Okinawa Year 2000 Okinawa Happenings.

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February 2000

• Flower Carnival- Held at the Okinawa National Memorial Park.
• International Orchid Fair - Over 5,000 pots of orchids, both domestic and foreign, are exhibited in the largest orchid contest in Japan. Held at the Tropical Dream Center simultaneously with Flower Carnival.
• Jurunichi, January 16th Festival.(All parts of Yaeyama Islands).
• February 19, The Atlanta Okinawa Kenjin Kai holds its annual New Year's Party .(Georgia, USA)
• Feb. 21, Reforming the Okinawan Diet. Okinawa District Agricultural Reform Conference. Naha.
• Feb. 24, Nago City International Friendship meeting.
• Feb. 24, English language for beginners. Nago.
• Feb. 25, G-8 Summit Festival, international movie showing at the Nago Community Hall at 1:00 p.m.
• Feb 26th, Tour Guide Study at the Meio University 10:00 a.m.
• Feb. 26, language lessons at the Nago City Citizens hall 2:00 p.m.

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March 2000

• The whole month of March, The Nago Chrysanthmum and Orchid Festival. At the Neo Park in Nago. The admission for adults was about 630 yen and for childern under 18 it was 315 yen and childern under 12 was 210 yen.
• March 3rd, The Kaori Futenma Live at the Okinawa Charai Live House admission was 2,000 yen.
• March 5, The Yoron 9th annual marathon race applications will be accepted until March 4th.
• March 5, Citizen's Theater Prefomance 6:00p.m. at the Ginowan City Hall.
• March 5-20, Azalea Festival in Higashi Village. Open Daily from about 8:30a.m. to 6:00p.m. The admission was 200 yen for adults and 100 yen for childern.
• March 6, Akemodoro Cultural Festival 7:00p.m at the Kumoji Citizen's Theater in Naha.
• March 9, The Japanese Self-Defense Force Brass Band Concert 7:00p.m. at the Okinawa Convention Center. Admission is free.
• March 10, Okinawa Folk Song Concert 6:00p.m. at the Okinawa City Civil Hall.
• March 11, Fresh Shima Uta (Okinawan Folk Songs) 6:00p.m. at the Okinawa Civil City Hall.
• March 11-12, Mazada Car Show 9:00a.m.-7:00p.m. at the Okinawa Convention Center.
• March 12, Tranlator's Study Day 2:00p.m. Okinawa City Civil Hall. This is sponsored by the Okinawa Summit 2000 Promotion office.
• Ishigaki Island Family Triathlon Meet - The earliest triathlon of the year in Japan. Since involvement by the whole family is the theme of the event, there are courses in which the swimming, cycling and marathon are performed by 3 people in a relay.
• Santopia.
• Uruzun Beach Festival in Yaeyama - The earliest opening of the sea to swimmers in Japan. The marine resort islands begin to pick up the pace. The Miss Yaeyama Pageant, the Marine Sports Contest and the Offshore Fishing Contests are held.
• Yaebise Festival - Held on March 3rd, according to the lunar calendar. You can land on this mysterious island of Yaebise, north of Miyako Island, emerging from the sea on this particular day to enjoy gathering of shellfish at this annual festival.
• March 12, Charity Dance Concert produced by Kubota Teruko Sensei. Time/Location to be announced. (Hawaii, USA)
• March 12, JTB's Honolulu Festival Parade . In conjunction with the centennial celebration of Okinawa immigration to Hawaii, JTB plans to focus its Year 2000 Festival in Waikiki and on Okinawa. Time TBA.(Hawaii, USA)
• March 25, The Atlanta Okinawa Kenjin Kai hosts the Cherry Blossom Festival. Their Dance and Taiko group will perform on that day. (Georgia, USA)
• Until March 31, whale watching around Tokashiki Island.
• Until March 31, Ukea-Jou Gate opening ceremony. This will be daily from 8:55 a.m. till about 9:05 a.m. The admission fee for adults was about 800 yen, childern under 18 600 yen, childern under 15 was 300 yen.

