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Gan-go Festival held at Takayasu in Tomigusuku

<em>Gan-go</em> Festival held at Takayasu in Tomigusuku

September 25, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

On September 24, the Gan-go Festival was held in the area around the Takayasu Public Hall in Tomigusuku. The festival is held once every 12 years, on August 9 of the year of the Dragon in the Chinese lunar calendar, to wish for residents’ good health and prosperity. During the festival, the residents paid tribute to spirits by performing dances, bojutsu (stick fighting) and hatagashira, a parade carrying large flags.

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Members of the Okinawa-kai enjoy a picnic in Washington, DC

Members of the Okinawa-kai enjoy a picnic in Washington, DC

October 1, 2012 Tamiko Suzuki Correspondent of Ryukyu Shimpo

On September 15, the Washington DC Okinawa Association held its annual picnic under a clear autumn sky in a park in Potomac, Maryland. Committee members and volunteers from the Okinawa-kai busied themselves setting up the tables,...

Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko creates Eisa-cise

Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko creates <em>Eisa-cise</em>

September 20, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko has completed a film of Eisa-cise, which is a fusion of exercise and eisa that they invented. From October 6, which is during the Worldwide Eisa Festival 2012, the product will be available for a fee on DVD and for...

Sugar Train, Inc. to open a theater for Okinawan performing arts

Sugar Train, Inc. to open a theater for Okinawan performing arts

September 19, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

In October 2013, film production company Sugar Train, Inc., will open a permanent theater for plays composed of Okinawan performing arts such as Ryukyuan dance, eisa, and karate. The Okinawan Nonverbal Entertainment Performance “Tee! Tee! Tee! Project”...

August dance festival held on Tarama wishing for a good harvest

August dance festival held on Tarama wishing for a good harvest

September 24, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

From September 23 (or August 8 in the lunar calendar) to September 25, the August dance festival, which is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, was held on Tarama-jima. On the opening day, local people dedicated traditional performances...

Yonaguni Town Assembly rejects local referendum on deployment of Self-Defense Forces

September 25, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

On September 24, the Yonaguni Town Assembly voted on a bill proposing a referendum to ask the public about the construction of a Self-Defense Forces base in the island. The bill was rejected with two in favor and three opposed. Local residents initiated the...

Citizen group sit-in block gates to U.S. Futenma base

Citizen group sit-in block gates to U.S. Futenma base

September 28, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

From 9:00am on September 28, in front of the Oyama gate of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, about 100 people from civil groups such as the Okinawa Peace Movement Center and labor unions held a rally to protest against the deployment of MV-22 Osprey...

First landing of MV-22 Osprey in Okinawa amid strong protest from residents

First landing of MV-22 Osprey in Okinawa amid strong protest from residents

October 2, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

On October 1, the U.S. Marine Corps began to deploy MV-22 Osprey vertical take-off and landing transport aircraft to MCAS Futenma. At 7:11am, two MV-22s that had been temporarily at MCAS Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture, landed at Futenma, and by 11:47am a total...

Seventy-four Okinawa Rails have walked through their “pedestrian crossing tunnel” in Kunigami

Seventy-four Okinawa Rails have walked through their “pedestrian crossing tunnel” in Kunigami

September 21, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

Bird crossing tunnels have been set up under Route 58 in Kunigami to protect the endangered Yambaru-kuina, or Okinawa rail, from being hit by cars. Some chicks are confirmed to have passed through the tunnels. Groups and organizations have been working to save...

Events for Aged People’s Day held around Okinawa

Events for Aged People's Day held around Okinawa

September 18, 2012 Ryukyu Shimpo

On September 17, events for the Respect-for-the-Aged Day were held in all over Okinawa. On Ishigaki, five beauty therapists and manicurists visited Ohama One, a day-care facility, where they gave massages and provided finger-nail service to aged people for free....

Miyako Triathlon contributes 330 million yen to Okinawan economy

September 21 Ryukyu Shimpo

On September 20, the Okigin Economic Institute estimated that the 28th All Japan Triathlon Miyakojima pumped about 330 million yen into the Okinawan economy, which increased in activity by 1.7 % over the previous year. The main effects on the economy were in the service,...