Pacific Ocean a graveyard for WWII warships

volume 9 no. 21
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
FREE
OKINAWA.stripes.com
may 21 – may 27, 2015
Congratulate
a 2015 grad!
Deadline: MAY 27
Our annual Grad Tab
highlighting Pacific DODEA
high schools and their
graduating classes will appear
in the June 4th edition of
Stripes Okinawa.
For just $19, customize your
own message that will appear
in this keepsake edition.
What you need:
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away.
Kadena Shoguns
dig deep for
dragon boat races
Page 4
Pacific Ocean a graveyard
for WWII warships
Pages 8-9
Secret savings:
Multicity flights
a clever option
PageS 6
You’ll flip for this
pancake house
Page 7
Tokai Maru Photo by Chris Bangs
2 Stripes OKINAWA
may 21 − may 27, 2015
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
Max D. Lederer Jr.
Publisher
Lt. Col. Brian S. Choate, USAF
Commander
Terry Wegner
Business Operations Manager
Michael Davidson
Revenue Director
Meg Irish
Member Services Director
Marie Woods
Publishing and Media Design Director
Chris Carlson
Publishing and Media Design Manager
Ed Kelin
Advertising and Circulation Manager
Yoshifumi Yagisawa
Production Manager
Maria Kato
Marketing
Scott Wheeler
Okinawa Area Manager
Oscar Johnson
Publishing and Media Design Editor
Publishing and Media Design Writers
Tetsuo Nakahara
Takahiro Takiguchi
Layout Designers
Ayako Kamio
Yukiyo Oda
Yuko Okazaki
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Stripes Okinawa
THEORY OF A DEADMAN
CONCERT CAMP SCHWAB
May 23, 8 p.m., Theory of a
Deadman live in concert, free
and open to all DOD cardholders
and Japanese, 098-970-582.
ISHIGAKI TRIATHLON
May 24, 8 a.m.; annual
triathlon in Ishigaki Island
(1.5k swim, 50k bike and
10k run) alongside others in
different age categories and
a three-person relay; Ishigaki
city, Ishigaki Islands Triathlon
Gimukyoku; 050-3593-8275;
http://ishigaki-triathlon.com/.
NEW OKINAWAN STORYTELLING WITH
PICTURES AT NATIONA THEATRE
June 5, 7 p.m.; enjoy a
traditional Okinawan
storytelling with pictures;
National Theatre Okinawa;
2,000 yen; 090-3074-8295; www.
nt-okinawa.or.jp/.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL MIYAKOJIMA 2015
June 6, 2-5 p.m. & June 7, 9
Stripes Okinawa is A Stars and Stripes Community Publication.
This newspaper is authorized for publication by the Department
of Defense for members of the military services overseas.
However, the contents of Stripes Okinawa are unofficial, and
are not to be considered as the official views of, or endorsed
by, the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense
a.m.-5 p.m.; 24 teams each
of men’s and women’s pairs
and 96 mixed teams of four
compete with awards 5 p.m.
Sunday; Yonaha Maehama
Beach, 15-minute ride from
Miyakojima Airport; 0980-753824.
KRISTIAN BUSH AT MCAS FUTENMA
June, 6, 8 p.m., Kristian Bush
of Sugarland live in concert,
Flightline, free and open to
all DOD cardholders and
Japanese, 645-5821.
ITOMAN HARII DRAGON BOAT RACE
June 18-19, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.;
the dragon boat races are held
in various fishing communities
throughout Okinawa during
the late spring and summer
period. The tradition of the
harii is linked to the Kaijinsai (Unjami), or Fisherman
Festival, observed to give
thanks to the sea god and pray
for the safety and prosperity of
fishermen; free; Itoman Fisher
Pier Naka district, Nishizaki
of Itoman city, 20-minute ride
on regular streets from Naha
Airport; 098-992-2011.
JAPANESE PRO BASEBALL GAMES
June 30 & July 1, ,6:30 p.m.,
Yohohama DeNA Baystars vs.
Chunichi Dragons at Cellular
Stadium; Ginowan city; 1,5002,500 yen adults, 500-1,000 yen
children; mensoreginowan@
gmail.com.
33RD PEACEFUL LOVE ROCK
FESTIVAL 2015
July 11-12, 1:30 p.m.; July
11-featuring Hy, Moomin, Sky’s
The Limit, Civilian Skunk,
Goonam and moret: July 12Run It to Ground, Reverse, Mr.
Roxy, Sideways Special Band,
Freddie Eto & Queeness, Jet,
Kenichi & King Voices and
more: Okinawa City Outdoor
Stage; 4,000 yen for a one-day
ticket (3,500 yen -advanced
ticket),6,000 yen for two-day
ticket, 1,000 yen for children
or the U.S. Pacific Command. As a DOD newspaper, Stripes
Okinawa may be distributed through official channels and use
appropriated funds for distribution to remote and isolated
locations where overseas DOD personnel are located. The
appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts
or supplements, does not constitute endorsement of those
accompanied by guardians;
098-932-1949; http://peacefullove-rock.com/.
CHRISTMAS ILLUMINATION AT
HOTEL NIKKO ALIVIA
Through June 30, sunsetmidnight; commemorating 20th
anniversary of hotel’s opening
with illumination using 80,000
LEDs; 60-minute ride from
Naha Airport; 098-982-9111.
KARIYUSHI OCEANSPA
MILLION FANTASY
Through June 30, 6 p.m.midnight; 1.4 million LEDs in
11 areas; 90-minute ride from
Naha Airport; 098-967-8731.
ISHIGAKI CAVE ILLUMINATION
Year-round, 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.;
enjoy illumination in the
2,132-foot cave filled with coral
reefs; Ishigaki Cave, 10-minute
ride from Ishigaki Port or
30-minute ride from Ishigaki
Airport; 1,080 yen adults, 540
yen children; 0980-83-1550.
products by the Department of Defense or Stars and Stripes.
Products or services advertised in this publication shall be
made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard
to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status,
physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit
factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.
may 21 − may 27, 2015
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
Stripes OKINAWA 3
4 Stripes OKINAWA
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
may 21 − may 27, 2015
The Kadena Shoguns men’s team (back) races neck-and-neck with two other teams in their heat.
Kadena Shoguns dig deep
for dragon boat races
Story and photos by
Senior Airman Omari Bernard,
18th Wing
NAHA PORT – Yellow, green
and black boats bob up and
down with the swell of the sea.
Hands clench and bodies stiffen as rowers ready themselves
for the sound of a gun.
Bang!
Three ornately carved dragons soar through the water,
as oars stroke in unison to the
rhythmic sound of a metal gong.
Although the race only lasted
about five minutes, it seemed to
last forever for the Kadena Shoguns who pushed their bodies
to the limit and competed at the
41st Annual Naha Dragon Boat
Race in Naha City.
“We did well,” said Master
Sgt. Timothy Middleton, 18th
Operation
Support
Squadron aircrew flight equipment
heavy operations section chief
and head coach for the men’s
dragon boat team. “We did decent enough to show that anyone that has the desire to go out
there can learn to do something
outside of (their) comfort zone
and have fun while doing it.”
Dragon boat racing is an
Okinawan tradition that dates
back to the 14th Century when
China influenced the Ryukyu
Kingdom. The races involves
32 rowers, a cadence drummer,
a navigator, and in most cases,
one or two motivators who help
the team stay synchronized
while racing the 2.5-ton fiberglass ship more than 600 meters to the finish line.
