Festival
Pick Up Stories
Itoman Haaray; a traditional and fun eve… [CULTURE Festival]
The Itoman Haaray takes place on the May 4th of the Lunar Calendar. This day is actually June 18th 2026 of the Gregorian Calendar. Most peop...Read More
Chasing the Dragon – The Naha Haarii [Festival]
The Naha Haarii Festival will happen during Golden Week from May 3-5, 10:00 ~ 19:00 at the Naha New Port. Haarii — meaning “dragon boat” in ...Read More
Golden Week, Japan’s Mega Holiday [CULTURE Family Festival]
Spring is here. And in Japan that means warmer weather, cherry blossoms, and rainy season. But, before the rainy season takes hold and shrou...Read More
2015.10.22
Vanessa Carlton to headline weekend Kinser Festival [Festival]
Kinser Fest is back, and the much-anticipated fall festival takes place Saturday, Oct. 24 and Sunday, Oct. 25 from 2 to 10 p.m. on both days. This year’s Kinser Fest will have no s...
2015.10.12
Uruma Festival presents collaboration of old and new [Festival]
Although the annual Uruma Festival has been known for its bullfighting tournament in the past, this year organizers have decided to expand the program to a wider variety of enterta...
2015.10.12
Gusuku-no-Hibiki Festival promotes Okinawa’s UNESCO heritage sites [Festival]
A unique Eisa festival takes place at the UNESCO world heritage site, Nakagusuku Castle Ruins on Sunday, Oct. 18. Organizers of the event are members of Nakagusuku and Kitanakagusu...
2015.10.09
Torii Beach Rocktoberfest invites for long weekend of rock ’n’ roll [Festival]
The Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation is sponsoring a three-day Rocktoberfest this weekend on Torii Beach. Although the name implies the world famous beer festival, the event in ...
2015.10.05
Niutu Umachii intruduces roots of Ryukyu music [Festival]
Local artists from Okinawa will gather to Koza Music Town on Oct. 10 for a 2-evening extravaganza of traditional Okinawan Eisa, folk songs and pop music. Rinken Band, a hugely popu...
2015.10.05
Naha Matsuri is largest festival on Okinawa [Festival]
The Naha Matsuri, including the 45th Naha Giant Tug-of-War, counts its history back about 400 years to the days of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Naha Festival, the largest festival in the pr...
2015.10.01
Weekend festival honors Mr. Sweet Potato [Festival]
Noguni Soukan Festival is an annual event in Kadena Town honoring a man known as Noguni Soukan, who is credited for introducing the sweet potato to Okinawa from China and thus near...
2015.09.21
Itoman Tug-of-War starts annual pulling contests [Festival]
The Okinawan tug-of-wars were traditionally a ritual of praying for a good harvest and good health for people. This year’s Itoman Tug-of-War takes place on Sunday, Sep. 27th, when ...
2015.09.17
Onna-no Eki celebrates Silver Week with specials, entertainment [Festival]
Starting this weekend there is a string of three Japanese national holidays that fall on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday giving most people five consecutive days off in what is calle...
2015.09.10
Corona Sunset Music Festival takes over Chura Sun Beach [Festival]
Molson Coors Japan Co., Ltd produced music event ‘Corona Sunsets Music Festival’ will take place this Saturday and Sunday at Chura Sun Beach in Tomigusuku, south of Naha at https:/...
2015.09.10
São Vicente Festival brings piece of Brazil to Naha [Festival]
Brazil and Japan have a long history of cooperation. This year is the 120th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Japan and Brazil, and the first part of the las...
2015.09.10
Aha Dam Kuina Festival focuses on nature conservation [Festival]
A one-day festival at Aha Dam in Kunigami in Northern Okinawa this Saturday aims at educating the public about conservation of nature in the forests and jungles of northern Okinawa...
2015.09.09
Weekend Tomarin Fest promotes outer islands [Festival]
Tomarin is the gateway to outer islands off Okinawa, as it’s the port, from which ferries to islands of Tokashiki, Zamami, Aguni, Tonaki, Kumejima, Minami-Daito, and Kita-Daito dep...
2015.09.09
Eisa is true original Okinawan performing folk art [Festival]
Although the exact origins of Eisa are unknown, the dance was definitely born here, as it does not exist anywhere else. So it’s one truly Okinawan folk performing art. Although at ...
2015.09.04
Uminchu Festival on Oujima invites sabani sailors [Festival]
Oujima, a tiny island just off the southern coast of the Tamagusuku district of Nanjo City, is widely known for a small shop, Nakamoto Tempura, that has a reputation of selling the...
2015.09.03
Hansen Fest shines with live entertainment [Festival]
Organizers of this year’s Hansen Festival promise that they have pulled all stops to make it one of the best ever. The annual summer blowout will take place Saturday, Sep. 5 and Su...
2015.09.03
Eisa and Orion Beer attract to Okinawa City this weekend [Festival]
Nothing is more Okinawan than Eisa. Originally the dance was meant for entertaining spirits of the departed during the Buddhist Obon time as so called “Bon Odori” but it has evolve...
2015.08.28
Ungami has ensured good catch, safety in Ogimi for centuries [Festival]
One of the most traditional rituals on Okinawa called Ungami Festival takes place in the fishing villages of Ogimi and some outer small islands around Okinawa. Ungami takes place a...
2015.08.28
Higashi Village Festival offers activities to every taste [Festival]
Higashi Village on the northeastern coast of Okinaw main island is best known for its Azalea Festival in the spring, its large Eco-park camping ground, and for golfers, also as the...
2015.08.28
Happy Music Festival celebrates Koza Music Town [Festival]
The Happy Music Festival event this Saturday celebrates the 8th anniversary of Koza Music Town Sound Market. The event is divided in two parts; “The Time Contact with Music’ and ‘T...
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