Okinawa Zento Eisa Matsuri
Dance eisa d'Obon · Okinawa City, Japan
The festival
Okinawa Zento Eisa Matsuri is the largest gathering of eisa, the dance of the Obon drums unique to the Ryukyu archipelago: youth associations from all over Okinawa's main island converge towards the Koza district in Okinawa City, the first weekend after the end of the Bon lunar.
Born in 1956 as an eisa competition from all over the island, the festival is no longer a competition: the selected troops present their traditional or creative dances, to the sound of the drums odaiko and Shime-daiko, the sanshin and whistles, under the banners hatagashira. More than 300,000 spectators attend the three days.
The 71st edition, from September 4 to 6, 2026, opened on Friday evening by Michijunee parade around the Goya crossroads — the closest form of traditional eisa, which was travelling from village to village — before two days of performances at Koza Sports Park stadium: Okinawa City Youth Festival on Saturdays, the main day of troops from all over the island on Sundays.
Good to know
Free admission outside reserved stands. First night parade in Goya neighborhood, near Gate Street.