The men’s and women’s
teams placed ninth and 11th
respectively out of the 63 teams
that competed. Months of hard
work, long practices and extensive conditioning goes into competing for the Kadena Shoguns
each year for the nearly three
dozen members on each team.
“Starting in February of each
year we practice three to four
times a week for an hour and
a half,” Comica Middleton said.
“In the beginning we start with
physical conditioning that concentrates on cardio and the major muscle groups for rowing.”
Middleton, head coach for
the Kadena Shoguns women’s
dragon boat team and wife
of Timothy Middleton, and
Staff Sgt. Christopher Price,
18th Component Maintenance
Squadron
craftsman
and
assistant coach for the men’s
team, were among those that
sacrificed early mornings and
late evenings.
Mrs. Middleton said the best
way to keep her team motivated
was by making
practices interesting.
“Throughout each row I
tried to say encouraging things
to them and give compliments
where I saw improvement,”
Mrs. Middleton said. “Row with
your heart, because if you row
with your arms, you’re going
to get tired. If your heart’s not
in it, you’re not passionate
about it and you don’t
want it then it’ll be
harder for you to
continue.”
Throughout
the
training months Mrs.
Middleton recorded their
practices to help show her
Spectators watch with
anticipation as the flag
is dropped, signaling
the start of a race.
team what to try to perfect
and motivate them by showing
progress.
“From day one till race day
we take videos,” she said. “It’s
hard for them to see the progress in themselves, so the day
before the race I post videos
about where they started and
where they are at now. It helps
them mentally think, ‘I can do
this.’ I am proud of them.”
Teams from Kadena Air Base
have been participating in the
annual Naha Dragon Boat Race
for more than 25 years.
“Enjoy the cultural experience and traditions of the
Okinawan community,” said
Sergeant Middleton. “I would
definitely recommend it to anyone that comes out here looking
for something different.”
The race season has only begun for the Shoguns. There are
smaller races all over the island
that take place during the summer.
To join the Kadena Shoguns
Dragon Boat Team, contact
Timothy or Comica Middleton at airforceshoguns@yahoo.
com or on Facebook at Kadena
Air Force Shogun Dragon Boat
Team.
may 21 − may 27, 2015
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
Navy, Marines refresh
‘Relax-Relax’ website
Navy and Marine Corps Public
Health Center
PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Navy
and Marine Corps Public Health
Center (NMCPHC) announced
the launch of its newly redesigned Health Promotion and
Wellness “Relax-Relax” website,
May 13.
This tool is designed to help
Sailors and Marines reduce psychological and physical wear
and tear through deep relaxation
and focus exercises set to audio
tracks. The updated site offers
optimized tools with increased
functionality and improved navigation for Sailors, Marines, and
their families to help them relax.
“NMCPHC is committed to
promoting wellness among Navy
Medicine beneficiaries,” said
Cmdr. Amy Drayton, NMCPHC
director of Population Health.
“This tool supports the missions
of the 21st Century Sailor and
Marine Initiative and Navy Medicine to help beneficiaries manage stress and ensure readiness
among Sailors and Marines.”
The site features a new navigation panel with representative imagery and text to make it
easier to browse through relaxation techniques. Additionally,
the updated site was built to optimize the experience for both
low and high bandwidth users.
For example, users with slower
Internet connection speeds, such
as Sailors and Marines who are
deployed, are able to access relaxation audio tracks individually. Users with high-speed Internet can use the embedded media
player to listen to each exercise,
enabling instant access. Visitors
can switch between versions by
clicking the “Show High Bandwidth” or “Show Low Bandwidth” links at the top of each
page for their optimal experience.
The “Relax-Relax” toolkit includes nine types of relaxation
techniques that are practiced by
listening to guided audio tracks,
such as breathing, progressive
muscle relaxation, and mindfulness. These tracks were curated
from a variety of universities,
organizations, and expert individuals and feature a variety of
styles, music, and voices.
Visit the NMCPHC HPW Relax Relax website for more information on the tool or to begin listening: www.med.navy.mil/sites/
nmcphc/health-promotion/psychological-emotional-wellbeing/
relax-relax/pages/index.html
Stripes OKINAWA 5
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6 Stripes OKINAWA
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
may 21 − may 27, 2015
$ecret savings:
Multicity flights a clever option
By Ellen Creager,
Detroit Free Press
Y
es, you can fly from A to
B.
But it’s a lot more fun
to fly a round robin. Or open
jaw. Or a “surface.”
All are types of multicity
flights, which travel agents and
business travelers know well
but that are misty and mysterious for the general public.
“The airlines don’t make it
more transparent,” says Pam
Nikitas, owner of Joan Anderson Travel in Detroit. “It’s to
their advantage if you book all
one-ways. And that can be very
expensive.”
Beyond cost, the public often does not realize you can
even take a multicity flight that
would let you do things like:
Stop off in Denver for a few
days en route to Las Vegas;
Return to the U.S. from Florence instead of Rome, where
you arrived;
Fly into Flint, although you
flew out from Detroit.
For leisure clients headed
to Europe, Nikitas often puts
together creative and moneysaving multicity flight itineraries that prevent travelers
from having to backtrack to
previously visited cities. They
work, she says, as long as you
are aware that multicity itineraries can spiral into complications with multiple city airports, luggage issues or tricky
connections.
“Not all routing and not all
destinations are easy to book.
Not all itineraries lend themselves to simplicity,” she says.
Still, it’s worth looking
into them, says Patrick Surry,
chief data scientist for Boston-based Hopper.com, which
tracks airfares and trends.
“If you pick the right
airline and routing, you
can often visit multiple cities for the
same price as just visiting
one,” he says. “For the adventurous traveler, this can be a
great deal.”
For those unfamiliar with
online airline ticket booking,
multicity flights probably are
out of your comfort zone. But
for savvy travelers, it’s fun to
play around with them on a
meta-search site like Kayak
or Matrix ITA Software, or
at fare booking sites like Orbitz, Travelocity or Expedia.
You also can search directly
through the airlines. Otherwise, use an experienced travel agent who knows the hidden
nuances of the system.
Start on any online booking
site by hitting the button that
says “multi-city” or “multicity itinerary.” (Confused? See
our step-by-step Free Press
video. It shows you actual
multicity itineraries and how
to book.)
Let’s take a look at three
simple examples of multicity
tickets, including prices the
Free Press found in a test in
early April:
Open jaw
Let’s say you need to fly
from Detroit to Dallas, stop
there for a few days, then fly
on to Chicago for a meeting.
From there, your daughter
will drive you back to Michigan.
You can fly nonstop Detroit
to Dallas, then on to Chicago
a few days later, all for $414.
That is just barely more than
the $396 fare if you flew only
round-trip between Detroit
and Dallas. This itinerary is
named an open jaw because
that’s what it looks like drawn
on a map — a wide open
mouth.
Round-robin
Let’s say you need to fly to
Los Angeles and San Francisco for weddings a few days
apart. If you tried to fly out
there twice, the cost would be
daunting.
Instead, click multicity and
fly from Detroit to Los Angeles, where you will stop a few
days, then on to San Francisco for a few more days, then
from San Francisco back to
Detroit, all for $403. That is
just $105 more than a DetroitLos Angeles round-trip.
