What Gate 2 Street Looks Like Today | On A Saturday Evening (ft. Kit Zakimi)
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- Опубліковано 14 жов 2024
- Kit and I do Live Videos every once in a while of Gate 2 Street, but I thought it would be nice to do a video that people can come back to on UA-cam to see how it's changed. If you don't know what Gate 2 Street is, it's the street right outside Kadena Air Base at the Gate 2 entrance in Okinawa, Japan. It was very lively up until about 2009-2010, but especially lively during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Many people have fond memories here.
This was filmed Saturday (July 25, 2020)
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My parents and I were stationed there from 1999-2005. I remember Gate 2 street being so busy all the time. Always crowded with people and was lit up so brightly at night. Seeing how Gate 2 street is now makes me feel sad to see it completely different from my memories - like an empty feeling. Thank you for the video! Okinawa still feels like home to me, so I plan on wanting to visit again ❤️
I was Okinawa from 2007-2010. Best time of my life. I saw you walked right by the famous banana show.
It’s an amazing place! I love it too. 🥰
Lol 😆, I believe the Banana lady’s daughter has taken over. Kind of a weird career to pass down... The real Banana lady passed away a few years back unfortunately. 😢
@@MutekiMatt I never went but I remember guys in my shop talking about it
I was stationed at Kadena from 2000 - 2002 and Gate 2 was the THING to do. ALWAYS busy!!
I worked in a little building in Torii Station from 10/74 to 7/77, lived off base first year, my wife was with me for the full tour. Made quite a few visits to Gate 2 street, craziest memory: we were walking down gate 2 mind our own and out from the doorway of a bar, two guys grabbed us and pulled us inside, all the while saying in broken English, "you come inside, good drinks inside, you come inside for good time"...needless to say, we were quite shocked. We made it clear we needed to go, headed for the door and never looked back. Lots of good memories on Okinawa, the native people were always kind.
Gary VanLaanen
I was there in 1969-1970
Gate 2 street was a wild place even way back then. The bands used to play on BC street from 8 to midnight and the bands on Gate 2 didn't start playing until
1am and played to 5am! Some bands would double dip, they'd play BC street then head over to gate 2 and play another 4 hour gig! they would just rent
a second drum set and speakers and amps.
Sounds like it was really lively!
Anybody remember Sachahachie Alley that connected B.C. and Gate 2 Streets? "Floor show, floor show," Gate 2 and B.C. Street honcho.
I used to live there in 79 - 83 and gate 2 street had a lot of small mom and pop restaurants and clothing store. At the end of the video that intersection I would go right and down to where Shakeys pizza was and go left at thar corner and go around the bend and that was where I lived. Follow that road a little ways and you would find the fire tower and the zoo. I miss okinawa
Sad to see Gate 2 area, and BC street has died! I was there from 1982-1985, and the music scene was awesome! The best yaki soba I’ve ever eaten was on the left side right before you got back to base.
You right, i used to eat there and loved it.
Yeah, that lil skinny shop! Man went down so good after a half dozen purple haze drinks! There in 83!
I used to play in a band of teenagers at the Filmore East, Condition Greens bar. I was 12! You might have seen me play there as it was 81-85 that I played there a lot.
Thank you for this video. As an Okinawan growing up there till 22, I used to go to New York New York a lot in late 80s. It’s ‘Disco’.! I wonder those places are all gone... still miss and love the island
So bitter sweet, I was there from 89 to 92, stationed at Torii Station. I miss club New York New York, Little Apple, The Oz which was the club with the big gold lion outside of it, the reggae hole in the wall called the Akiah Hut and many more. I can’t believe it’s all gone. Please put up videos of the sunabi sea wall and BC street……great times
@@steevopreneur Apple House
@@steevopreneurthe tunnel
Wow Thanks for the tour! So many memories of Gare 2 street! I used to do to a club there called Sgt Pepper's where they had a huge sound system set up and they would play rock albums.
Used to be a great taco joint called the 19th hole on that street.
