Okinawa's traditional performing art: Eisa "Awase" by Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko Fukui

On October 7th (Sat), 2017, the Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko Fukui performed Eisa at Echizen Autumn Pottery Festival at Echizen Pottery Village in Echizen Town, Fukui Prefecture. Here is one called "Awase”.

The song "Awase" was written by Tatsuya Shimabukuro, who was a member of an Eisa team "Awase Third Youth Group" in Okinawa City. Shimabukuro, born in Awase District in 1981 and grew up there. He started playing sanshin in his own way and later he trained under Tsuneyasu Naka. He has released a debut CD, and his wild vocal and sanshin techniques stand out.

Eisa is one of Okinawa's traditional performing arts, which corresponds to bon dance in Japan's mainland. Youth groups in each district have each style. They parade while dancing during the Bon festival. Although there are various theories on the origin of the Eisa, it is said that a high priest in Buddhism introduced a dance with a prayer to Buddha around 1600, and it developed into the Eisa.

Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko is a drumming group, whose performance is based on Okinawa's traditional performing art Eisa, featuring its own choreography adopted an original style of karate, and the dynamic drumstick-work. Now they are representative of Okinawa and are very popular with young people. The group was established by young people of Okinawa City in 1982 and since then, it has beaten out "appreciation for predecessors" that has been valued in Okinawa.

Last year marked the 35th year since it was established, their branches expanded to other countries. Now it has 49 branches in Japan, 27 branches in other six countries and the number of members exceeded 2,500. (as of August 2018) Their activities expand on a world scale.