By the way, with this itinerary, you’re making a simple
circle. It’s the baby version
of the complex “round the
world” ticket that circles the
globe, with stops at multiple
cities along the way. A roundthe-world ticket is the ultimate multicity ticket.
Surface
Surface refers to a route where
part of the trip is by land. Let’s
say you plan to fly from Detroit
to Minneapolis, then drive west
to Montana to see the sights for
two weeks. After that, you want
to fly from Bozeman back to
Detroit.
It’s an odd trip — two disconnected flight legs — but it
is completely allowed. And in
a Free Press test of this route,
cost was a very reasonable
$465, only $100 more than a
round-trip between Detroit and
Minneapolis alone.
Pitfalls can trip up a multicity flight if carelessly planned.
One of the biggest is booking
into or out of the wrong city airport. If you need to connect out
of Chicago O’Hare to Honolulu,
don’t find yourself at Chicago
Midway unless it’s a deliberate choice. Check that
fine print for ORD,
O’Hare’s airport
code, not MDW, Midway.
In Europe, you also can run
into this problem if you fly budget airlines as part of your multicity route. Ryanair, for example, uses inconvenient Beauvais
Airport in Paris, not the major
airport Charles de Gaulle. That
can seriously mess up a trip.
In addition, remember that
booking a complex multicity
flight where you may fly three
different legs on three different airlines may mean each leg
has a different checked bag fee,
luggage transfer policy and frequent flier program.
Now that we’ve got your interest, there is one further caveat. Although most airlines
allow multicity bookings, a few
do not.
Those that do include mainline U.S. airlines like Delta,
United and American, most foreign airlines, and the discount
airlines Spirit and JetBlue.
Fares on multicity itineraries
vary widely but can be cheaper
with more nonstops than if you
booked a series of individual,
one-way legs (check and compare.)
However, Southwest, Frontier and Allegiant do not have
multicity
booking
options. They sell
each one-way leg
individually. It does not necessarily mean it’s more expensive, but you must book each
leg of a multicity trip on its
own, which is a hassle.
Of course, most of us never
attempt to book a multicity airline itinerary at all, even when
it’s allowed.
“It can get complicated,”
says Nikitas. “It shouldn’t be,
but it can.”
OK, here’s another type of
multicity trip, and a good one.
Some airlines offer passengers
a free stopover of 24 hours or
more in the airline’s home city
en route to their destination.
The most well-known example is Icelandair. From Boston,
New York or other U.S. gateways, you can fly to Reykjavik,
stay a couple days, then fly on
to Europe for the same price
as if you had flown straight to
Europe.
Other airlines that offer
a free stopover perk include
Etihad (Abu Dhabi), Japan
Airlines (Tokyo or Osaka),
Singapore Airlines (Singapore) and FinnAir (Helsinki.)
Hopper.com, which analyzes
fare trends, compiled a full
list here: www.hopper.com/
articles/1048/get-free-international-stopovers-onthese-airlines.
may 21 − may 27, 2015
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You’ll flip for this panca
by Tetsuo Nakahara,
Stripes Okinawa
W
hat’s not to love about
a pancake house that
flips your pancakes to
order and is located by a quiet
beach. So next time you’re out on
Stripes OKINAWA 7
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
a weekend drive, steer your way
toward Jakkepoes in Yomitan.
Since opening in 2008, Jakkepoes has been a favorite of the
military community.
“Our pancakes are classic
American-style, which is not too
sweet and fluffy like what has
been popular in Japan lately.”
said Jakkepoes owner Aki Fujimoto, who named the place after
a cat from her favorite Dutch
movie.
Among a long list of pancakes,
the blue berry, strawberry, chocolate, and chili beans and banana
are favorites. Fujimoto said no
matter what type of pancake you
order, the Meat Lover Set (900
yen or $750) is a popular order.
The set includes three pancakes,
sausage, bacon, spam and egg.
Directions: Going south, turn left off Route
58 to Route 6 toward Zanpa Cape. Go past
Torii Station, which will be on your left.
Turn left at the Sobe bus stop, and drive
toward the sea. Turn right at the corner of
the Thomas Mansion Yomitan, a white five
story building on the left. Turn left at the
corner of Matsurika. Drive toward the sea
until you see the brown “Jakkepoes” sign.
Address: No.44, 436 Toya, Yomitanson,
Okinawa
Tel: 098-894-4185
Open: Mon, Thu, Fri. / 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sat.
and Sun. / 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Closed: Tue. and Wed.
URL: jakkepoes.com/eng/index.html
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/
pages/Jakkepoes-Pancake-HouseOkinawa/243434032815?fref=ts
And for families, there is a
kids’ menu that offers up three
different pancakes, including
the popular M&M pancake (500
yen), according to Fujimoto.
But if you don’t find what you
want on the menu, Fujimoto said
her friendly English-speaking
staff will take requests from customers. So, you can create your
own special pancake.
The interior the restaurant,
which is a renovated U.S. milit a r y
house,
is a
simple, yet cozy and seats
about 25. Clean white walls,
dark brown wooden floor and
simple wooden tables make you
feel comfortable. And when you
step out of the restaurant, you
can hear the welcoming waves of
the empty beach that is a mere
minute away. Many visitors hit
the beach before or after downing some delicious pancakes.
The directions to the place are
a little complicated (see the box).
But once you find this place, you
will see why so many Americans
keep coming back. Fujimoto said
about 50 percent of her customers are American from U.S.
military bases.
“I am very glad to
hear from our old American customers who have
moved back to U.S. and
post on our Facebook page
that they miss our pancakes.” said Fujimoto.“It’s
so nice to keep in touch with
them.”
[email protected]
8 Stripes OKINAWA
may 21 − may 27, 2015
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
USS Emmons
USS Arizona
Exploring sacred sites
by Takahiro Takiguchi,
Stripes Okinawa
T
he Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and
the sinking of the USS Arizona are well
documented.
But many people are unaware of the hundreds of sunken ships sleeping undiscovered
deep in the quiet, dark graveyard that is the bottom of Pacific Ocean.
According to the U.S. Naval Chronicle, 866
Japanese warships and 319 U.S. warships were
sunk in the Pacific Ocean during World War II.
Although the general location of a majority of
these ships is known, most have yet to be found
because of the depth of the waters and the everchanging currents on the ocean floor.
But that hasn’t stopped people from looking.
In the Sibuyan Sea off the Philippines, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and his team recently
discovered the Japanese battleship Musashi,
one of the heaviest and most powerful naval
vessels built by the Japanese. The battleship
was sunk on Oct. 24, 1944, during the Battle of
Leyte Gulf, killing 1,023 crew members. Allen’s
team had spent eight years searching for vessel
when they uncovered it in March.
Among Japanese battleships and aircraft
carriers sunk, only five have been discovered:
Musashi, and battleships Yamato in south western Kyushuu, Nagato near the Bikini Atoll, Mutsu off mainland Japan and Kirishima off the
Solomon Islands.
While most sunken warships from any country have long been considered “lost,” modern
technology and historical interest has drawn
more attention to them in recent years, especially from explorers with deep pockets. Ships
that have been discovered under the sea also
are a favorite spot for divers.
Remembering those lost
For naval personnel, regardless of nationality, sunken ships have a deeper, more solemn
meaning.