We used to hang out at the Jet Club on Gate 2 street every weekend. A great bar for live old rock. This was all through the 90s. What a walk down memory lane. Looks the same and different all at once.
All the bars and clubs on gate 2 street are now open. I’m a current Air Force airman. It wasn’t that lively though for my first time there. I’ve only been to gate 2 bars once since I’ve only been on Okinawa for less than a year, so no memories
This saddens me so much. I was stationed at Camp Lester Naval Hospital from 1987 - 89. I and friends used to come to Gate 2 St. all the time. Does anyone remember, puppy on a stick, not literally speaking. I would love to come back and visit Okinawa one day.
It;s changed so much since the late 70's. I still have a picture of the covered street at 10:10. At the time the street was like a brightly lit mall lined with vendors and store displays along the way. Thanks for the memories.
I was there 1985-89. Gate 2 Street was CRAZY all the time!
We were stationed at Kadena from 1985-89 and I remember walking with my sister down gate 2 street all the time. I've since revisited Okinawa (2019) and it's interesting to see how the area has changed. I distinctly remember the sidewalks outside of Gate 2 having mosaics of different insects. I was sad to see that those mosaics no longer exist.
Was a Marine dependent on Oki from 1990-1996. And from what I can see is that it has changes ALOT!! LOL thanks for the trip down memory lane though!!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video.
Thank you for posting this walk down memory lane! I lived there from May 1972 - June 1980, ages 10-18, grades 5-12. I enjoyed going to the market and stores between Gate 2 and BC streets. Will look forward to your BC Street video. Charlie's Tacos was there along with a lot of bars and clubs. Both streets were very lively back then...and BC street was open to traffic.
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. BC street should be soon.
Dang, the old picture of the gate brings back many memories. I went to elementary school on base latter part of 60's and early 70's and went through that gate EVERYDAY. The whole street looks SO different. So sad actually. Bitter sweet indeed.
I have so many fond memories of Okinawa. This broke my heart. My wife is from Naha. I can’t get over how it’s just looking “let go”. I have tons of stories!
Yes, gate 2 not looking that great. Naha though usually looks really nice. They keep it clean and updated.
Lived on Okinawa early 80's, dad was stationed at Kadena. I remember it so vividly but places like China Pete's where my mom would go to shop or the Kubota Hotel to eat they cooked right in front of you. I would love to go back again and visit.
Thanks for sharing. I was there from 83-85 as a teenager and wow it has completely changed. I miss those days.
Glad you enjoyed it
So strangers seeing Gate 2 street almost lifeless. It was so fun back when I lived there.
I was stationed at NDC Camp Foster but lived on Kadena from 1986-1988. I loved Okinawa. I was married there and we took our kids back 10 years later. I miss it all the time. Back then there was an AMAZING coffee house called Pianissimos. There used to be a chicken yakitori stand just behind where you started the video. Do they still do that?
Thanks for watching. I think that place is still there, actually.
I was stationed at Kadena AB from 1979-1982. During that time Gate 2 Street was popping just about every night, lots of clubbing going on...the weekends were impossible, so much activity going on off base that there was a base taxi service run by MWR to get GI's to and from the Gate 2 entrance. I, like you, didn't spend a whole lot of time on Gate 2 Street, but there were two clubs I did go to. One was called " Night Train " and I forgot the other. I too, did my clubbing mostly on BC Street when in the area of Kadena. I also liked going down Highway 58 to an area called " The Bush ". It was another area that had mad clubs at every turn.
From what I can see of your video, I don't think I would want to be a young person stationed at Kadena now. Anyway, I like your video. Good stuff. Thank you for sharing.
I was stationed at Kadena Air Base from 1965 to 1967. What a change!!! I truly did not recognize anything in your video. I think that I should probably take a trip back there to explore it more. Thanks for the update.
Was there 94-97 as a dependent husband. Gate 2 was defiantly a lively place. I remember KFC use to be close to where you ended the video. There was also a four way walking bridge across the intersection. Thanks for bringing back some good memories.
