Kunigami Village showcases its nature in Festival

Most of the performances are by local youth groups.

Most of the performances are by local youth groups.

Kunigami Village covers the northernmost area of Okinawa main island. It has a small population of less than 6,000 residents, but plenty of wilderness, which makes it a nature lover’s paradise and one of the best “Eco Tour” destinations on Okinawa.

The Kunigami Village Festival, on its 30th incarnation this year, is organizing some interesting events every year in addition to the usual Eisa performances and live music performances by local musicians.

Speed-eating watermelon and goya juice and beer chugging contests, a ladies’ arm-wrestling competition and bare-hand catching of live fish tournament are scheduled to be held on Sunday. A special guest for the festival’s live music line-up, local popular band ‘Kariyushi 58’ will be on stage.

Those who you apply in advance, can have chance to go see net fishing on a boat for a reasonable price of ¥2,000 for adults and ¥1,000 for children. Applicants for the event have to fill up a form and send it by mail or fax it to Kunigami Fisheries Cooperative Association by August 18th. Only a limited number of slots are available for this experience. The detail and application form in Japanese is available at Kunigami Village website at http://www.vill.kunigami.okinawa.jp

Another event requiring an application in advance is a forest therapy experience tour. You can go for a walk around a forest in Kunigami Forest Park with a guide. The Japanese language application for this event is also available on the website above. The number of participants is limited.

The Kunigami Village Festival takes place from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 22nd and 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 23rd. Admission go the event is free. The main venue of the festival is at the Kunigami Junior High School grounds at 1463, Hentona, Kunigami Village. On the map at https://goo.gl/3vPqSs

Schedule

Saturday Aug. 22

7:00 Net fishing observation tour **prior reservation required
9:00 Forest therapy tour **prior reservation required
16:30 Opening ceremony
17:00 Stage performance (Karate / Japanese Classical Dance / Hawaiian Hula / Kids’ Eisa)
18:10 Karaoke competition
19:20 Junpei Yamakawa live music performance
19:45 Hentona High School Band ‘GREED’ live performance
20:40 Kunigami Village Youth Eisa performance
21:00 Bon Dance
21:30 Close

Sunday, Aug. 23

8:00 Net fishing observation tour
14:00 Haarii race
16:00 Live fish catching tournament
16:45 Heshikiya Eisa
17:10 Watermelon speed-eating contest; Goya juice and beer chugging contest
18:05 Ladies’ arm-wrestling competition
19:15 Miyu live music performance
19:55 Yuiyui Sisters live music performance
20:35 Kariyushi 58 live music performance
21:20 Fireworks
21:30 Close

23:32 29 Mar , 2024