“Navy tradition throughout the ages and regions respect sunken ships as grave markers
in the sea, and wish them to be left quietly as
they are,” said the manager of Japanese Naval
Association and a former rear admiral of Japan
Maritime Self-Defense Force, who declined to
give his name. “Over the generations, family
members of the deceased, crew members who
survived, along with the Japan Naval Association and other groups, observe the day a ship
was sunk with a commemoration services for
the souls of the deceased crews.”
In mainland Japan, former Imperial navy
facilities in Yokosuka (Kanagawa Prefecture),
Kure (Hiroshima Prefecture), Sasebo (Nagasaki Prefecture) and Maiduru (Kyoto Prefecture)
have memorial monuments of each sunken
ship that was built or homeported in the facility and conduct a commemorative service on
the day of its sinking, according to the Japan
Naval Association spokesman. “Furthermore,
when our Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels
pass around the reported area where a ship
was sunk, we hold a spirit-consoling service for
those crew members who remain entombed at
the bottom of the sea.”
On April 26, family members of those lost in
the sinking of the Musashi, conducted a memorial service over the area where Allen’s crew
discovered it in March. In years past, they held
services over the general area where the ship
was believed to be.
The 2,740 crew members of Musashi’s sister
ship, the battleship Yamato, were remembered
during an April 4 ceremony in Kure City where
United States Navy losses in
World War II
Battleships: 3
Arizona: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941
Oklahoma: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941
Utah: Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941
Aircraft carriers: 5
Hornet (CV-8): Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26 October
1942
Lexington (CV-2): Battle of the Coral Sea, 8 May 1942
Princeton (CVL-23): Battle of Leyte Gulf, 24 October 1944
USS Emmons Photos by Akinori Anno
the ship was built. U.S. Navy planes sunk the
Yamato the off Kagoshima Prefecture as it
sailed toward Okinawa, where an 82-day-long
battle lasted from early April until mid-June
1945.
Underwater discoveries
Micronesia is known as one of the heaviest
sea-battle sites in the Pacific.
According to Lee Webber, president of the
Micronesian Divers Association & Managed
Development Associates, there are somewhere
between 18 and 25 sunken vessels and planes
off the shores of Guam that are known to exist.
Wasp (CV-7): September 1942, Torpedoed by Japanese
submarine I-19
Yorktown (CV-5): Battle of Midway 7, June 1942
Escort aircraft carriers: 6
Bismarck Sea: Battle of Iwo Jima, 21 February 1945
Block Island: 29 May 1944
Gambier Bay: Battle off Samar, 25 October 1944
Liscome Bay: November 1943
Ommaney Bay: 4 January 1945
St. Lo: Battle off Samar, 25 October 1944
Heavy cruisers: 4
Astoria: Battle of Savo Island, 9 August 1942
Chicago: Battle of Rennell Island, 30 January 1943
Houston: Battle of Sunda Strait 1, March 1942
Indianapolis: July 1945
“Quite frankly, there
that have yet to be disco
Divers on Guam have
organizations over the
and historical areas for
reasons, according Webb
“Having been diving
sian waters for more th
the opportunity to dive
that were sunk during W
Guam, but in Chuuk and
said. “There is always
diving on sunken vesse
that people lost their l
Northampton: Battle of Tassafaronga, 30 November 1942
Quincy Off: Battle of Savo Island, 9 August 1942
Vincennes: Battle of Savo Island, 9 August 1942
Light cruisers: 3
Atlanta: Battle of Guadalcanal, 13 November 1942
Helena: Battle of Kula Gulf, 6 July 1943
Juneau: Battle of Guadalcanal, 13 November 1942
Destroyers and destroyer escort vessels: 89
Submarines: 52
Others: 547
– Source: Wikipedia
B
may 21 − may 27, 2015
Stripes OKINAWA 9
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
Musashi
Musashi
Yamato
es on the ocean floor
Tokai Maru
land
Mainpan
Ja
ato
m
Ya
awa
Okin
s
on
S
US
m
Em
Guam
pines
Philip
as
us
M
hi
i
ka
u
ar
M
To
Cormoran II
e are likely many more
overed,” he said.
e worked with numerous
years to map outreefs
r academic and military
ber.
in Guam and Micronehan 40 years, I have had
e on numerous vessels
World War II. Not only on
d Palau as well,” Webber
something eerie about
els on which you know
lives. There is a quiet
respect that comes over me when I dive these
valuable pieces of history.”
In Guam’s Apra Harbor, there are three Japanese ships on the ocean floor: Takai Maru, a
8359-ton passenger-cargo; Kitsugawa Maru, a
1,915-ton transport; and Nichiyu Maru, a 6,871ton freighter.
“While the condition of the vessels is quite
good considering their age and the fact that they
have been submerged for more than 60 years,
they are beginning to deteriorate from a combination of rust, years in the sea and storms in the
region,” Webber said.
Tokai Maru is a popular diving target because
Japanese Naval Vessels Sunk
during World War II
Battleships: 9
Hiei: 13 November 1942
Kirishima: 15 November 1942
Mutsu: 8 June 1943
Musashi: 24 October 1944
Fuso: 25 October 1944
Yamashiro: 25 October 1944
Kongo: 21 November 1944
Yamato: 7 April 1945
Hyuga: 24 July 1945
she leans against the German Cargo ship SMS
Cormoran II, which was scuttled during World
War I. In 1988, a mooring buoy was installed
over the Tokai Maru and the Cormoran II for
scuba divers to use.
“The Tokai Maru was sunk by the U.S. submarine SS Swordfish,” Webber said. “The
Swordfish fired three torpedoes from outside
the harbor and one of them hit the Tokai and
she sunk directly on top of SMS Cormoran II.
“This particular dive on two naturally sunken
vessels from two separate world wars is a signature dive on Guam,” Webber said. “It is also the
only location in the world that I am aware of in
which you can make one dive and literally touch
two separate sunken vessels from two separate
world wars.”
But Webber cautioned that diving around Tokai Maru, which is part of the National Register
of Historic Places on Guam, can be dangerous
and only experienced divers should attempt to
penetrate them.
“All sunken vessels are pieces of history to be
preserved and protected,” Webber said. “Divers must also consider that many of these vessels are actually gravesites for mariners and as
such, must be respected.”
Exploring USS Emmons
Off the shores of Okinawa, the destroyer USS
Emmons is a popular diving spot. The Emmons
was attacked and critically damaged by waves
of kamikaze pilots off the northern coast of Okinawa in April 1945. Fifty crew members were
killed and another 65 wounded. The U.S. Navy
decided to scuttle the ship after the attack to
keep it out of enemy hands.
According to Akinori Anno, president of Okinawa Diving Safety Council, the Emmons, as
Unyo: 16 September 1944
Jinyo: 17 November 1944
Zuikaku: 25 October 1944
Chitose: 25 October 1944
Shinano: 29 November 1944
Kaiyo: 24 July 1945
Amagi: 24 July 1945
Aircraft carriers and
Heavy cruisers: 18
escort aircraft carriers: 16 Mikuma: 6 June 1942
Akagi: 4 June 1942
Kaga: 4 June 1942
Hiryu: 4 June 1942
Soryu: 4 June 1942
Ryujo: 24 August 1942
Shokaku: 19 June 1944
Taiho: 19 June 1944
Hitaka: 20 June 1944
Otaka: 18 August 1944
Kako: 10 August 1942
Furutaka: 11 October 1942
Maya: 23 October 1944
Atago: 23 October 1944
Suzuya: 25 October 1944
Chikuma: 25 October 1944
Chokai: 25 October 1944
Mogami: 25 October 1944
Nachi: 5 November 1944
well as an engine and other parts of a Kamikaze
plane, were sunk in 135-150 feet deep waters.