Thanks for watching! I hear it was a fun place in the 90s.
I was stationed at Kadena in 1966 -1967. The photo of Gate 2 at the historical building is what I remember! There were furniture shops on Gate 2 Street then that had deep carvings of pastural scenes from the Okinawa countryside. There were mom and pop shops that specialized in transistor radios and other electronics and other shops that were deep into cameras. None of that exists any longer either. In the 1960s, when I was there, the Filipino musicians were the best musicians in many of the venues. There were also public steam bath and massage businesses right on Gate 2 Street that were invigorating in the summertime when it was so hot and muggy.
Thanks for the memories. I was stationed at Camp Foster Aug74-Sep75 a lot has changed. First, when I was there, the cars drove the other way, like they do in the States. Again, thank you, Semper Fi and greetings from Charleston, WEST Virginia.
I was stationed at onna point Recon base, BC street had the recon bar in 1977
Add on people drove on opposite side not like Americans
Lived there from 85-89, Air Force Brat! Just stumbled upon your channel. I remember all the guys that used to sell all the bootleg videos up down that street, and yes that street used to be packed!! Great memories, thanks for sharing!
So sad to see Gate 2 Street so moribund! The only places I recognize are China Pete's (now gone too) and Zazou's, the bakery. I did not go to the bars, but went to some of the restaurants. I remember a French restaurant close to the bakery owned by an Egyptian. Great food! The street was clean and lively with all sorts of people all the time. I particularly loved the covered maze of shops on the left hand side (You showed the entrance to it), where I got lost the first week I was in Okinawa in 1992.
I spent some time there in the 1980s. Things look quite a bit different than they were back then, but it's still good to see. Thanks for the video.
Kadena HS class of '85 . Thanks for the look back at a place that holds so many memories.
Matt Thank you for sharing the video sure brings back memories of Okinawa.
I Lived in Okinawa from 1973 to 1975 out side of gate 2 Kadena USAF Base in Koza. Leaving Kadena AFB Gate 2 about 1/4 mile Just right of 4 corners where Koza street. I lived in those apartment for 2 years. Your right, way different back then. I really like the USO club, Especially the USO tours around the Island. I worked on the KC-135- Q models. The KC-135-RC. The Q model refuelled the SR71 Blackbird. Wow almost 50 years, Half a century ago.
Thanks for sharing Al. I would have loved to see gate 2 back in its hay day.
Thank you for the video. A lot of good memories of Gate 2 street at night.
Glad you enjoyed it
Wow that is sad. I was there last in 1992. I remember lots of VHS movie stores and restaurants. Love this video of my old hang out back in the day. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
Did you go to Kadena HS? I was last there in 92 too!
Great tour, thanks! This street seems to have an amazing retro charme about it. Do you have an idea where people go out now? There must be some lively spots? That museum you passed looks like a place I'd want to visit sometime.
Thank you. The museum did look really cool. I think most people go out at American Village or Rycom Mall. They also built Parco Mall last year, but that's by camp Kinser in Urasoe.
Thank you for the video. I really injoyed it. I notice that the gate 2 area has changed quite a lot. Is the road you are walking the route 58. Can i have more videos, please.
To this day, I haven't been able to find yakitori like the street vendors used to make in 2004. Even the Japanese restaurants can't seem to get it "right".
That street meat was the best!
Mamas Fried rice near the corner at the big intersection
I was stationed at Kadena from June 1971-December ‘72. Didn’t recognize Gate 2 street. Nothing left after 50 years. It was crazy back then. BC street and Sakahachi Alley were big, too.
Stationed in Oki 2003 to 2006. Crazy crazy memories.
Im real old school. I was stationed at Camp Foster Aug 74-Sep75.
@@usmc-veteran73-77 I as Army in 96-99 in Okinawa and Gate 2 was well known to bad area!
