A great place for family travel✨Recommended 6 major events in Okinawa in August🏝️

Want to try your courage with the kids? Then try exploring the Yokai Village in the dark!

Ryukyu Yokai is a nighttime experiential event held every year. The surrounding streets are restored from the ancient Ryukyu era, as if traveling through time and space. There are many carefully designed giant lanterns with monsters gathered around the streets. The lanterns are all created by professional lantern designers, showing their charm and skills, and are very impactful. Every monster has a story behind them. Both adults and children are invited to find all the monsters in the dark.

In addition to the book printing games, there are also giant light shows, monster cafes, etc., which are very atmospheric in the dark! Ryukyu monsters are waiting for your arrival!

Ryukyu Monsters 2024
🗓️ Ongoing ~ September 30 (Monday)
📍 Experience the Kingdom Murasaki Mura (1020-1 Xiangho, Yomitan Village, Nakagami-gun)
💵 Admission required

TAMIYA Model Exhibition is very popular among model fans all over the world. This is the first year that the model exhibition is held in Okinawa! The exhibition carefully reproduces models of cars, motorcycles, airplanes and boats, and there will even be huge one-to-one models! While playing, you can learn about the history and background of TAMIYA . There is also a merchandise counter on site, selling a variety of TAMIYA models, so you can take home the trophies as much as you like. I believe that model fans will definitely enjoy it!

In addition to the model exhibition, the Urasoe City Art Museum also has other works of art that you can enjoy visiting! The museum focuses on Ryukyu lacquerware and introduces the history and culture of Ryukyu and Okinawa in detail. There is also a limited-time exhibition event "あつまれ! Dragon", which displays many exquisite pieces of lacquerware with dragons on display. Don't miss it if you have the chance!

TAMIYA model exhibition in Okinawa (タミヤ exhibition in Okinawa)
🗓️ Ongoing ~ August 29 (Thursday)
📍 Urasoe City Art Museum (1-9-2 Nakama, Urasoe City)
💵 Admission fee required

If you missed the Oktoberfest in July , don’t worry, there will still be a Oktoberfest in Okinawa in August !

I believe many people have heard of ORION beer, which comes from Okinawa. You can buy a variety of ORION's popular beers at discounted prices. There will also be many snack stalls, cooked food stalls, etc., and there will also be performances by a band from Okinawa. Many local and foreign tourists will enjoy music and drink beer together to heat up the atmosphere!

Near the KOZA Oktoberfest on the 24th and 25th , Okinawa’s largest taiko festival, the “Okinawa EISA Taiko Festival,” will be held at the same venue. Why not enjoy it while drinking beer?

ORION Oktoberfest 2024 in Miyako (オリオンビアフェスト2024 in Miyako)
🗓️ August 3 (Saturday) 15:30～21:00
📍 Painagama Umisora ​​Sukoyaka Park (Miyakojima City, Taira Shimotsato)
💵 Free admission

ORION Oktoberfest 2024 in KOZA(オリオンビアフェスト2024 inコザ)
🗓️ August 24th (Saturday) ~ August 25th (Sunday) 15:30～21:00
📍 Okinawa City KOZA Sports Park (2-1-1 Moromisato, Okinawa City)
💵 Free admission

Attention, Sanrio fans~ This festival will bring together many Sanrio characters to play with everyone. Both adults and children will definitely have fun and never leave! The scene includes many check-in slots, character interaction sessions and limited special menus.

I have written an article before with a detailed introduction. If you are interested, you can read it! → Click here

Sanrio Character Fes (サンリオキャラクターフェス)
🗓️ August 10th (Saturday) ~ August 18th (Sunday)
📍 Okinawa Gymnasium (1-16-1 Yamauchi, Okinawa City)
💵 Admission required

Ishigakiyama Village is the southernmost village in Japan. The westernmost theme park retains traditional Ryukyu culture, architecture and performances, as well as many rare animals and plants. In the park, you can learn to make traditional Ryukyu crafts, and you can even feed the cute little squirrel monkeys!

The Ryukyu Biological Exhibition is a limited-time market located in the park, which collects a variety of Ryukyu biological-themed peripheral products, such as stationery, accessories, etc. There will be a biological observation meeting on the morning of Friday to Sunday, and a biological and starry sky observation meeting on the evening of the 24th !

Ryukyu Biological Exhibition 2024 (Ryukyu Biological Exhibition 2024)
🗓️ August 16th (Friday) ~ August 25th (Sunday) (the 21st is a holiday)
📍 Ishigaki Yama Village (967-1 Nazo, Ishigaki City, Okinawa)
💵 Admission fee required
*Reservations are required for the biological and starry sky observation meeting on the 24th

The island-wide EISA Taiko Festival is one of the largest festivals in Okinawa. It is held on the weekend after Bon Festival and attracts more than 300,000 tourists from Japan and abroad every year. EISA Taigu is a rope-passing dance of Okinawa, which is part of the ancestor worship ceremony of Bon Festival. After the first EISA Taiko Festival ( then known as the EISA Taiko Competition ) was held in 1956 , it gradually evolved into the current large-scale celebration, where everyone can enjoy Okinawa's vibrant summer together.

The first day is the Michizhong Parade (道ジュネー) . On that day, the Taigu parade will gather at the entrance of KOZA Street, dancing and parading at the same time. The occasion is very shocking!

The next day was the Okinawa City Youth Festival, where several local youth groups performed their own group’s unique drum dance.

The last day is the main festival, which is the finale of the entire festival. In addition to performances by multiple groups and selected outstanding teams, " Kachashi (カチャーシー) " will be held as the end of the festival. This is a traditional hand dance in Okinawa. Anyone present can participate in Kachashi , and the audience and performers will become one and have a good time! There will also be fireworks at the end to bring the festival to a perfect end.

At the KOZA Sports Park in Okinawa City from the 24th to the 25th , there will be the ORION Beer Festival mentioned just now. Why not enjoy the delicious beer while enjoying the inspiration!

Okinawa All-Island EISA Taiko Festival: Michizaka Parade
🗓️ August 23 (Friday)
📍 KOZA Street Entrance, Okinawa City💵 Free viewing

Okinawa Islandwide EISA Taiko Festival: Okinawa City Youth Festival and Main Festival (Okinawa Islandwide EISA Taidoko Festival: Okinawa City Youth Festival & Main Festival)
🗓️ August 24th (Saturday) ~ August 25th (Sunday)
📍 Okinawa City KOZA Sports Park (2-1-1 Moromisato, Okinawa City)
💵 Admission fee required