Kumi-Odori

The Japan Memorial Day Association has designated Sep. 3 as the Day of Kumi-Odori, which is the traditional Okinawan native dance. Sep. 3rd was selected since number 9 (the 9th month - September) is “ku” and number 3 can be called “mi” in Japanese.

Kumiodori was originally created as entertainment for visiting Chinese envoys.

On the first weekend following Sep. 3rd, the Day of Kumi-Odori, Urasoe City presents Urasoe Kumi-Odori Festival at the National Theater Okinawa in Urasoe City. Admission to the event is free. The event features kumi-odori performances from traditional to modern. The latter is a “Cinderella Story as Kumi-Odori” play aimed at people who are not familiar with kumi-odori thus making it easier to

....... follow as most people are familiar with the story, making it easy to understand and feel what Kumi-Odori is all about.

There’s also a cinema version of kumi-odori screened at the festival. The cinema has English subtitles to make it easy to understand for foreign visitors.

Classical Ryukyu Music accompanies a kumi-odori performance.

In addition to kumi-odori, the National Theater has other traditional Okinawan cultural shows in September. The World Eisa Festival 2015 will be held in the theater and on a special outdoor stage in front of the National Theater Okinawa on Sep. 21st and 22nd. Free live kumi-odori performances are also staged on both days, as are the Cinderella Kumi-Odori edition and Kumi-Odori cinema at the theater. (source: Japan Update Sept 4, 2015)

Kumi-Odori Kabuki and opera is a classic song and dance drama that consists of singing and dancing and
the three elements of music. Okinawa has been called a "song and dance of the islands" for a long time.
About 300 years ago, Tamagusuku Choukun founded the tradition of Kumi-Odori for the entertainment of Yingbin.

In the following video the English language subtitles indicate that
Sho Kei (aka Sho Boku) ascended to the throne in 1718. That occurred in 1713.



















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