@@terryrodbourn2793 Gate 2 area was a "Party Place" when I was there, plus a lot of Marines getting into fights, including me. We use to go to a bar called "Noah's Ark" I think it was in Kosa City (Okinawa City today)
Lived there from 1972-1974 and went to Kubasaki HS. We used to call that gate the “back gate”. 😅 Me, my brothers and friends used to hang out down in that area and get into a little trouble now and then. We teenage boys loved it.
I left July 4 1981, it was so hoppin!! Oh my God I remember the roaring twenties and purple Haze and all those different bars that they had their so different than when I was there in 81 well when I left in 81
Your right back in the Mid 70's it was hopping. 1975-1977 wild fun times then.
Graduated from Kadena HS in ‘85. Went TDY there as a contractor in 1996. Would love to see it today. I’ve been a contractor in Korea since that TDY. Lol.
In the first minute, over Kit’s right shoulder, there is or was a road that had a used car lot where I bought a Toyota Sprinter. Manual transmission, mirrors folded in by pushing a button on the console. Loved driving around the island in that car!
I was there between 89-91 and remember going to Gate 2 to buy clothes, counterfeit movies on VHS, and to dance clubs and bars. Also, to have some awesome spaghetti along the covered shopping area. I was in Okinawa this past week and was told Gate 2 was pretty much not what it use to be. We visited Sunabe and Naha instead.
I was there back in the day. I wanted to go back and visit, but she did the Gate 2 street tour. I remember a lot, but a lot has changed. It was off the hook back in the day Thanks
Was stationed on Kadena AFB from 74 to 76. One big party.
Thanks, that brings back memories even though I was in the navy I was station at naf kadena 80-82
Wow! That's so sad. We were there in the early 80's and it's SO different! Used to be a bridge to walk over that big intersection with a restaurant on the right corner that we used to go to all the time. The enclosed mall that you went by used to be so busy, didn't look like it had anyone in it anymore. BC street was nice but once the sun started going down it became a strip street with doors open and music blaring with strip bars. Sorry to see that China Pete's is gone too, didn't really spend much in there but it surely was popular amongst the military wives! Thanks for the tour.
I remember that ( Used to be a bridge to walk over that big intersection ) we called the intersection Four Corners. The covered mall had a store where the locals would purchase bugs and eat them. I would stand and watch in disbelief. Gate 2 street from 1985 thru 1988 was booming, they sold pirated VHS movies and cassettes for 5 dollars (If anyone remembers what they are) lol. Then at night, the music/dance clubs would open up and it was so busy at times you had to walk out into the streets to get around the crowds. In the late nineties after a few stupid deranged military members raped and murdered Okinawian underage girls (I think the youngest was 12). the locals wanted us gone and formed a protest called Hands Around Kadena and they joined hands and circled the base. The government started reducing force's stationed there and I think this is why gate two street is no longer active.
I was there late 83 early 84 and remember the blue pedestrian bridge too. There was also a KFC not too far from the enclosed mall. I'm surprised to see Ocean restaurant still looks the same and remember the tacos there were pretty good.
I was there from 1991-1995. Gate 2 was the place to be! I can still smell the island air when I watched it. Sunabe seawall video?
I was a kid back then. We got there during the reversion back to Japanese control. The gate was a little more modern when we were there in 1972 than the picture but not much. It was hard for a young American kid to wrap his head around binjo ditches that ran along the street. They led to the farmers fields that were around the base. It was mostly jungle around the base back then. We lived on Sarnoski Loop. We had paths that led to farmers fields and we played with Japanese kids but couldn't talk to them because of language barrier. We all understood the consequences of landing in the binjo streams we had rope swings across though. I am 62 now caring for my father who is 93 looking at a beautifully carved mahogany bar that they brought back from Okinawa. I hope to visit again one day.
Wow, so different from my youth. Had so many good memories here.
Thanks for the video! Last time I was there was 1986 - on the same side of the street where Koza Music Town is now was a club called "Purple Haze", maybe 1/3 or 1/2 of the way between the highway and the gate. It was a heavy metal club on the second floor - small place with a signature drink that tasted like licorice.
