Chatan, Okinawa

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Chatan (北谷町; -chou) is a town located in Nakagami District, Okinawa, Japan.

As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 26,377 and the density of 1,936.64 persons per km². The total area is 13.62 km². The town runs along a man-made coastline that used be the U.S. Marines base of Camp Hamby (now Camp Foster). An area block of the city is nicknamed(?) Hamby to honor this, and the Hamby Postal Office is one of the first Japanese Postal offices to have an English name. Parts of Camp Foster and Camp Lester both reside in Chatan.

Shopping and recreation

Much of the Hamby area is home to the "Hamby Free Zone". Though the name is misleading due to romanization errors, it's a large flea market that's scattered in an area of several blocks.

With the expansion of shopping/recreational businesses in the Mihama area, Chatan has become one of the most popular destinations for hanging out. It's home to a large farris wheel (which has become sort of a landmark), a small convention center, multiple shopping plazas, arcades, karaoke parlors, a 25-story hotel called "The Beach Tower", and a beach.

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