Welcome to paradise, the tropical island of Okinawa!
It is an island of coral reefs and crystal blue waters and it is my hope
that you will enjoy your stay as you encounter the beautiful nature and
unique Okinawan culture as my family and I have. You will read in
the next few paragraphs, some general information to make your pending
visit more enjoyable. So sit back, enjoy the trip...
Okinawa is located at the southern tip of Japan. It is part of the Ryukyu archipelago that stretches in an arc 374 miles long. It consists of 72 island in all, which are divided into three major groups; the Honto (the main and nearby islands of the archipelago), Miyako, and Yaeyama. Okinawa's total land area covers 485 square miles with a population of approximately 1,240,000 people. Okinawa lies almost an equal distance from Tokyo to the North and Manila to the South and is 399 miles from Taipei, Taiwan. The Japanese gave the name "Okinawa", to the chain of islands, meaning "Center Place" to describe Okinawa's geographical location along the Pacific rim. Originally, as an independent nation, the islands were named by the Chinese, Ryukyu; meaning precious jewel. The Ryukyu kingdom enjoyed great benefits from trade with China and many indonesia islands. Early in the 15th century a Japanese group of samurai invaded Okinawa and conquered it in order to circumvent restrictions placed on the Japanese in trade with other nations.
Okinawa lies in a subtropical zone, with an average temperature of 81 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and 50 degrees Fahrenheit in winter. Okinawa's climate is often compared favorably with South Florida or Hawaii in the United States. Mid summer lasts until September. With this mild weather, beautiful flowers and vegetation bloom pretty much throughout the year. A majority of the plants are rarely seen in other climatic zones, with over 3000 various types grown throughout the islands.
One of the greatest attractions of Okinawa is the beautiful ocean with thousands of coral reefs and tropical fish. These coral are well known for their size and variety. The sea is abundant with colorful marine creatures which attract divers from around the world. So if you're a diver or plan to become one after you arrive Okinawa is a great place to begin.
June to October is Typhoon season on Okinawa. Typhoons periodically visit the island and can have an impact on your day to day lives. The various typhoon conditions require each resident to take specific actions based on the current condition as identified by the local radio and TV stations. Once the announcement has been made that Okinawa is in TC-1E (Typhoon Condition 1 Emergency), all outside activity is halted and non-essential personnel (military and civilian) are sent home until the AC (All Clear) is posted.
With so much rain; about 60 inches a year; it is tough
to imagine water shortages on Okinawa, but with 1.2 million mouths to drink
the water, the possibility of water rationing should always be considered.
Water rationing is usually set at 12 hours on, 12 hours off, but if water
becomes very short 24 hours on, 24 hours off. However, in the past
3 - 5 years two new dams have been opened and water reserves have risen
significantly.
Karing Kennels is a U.S. Government run facility near the rear gate of Kadena AFB that deals in adoption of dogs and cats for U.S. personnel as well as local nationals. A boarding area at the kennels is also available for all SOFA status personnel for their dogs and cats if boarding is necessary.
Animals adopted over 8 weeks of age must be spayed or neutered before leaving the facility. This applies to local nationals as well as any SOFA status personnel. Fees include adoption, a first set of shots, deworming and spaying or neutering of the pet. Fees must be paid in advance of the spaying or neutering of your new pet. Animals will be tagged and held until they are ready to go home with the adopted parents. Normally, new owners of adopted pets can pick up their dog or cat within 24 hours after the operation if all goes well. Karing Kennels are open 7 days a week from 0900 to 1700 daily.
A personal plea: if you plan to get an animal from the Karing Kennels or bring your own from the States, please don't abandon the animal when you get tired of it. The animals become one of the family and once they become attached to you, it is very difficult for the animal when you leave them. However, if you have no choice, please don't take the animal for a ride and dump them out... do the right thing and find them a good home or take them to the Karing Kennels for possible adoption. Thank you very much!
For people who own a pet that plan to bring it to Okinawa,
please make sure that the pet has all current vaccination shots and are
registered at the veterinary clinic on Kadena AFB once you arrive.
They must be registered by the 3d day after arrival on Okinawa. For
exotic animals like snakes, lizards and spiders, you must report them to
the Prefectural South District Public Health Center (Nanbu Hokenjo) located
on 212 Aza-Miyahira, Haebaru-cho. Their telephone number is 889-6351.
In case of any attacks or escapes of these animals, you must report these
immediately to the local police and to the Public Health Center.
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