It's funny everyone still calls BC Street by that name. In the mid-80's they tried to change the name to "Chuo Park Avenue" to give it a fresh, more wholesome rep - looks like that didn't happen :)
Thank you. Glad you liked it! I feel like I saw a place called Purple Haze when we were walking. Maybe they moved? I'm not sure if I got it on video though. Haha yep, still called BC Street. 😂
That licorice drink was d'absinthe and was off limits to GIs because it was hallucinogenic and showed up in the UI as drugs. It was an awesome place though! Great music from 80-83.
I used to work on bc street as a gogo dancer
Had the pacific naval record for drinking de absenthe, whole bottle of the strong stuff in 10 minutes! Whew!
Ha! I remember that. Listening to Ozzy covers and drinking that licorice stuff. Awesome.👍🏻
I was there from 92-95 and then back in 98 and 2001. I was in Kinser MCB, then Hansen twice. I was in Hansen when 9/11 went down in the states. I know that’s when a lot of the major changes happen. I used to go to the Jet club on G2 street a lot. There was another bar can’t recall name Fuguiyama I think, that has a sign that read liquor in the front poker in the back. Many night in BC street as well. There was a club that had salsa night. It was located in the corner. Also New York New York Manhattan and Pyramid club. Thats the place to go dance!! Great memories.
OMG!! I grew up there!!! WOW it used to be ssso much more than it is now. WOW!! The Roaring 20 bar where Condition Green played. Purple haze. Murasaki played right there!
Wow! Okinawa is a whole different place than it was when we were there 1999-2001.. Me and my band uaed to play at a bar (my bad i forgot the name!🤣) Fridays and saturdays were crazy, i had a lot of fun. I wish to go back one day 🙏❤️
I remember the sega palace, there was a Taiwanese noodle shop or I call it Old man soup it so good. Then was King Hotel, place I get my sports hats and jerseys and there was a department store near Vc street and a damn good shushi bar. I was there 88-96, good old days.
I was stationed in Okinawa from 2007-2010 and I miss it daily.
Hey, what happened to Moss Burger and the KFC that was on the corner (at the end of the street/video)?? It was there in the early 80's when I was there. Wow!! It really has changed and was hopping back then. Also, I remember there being lots of stray cats. I recall letting one in our off-base apartment and it was hard to get him to leave. LOL!! Loved the beaches and the weather. Miss it at times.
Okinawa in the early 2000s was where it was at. Although I loved my second tour there. 7 years!
My wife and friends always talk about how much fun it was in the early 2000's!
YESSSS
Oh how I miss this place I use to live in Kadena right next to gate 2 this was the place (2013 ) use to skate here w my friends all the time omg the nostalgia from this video the alley way koza music town I FREKIN LOVE THIS VIDEO it almost made me tear up 🥲
Glad you liked it. 😊
I was station at Kedena from 72-74. Spend many times on Gate 2, BC street, For people who do not know, BC stands for Bring Cash. Lots of side streets or alley ways where you find good sporting goods stores, barber shops and tailor clothing stores. Do anyone remember MA1A alley? I would like to revisit the area again.
I was there December 70 to April 72...Did not recognize a single building/business.You are right Gate 2 was music town. Lots of memories
Not a single one? Wow, they must have changed everything.
@@MutekiMatt I would love to return to Oki someday soon. I'm sure I will find more familiar first hand. "The more things change the more they remain the same"
I was stationed with the 267th Chemical co. accross the street from Kadena Air base in 1970 - I was an MP, We had products tranferred to Johnston Island. I lived at the Goya hotel for months at the end of gate 2 street. Many days & nights on BC & Gate 2 streets.
As a HS student, not much of a memory, but as a GI in the mid 70s, woowee! Beer, beer, snack. Repeat until we reach the end of one side of the street. But my favorite late night haunt was a little club called The Trip. It was one block off Gate 2 street. Headphones hanging from the ceiling, listening to whole sides of albums (generally Pink Floyd) and lots and lots of absinths and ramen.