Five years ago a plaque on the Emmons was
taken by scuba-diving thieves, triggering the
Naval Criminal Investigative Service to investigate.
“At the request of the NCIS, we sent out emails to all registered diving shops asking for
the divers who took the plaque to bring it back,”
Anno said.
The plaque was delivered to the council nearly a year later.
“I was really astonished when I received the
heavy package,” Anno said.
The recovered plaque was immediately
turned over to the NCIS. Two copies of the
plaque were made. One was given to the USS
Emmons Association, while the other was returned to the Emmons wreck site. The original
plaque was sent to the U.S. Naval History and
Heritage Command in Washington, D.C.
But the thievery didn’t stop there.
Another diver took a gauge from the Kamikaze plane that rested near the Emmons. The
diver presented it to the Chiran Peace Museum
in Kagoshima Prefecture. Once the gauge was
displayed in the museum, other divers criticized the act and appealed for it to be returned
to its original place. The museum complied.
Although Anno and other trained divers consider the spot a great diving target, he said they
know it is a sacred site.
“We conduct a memorial service for the Emmons and the Kamikaze fighter each year on
April 6, the anniversary of the sinking,” Anno
said. “When weather allows, we dive to the
sunken location and offer a bouquet of flowers
to the ship and the airplane, and then pray for
their souls.”
[email protected]
Kumano: 25 November 1944
Haguro: 16 May 1945
Ashigara: 8 June 1945
Kasuga: 18 July 1945
Tone: 24 July 1945
Aoba: 28 July 1945
Iwate: 28 July 1945
Izumo: 28 July 1945
Light cruisers: 21
Shoho: 7 may 1942
Yura: 25 October 1942
Tenryu: 18 December 1942
Jintsu: 13 July 1943
Kuma: 11 January 1944
Katori: 17 February 1944
Agano: 16 February 1944
Naka: 17 February 1944
Tatsuta: 13 March 1944
Tokai Maru Bow Photo by Chris Bangs
Yubara: 27 April 1944
Oi: 19 July 1944
Nagara: 7 August 1944
Chiyoda: 25 October 1944
Zuiho: 25 October 1944
Tama: 25 October 1944
Kinu: 26 October 1944
Noshiro: 26 October 1944
Abukuma: 26 October 1944
Kiso: 13 November 1944
Yahagi: 7 April 1945
Isuzu: 7 April 1945
Others: 517
– Source: Japanese Naval and
Merchant Shipping Losses during
World War Two by All Causes
(The Joint Army-Navy
Assessment Committee)
Cormoran II Photo by Chris Bangs
10 Stripes OKINAWA
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
Clothing-optional cruise part
of ‘nakationing’ boom
by Arlene Satchell,
Sun Sentinel
W
ell this certainly makes
packing easier.
Sunscreen will be essential but clothing optional on
a cruise that sets sail from Port
Everglades in November. Up to
3,000 people will float through the
Caribbean in their birthday suits
for seven nights. Want to soak up
the sun in the buff? Want to dance
topless in the disco? Go for
it.
The cruise, organized
by Bliss Management of
Coral Springs, is part of a
growing clothing-optional tourism industry – everything from cruises and
organized tours to about
250 resorts and clubs, according to the American
Association for Nude Recreation in Kissimmee. Interest in “nakationing” has
doubled since 2010, the association says. Cruises, in
particular, are booming.
“Nudists attract nudists,” said Nancy Tiemann, president of
Bare Necessities
Tour & Travel
Co. in Austin,
Texas, who
has arranged clothing-optional
cruises for 25 years. “They’re
laid back, friendly and unpretentious.” That company’s signature
event, The Big Nude Boat, sailed
from Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 12
on the 2,170-passenger Celebrity
Constellation.
“The only thing we change onboard is the dress code,” Tiemann
said.
Cruisers must wear clothes in
the main dining room and specialty restaurants, but “anywhere
else on the ship they can go without clothing when not in port.”
She has another nude cruise
leaving Port Everglades on
Feb. 6, again aboard the Constellation.
Tiemann is a former
banker who left the corporate world in 1990 to start
the business with her
husband, Tom, an attorney. Since then,
her
company
has arranged
m o r e
than 65
full-ship charters, ranging from
148 people to 3,000. Tiemann herself became a clothing-optional
convert by accident decades ago
after stumbling onto a nude beach
in the Caribbean with her husband while in her 30s.
Her first instinct was to leave,
but the couple opted to try it out.
“It was such a freeing experience,” Tiemann said – more than
going topless as she had before.
Others seem to share the feeling. The number of nude cruises
increased from one 500-passenger ship in 1992 to 45 cruises
and 30,000
people in
2010,
t h e
American Association for
Nude Recreation says.
Thirty percent
of those people
are first-time nudist cruisers. Clothingoptional tourism does
$400 million to $450 million
in business annually, the group
says -- more than double the
amount in the early 1990s.
“We had a record year in 2014,
and we’re growing,” said Donna
Daniels, co-owner of Castaways
Travel in The Woodlands, Texas, who has spent 31 years in
the travel business. Companies
like Castaways and Bliss charter
the boats from big cruise lines
like Celebrity Cruises, Carnival
Cruise Line and Holland America
Line. The trips, for the most part,
are like any other cruise, except
for the attire.
“The people who do this are
very confident people in high
stress jobs, and they’re successful,” Daniels said. “They want to
get so far away from everything
and don’t even want the stress of
clothes.”
Daniels lists bank CEOs and
federal agents among her customers. Tiemann said 70 percent of
her customers return for another
cruise, higher than the industry
average of about 62 percent. Today, she said, more people are
finding the clothes-free experience to be a “stress reliever and
equalizer,” as egos are checked at
the door along with the clothing.
“It’s much more than just taking our clothes off.”
That might be especially true
on November’s Bliss Cruise. The
adults-only cruise is marketed to
“swinger couples, nudists, voyeurs
and exhibitionists,” according to
its website, www.blisscruise.com.
Its nightly themed extravaganzas
may 21 − may 27, 2015
will
include
a Roman Orgy Toga Party and,
in lieu of formal night, an AntiFormal and ABC (Anything But
Clothes). “Duct tape, Saran wrap,
feathers -- get creative and come
ready to play,” the website says.
The cruise, departing Nov. 29
aboard the Celebrity Silhouette,
is geared toward “sexually open
and adventurous” people and
will offer opportunities for partner swapping among consenting
adults, a spokesman said. But
there are rules: Sexual activity is
allowed only in designated areas
such as cabins and “play rooms,”
the website says. Nudity is allowed on four decks, but clothes
are required in bars and restaurants, and you must wear a robe
or cover-up in hallways and elevators.
Already, 80 percent of the cabins have been booked, with prices
starting at $1,000 per person for
an interior room. Organizers expect the ship to sell out. If you
miss this cruise, don’t worry. Another Bliss Cruise is planned for
Nov. 27 to Dec. 4, 2016, and two
more are in the pipeline for the
spring and fall of 2017.
may 21 − may 27, 2015
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
Stripes OKINAWA 11
12 Stripes OKINAWA
may 21 − may 27, 2015
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
Consider Kobe: The
‘An amaz
ing mix of new and old
,
Story and photos by Takahiro Takiguchi,
Stripes Okinawa
B
lessed with scenic landscapes, beautiful architecture, hidden hot springs,
and famed sake breweries, Kobe is one of western Japan’s most popular
cities both for sightseeing and residing in. In fact, ECA International, an
overseas-assignments firm, ranked Kobe 2012’s No. 2 “most livable Asian location”
after Singapore.
