51st Annual Yomitan Festival 2025
Event ceremonial flame lighting with a message of peace and unity
The 51st Annual Yomitan Festival was held at the Yomitan Village Athletic Grounds on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October 2025.
The weather for the weekend was partly cloudy and comfortably warm in Yomitan Village with midday temperature highs around 28-30°C/82-86°F and some light breezes throughout.
This year's Yomitan Festival was lively as always and provided entertainment for the crowds of visitors from start to finish, showcasing Yomitan Village’s history and cultural roots.
Traditional Ryukyu Dance group performing on the main event stage
On the main event stage, visitors enjoyed traditional Ryukyuan dance, sanshin music, karate demonstrations, and taiko drumming, alongside performances by local schools and youth groups.
Of course, the main attraction, the Shinkōsen (tribute ship) parade, showcased a full-sized replica of a vessel once sent from the Ryukyu Kingdom on a tributary trip to China. Yomitan Village resident performers welcomed and carried the ship through the grounds, reenacting a piece of Okinawan history and emphasizing a message of peaceful diplomatic relations and mutual prosperity.
Okinawa Life YouTube clip of parade performers welcoming the Shinkōsen (tribute ship)
Parade performers disembarking the Shinkōsen (tribute ship)
A moment from the fireworks finale closing the 51st Annual Yomitan Festival
This year's festival was punctuated with bursts of fireworks and a grand finale fireworks show that delighted the crowds.
Okinawa Life would like to express our gratitude to all who made the Yomitan Festival possible this year and every year. It takes a large amount of effort for both set-up and post-event pack up and clean up, from organizers to costume construction. Thank you for all of your efforts.
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Okinawa Life, 2025/11/07