Okinawa, Japan

[Hairball]

Anyone know of any good R/C tracks OR Hobby Shops in Okinawa?

I'm stationed over here for a year, and I need something to do! :)

[JimmyMac]

I remember a Hairball from another forum? I thought I told you where to look? hehe... Anyways, I'm not there anymore. But I'm half Okinawan and I used to be stationed there as well at Kadena AFB. I raced Touring Car while there. Anyways, I know of 2 japanese hobby shops. One is down 58 just past Camp Foster goin towards Naha. It'll be on your right. It might still have a big F-15 remote controll air plane in the window. It's only about a mile or less from Foster. They mainly sell Tamiya and Kyosho cars. I think they used to hold gas on-road races. Ask the owner Mr. Miyazato. I've known him since the late 80s. I think the store still might be called Okinawa RC.

Also hidden in Naha is another hobby shop called Top Run. A lady owns that whom I've know since the late 80s as well. She holds on-road gas and electric races. She mainly sells Yokomo, Tamiya, Kyosho, Kawada, and any other Japanese TC. Plus she sports alot of models. Races are generally on Sundays. Her races used to be held just outside of Gate 1 Kadena. If you were to leave Gate 1 and made a left... go up to the 3rd stop light and make a right. Down that road should be a Toyota Dealership (if you go farther down you'll end up at the seawall.) Her races are held back there in the very very back of the dealership. Try a 3rd sunday of the month and see if anyone is out there. If not get back with me and I'll email my best friends cel-phone (he still lives there) and he'll call her and ask about the races.

Anyways those are the 2 hobbyshops on Okinawa. Need anymore info on the island let me know. Now I'm jealous!! I miss the island... had sooo much fun there!

Jimmy Mac

[Hairball]

Yup, that was probably me.. hehe

Thanks for the info man, I'll probably be heading out that way this weekend. I'm on Camp Kinser btw.

[JimmyMac]

Ohhh Kinser, down by Naha. Yeah, they do alot of racing down there out side the base. Racing like uhhh how to explain it.... Fast and Furious type. Skylines, Silvia's, 180's, Caps, Z's, RX-7's, etc. That and drifting. Plus there's many other places too like Henza and Takoyama. Ahhh the island.... and people think there's not much to do!! Well anyways, if only I could remember the road to take off of 58 to get to TopRun. Hmmmmm I know it's a road that leads to Kokusai Street. But you go past Kokusai and head back up north on a road that runs parallel to 58. Anyways, this probably just sounds like jibberish to ya haha... Have fun! :D

Jimmy Mac

[JimmyMac]

Okay, I tried this last night, I'll try again, here is a pic from a race. My car is the closest one. This was back in 97 when I had my TAO3.

[mdewitt71]

I too am on orders for Okinawa.........any other info would be cool.

[JimmyMac]

What do you want to know? I just sent my best friend there my 415MSX. He's getting back into racing. He'll be racing 23t stock 8minute races. I think they also do Nitro Touring as well. One shop there is called Top Run. When I lived there, I used to buy all my electric touring car stuff there. A lady runs the shop (since the 80's when I first started racing at her tracks). Another shop (I forgot the name of it) is down Highway 58 just past Camp Foster (heading to Naha) on the left. The shop used to be called Okinawa RC or Miyazato's. I've known him too since the 80's. Now I think he might work for one of the Japanese RC Mags. Anyways, he always ran the Nitro races. So obviously.. they run Touring cars there hehe...

Anyways, just ask if you have any questions. My best friend emails my celphone every day... So I can ask him whatever you want...

[mdewitt71]

Do they run Monster trucks or Buggies? I don't own a touring car, guess I may get one when I get there :D ...
I have a T-Maxx, TXT-1, Rally Weapon, and Losi XXX just trying to see what other type of tracks they have there.
I will be working on Torii but will probily live on Kadena (hoping anyways).
Thanks for the info.

[JimmyMac]

I highly doubt that they race offroad there. Highly doubt. (It died in the early 90's) Maybe due to the high cost of real estate. Maybe the americans finally setup a track for them? I dunno. MWR isn't what it used to be back in the 80's when I was a kid. So getting support was no problem back then. But now, things are tight. When I went back to Oki in 96 while I was in the AirForce.. they had nothing. But then as I was leaving, they setup a track at the Chibana (Kadena Gate 3) tennis courts. Infact, it was in either 2004 or 2005 where HPI/Hotbodies Team Driver Daisuke went there to race Touring. It was in a Japanese RC Mag that I have here. Anyways, it's takes someone with motivation to get something goin. But then as it gets rolling, that person gets orders to another base and things die out because no-one else keeps that ball rolling. But it is a good way to get some points on your EPR (or whatever it was called). Working with the community. Helping building a bound between the Japanese and American people. Etc.. hehe

Anyways, I'll ask him to ask around. I'd love to go back there (I'm half Oki). But I hear getting a SOFA job is hard!!