Wedged between the coast and the mountains, Kobe is a long strip of a city
with two artificial islets, Port Island and Rokko Island, which were constructed
to allow this port city to expand. I found Kobe to be an amazing
mix of new and old, Western and traditional Japanese as well as
natural and urban beauty. Its many hills, bridges, interesting side
streets, pseudo-European charm and Chinatown make it more
comparable to San Francisco than other Japanese port cities like
Yokohama or Nagasaki.
While the world may remember Kobe for the 6,443 lost lives
and large-scale damage caused by the 1995 Great HanshinAwaji Earthquake, many might be surprised by how well the
city has recovered in the past 16 years. It is a vigorous recovery
that has no doubt contributed to its current ECA International
ranking.
“The restoration efforts by multiple parties, in accordance
with the city’s rezoning project, have made Kobe a much more
sophisticated, anti-disaster city than before,” said Katsuya
Takada from Kobe’s Crisis Management Office. “Today you
can hardly see scars from the earthquake anywhere in the
city, except for the Kobe Earthquake-Disaster Memorial Park
that preserves some collapsed buildings and facilities as
they were when the quake hit the city.”
Although the bustling capital of Hyogo Prefecture,
Japan’s fifth largest city and home to about 1.54 million
people, Kobe has an open, calm and relaxing atmosphere.
This is a tourist-friendly city with its main attractions
centrally located and close
together; they can be toured
easily within a couple of days.
Kobe
Here are a few of the best
attractions this beautiful port
city has to offer.
Nada
Japan’s sake brew
ing capital
Whether or not yo
u care for sake, Na
da is a great
destination for lea
rning about the tra
dition behind
making artisan ric
e wine. Blessed wi
th the ideal fresh
water for brewing
sake (“miyamizu”)
from Mount
Rokko and the be
st rice (“Yamadan
ishiki”) for this
national beverage
of choice, Nada is
where 25 percent
of Japan’s sake pr
oducts are brewed
. Home to the
traditional Tanba
Toji brewers, this
is the largest sake
brewing locale in
the nation.
Nada accommodat
es five brewing vil
biggest village, M
lages. The
ikage-go, is a grea
t place to stroll fo
an hour or two an
r
d explore the tradi
tional wooden cella
at sake breweries
rs
. You can drop by
each brewery to ta
free samples of th
ste
e products sold th
ere. The Kobe Sh
ushin
Kan brewery offe
rs a 40-minute to
ur of the
facility and its old
wooden cellars fo
r free.
Learn about the tra
dition of sake brew
ing
and the time, care
and sophistication
that goes into this
craft. For more
information on Ko
be Shushin
Kan, call 078-8411121 or visit:
enjoyfukuju.com
[email protected]
Arima Onsen
A 14-century-old hot spring resort
TION
Photos by © KOBE CONVEN
& VISITORS ASSOCIATION
n is one of Japan’s three oldest hot springs,
With its 1,400-year-old history, Arima Onse
ted
Shirahama in Wakayama Prefecture. Situa
along with Dogo in Ehime Prefecture and
ralmine
of
kinds
two
uces
prod
”
Kobe
of modern
behind Mount Rokko, this “hidden treasure
and
m;
sodiu
sen” (gold spring), rich in iron and
rich, naturally heated spring water –“kin
m and carbonate.
radiu
ins
conta
h
whic
“ginsen” (silver spring),
s
s traditional Japanese inns, souvenir shop
This hot springs town is home to numerou
n
Onse
a
; five-minute walk from the JR Arim
and beautiful parks. Kin-no-Yu (Golden Spa)
yen
d and fourth Tuesday of the month); 650
secon
the
e
(Clos
Station; Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
inute
15-m
;
Spa)
er
(Silv
o-Yu
Gin-n
80.
call 078-904-06
($6.50) for adults. For more information,
fourth
and
d
secon
the
e
(Clos
p.m.
9
to
a.m.
9
walk from the JR Arima Onsen Station; Open
56.
adults. For more information, call 078-904-02
Tuesday of the month); 550 yen ($5.50) for
may 21 − may 27, 2015
Stripes OKINAWA 13
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
n
a
p
a
J
t
s
e
w
f
o
l
e
w
e
j
crowned
anese’
p
Western and traditional Ja
m
eu
us
M
e
tim
ri
a
M
e
ob
K
d
n
a
Kobe Port Tower
ews
technology and great vi
Good times with
-feet-tall lattice
be Port Tower, is a 354
The symbol of Kobe, Ko
ilding. Its 295-foot
an’s first illuminated bu
Jap
d
ere
sid
con
is
t
tower tha
w of the bay and the
offers a spectacular vie
cts
-high observation deck
strian overpass conne
is a must-see. A pede
The
.
rld
Wo
es
surrounding area and
Tim
od
Go
i
ime Museum/Kawasak
n century-old
the tower to Kobe Marit
t chronicle the more tha
tha
ts
ibi
exh
of
y
iet
var
a
es
tur
fea
m
seu
mu
al
s to life the technologic
history of Kobe’s port.
n of the museum, bring
tio
sec
te
the
ara
as
ts
sep
a
ibi
,
rld
exh
h hands-on
Good Time Wo
Kawasaki
ages. You can enjoy suc
avy Industries for all
He
i
d a helicopter. There are
sak
an
s
wa
ski
Ka
of
jet
,
y
les
uit
ingen
a
torical motorcyc
his
l,
de
mo
in)
tra
t
takeoff and landing of
lle
ted
r hand at a simula
first Shinkansen (bu
you
try
n
eve
can
you
tors and
various vehicle simula
eriken.or.jp/
.
ne
pla
751 or visit: www.kobe-m
er
ng
1-6
-39
passe
078
l
cal
r,
we
To
on Kobe Port
es World, call 078-327For more information
m/Kawasaki Good Tim
seu
Mu
e
im
rit
Ma
be
ls on Ko
port-tower and for detai
useum
eriken.or.jp/maritime-m
e-m
ob
w.k
ww
it
vis
5401 or
Mount Rokko and Meouvistnast Maya
$10 million nightim
ws, along with Hakodate
an’s Three Great Night Vie
famed for their
Kobe is home to one of Jap
eci
Mount Maya are esp ally
and
kko
Ro
unt
Mo
.
aki
and Nagas
of these mountains for
.” Be sure to climb either
ws
most
vie
ht
nig
lion
mil
0
“$1
Mount Maya may be the
. Although the summit of
kko
Ro
ote
Om
off
rm
tfo
breathtaking night vistas
Pla
kko’s Hachimaki
Ro
unt
Mo
g,
vin
two
dri
its
are
a,
famous, if you
views of the bay are
easy access to panoramic
Island Driveway allows
wn Kobe – even when the
nto
dow
d
ghtly illuminate
manmade islands and bri
.
weather is not favorable
Kitano Ijinkan Street
Where East greets West
Kobe is famed for its exotic Eur
opean charm, largely due to its
port-city history and numerou
s Western-style buildings. No
place better
represents this than Kitano Ijin
kan Street, a historical district
where
many “ijinkan” (Western-style
foreigners’ residences) were buil
t as early as
the port’s opening in 1863 unt
il the early 20th century. While
most of these historic homes wer
destroyed during World War II
e
and the Great Hanshin Earthq
uake, 18 of the 30 remaining hou
are preserved and open for pub
ses
lic display.
