Submissions
Want to write an article for our online magazine? Fill out the form below and send the article/photos to our Dropbox folder using the button below. If you’re submitting an article, you need to include six to ten original photos.
The form below is for first-time applications only. If you have contributed before, please reach us by email or via FB/Instagram, but please send your writing and especially photos via Dropbox). You can read our submission guidelines below.
Submission Form
Dropbox
Please send your text document and photos here. Documents can be sent as .txt, .rtf or Word files. Photos should be in JPG form. Please include your name in the file names.
Submission Guidelines for Okinawa Heartbeat
We accept event listings and articles and photos from members of the public wanting to contribute to Okinawa Heartbeat. Please read the guidelines for events, articles and photos before submitting.
Event Submission Guidelines
You may submit information for events you are hosting. The information we publish is very basic (title, date, time, place). You need to include a link and an image. Please make sure of the following:
The event must take place on the main island of Okinawa, one of the islands linked by bridge (for example, Sesoko Island) or on an island easily accessible by short ferry ride (for example, Tsuken Island).
Your event must be accessible to the general public. On-base events can be listed as long as they are open to non-military persons and do not require special permission to enter.
Events can be single-day events or events that last multiple days or weeks.
Please be sure that you own the necessary rights to the photos and that all persons in the images you submit have consented to the use of their images. Please use the Dropbox link provided to send your images (it’s drag-and-drop, no need for a Dropbox account). Please name your images with the event title.
Only submit one image per event.
The more lead time you give us before the event start date, the better.
Okinawa Heartbeat is not obligated to list your event and may remove the listing at any time.
Article Submission Guidelines
Articles must be at least 1,000 words in length (1,500 is better) and must be submitted via the Dropbox link below. Restaurant reviews and recipes can be shorter (approx 600 words minimum). Target word count is around 1,500 to 2,000. Maximum length is around 2,500 words, but we are flexible.
Acceptable file formats are .txt, .rtf or Word.
The topic of your article must be about Okinawa and must clearly relate to one of the categories featured on the home page.
Your article must have a concise introduction and must be sectioned out under headings, with no more than 300-400 words between headings. Subheadings are encouraged.
By submitting your article, you grant Okinawa Heartbeat the irrevocable right to post your article on this website, publish it print and duplicate any part of it on any of our social media accounts or any other media to which we have access. This right shall exist throughout the world and in perpetuity.
When submitting your article, please submit an actual photo of yourself for the ‘author box’ that will go at the bottom of the post, along with a very brief bio (20 words). Also please provide a URL to which we can link your bio. If you really don’t want a photo on the site, you can submit an AI avatar.
Okinawa Heartbeat has the right to edit your submission to our satisfaction.
We don’t pay for articles, yet. Once we have sponsors we might be able to pay a small honorarium per article, but please do not expect this now.
You may submit in English or in Japanese.
Photo Submission Guidelines
Original photos must accompany all article submissions. Please submit six to ten images per article (more is okay).
Image files should be in JPG format and must be at least 1,200px left to right. You are encouraged to compress your submissions into a zip file. Please put your name in the filename so it is clear who send the photos.
Please do not send images of identifiable people in the images. We cannot post these for privacy reasons. You may include photos of yourself, family members and/or friends who have clearly consented to being photographed.
This is not a photography website, but we ask that all images be in focus, properly exposed and artistically appropriate.
Getting Along with Cat Haters in Okinawa
If protectors of stray cats understand where the ‘haters’ are coming from, they can minimize their profile and maximize their success.
Kin Kannon-ji Temple and Nisshudo Cave
Kin Kannon-Ji Temple and Nisshudo Cave offer a quiet retreat for spiritual communion and deep healing.
Ou Island (Oujima), Okinawa
Ou Island in Nanjo offers delicious tempura, cultural enrichment, and cats.
Nekomaruan Kissaten Cat Cafe
Nekomaruan Kissaten Cat Cafe offers delicious meal sets and gentle feline company.
Fire Dancer at Sunabebaba
Kuon the fire dancer posed for this composite portrait at Sunabebabab Beach.
Nuchimasu Salt Factory in Okinawa (and Kafu Banta)
Nuchimasu Salt factory on Miyagi Island produces the most mineral-rich salt in the world.
Tamagusuku Castle Okinawa: A place of divinity, fading to antiquity
Tamagusuku Castle in Nanjo, Okinawa stands as a worn testament to the island’s Ryukyu heritage.
Cape Manzamo Okinawa: An Iconic Cliff, Ocean Views and Rich Cultural Heritage
The ‘Elephant Trunk’ Cliff of Cape Manzamo is one of Okinawa’s most famed natural landmarks.
Okukubi River Mangrove in Kin: Mangroves of Okinawa Part 2
The Okukubi River Mangrove in Kin Town is one of the best preserved coastal wetlands in Okinawa.