One-Day Bus Tour to Watch the Secret Kitsugansai Festival of the Kabira Area on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture (September 15 only)

First ever sightseeing tour of the traditional Kitsugansai Festival!
Participants will be accompanied by an English interpreter guide. A ride on the Kabira Bay Glass Bottom Boat and lunch are included.

(1) The first ever sightseeing tour of the Kitsugansai Festival, a traditional ritual that survives only on the Yaeyama Islands in Okinawa Prefecture
　A priest will pray in front of the “Ubu”, where deities are said to reside (off-limits to everyone but the priests), followed by a performance by local residents of bojutsu stick fighting, taiko drums, and a lion dance, a festival tradition that has endured for about 500 years
(2) Tracing the monuments of the living legend and hero, Nakama Mitsukeima
　Mitsukei was a historic hero of the 15th century who created the Kitsugansai Festival's art of bojutsu stick fighting. Participants will visit the monument commemorating his death and his grave at the cliff where his spirit is said to lie, as well as listen to a famous folk song written by his descendants in the 17th century entitled “The Song of Eagle Bird.”
(3) Limited one-day-only event alongside the annual Kitsugansai Festival
　Bus tour limited to September 15, 2024 (Sun.)
(4) Accompanied by a local specialist guide (Japanese) and an interpreter guide (English)
　In-depth guidance on the history and appeal of the Kitsugansai Festival, the Kabira area, and Nakama Mitsukeima
(5) Easy access to and from Ishigaki Port Terminal
　Travel will be by bus so participants do not have to worry about the hassle of driving