Tarama Village begins Hachigatsu Odori traditional dance festival

The Hachigatsu Odori (Tarama Village Harvest Festival), a nationally designated important intangible folk cultural property, has commenced in Tarama Village, Okinawa. The festival began on September 18 at thentaba-ru shrine in Nakasuji.

The event features approximately 80 local residents performing 27 different acts, including Kumiodori and Fukurokuju Za-odori. Historically, the festival originated as a celebration for the completion of the head tax imposed by the Ryukyu Kingdom on the Miyako and Yaeyama regions, as well as a prayer for a bountiful harvest. The festivities are scheduled to continue through September 20.