Ginoza Festival packs two full days of activities

Live music entertainment ends the festival on both days.

Live music entertainment ends the festival on both days.

Ginoza Village is known for its active music concert programs in its Garaman Hall, a facility at Ginoza Culture Center. It’s also known for its original Ginoza burgers that the local residents swear are the best burgers ever created anywhere. And it’s also known as the location of Hanshin Tigers pro-baseball team spring training camp every February.

The village residents take pride on being a healthy, friendly and vibrant central Okinawan community of just over 5,000 people with plenty of pure nature and beauty. And on the weekend of Oct. 24th and 25th the village wants to show everyone what it’s all about when it organizes the 23rd Ginoza Festival.

Local entertainment creates excitement among the audience.

Local entertainment creates excitement among the audience.

The festival takes place at Ginoza Village Noson Park at 1857, Aza Sokei, Ginoza Village (https://goo.gl/Ki9ISF) and Ginoza Village Multipurpose Gymnasium next to the park. The festival programs begin at 10 a.m. on both days and run through 21:00 when the festivities end with fireworks on both days.

As Ginoza is located on the west coast of the island, water activities that include banana boat rides and boat tours run on both days. And those who take the tour will be given mozuku and umibudo (seagrape) seaweed to take home. Both are cultivated by local fishermen and sold throughout the island.

Visitors who are uncomfortable on boat rides can take a village bur tour instead.

The banana boat rides cost ¥500 per round, but boat rides and bus tours are free.

Okinawan dance and Hawaiian hula performances are on stage at the festival grounds on both days followed by live music and other entertainment in the evening of both days. And as Halloween is just around the corner, a haunted house will give scares for a small fee.

Admission to the festival is free except for the banana boat rides and the haunted house attraction.

10/24, Saturday
• 10:00~15:00 Banana boat rides (¥500 per ride); sign-up 9:30~14:30
• 12:00 Opening ceremony
• 13:00 Okinawa Sumo tournament
• 13:00 Free pleasure boat tours (13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00); sign-up starts at 12:00
(Mozuku and umi-budo seaweed giveaways for tour customers)
• 14:30 Village bus tour
• 17:00 Traditional dance performances of six districts of Ginoza Village
• 18:00 Hawaiian Hula ‘U’iOhana’
• 18:55 Original performing arts by Luck, Lequios, Ryujin, Fies
• 19:00 Haunted house (charged)
• 19:55 DIAMANTES live
• 20:55 Fireworks

10/25, Sunday
• 10:00~15:00 Banana boat rides (¥500 per ride); sign-up 9:30~14:30
• 11:00 Village bus tours (11:00, 14:00, 16:00)
• 13:00 Free pleasure boat tours (13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00); sign-up 12:00
(Mozuku and umi-budo seaweed giveaways for tour customers)
• 15:00 Shuriken-Sentai Ninnin-jyaa hero show
• 15:30 Eisa performance
• 17:00 Haunted house (charged)
• 18:40 Jun-senshu comedy show
• 19:00 Tsuyoshi Azubuchi live
• 19:40 Parsha Club live
• 20:50 Fireworks

18:59 28 Mar , 2024