From Saturday, December 18, 2021 to Sunday, January 16, 2022, a regional art festival to be held in the northern part of okinawa main island will be held again this year Yanbaru Art Festival 2021-2022 As you know, Yanbaru

On September 15, 2016, Yanbaru National Park was newly designated as the 33rd national park in Japan in the northern part of Okinawa Prefecture (commonly known as Yanbaru). In response to this, amid the growing momentum for northern tourism, we held the Yanbaru Art Festival, the first art event in Okinawa Prefecture that is held cross-sectionally in several municipalities. The past four festivals have been held mainly in Ogimi Village, nago city, motobu town, Kunito village, Higashi village, etc., exhibitions and events of art works, and a total of about 200,000 customers came. Visitors not only visited Japanese but also tourists from overseas such as Taiwan, China, and Korea, and through art, we were able to convey the charm of Yanbaru to inside and outside the prefecture, Asia, and the world. In July 2021, the World Natural Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided to register Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, Northern Okinawa Prefecture and Iriomote Island as World Natural Heritage Sites. In this area that is attracting more and more attention, we will hold an art event that coexists with nature and resources again this year. We aim to consistently convey the charm of Yanbaru to the world with art as key content.

The theme of this year is “As long as you know, Yanbaru”

Artists who are active on the front lines in Japan and overseas can only produce and present new works in Yanbaru, Okinawa,
Experience the charm of Yanbaru through an attractive venue that explores the nature of the northern part of Okinawa’s main island, with a selection of crafts unique to Yanbaru Art Festival, which features notable products such as yachimen (pottery), Ryukyu glass, and red molds.

【Yanbaru Art Festival 2021-2022 Kimi-I know Yanbaru Statement】General Director Nagaharu Nakato
Do you know Yanbaru?
Subtropical forests and seas where you can feel the breath of life up close, food nurtured by rich nature, crafts, rituals and other cultures, what you see,
It awakens the “seed of imagination” where everything you hear and what you meet dwells in everyone’s heart. The diversity that gathers here
Let’s deepen the World Natural Heritage “Yanbaru” further through art

– Contemporary art meets together < exhibition department: 24 pairs (planned) >
In addition to internationally active Japanese and foreign artists, artists from Okinawa Prefecture also participated in the > of the exhibition section of the <.
With Takahiro Kanashima, director of art fairs in Japan and China, as director of the exhibition division, participating artists will create and exhibit site-specific works unique to Yanbaru, Okinawa.

– From tradition to the present day, exhibiting and selling various crafts in the prefecture < craft division: 20 pairs >
< craft department > exhibits and sells Okinawan crafts by Yanbaru Art Festival’s own selection. The theme of this craft department is “Enjoying Yanbaru”. We exhibit and sell powerful and beautiful ceramics, glass, textiles, dyed goods, woodware, etc. produced by craftsmen from young people to talented people. In addition, new products will also appear from the original brand “ARTICLE” of this festival.

● Implement content that can be enjoyed online
Events such as installation views where yanbaru art festival venues and exhibition works can be enjoyed online, artist performances, talks, workshops, etc. held during the period will be distributed at any time. This time, we will enrich the online content that customers who are difficult to visit from a distance can enjoy.

< Original scenery full of unique nature and culture>
Yanbaru district has a unique charm that is different from the southern part of Okinawa, which prospered as a tourist city. Rare flora and fauna represented by Yanbarukuina and traditional performing arts and rituals that have been handed down to the present day have a primitive charm, and in recent years it is a popular area for young people and women seeking spiritual spots. While touring art and crafts, please experience and experience the charm of the region that Yanbaru is by all means.
 

Main venue: Ogimi Village Former Shioya Elementary School
Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. / Closed every Tuesday during year-end and New Year holidays
 

― Yanbaru Art Festival 2021-2021 Kimi Ya Yanbaru –

Period: From Saturday, December 18, 2021 to Sunday, January 16, 2022
Venues in the northern part of Okinawa Main Island
Ogimi Village : Former Shioya Elementary School, Ogimi Village Office
Kunito Village : Hedona Shopping Street Okuma Private Beach & Resort
Nago : Oriental Hotel Okinawa Resort & Spa Kanucha Resort Statue of Agu in front of Nago Civic Center
other
【Price】     Free admission
【General Director】 Choji Nakaji
【Director, Exhibition Division】 Takahiro Kanashima
【Curator, Craft Division】 Tetsuya Mugijima and Miki Mugijima
【Organizer】 Yanbaru Art Festival Executive Committee
【Co-organizer】 Ogimi Village, Shima Zenbu Big Festival
【Support】 Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawa Tourism Pension Bureau, Northern Municipal Association,
Kunito Village, Higashi Village, Motobu Town, Nakijin Village, Nago City, etc. (planned)
【Grant】 Agency for Cultural Affairs/ Japan Arts And Culture Promotion Organization
【Official Website】 http://yambaru-artfes.jp 
* For the latest information and details, please check the website.

< Exhibition Division Participating Artists > *24 groups (planned)

Artmo / Aya Ito / USAGININGEN / Erdar Insi / “Okinawa Memory and Record” Project / Ikkiya Ijo / Kazemoniwa TadaHiro × Hama Motokazu / Kim Tetsuhei × Mori Chihiro / Gerco De Writer / “THE SNOWFLAKES” from TOBIU ART COMMUNITY / Jimmy Onishi / Soma Takahashi / Natsuko Tanihara / Ken Tanimoto / Chim↑/Noboru Tsubaki/Nagaharu Nakacho/Tatsu Nishino / Non/Hotel Anteroom Naha Collection/Yuasa Kaname/Yodogawa Technique

< Crafts Division Participating Artists > *20 groups

Ato / Iriomote ware Seiki kiln / ENTRO glass studio / oroku / ORSA / Osamu Kobo / O’Tru no Trus / Kusatake Kobo Sura / Kobo Taniike /
Shisa Tobo Taikai / Sugawara Ken / Dyeing & Weaving Kobo timbub / Ceramic Tamaki / Tobo Taimasa / Nakata Masaya / Weaving Kobo Shiyon / Bashofu Textile Workshop / Pomero / Southern Island Cloth Travel Various (Benigata Kobo Higaya) / moe.matsudada

< Exhibition Division Some Artists > *24 groups (planned)

◆THE　SNOWFLAKES

Photo Ryoichi Kawajiri

◆Noboru Tsubaki

◆Tatsu Nishino

◆No

◆Chim↑Pom

Photography: Yamaguchi Seitomo

◆Teppei Kaneji × Chihiro Mori

Photography Kawashima Kotori

◆Yodogawa Technique

courtesy the artist and yukari art

◆Gerco de Reiter

©Koos Breukel (NL)

◆Yoma Yuasa

◆Aya Ito

Photo by Dai Fujimura aka my ceramics

◆Erdar Insi

©Nazli Erdemirel (TR)

◆Natsuko Tanihara