02/08/2026
Typhoon season in Okinawa lasts from beginning of June till end of September although sometimes we have some in October as well.
In my 26 years on the island I experienced many typhoons. In time I became quite used to them. Many were smaller in size and strength but some were huge. Okinawa is built up to survive the strong winds. Usually so called flying objects can cause damage, that’s why it’s so important to clean your space. My living room turns into a jungle during typhoons as I have to put all the flowers and other balcony stuff inside.
Sometimes they pass quickly and other times hang over the island. Once we had a typhoon that passed, made a U-turn and came back.
Last three years were very quiet with almost no typhoons but this year is a little different. It’s more intense.
During typhoon there is a possibility of loosing power. I learned the hard way when I forgot to fill up the bathtub and we lost power and water for 8 days.
It’s not recommended to drive or chase typhoons although I have to admit I did it myself. It can be exciting but it is dangerous. I almost lost my life and got swept away by the waves while trying to take a photo. Learned my lesson.
This typhoon is supposed to land in Okinawa on Thursday morning but it might change as its moving up north a bit and speeds up. We won’t know until it comes. I’ve experienced a few typhoons that we were 100% sure would come in the morning and they suddenly went in completely different direction.
In Okinawa the schools and work places stop working when the buses stop running. And they really wait till the last minute. So sometimes you might see kids going to school even though the typhoon is almost here.
Hopefully this typhoon will be gentle and won’t ruin all your plans 💚