Every October, Yomitan Village pulls out all the stops to remind everyone what “community” really means — with music, theater, fireworks, and about 500 people playing sanshin at the same time. Yep, it’s that kind of weekend. 🎶💥
Where and When
📍 Yomitan Village Athletic Field and surrounding venues (Okinawa) | Google Pin
🗓️ October 25 (Sat) & 26 (Sun), 2025
What’s Happening 🎭
This year marks the 51st Yomitan Festival, and it’s packing everything from ancient Ryukyu music to giant fireworks that make your phone camera useless. The festival honors two local legends — Taiki and Akainko — who put Yomitan on the map long before GPS existed.
Day 1 – Saturday, Oct 25
The action starts at 2 p.m. with an opening ceremony and performances from local school kids (prepare for maximum cuteness). Then, things ramp up with karate demos, Japanese and Hawaiian dance, and Okinawan folk songs.
At 6:30 p.m., the “Akainko Ryukyu Classical Music Grand Concert” begins. Imagine hundreds of musicians and singers performing together under the night sky, playing sanshin, koto, and taiko drums. The sound alone could probably wake up Shuri Castle. The night wraps up with fireworks at 8:30 p.m.
Day 2 – Sunday, Oct 26
Sunday morning kicks off with more performances, a youth baseball award ceremony, and cultural showcases. Around 5:30 p.m., the big highlight arrives — the original play “Tribute Ship,” a massive production telling the story of Taiki’s legendary voyage to China and back. Expect traditional costumes, dramatic lighting, and enough emotion to make even the tough guys misty-eyed. And of course, fireworks close the night again at 8:30 p.m. 🎆
Bonus Events 🎨🍵⚾
The fun doesn’t stop at the main stage. There’s a student art show, tea ceremony, textile exhibition, and even a junior festival for kids. Basically, if you walk around the festival grounds long enough, you’ll accidentally learn some culture.
Why You Should Go
Because you’ll witness an entire village come together — singing, dancing, and drumming like they’re auditioning for history itself. It’s not just a festival, it’s a yearly reminder that Okinawan spirit is alive and kicking (sometimes literally, if you watch the karate part).
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Disclaimer
⚠️Disclaimer: Our passion for supporting local businesses drives us to share information about events in the Okinawa area. Please note that Oki Social is not responsible for hosting this event. It’s important to be aware that the event’s host reserves the right to make changes or even cancel the event without prior notice. Some photos and videos may come from various sources on the internet, whether official or unofficial. It is possible that some photos and videos may have been taken from the same event in previous occurrences.
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