JAWing On – Life on Okinawa

Here it is 3 o’clock in the morning Thanksgiving Day. It is the calm before the holiday madness. This is the beginning of the season of non-stop partying on Okinawa. It begins this weekend with the annual Gate 2 Fest which brings together Harley owners from all over Japan for the impressive parade of hogs and a continuous cornucopia of festivities. Next comes December, the time of bonenkais. These are annual year-end parties giving thanks and bidding farewell to the current year. In addition there are the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. Finally come the shinenkais in January, which are annual parties welcoming the new year with hope of wealth, health, and happiness. So Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays!