Taiho Dam Festival educates on nature, dams and handicrafts

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Taiho Dam in Ogimi Village is the second tallest dam on Okinawa at 77.5 meters. Its capacity is 20.050 million cubic meters water, and its construction started in 1987 and was completed in 2010.

Children enjoy playing in the Taiho Dam overflow channel.

It’s also the site of an annual festival that was initially organized right after the completion of the dam for residents to have a deeper understanding of the interaction between the dam and nature. Since then, it has become a popular setting for people from across Okinawa to come and have a day of fun while learning about the dam and experiencing various demonstrations throughout the day.

Taiho Dam is the second highest in Okinawa.

The Taiho Dam Festival takes place on Saturday, Jul. 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the day, there will be canoe tours for a small fee of ¥500 at 10:00 a.m., 12:20 and 2:40 p.m. for the fist 40 persons each time who put their name on a list at the venue. Other activities include boat rides on a small motorboat three times at 10:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3 p.m. for the first seven people each time.

Bashoo lantern making costs ¥500, bamboo basket making lesson is ¥300, and a pottery class is ¥500. All three stars at 10 a.m. and are limited to 30 participants.

Facility tours are free but limited to 25 participants each starting at 11:30 a.m., 1 and 2:30 p.m.

MESH helicopter will be on display from 11 a.m. to noon emergencies permitting.

The MESH helicopter is on display between 11 a.m. and noon provided that no emergency calls them to elsewhere.

Children will enjoy playing in the overflow channel artificial river downstream of the dam all day fro 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which is free.

Taiho Dam, as all the other dams on Okinawa, has a public park area incorporated. They all are free to access any time, and always very well maintained. Most of them have walking trails and picnic areas, and they also have water recreational areas for kids to play.

However, here’s a word of warning. Although Taiho Dam has some water slide-like concrete structures in the leisure area, they are not meant for fun. The surface on the slides is very slick and covered with brown algae that makes the surface very slippery, and is very difficult to clean from clothes.

Taiho Dam is located at https://goo.gl/maps/Pjls7