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Back to the top. April 2000

• Golden Week.
• The 8th Annual Golden Run is scheduled for the 30 of April.
• The Miyako Triathlon Tournament.
• April 7-9, - Okinawa Butoryu Gohokan Karatedo Kyokai Year 2000 National Training Camp to be held at the Wellington Indoor Sports Centre, Wellington, Australia. Instruction by Ron Goninan, 8th Dan Kyoshi. Training to cover: White Crane-Fist Techniques!, "Kokuokakuken" (Royal Crane-Fist Master Level Kata) Form & Applications! are about $50.00 (Australian) per person. For bookings and information Contact: Ron Goninan, 9 Short Street, Wellington.NSW. 2820. Australia. Ph/Fax: 0011-61-2-6845-2846. E-Mail: butoryu@lisp.com.au Website: http://users2.50megs.com/butoryu .(Australia)

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May 2000

• Island-Wide Bull Fight Tournament.
• Naha Haari(Dragon Boat Races) - Dragon Boat Race (Hari) The dragon boat race, introduced from China over 500 years ago, was held for the purpose of praying for the safety and prosperity of fishermen. Teams colorfully decorate small boats called Sabani and hold exciting rowing races. Races are held every May in many fishing ports, with the Naha and Itoman races being the largest and most famous. This is also open to the foreign community of Okinawa.
• Torii Friendship Festival.
• May 3-5, Naha Haari (Dragon Boat Races) (Okinawa)
• May 11-June 11, "Leilani's Hibiscus," presented by Kumu Kahua Theatre. Maui native Jon Shirota's story about Okinawan roots and Okinawan-hawaiian inter-racial love comes to the Kumu stage. Kumu Kahua Theatre (Bethel & Merchant treets). (Hawaii)
• May-July, - University of Hawaii Summer Session Program on Okinawa and Okinawans. Campus TBA.(Hawaii)
• May 19-20, - Kauai Okinawan Dance Festival at the Kukui Grove Pavilion in Lihue; time TBA. (Hawaii)

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June 2000

• The Great Marine Festival, Manta Pier Yaeyama - Held as part of the Sea Carnival in all parts of Okinawa. The main event is an International Friendship Haari Contest.
• Haari (Dragon Boat Races) - Sea god festivals. The gallant Haari boat races of the sea people are held as a festival of prayer for good hauls of fish. (Itoman, Ishigaki Island, Kohama Island, Yonaguni Island)
• Harvest Festival - After harvesting rice, each family prays for a bumper crop for the next year and chooses their leaders who play at a tug-of-war. A lion dance and ritual dance are also performed at Maitsuba Utaki Shrine. (Ishigaki Island)
• Kinser Summer Fest (Camp Kinser).
• Seaport Chatan Carnival.
• Sukuma - The ritual of the first seed. The first ear of rice of the year is offered in thanksgiving of the harvest.
• June 10, Hawaii Okinawa Center 10th Anniversary celebration. This two-event celebration at the Hawaii Okinawa Center marks 10 years since the Hawaii Okinawa Center opened its doors. Details TBA.(Hawaii)
• June 11, Kintetsu International's Pan-Pacific Festival parade in Waikiki. In celebration of the centennial of Okinawan immigration to Hawaii, Kintetsu plans to make Okinawa the focus of its Year 2000 parade.(Hawaii)

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July 2000

• The G-8 Summit July 21-23.
• America Fest(Kadena AB).
• Eisa Festival - Held the Sunday after July 15th according to the lunar calendar. Top teams selected throughout the Okinawa Prefecture compete with one another for higher skills and better performance. (Okinawa City)
• Manza Dragon Boat Racing Festival - Dragon boats from various places in the Okinawa Prefecture come together to row in a heated race to win the Governor's Pennant. (Manza Beach, Okinawa)
• Miyako Fesitval- A variety of events including folk entertainment performances, fishing competition, sumo matches on the sea, dragon boat races, and Miyako Festival parade. (Miyako Island)
• Motobu Marine Festival.
• Puuri (Harvest Festival)- The harvest of the year is thanked and good harvests of the next year are prayed for. Hatagashira, makidori, lion dance and other performance arts dedicated to the gods are performed in various parts. Boat rowing rituals such as Akamata and Kuromata are also performed.
• Orion Beer Festival.
• Unjami (The Sea God Festival)- Held on July 15th according to the lunar calendar. Young and old men and women get together at Utaki Shrine of each village to dance enthusiastically all through the night. On Miyako Island, it is call "Kuicha." (Shioya, Ogimi Village, Miyako Island)
• July 16, Mini Tsunahiki (tug-of-war) Festival featuring friendly competition between HUOA clubs and our visitors from Okinawa. The event coincides with the arrival in Hawaii of a contingent of students and officials from Kin-Cho aboard the Nippon Maru. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Ala Moana Park.(Hawaii)

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August 2000

• Angama - Performed during the Kyubon. The Angama, a costumed group of chanting dancers, are invited by each household as an envoy from the world of the dead to spend a moment of service in memory of the ancestors. (Ishigaki Island)
• Chatan Seaport Carnival.
• Hatsukibara - A cleansing ritual performed on the day after the Moran-bon festival. Villagers peform dances such as Makidori and the lion dances, a tradition that remains in such places as the Ohama, Miyara and Shiraho districts of Ishigaki Island an in Hateruma Island.
• Island-Wide Eisa Festival.
• Itoman Tsunahiki (tug-of-war).
• Obon.

