Why does Daniel go to Okinawa in Cobra Kai season 3?

Why did Daniel talk a walk down memory lane in Okinawa in Cobra Kai season 3?

If you were hoping for more walks down memory lane on Cobra Kai season 3, you wouldn’t have been disappointed. The show took us back to Okinawa, but why did Daniel head there?

He didn’t actually intend to head to Okinawa at first. He was in Tokyo for business but ended up taking a trip down memory lane. And it was the best thing for him personally and professionally.

Daniel needed to find a way to save his business

After everything that happened at the high school at the end of Cobra Kai season 2, Daniel’s business suffered. People were turning away from the LaRussos, believing their actions in teaching karate had led to the fight.

On top of that, Daniel’s car dealership rival, Tom Cole, caused even more problems. He arranged for an exclusive deal on the back of the bad publicity.

Daniel needed to do something, and he did the one thing he could think of. He headed out to Tokyo to speak to the Dayona HQ in person. That personal touch should help him get the contract back, right?

It’s a no. Dayona can’t face the bad publicity.

Daniel can’t face going home on Cobra Kai season 3

With the knowledge that his business is still in trouble, Daniel can’t face going home just yet. Instead of getting a flight out, he decides to head to Okinawa, where he went with Mr. Miaygi during Karate Kid II.

He soon realized just how much had changed. It was now more like America than Japan, and Daniel was certainly upset by that. However, he did come across Kumiko, the young woman he saved and fell for during Karate Kid II.

As they catch up, Kumiko gives Daniel letters that Mr. Miyagi had written to Kumiko’s aunt. It gives Daniel more perspective and a boost of confidence, but it doesn’t sort out his business problems.

Then he runs into another familiar face: Chozen. He is the villain from the second movie, but there are flashbacks in case you’d forgotten. It looks like Chozen is there to get revenge, especially when he and Daniel start fighting in his dojo. However, Chozen is there to teach more lessons.

Okay, yes, there’s a bit of revenge. Chozen incapacitates Daniel and then ends the fight in the exact same way Daniel ended it during Karate Kid II. It’s a sweet little flashback that leads to Daniel learning a new form of karate that you just know will come up later.

How does Daniel save his business?

With all that happening, was Daniel really going to return to California with no hope for his business? Not at all!

His time in Okinawa ends with Daniel meeting another familiar face, the little girl he saved during the typhoon. It turns out Yuna is just the person he needs to speak to. She runs Dayona International and she can turn the no into a yes.

It’s extremely cheesy, but hasn’t Karate Kid (and therefore Cobra Kai) always been cheesy? It’s the ultimate good vs. bad with the good guy always winning in some way that just wouldn’t work in normal life. It’s what we love about it, right?

And so, Daniel is able to go back home with a saved business. All that came from one trip to Okinawa.

Cobra Kai season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.