Tomarin Fest promotes outer island products and foods

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A tuna filleting show, after which the fresh tuna is divided among the audience for free tasting samples, takes place on Sep. 10 (Sat.) evening.

Anyone who wants to travel smaller islands off Okinawa has to go through Tomari Port in Naha. The terminal building for the ferries that connect Okinawa to Tokashiki, Zamami, Aguni, Tonaki, Kumejima, Minami-Daito, and Kita-Daito is called Tomarin Building, and besides the ferry terminal, the building houses the Naha landmark Tomarin Kariyushi Urban Resort Naha, a large hotel that looms over the ferry port. A small park by the Tomarin Building and its second floor event deck next to the park are the venue of the annual Tomarin Festa that runs from Sep. 9 through 11.

Hawaiian dance and Okinawan folk art performances comprise the program.

The festival starts with an opening ceremony at 18:00 on Friday followed by a jazz concert at 19:00.

Much of the festival is dedicated to promoting the outer islands, and especially their specialty dishes. A gourmet contest featuring the fest that the outer islands can produce takes place on Saturday and Sunday, for which the best chefs from all seven islands prepare 250 mini-size meals each, among which the public then casts votes for the best.

To take part, a visitor has to buy a three-coupon set for ¥1,000 that is good for three meals of choice. The set includes a voting ticket. The gourmet contest runs until 20:30 on Saturday and 17:00 on Sunday. The winner will be announced at 17:30 on Sunday.

Admission to the festival is free, but foods and beverages at the vendor booths and Tomarin Beer Garden on the second floor deck are pay-as-you-go. The beer garden is open from 16:00 to 21:00 on all three days.

Goods from outer islands are on exhibition and sale through Sunday at Tomarin Hiroba area of the building.

There are no free parking spaces in the area but there are several pay parking lots nearby. Tomarin has an adjacent pay-parking building where parking costs ¥200 for the first and ¥100 for each additional hour.

Schedule

Sep. 9

18:00 Opening Ceremony

19:00 Jazz Performance

Sep. 10

11:30 Hawaiian Dance

15:00 Children’s Performance

15:40 Karaoke Contest

17:40 Haarii on the Ground

17:50 Taiko (drum) Performance

19:00 Tuna Cutting Show (Free fresh tuna tasting)

Sep. 11