I lived in Okinawa for ten years!! I consider it home
I was there 93-96 station on Ft Buckner/Torii Station. I enjoyed it and yes Gate 2 used to be busy things have changed.
Thanks for talking and walking down this street. I usually just drive down to the corner and hang a right, lol. Also, that kebab shop is pretty tasty!
You know when to hit up Gate 2 street with a lot of people? When they do the tug of war!! There's a Koza Tug of War. It usually happens in November. I guess we'll see if COVID delays that as well.
Oh really? I didn't know they did a tug of war in Koza. We always go to the Naha one. lol
Hey Matt and Kit. Love you guys. I was stationed there at Kadena for seven years, '85 to '92. Can't believe the difference. Yes I remember China Peets. BC street or Chuo Park Avenue is like dead! I remember a great record shop there. They also had some great restaurants. I lived in Gushikawa, they changed the name, Ginuwine (twice) and then I ended up in Awase by the seawall.
Hi i was ther in 1985 and 1986 i was a go go dancer back then maybe we can chat and talk about bc street
At the end of video couldn't help noticing the blue overpasses are long gone. The hideaway was that the bar people pinned $to the ceiling. That bar rocked from 86-92. Thanks for the memories flashback, made me smile.
You're welcome John. Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I believe the pedestrian overpass has been gone about 15 years or so.
Was the hide away called " The A sign" I remember forgetting a few nights there, I stapled my bill when I left. 82- 86
its offical im old, that was my spot from 06-12..the memories from oki...cant wait to tell my grandkids...
I was there from 84-87. I remember the A-Sign bar, and Parlor Tomo’s. It was always hoppin’.
I was stationed at Kadena Air Base from 1998 -2000 and loved to hang out at the Prince Club, The Jet Live Music House when Jimmy was the Guitar Wizard, and there was the Pyramid Club, My Place Club, Fujiyama Rock Club, The Hideaway plus thousands of Snack Bars plus don't forget the Mysterious Whisper Alley!Then would go to the 19th Hole ⛳ Eatery to eat some Taco Rice with their hot sauce. I still have awesome oriental style pots from China Pete's.
I was stationed on Kadena from 89 to 91. Gate 2 street was a jumping place on Saturday night. A couple of places that stand out in my memory are a couple of bars, A-Sign & The Underground. There were plenty of places to eat after you left the bars before calling it a night, Mickey's (famous taco rice) & the 19th hole tacos are 2 places that we frequented. Lots of VHS movie stores and record (CD) stores. Souvenir shops wer abundant close to gate 2. Right there on the corner of China Pete was a food cart and an older gentleman sold the BEST chicken yakitori. Great memories on gate 2 Street and BC, sad to see that has mostly died off.
I was there '86-'88 and spent many nights in the A-Sign(Sound Bar), usually until morning. You could request one side of an album and they would play it. Yuki and Yoshi were the bartenders. I remember Mickey's for katsu don, and the 19th hole for tacos. There was a little bar near the base called Lucky Star. It was a hole in the wall joint. At one time there was a video store that sold the most VHS movies in the world.
I most remember all the wristwatch shops exhibiting the latest quartz technology watches of the mid-70's. These little store fronts would be tucked in between the various gentlemen's clubs.
I was stationed there 2002 til 2004. I almost lived on Gate 2 street when not working. Manila Garden, Ryukyu Cycles, and most of the bars at one time or another. Since the military cracked down hard on drinking, especially off base it is no wonder Gate 2 street pretty much died & had to be reinvented.
Thank you for doing these video...memries...
Just wanted to comment but didn't they have a blue cross bridge at the end of the intersection at the end of the video? I recall that they had a bridge you could walk up and over the traffic to get to the other sides. I was on Camp Foster back in 95-98.
Yes they did! I think they removed it around 2010 maybe?