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September 2000

• Eisa Festival.
• Futenma Flightline Fair (MCAS).
• Itoman Tsunahiki (tug-of-war).
• Peaceful Love Rock Festival.
• Tu-Barama Contest - Tu-Barama is a famous musical piece that has been sung through the ages on Ishigaki Island. A Tu-Barama singing contest is held under the harvest moon on the 13th of August by the old calendar. (Ishigaki Island).
• Yonagusuku Festival.
• Yuunkai - Performed on the morning of the 8th of August by the old calendar. A ritual to greet the god that brings the seeds of grains from the land of roots.(Taketomi Island)
• September 2-3, An extra special Okinawan Festival at Kapiolani Park. Besides the usual music, dance, cultural exhibitions and Okinawan food, artisans from Okinawa have been invited to do hands-on demonstrations of Okinawan arts.(Hawaii)

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October 2000

• Dai Ryukyu Matsuri Oukoku (The Great Ryukyu Festival Kingdom). Under the name of Dai Ryukyu Matsuri Oukoku, about 15 festivals and special events are held in October every year. This festival is thought of as a representing all the performing arts native to Okinawa. During the festival, both modern and traditional performing arts can be seen at various places.
• Kuwaefest (Camp Lester).
• Naha Matsuri (festival) - A variety of events including folk entertainment parade in which various styles of folk performances are demonstrated, Okinawa Main Island Sumo Championship Match, potted plant fair, and fireworks display.(Naha City)
• Naha Tsunahiki (tug-of-war) - The highlighted event of the Naha Festival. (Naha City)
• Okinawa Carnival.
• Okinawa Industrial Festival.
• Setsu Festival(Ishigaki Island, Uechi, Aragusuku Island, Iriomote Island)
• October 22, Hui Makaala-Hawaii United Okinawa Asosciation Scholarship Fashion Show featuring the designs of Madame Mitsuko Yamauchi of Okinawa. The event will also feature a performance titled "Ocho Emaki," which showcases Okinawan clothing from the days of the Ryukyuan monarchy to the present. 11:30 a.m. at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, Hawaii ballroom.(Hawaii)

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November 2000

• Ishigaki Island Festival - A gigantic festival of Japan's southernmost cultural city. (Ishigaki Island)
• Okinawa Festival - Events featured: Folk entertainment competition, singing contest, fireworks display, Miss Okinawa Contest. The highlighted events in the festival are the performance of Edo Nobori, depicting the long trip from Okinawa to Edo (today's Tokyo), and Kachashi dance.
• Shuri Cultural Festival.
• Suntopia Okinawa.
• Tanidouri Festival (Seed-Gathering Festival) - A seed-sowing ritual. The Tanidouri Festival of Taketomi Island is a nationally designated immaterial cultural asset.(All parts of Yaeyama)
• Tour de Okinawa.
• White Beach Festival.
• Yaeyama Industrial Festival - Various events such as the exhibition and sale of the products of Yameyama Island.
• November From Bento to Mixed Plate: Americans of Japanese Ancestry in Multicultural Hawaii, developed by the Japanese American National Museum, makes its international debut at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum (Shuri Museum) in Naha City. (Okinawa)

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December 2000

• Asia Folk Performance Arts Festival - A huge event for cultural exchange with other Asian nations through the performing arts.(Ishigaki Island)
• Naha Marathon - A unique citizen's marathon with the motto: "You are the hero when you run". Attracting people's attention as a citizen's full marathon on the southernmost Island of Japan, this event is literally a festival of the sun, the sea, and the joggers.
• Suntopia Okinawa - A sports and culture festival for middle-aged people, featuring games such as golf and tennis, recreation, and trial classes of crafts. (Ishigaki Island)
• December 10, Looking to the Future Closing banquet of the Okinawan centennial celebration, with the focus on the future generation of Uchinanchu. Location and time TBA.(Hawaii)