Ryukyu Festival features music, dance

Several groups perform classical Ryukyu music.

The 49th Ryukyu Festival is set to open Friday, April 26th, for the first of a two-part festival in Naha, and prior to the main event on the 21st at Okinawa City Civic Hall, and 22nd at Nago Civic Hall.

The Ryukyu Festival takes place at Ryukyu Shimpo Hall in Naha City’s Izumizaki district the

Ryukyu Dance

Ballet performances are also a part of this year’s Ryukyu Festival.

26th through the 29th.  Doors open each evening at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. program.  The second phase runs May 3rd through Sunday, May 5th, also at Ryukyu Shimpo Hall.  Advance adult tickets are ¥,2,000, while junior high school and younger tickets are ¥1,000.  At the door, general adult admission is ¥2,300, while junior high school and younger are ¥1,300.

The festival was begun by the Ryukyu Shimpo 1965, as a synthetic art festival which includes Japanese dancing, Western music, etc. focusing on the traditional performing arts of Okinawa.  It is held around April in Okinawa every year. The entertainment organizations, which work in Okinawa, announce the activity result for one year.

At this year’s festival, although the many traditional performing arts of Okinawa are the main focus of the event, many performances of Western culture, such as classical ballet, and Western music of various genres, will also be in the program. This is a festival that showcases Okinawa as the only place in Japan where cultures of various countries cross.

08:57 04 Dec , 2024