They have a lot of parks here because they don't have any yards. There is no grass at the houses, just concrete yards. Cuts down on the mowing and yard work sometimes I wish that is what we had. There are a few houses that have a little patch of grass; they are usually at American style houses. But they have beautiful potted plants sitting around the yards and houses. I wonder how those plants look in the heat of the summer. (They probably actually take time to water them.) Most houses have what my grandparents in Nady had, big rain barrel things to catch the rain water, theirs is located on the top of their house. They use this water to water the plants and other things in the summertime. My friend Karen lives in Kitanakagusuku on top of a hill, overlooking the town and ocean, she has a big yard and the houses on her little street have a big yard, there are only about 10 houses. I tease her and tell her working for the American Consulate, she is living in the rich part of town! She has a large house with three bedrooms. Her house is a typical Japanese house, it has raised floors, wooden, all the kitchen cabinets are low, like my mom's used to be. The bath tub is a soaking tub, very deep, you step down into it, but it is not long enough to stretch out. She has the fancy toilets, they have heated seat, you push a button and it basically gives you a sitz bath with warm water that can flow in a straight stream or shower. She has offered to let anyone stay with her that wants to visit. I sure wish I had some takers! She would even let you use her daughter's surf board!