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29th Okinawan Festival – Sharing Uchinanchu Aloha at Kapiolani Park

Saturday, September 3    9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Saturday, September 3    5:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Sunday, September 4    9:00 am – 5:00 pm

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ALL WEEKEND
A weekend full of continuous live performances by entertainment groups from Okinawa and local Okinawan groups at the Kapiolani Park Bandstand. From Eisa to odori to sanshin music, you’ll be treated to Hawaii’s best Okinawan music, dance and cultural groups, as well as special guest performers from Okinawa. Among the several artist from Okinawa this year, Mamoru Miyagi, Yoko Hizuki and Leinani Hula will grace the stage on Saturday.

ENTERTAINERS FROM OKINAWA
Mamoru Miyagi & Yoko Hizuki
For his fifth appearance, one of Okinawa’s most refined and talented shimauta singers, Mamoru Miyagi, will grace the stage on Saturday and Sunday at 4:00 pm. So richly mellow in his vocal delivery, he performs many of his own compositions. The lyrics are heartwarming and full of beauty and appreciation for his island home. At last year’s performance, he brought with him a special guest to perform a few numbers with him, Yoko Hizuki. Born in Kobe, Ms. Hizuki joined Mamoru Miyagi’s studio in 2008. Prior to falling in love with Okinawa, Hizuki performed with other bands in Japan and been a regular host of the Hai Sai Kobe weekly show on Radio Kansai. She’s on stage right after Mamoru Miyagi on Saturday and Sunday at 4:30 pm.

Leinani Hula Group
The last time our audience enjoyed Leinani Hula Group was back in 2007 at the 25th Okinawan Festival. A contingent of Okinawan dancers who have learned the art of hula, they will share their talent on Saturday, September 3 at 12:30 pm.

Kyoko Toma Family Minyou Group & Yuino Buyo Group
On Sunday, September 4 from 3:00 pm, two groups will perform for the first time in Hawaii. Kyoko Toma Family Minyou Group, a family uta‐sanshin group lead by Kyoko Toma on Sanshin, her daughter Sumika Miyagi on taiko, her granddaughters Madoka Miyagi, age 10 and Shieru Miyagi, age 6, on Sanshin. This delightful group performs at various festivals and events in Okinawa. Closing out the segment, enjoy minbu dance by Yuino Buyo Group, led by Kiyoshi Miyagi. Minbu style of dance is unique in that it combines minyou folk style with classical buyo style of dance.

FOOD LOVERS DELIGHT!
While you’re here, get a taste of Uchinanchu (Okinawan) cuisine and try some onolicous grinds:

New on the Menu!

Taco Rice ‐ a dish invented in Okinawa which combines the main ingredients of the Tex‐Mex taco,
but layered on a bed of rice. Taco Rice is served in izakaya, independent restaurants and fast food chains throughout Okinawa and in certain areas of mainland Japan. Taco Rice will be available on Saturday and Sunday as a small meal, perfect for “grazers” who want to taste a little bit of everything at festivals.

Fundagi ‐ a special blend of andagi batter, it is spin‐off of funnel cake, lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Only available at the Saturday Bon Dance.

Good Ol’ Favorties!

Pig Feet Soup ‐ pig’s feet cooked in soup stock and garnished with seaweed, turnip, squash and
mustard cabbage

Yakisoba ‐ stir‐fried Okinawan style soba noodles with vegetable and luncheon meat

Okinawa Soba – Okinawan style soba noodles served in hot soup and garnished with fishcake, shoyu
pork, green onions and red ginger

Champuru Plate – shoyu pork, stir‐fried vegetables, luncheon meat and deep‐fried tofu

Okidog ‐ a hot dog and chili are wrapped in a soft tortilla with shredded shoyu pork and lettuce

Andagi – Okinawan deep fried donut

Andadog – Okinawan version of the corndog. A hot dog on a stick that is dipped into Andagi batter
and deep fried and more!
PARK FOR FREE AND RIDE HUOA’S OKINAWAN FESTIVAL SHUTTLE BUS FOR $2
The HUOA’s Okinawan Festival Shuttle Bus will run continuously during the Festival. Park free at Kapiolani Community College and ride roundtrip in a cool air conditioned bus to Kapiolani Park. There is a storage compartment on the side of the bus for baby strollers and large bags. In addition, the bus drivers will happily assist passengers in getting on and off the bus. $2 return tickets can be purchased at the Information Booth and Shuttle Stop Booth at Kapiolani Park.

Shuttle Drop Off & Pick Up Locations
Kapiolani Community College: at City Bus Stop on Diamond Head Road Kapiolani Park: Monsarrat Avenue
Saturday, September 3: 7:00 am – 10:30 pm

Last departure from Kapiolani Park at 10:30 pm
Sunday, September 4: 7:00 am – 6:00 pm

Last departure from Kapiolani Park at 6:00 pm

ABOUT THE OKINAWAN FESTIVAL
The Okinawan Festival is organized and run by an army of over two thousand volunteers from the HUOA’s 49 member‐clubs and their extended ‘ohana of Uchinanchu and Uchinanchu‐at‐heart. Proceeds from the Okinawan Festival are used to fund the HUOA’s cultural programs. The first Okinawan Festival was held in 1982 at McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana Park. In 1990, the 90th anniversary of Okinawan immigration to Hawaii, the Festival moved to Kapiolani Park, attracting a larger, broader and more ethnically diverse audience. The move proved to be one of the most successful means of sharing Okinawan culture with residents and visitors alike. For more information about the Okinawan Festival, visit www.OkinawanFestival.com.

ABOUT HAWAII UNITED OKINAWA ASSOCIATION
The Hawaii United Okinawa Association is the umbrella organization for 49 locality clubs whose members are descendants of Okinawan immigrants, most of whom settled in Hawaii in the early 1900s. The member clubs of HUOA are comprised of families whose ancestors immigrated to Hawaii from the same region in Okinawa. HUOA thus plays an important role in fostering the Okinawan ethnic identity. Today, membership through the member clubs total over 40,000. The member clubs are organized by shi (city), cho (township) and son (village). For further information, visit the organization’s website at www.huoa.org.

For more information about the Okinawan Festival or Hawaii United Okinawa Association, contact us at (808)676‐5400 or email: info@okinawanfestival.com.

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