Okinawa City Industry Fair showcases local brands

A large outdoor festival area features pottery, farm produce, awamori and, of course, a number of food and drink stands.

This weekend’s Okinawa City Industrial Festival is a combination of introduction to Okinawa City-made products and two days of sheer family fun expected to again attract more than 80,000 visitors.

Handicrafts, textiles, musical instruments and special goods are on display indoors.

The 37th annual festival runs Saturday and Sunday in and around the Okinawa Comprehensive Sports Park at Hiyane in Okinawa City. Festivities run 10 a.m. ~ 6 p.m. both days, offering a full slate of entertainment and cultural events, as well as a chance to see various local products made.  Admission is free.

The Industry Fair always builds its theme around Okinawa City brands in which citizens take pride. The Industrial Festival Executive Committee says the two-day event will feature Okinawa produced and processed goods, wooden handicrafts, Ryukyu musical instruments, homemade pottery, awamori, clothing, building materials, and a wide variety of Okinawa foods

Live music, eisa and other entertainment is performed on stage throughout the fair.

and special goods. Festival visitors will be able to observe Okinawa products being manufactured, and can purchase many of the items on the spot as well as taste samples.

Organizers expect the music and food to attract thousands to the Industrial Fair, where the key word is “local” products. Okinawa City leaders say they’re proud of the city’s ingenuity and production skills.

New to the industrial festival this year will be products of Aichi, Iwate, Yamagata, Nagano Prefectures and Hokkaido.  Organizers say the mainland Japan inclusion “gives the fair a new taste, and more to see and experience.”

Special exhibitions will operate across the two days from open until closing. The Chibana Society for Study of Textiles will demonstrate textile making, while a Bamboo Wares Studio will teach making bamboo products. Experiments in glass will be demonstrated by a Glass Studio, while another local specialist will show how the pottery wheel is used to turn out Ryukyu products.

Wood sculpture making will be taught, while the Central Leather Company will show how to work with leather. A division of the local Agriculture /department will demonstrate making raw sugar from sugar cane.

To get to Comprehensive Park from Camp Foster, go out from Legion Gate and go straight through Kitanakagusuku Village and down the hill towards Awase. Continue on the same road about half kilometer past the intersection with Route 329 and park is on your left. From Kadena go out of Gate 2 and continue to Takahara intersection. Turn right on Route 329 and continue until you see the entrance gate to Okinawa Prefecture Comprehensive Sports Park on your left.

10:41 29 Mar , 2024