Oh my gosh that was great to see, but so sad to see it this way. Do you guys know what happened? Clearly the base is still there so why aren’t they coming out? I was there as an older teen in 90-92 and I LOVED Zazous! My reward when I was a teen for going with my mom to China Pete’s was we got to stop in for pastries. Man she spent a lot of time and money in there! I loved buying clothes out there. It was harder to find things because I am so tall and the clothing was made for shorter people but still could find some cool cheap things. I also didn’t realize how far the base seems from China Pete’s. I remember it being right there off the gate. I also remember stopping at a little hole in the wall restaurant right off the base on the same side as China Pete’s for Yakitori. Sooooo good! Thanks for the tour and memory lane
This is so nostalgic ;-; I used to live in Awase, rode past the zoo and gate 2 street to get on base to the movie theatres with friends back in the early 2000s
Very cool! Awase has really built up too. We spend a lot of time there as well.
Gate 2 had the Filmore for live rock. Whiskey a Go-Go was for dancing….Madonna, etc. BC street had the Cannon Club which was another great place for live rock music. So my best memories were the food and music. We had no cable tv, afrts for tv and radio. I was with the 18th TFW, and the 44th AMU. Go Vampires! #Bluetails
Nothing like I remember, 80-84. I bought my audio system on gate 2 street, had clothes tailored made. There was a little place that had thee best Yaki sobe dish. I don't even wanna start on the clubs. The USO was right near the gate. The memories. I had a great time being stationed at Kadena AB. I lived off base during most of my tour.
Hi i know all the club there i used to dance to one of the club
Thats is nothing like what I remember when I was there in 96-98
Most of the places the catered to the Americans - especially bars, “juicy” bars, and strip clubs - mostly all went out of business following the months-long island lockdowns between 2007 and 2009 and some of the fallout regarding similar establishments in S. Korea and their link to human trafficking.
I was there in 2008 and remember that was kind of the beginning of the end. They did have some bars and strip clubs at that time but when I went in 2019 it seemed like it was a lot quieter.
And it’s sure as heck not like I remember from 1970!
@@charleswolfe7636 I wish I could have seen that. I bet it was epic.
I was stationed at kadena Air Base from May of 1973 to November of 1975 and hung out at the uso club just inside gate 2 on the left. I dated an Okinawan girl who was an english major at a Christian college in Naha (the capital city). She showed me around the island every weekend and I asked her to take me to restaurants that were not written in English to taste the real deal nots season for American taste. I still think of that place fondly.
Back in the late 80’s that first building with the kitty cat use to sell high end audio equipment. Def miss the rock!
KIT!... CHINA PETES is still there!? ...BOMBAY TAYLORS too?! Our family was stationed at KADENA twice from 1966-1977...So I share your memories of a very LIVELY DOWTOWN COZA in general all day! The night life was definitely Amplified everywhere and of course BC STREET was the BUSINESS CENTER any time. One of my most vivid memories was not only the Visual stimulus but the Fragrance and the Audio experience....All converging to a great adventure every time we went downtown COZA. From neon lit souvenir stores to convenience stores to banks to tailor shops to tattoo parlors to embroidery shops to department stores to restaurants to bars /pubs and every kind of Music venue ...And forgive me for omitting the many other services and conveniences not mentioned. Beyond the absolutely arresting visual, COZA had the aroma of every kind of cuisine...Just delicious if you can imagine the inescapable scent of the Ocean mixed with every kind of International Cooking on earth...Delicious! By far, the COOLEST part was hearing every kind of POPULAR or NOT SO POPULAR MUSIC jamming out of various venues as you ventured closer to BC STREET! One memorable night was hearing the local band MURASAKI do some Led Zeppelin...But my parents would not let me go in!...I seriously thought led Zeppelin was playing!? THANK Y'ALL for reminding US....KIT and MATT!!!
At about 10:40 when you were talking about Hideaway the entrance going down to the club was where that Pizza store sign is. The open space to the left of the Pizza sign is where the famous Mickeys you guys keep talking about that store has since closed down. There was a karaoke bar in the direction called GoodTimes now moved across the street that was where I hung out after living shows at Hideaway from 94-02
Wow! I was there from 2002-2006 July. I never thought it would be a ghost town. I hang out at Hawaiian nights a lot coz of the band. Even during the day especially Saturday this place was busy. Lots of stores selling clothes.
