Base where Joanne works and 10 minutes away from the Army installation at Tori Station. The “Big Bay House” is a small, 3 year old American-style ranch house. It has a large master bedroom with a full bath and walk-in closet, 2 smaller bedrooms, a second full bathroom, a large combination living/dining room area, a kitchen with plenty of counter and cabinet space and a laundry room. Outside there is a narrow patio and a small lawn bordered by tropical plants and a privacy fence. The interior has all modern amenities to include fully tiled bathrooms, ample sized closets & storage space, ceiling fans, recessed lighting, hardwood floors, energy efficient windows, pre-wired cable outlets, etc. Currently, we’re living with military issued furniture and kitchen accessories from the on-base “lending closet.” Although somewhat spartan, it will do until our furniture and household goods arrive in late November.

The Big Bay House & Garden

The clincher for Joanne for selecting this house over others that she looked at was its seaside location. It’s just a short stroll to Togutchi Beach, an idyllic place where we can walk to in the morning with coffee in hand, sit in one of the pavilions, and gaze out over the East China Sea. Since the beach faces directly west, sunsets in the evening are often spectacular. Houses in Okinawa are built very close together, however the neighborhood is quiet and peaceful. Interestingly, there are no street names in Japan, just house numbers. Directions require knowledge of local landmarks as where to turn right or left. There is certainly a learning curve in getting around the island.

Toguchi Beach

Toguchi Beach Sunset

The small enclave where we live is bordered by the beach, small farm plots and family tombs (more on those in a later post). There’s a shopping center a couple of minutes drive away with a modern supermarket that carries anything that you could want. Joanne did well in choosing this place - life is good here!