Ogimi Village Fair highlights fresh produce, clean nature

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Ogimi mascot, red-haired Bunagaya, and Shi-chan, the green shiqwasa character entertain the youngest fair visitors.

Ogimi Village in northern Okinawa is a community known to have the longest living residents in Japan. Its 3,500 residents are also exceptionally active in various business ventures, which they showcase at Ogimi Fair that takes place this weekend at Ogimi Elementary School grounds and gym.

The annual festival that marks this year it’s 25th time features locally grown fresh and healthy vegetables and fruit that are said to be one of the reasons people in the village live so long.

Besides Ogimi businesses, three municipalities from mainland Japan are

Ishinomaki City oysters are sure to attract fans.

participating in the fair. They are Ishinomaki City of Miyagi Prefecture, Nishi-Aizu Town of Fukushima Prefecture and Yukawa City of Akita Prefecture, which are showcasing their local goodies, such as fresh oysters, apples and pickles.

Ogimi Village is especially known as a producer of shiqwasa citrus fruit and hand-made Bashofu cloth. Shiqwasa is another fruit that Ogimi is proud of. Thr websites are in English among several other languages.

On stage, local residents from children to seniors perform non-stop folk dances and live music. Okinawa Yoshimoto entertainment company stages a comedy show on Saturday, and each day there is a forest walking tour and ‘Kuganii’ citrus picking experience on the farms of the area.

The festival runs from 9:30 to 17:00 on both days, and admission is free. The festival area also has free parking. Ogimi Village is located on Highway 58, about a 30-minute drive north from Nago City. A video of the last year’s fair is on YouTube.