Awesome! I think it really started dying around 2010 because of a new military curfew.
Earlier than that. Most of the places the catered to the Americans - especially bars, “juicy” bars, and strip clubs - mostly all went out of business following the months-long island lockdowns between 2007 and 2009 and some of the fallout around the same timeframe regarding similar establishments in S. Korea and their link to human trafficking.
I remember at the corner of Gate 2 and Moromi St. there was a KFC with a large Col. Sanders statue outside. The funny thing was the statue had Asian shaped eyes!
How about something on fort Buckner camp foster areas????
I was there in 1970 Usmc 3rd fsr
Ft Buckner 93-96
I remember the Hideaway.... Man this is crazy to see how it changed.
I was stationed at Camp Kinser 1982-1983.
Back in the day Gate 2 Street was always hopping, during the day lots of shops, I remember a couple of china shops along there specifically where you bought sets of china dishes. We'd also stop in one of the stores that specialized in copying movies to Betamax or VHS. Back in those days home video was brand new and movies clubs were extremely popular among the Americans. You join the club with a certain number of new movies that everyone would copy and in return you were allowed copy everyone elses'. Or you could go to Gate 2 Street and order movies replicated for you.
We'd stop there first and place our order and then shop the rest of Gate 2 and by the time were were ready to leave we'd go back and pick up our movies.
At night Gate 2 was loaded with bars doing Donkey Shows, Habu Shows, Banana SHows. At night I spent a lot of time over at a place called Condition Green, the house band was the same name.
My first time there I was walking at street level and heard Lynyrd Synyrd's Freebird being played. I can still remember descending a flight of stairs and hanging a hard right to enter.
On stage to the right were a bunch of Okinawins (the band Condition Green) in kimonos playing an excellent cover of Freebird. Behind the drummer on stage were chicken cages with live chickens. There were no chairs in the place, you sat around tables in seats taken out of cars. To the left instead of a bar was a window in the wall and you ordered your drinks there. Became one of my favorite places to hang out during my tour. Gate 2 Street back then was quite a music scene, and it was always crowded day and night. Loaded with little Red Taxis catering to US service personnel
Thanks for the tour, its changed a lot and is run down compared to what I remember.
Wow! That sounds like a crazy time, and lots of fun. I would have loved to see it then.
I came to Okinawa in June 1970 in a band from the Philippines. We started playing up north in Henoko first, outside Camp Schwab. We also lived in a compound with other Filipino bands in Henoko.. Later we played in Kin village outside Camp Hansen and later in Koza, BC street at Club Leibe. After hours we did gigs in other clubs on Gate 2 and BC streets...
By 1972, we moved to Tokyo in Shinjuku Area until I left the band in 1973 to emigrate to Texas... Later I returned as an Air Force member assigned to 18th TFW, 18FMS from 1976 to 1979..
Okinawa was a big part of my young life and I will always remember my time there. Glad I can keep up with happenings in Okinawa from where I am now retired at, back in the Philippines...
At the end of gate 2 street right before the intersection there was a bar called the Fillmore East, owned by Katchan and the band members of Condition Green ( Okinawas most famous rock band along with Murasaki who played on BC street) I played there as a teenager from 81-85 in a 3 piece rock band. I was surprised you didn’t mention that bar??
OMG!!! so surreal being on Gate 2 and BC. I was at Camp Butler 1983 - 1985.
I remember walking on Gate 2 street in the 70's to the end where there was a KFC and across would be a Baskin Robins. Along the way hidden away in a tine upstairs home-converted-into restaurant was the best Chinese Nanjing steamed dumplings I have ever had (and I've eaten all over Taiwan and China). Used to be called Koza Street if I recall correctly. And the city there is called Koza City.
I love Steamed Dumplings! I wonder if that place is still there?
@@MutekiMatt Kinda doubt it. I went there in the mid-70's.
@@whhusa Ya, probably not... 😕