Enjoy the good old days of Kob
e by strolling this historic dist
rict. Its cobblestone streets and
picturesque buildings provide
the perfect backdrops for pho
to
ops
. When dropping in
on some of the historic homes
that are open to the public,
start with The House of Line.
Housing a tourist
information center, it provides
a variety of
invaluable information on the
city and this
district, including several free
sightseeing
maps. This house is just a five
-minute
walk from the two most famous
preserved
buildings, The House of Weather
cock and The
House of Scales. For more info
rmation, call 078222-3403 or visit: www. Kobe-ka
zamidori.com
Kobe: Where the beef is
“Kobe beef ” refers to cuts of beef from the Tajima
strain of wagyu cattle raised in Hyogo Prefecture
under strict guidelines set down by the Kobe Beef
Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association.
To be classified as Kobe beef, the meat must be
from a steer, or virgin cow, fed on Hyogo grains and
grasses, have a level 6 or above (out of 12) meat-fat
marbling ratio and a top A-4 or A-5 meat quality
score.
The meat is renowned for its superior flavor,
tenderness and marbled texture. Kobe beef is good
as steak, sukiyaki, shabu shabu, teppanyaki and
more. Although generally very expensive, Kobe
beef and be enjoyed for a relatively reasonable
price during lunch time at many restaurants in
Kobe City. No visit to Kobe would be complete
without stopping at a local steakhouse to try
some of the best beef in the world.
Steak Land Kobe-kan is a very popular steakhouse
that’s a minute’s walk from Hankyu Sannomiya
Station on the Hanshin Kobe Line. Lunch is
served 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Kobe Beef Lunch is
2,980 yen ($30) and includes salad, rice, soup and
coffee. Address: Sannomiya Kogyo Building [6F],
1-9-17 Kitanagasadori St., Chuo-ku, Kobe City.
For reservations (highly recommended) or more
information, call 078-332-2900 or visit: r.gnavi.co.jp/
k205302
See Kobe on page 14
14 Stripes OKINAWA
may 21 − may 27, 2015
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
Kobe: Unsung
fea
tures of Japan’s most ideal midsized city
Kobe Station
Sophisticated station for a sophisticated town
Story and photos by Karin Wu,
Japan tourist
G
The northern entrance to Kobe Station
ad for
ns and an
l attractio ’s Museum
ca
lo
f
o
A map
ildren
anman Ch
Kobe Anp
The entrance to Plico Kobe
etting off at JR Kobe station, I had to wonder if I
was in New York or Europe. The huge windows framed
by brown brick allowed sunlight to
stream in, illuminating the entire
station. The small details, such as
the dark brown accents on signs or
small sections of stained glass in
the windows made the entire station seem very elegant, true to the
sophisticated image of Kobe.
An average of 67,500 people
going through the station each day
places Kobe at 8th place on the JR
West list of most heavily accessed
stations.
Kobe
Station
was
originally built in 1874 in a slightly
different location to connect the
rail between Kobe and Osaka
but was rebuilt in its current
location in 1889. Its three
platforms accommodate for
various different trains on
the JR Kobe Line, including
the regular Local, Rapid,
and Super Rapid Services,
as well as less frequent
Limited Express trains.
Kobe Station is just minutes
from Sannomiya Station, the
most heavily utilized station
in Hyogo Prefecture, so
it’s right in the midst of the most
popular area of the prefecture.
While there are many people
going through each day, the station itself is not very complicated.
There are two main ticketing gates,
the Central exit and the Vierra
Kobe exit. Within the station, Vierra Kobe exit leads to the Vierra
Kobe shopping area, while the other leads to Plico, which includes a
bakery, a florist, and a small drugstore.
Immediately south of the station
is a set of escalators that lead down
into Harborland, a very popular
shopping area in Kobe. Easy access to Harborland, as well as the
subway on the south side, makes
this the more popular exit to the
station.
The pass I received from JR
West allowed me to travel anywhere between Himeji and Kyoto,
so Kobe was a great in-between location to explore. The JR West employees are very friendly, and they
always greeted me with a smile
and answered any questions I had
in a very polite and warm manner.
In order to explore more locations
like Kobe, which is one of my favorite places in Hyogo, I would
definitely recommend getting a
Kansai Area Pass.
The entrance to Kobe Food Terrace,
an assortment of restaurants inside the station
Green Spaces
The parks and gardens of Kobe and Mount Rokko
Story and photos by Carmen del Campo,
Japan tourist
K
obe is not only a bustling industrial and commercial city, but it is also surrounded by natural beauty. The nearby mountains and the sea
make it an attractive place to visit all year round. In
fact, people in Kobe use mountains and the sea as reference points whenever they give directions or when
looking for addresses.
Rokko, a mountain chain that borders the city towards the north, has nice hiking trails and wonderful
sightseeing spots which are inviting for a visit during
all seasons.
Mt. Rokko and Mt. Maya, the two main peaks of
the Rokko mountain chain, see hundreds of visitors
every weekend who enjoy exploring the numerous
hiking trails. Depending on the time of the year, one
can admire azaleas
or hydrangeas in full
bloom, or the colorful leaves of Japanese
maple trees.
Koyo
(leaveschanging season in
Japan) is a perfect excuse to spend a weekend out in Kobe’s
Photo courtesy of Alena Eckelmann
mountains, enjoying the bright red, yellow
and orange of the leaves.
A relaxing picnic at Futatabi Park on top
of Kobe’s Mt. Rokko can be an alternative to
hiking while still being able to enjoy nature.
Futatabi Park can easily be reached by car Photo courtesy of Carmen del Campo
too, however, why not try a short hike (30
such as the “Kitchen garden” or the “Japanese Herbs
minutes) from Shin-Kobe station?
Futatabi means “again”, and once visited, you cer- garden”. In the park’s restaurant, one can taste a vatainly want to come back as this a perfect spot to enjoy riety of herbal teas as well as dishes prepared with
nature throughout all seasons. The park spots a small aromatic herbs.
Nunobiki Herb Park also offers a range of culpond and a children’s playground and there are tables
scattered around inviting for a picnic. This makes it tural activities such as concerts and craftsmanship
a perfect place for families with children to enjoy a classes making the most of the beautiful and “aromatic” scenery.
sunny Sunday morning.
Last but not least in our “green tour” of Kobe, you
It is also well-visited by young couples looking for a
romantic place and by groups of very healthy-looking can enjoy several parks full with flowers of all kinds.
Japanese retirees all dressed up in perfect hiking gear. Sorakuen, a Japanese-style garden in downtown Kobe,
If you like the view from the top of the mountain but is in fact an expansive park in the middle of the city,
you would prefer a bit more sophistication rather than close to Motomachi or Sannomiya Station.
Suma Rykyu Park, a botanical garden in French
a picnic, try the terrace of the restaurant at the Hotel
de Maya. There is a stunning view over Kobe and the style, reminds us of the Western heritage of the city, as
sea, which for sure will fit your style, either for lunch, it resembles Versailles Park.
