The true summer of the south—living life in Okinawa.

 

The setting sun quietly walks across the colorful doors, casting beautiful geometric patterns between light and shadow that make you want to capture the moment with your camera. Accompanied by the sound of school bells, elementary school students head home with their backpacks, while the noise of children playing soccer echoes from the open space behind the houses—this is a peaceful and idyllic scene of everyday life in Okinawa, only with a backdrop of rows of American-style white bungalows.

 

Beyond Roberto’s unique insights, explore more world-class sights through the eyes of fellow travelers.

 

Exclusive Okinawan scenery

After many unique shops moved in, the community has breathed new life into the white bungalows. Each one is painted in its own vibrant color—sky-blue roofs, orange-red and lemon-yellow window frames, pink and apple-green doors. Every step you take, turning down a street, brings a new surprise. As a result, the foreigners’ residential area has become a mysterious little world perfect for an afternoon stroll. The area is mainly named and divided by color and U.S. states, staying true to the “foreigner spirit.” There are 62 small houses divided into 10 blocks: Georgia, Texas, Indiana, Florida, Nevada, Virginia, Kansas, Michigan, Arizona, and Oregon. If you’re familiar with the U.S., you’ll feel right at home. Since the area isn’t large, you can wander down each alley. Each block has a sign at the entrance, so you won’t get lost. And the most exciting part? It hides plenty of cafés and tea houses, dessert and bakery shops, second-hand clothing stores, and American and Japanese general stores. As you stroll, besides shopping and sipping tea, you can also savor the unique blend of Western, Japanese, and Ryukyu cultures that create a truly one-of-a-kind Okinawan scenery. Whether you want to spend the whole afternoon at an outdoor café, hunt for treasures in little shops, or just wander aimlessly, this place will surely satisfy any traveler’s desire to relax and experience Okinawa’s slow life.

 

Each white house still retains its old-fashioned house number—small square plaques with numbers, paired with an old European-style lantern, very nostalgic. You might stumble upon a cute American-style mailbox painted with Mickey and Minnie, or a coffee bean specialty shop where the aroma of coffee wafts through the air, with a jacket featuring a toucan—the symbol of Central and South America—hanging in the window. An orange door has a cool motorcycle parked in front, both decorative and fitting. A small wall decorated with diving gear and seashells declares the owner’s love for the sea, and on the ground stands Okinawa’s most common shisa lion with an amusingly quirky expression. Within this multicultural interplay, a series of rare, exclusive Okinawan scenes unfold. Whether you want to sit at an outdoor café for the whole afternoon, explore little shops for treasures, or simply wander freely, this place will definitely fulfill any traveler’s wish to unwind and experience Okinawa’s leisurely pace.

 

The ideal summer afternoon

For the final stop, we decided to end our walking map perfectly at the dessert shop [oHacorte], famous for its fruit tarts. Though the shop is located at the end of a small alley, the constant stream of visitors and the excited expressions of young girls show just how popular it is. Inside, a natural wood color scheme creates a warm and gentle Japanese-style general store vibe. In addition to handmade desserts, cookies, and jams, the shop also sells all kinds of goods, stationery, and small items. The beautiful courtyard and blue door feel like visiting a lovely home. In the middle of the lush garden stands a small white wooden house, which is also the shop’s signature feature—even guys can’t help but exclaim, “So cute!”

 

Sitting in the little house, enjoying the cool breeze, eating a tangy and rich fruit tart, and experiencing true Japanese slow living—this is the ideal summer afternoon.

From traveler to local—stories of falling in love with Okinawa

Kazuichi Kawamoto: Okinawa is a wonderful place with a slow pace of life.

 

In conversation, you can feel the passion of a driven young man and his deep enthusiasm for his work, but in reality, Kazuichi Kawamoto has also experienced times when he felt lost in life.

 

Surrounded by the aroma of bread, long, elegant French baguettes gradually take shape before your eyes, accompanied by the sound of metal tools rubbing against the iron plate—and the story continues.

 

Kazuichi Kawamoto’s encounter with Okinawa was2001during his honeymoon year. He fell in love with this little island at first sight and once told his wife, “One day, I want to live in a place like this.”∼That planted the seed of becoming an Okinawan. Now, he has truly put down roots and fulfilled his dream. At the same time, in search of ingredients, he got to know many local farmers, and now fresh produce is delivered daily from nearby fields. He also helps develop local small-farm products. Last year, he even opened a café with a friend inside the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), fulfilling another dream after the bakery. Dream by dream, step by step—Mr. Kawamoto’s satisfied smile says it all. Okinawa is like a paradise for dreamers. Asked if he’d ever want to go back to Tokyo, Mr. Kawamoto shakes his head and laughs, “I haven’t been back in three years. I love summer—the winters in Tokyo are just too cold.”