Close to the airport, on Port Island, there is Kachodinner, or just a coffee break.
North of the Kitano quarter, you can catch a short en, a park that spots incredibly colorful flowers and
ride on the ropeway up Mt. Rokko to Nunobiki Herb exotic birds in its 16,000 square meter greenhouse. A
Park, a delightful park where more than 200 species visit there is worthwhile at any time of the year, be it
of fragrant herbs can be enjoyed in different areas, sun or rain outside.
may 21 − may 27, 2015
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Stripes OKINAWA 15
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
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In
a small
statistical field
like we have, luck can
radically alter things.”
The group he cited included Jun
Dambara of St. Mary’s, who hit 1.95
in 2004; Shorai Ashida of Christian
Academy Japan (1.96 in 2010); the late
Story and photo by Dave Ornauer,
Conor MacMannis of Kubasaki (1.98
Stars and Stripes
in 2011) and Kadena’s Marquis NewPublished: May 13, 2015
ton, who still holds the Okinawa district meet mark of 1.98.
CAMP FOSTER – They say that
“He had great people pushing him,”
records are meant to be broken.
said Smith’s coach at Kadena, Sergio
Some, however, may withstand
Mendoza, about jumpers like Ashida
the test of time for years or even
and MacMannis. “That kind of compedecades.
tition really
Christian Sonnenberg of Yo- EXCLUSIVE NEWS FROM:
pushed Lotty
kota broke a 27-year-old record
and he was
for discus earlier this season,
not going to
one that many observers said
lose.”
would stand forever.
Mendoza
Now, many eyes have turned to and Smith, 22, now an Army specialthe high jump, and the only jump- ist who runs the 100 for his battalion
er ever to go over 2 meters, Lotty at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., remember
Smith, Kadena Class of 2011. His the jump and how Smith “couldn’t let
jump of 2.0066 in the 2011 Far East my coach, my teammates or myself
meet, some are saying, is Pacific down,” he said.
track’s version of the unreachable
It was his third and last attempt at
star.
2.0066, or 6 feet, 7½ inches. “When
Since Smith departed for the I approached and took off, I was so
Army, the only one who’s come close focused that I didn’t feel any strain
is Yokota’s Donovan Ball, who hit or any type of effort,” Smith said. “I
1.95 in the 2013 Kanto finals. The felt as if someone picked me up and
highest anybody jumped last season pushed me across. Once I completed
was Kadena’s Preston Harris (1.88) the jump, I was in disbelief because
and this year, so far, it’s Kubasaki’s the jumps I had prior, I touched or
Johann Wright at 1.82.
barely nicked the bar.”
“We’ve had some come close,” said
“He was looking nervous, so I told
Bruce Carrick, a Pacific track and him, ‘I love you whether you make it or
cross country observer since 1995 and not,’” Mendoza recalled. “He smiled,
Kanto Plain meet manager. He noted he looked at the bar, he was deterthat a large group of jumpers in the mined and he was ready to go and he
2000s pushed for it, but none before or was ready to make it, no doubt. It was
since. “That could be a random thing. … one of the more special times I had
Speakin’
Japanese
Talking sports
It’s the perfect time of the year to head outside
and play some sports or take in a game. Hey, if
you haven’t checked out a Japanese professional
baseball game yet, go do it! Watching the fans
can be just as much fun as watching the game.
Whether you’re checking out a game or actively
participating in sports, here’s some handy phrases.
with an athlete.”
What made Smith’s feat
more surprising was he was in
multiple events, the long jump, 400
relay and 200. While coaches like to
place athletes in certain events to
maximize points, Carrick said more
successful jumpers, such as Dwight
Stones and Dick Fosbury, committed
to just that one discipline.
“High jump takes a lot of dedication,” Carrick said. “You have to focus
on that event only. From what I’ve
seen in training videos, training would consume most
athletes’ times and
they’d not be able to
cross it over to another sport.”
That said, “Lotty
was really special. So
was Shorai. He was talented. Who knows what
(they) could have done
had (they) focused on high
jump exclusively?” Carrick
said.
For his part, Wright feels with
enough work, it could be done. “It
doesn’t seem impossible,” he said.
“With a lot of work and focus and
working with my coaches every day
out here, it seems within range.”
He works with assistant coach Shelley Johnson, mostly on form, “which
is my biggest weakness when it comes
to the high jump. I have the height for
it. It’s the form that puts me a step behind. I need to work on my arch, especially, and not get frustrated when I
mess up” a jump.
He says he does feel that competing in multiple events – he also does
long jump, the 400 and sprints – does
detract from his jumping, but he does
“whatever’s best for the team,” Wright
said.
He leaves Kubasaki after this school
year, but before that he says: “I want
• “Watashi wa yakyu ga suki desu.” = I like baseball.
“Saccar” = Soccer, “Suiei” = Swimming,
“Basketto Boulu” = Basketball,
“American Footoboulu” = American Football
• “Hanshin Tigers wa tsuyoi chiimu desu.” = Hanshin
Tigers is a strong team.
• “Giants wa makemashita.” = Giants lost. “Tigers wa
kachimashita.” = Tigers won.
• “Watashi wa yakyu wo ni nen yatteimasu.” = I have
been playing baseball for two years.
(time of period) yattemasu – If you put the time of period
in front of yattemasu, it means that you are currently
doing something.
“Ikkagetsu” = one month, “Nikagetsu”= two months,
“Sankagetsu” = three months
“Ichi nen” = one year, “Ni nen”= two years, “San nen” =
three years
• “Yakyu no shiai wo mini ikimasho!” = Let’s go to watch
a baseball game!
to get to 6-foot-5. That’s my
goal.”
What will it take for
somebody to catch Smith?
“My record will stand
until somebody gets in reaching
distance of it,” Smith said. “Just as I
got in reaching distance of Marquis
Newton’s record. Once I saw I was that
close, I felt as if I was destined to break
his record.”
Mendoza said it would take an athlete like Smith, whom he described as
having “beautiful footwork, beautiful
balance and amazing strength, upper
and lower body.”
“That would be the kind of person
it would take” to take down Smith’s
mark, Mendoza said. “Someday. Records will always be broken. But not
that one for a while. A long while.”
[email protected]
• “Tennis wo issho ni yarimasho!” = Let’s play tennis
together!
• “Watashi wa mainichi undo wo shimasu.”= I work out
every day.
• “Watashi wa maiasa hashirimasu.” = I run every
morning.
• “Nanno sportsu ga suki desuka?” = What sport do you
like?
• “Ichiro wa totemo yoi yakyuu senshu desu.” = Ichiro is a
very good baseball player.
____ senshu = ____ player ( such as “tennisu
senshu” = tennis player, “saccar senshu” =
soccer player)
When on Okinawa, You can also say it in
“Uchinaaguchi” (island dialect) like this:
Woiijyun – swim
Woduyun – dance
Chui - fishing
- Takahiro Takiguchi, Stripes Okinawa
Pronunciation key: “A” is short (like “ah”); “E” is short (like “get”); “I” is short (like “it”); “O” is long (like “old”); “U” is long (like “tube”); and “AI” is a long “I” (like “hike”).
Most words are pronounced with equal emphasis on each syllable, but “OU” is a long “O” with emphasis on that syllable.
16 Stripes OKINAWA
A Stars and Stripes Community Publication
may 21 − may 27, 2015