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Summit Opening Festival
G8 Summit has started.
Updated July 22,2000. 13:00
Okinawa G8 Summit Host Preparation Council Prefecture has successfully hosted the Summit Opening Festival. G8 delegates, media representatives and Okinawan citizens were invited to the festival.
Movie director, Yuji Nakae who lives in Okinawa directed the Festival. Starting with traditional Okinawan court dances "Kagiyade Fu" and "Yotsudake", Okinawan entertainers Seijin Noborikawa, Rinsuke Teruya, Tomi Taira, Yoriko Ganeko performed on stage. Entertainers joined from mainland Japan such as Shang-Shang Typhoon, Kikusuimaru Kawachiya and many more also helped make the festival exciting. When a local kid's dance troup "Hanayakara" appeared on stage, their cheerful performance brought the evning to a climax.
Traditional Okinawan folk songs, dances, karate, Eisa drum dancing, Shishimai lion dancing and Kumiodori drama were also performed. The audience enjoyed everything that Okinawa could offer.
Okinawan born comedians Rinsuke Teruya and Satoshi Kawamitsu, joined Katchan and Katsuhiro Higo in making the audience roar with laughter.
Tomi Taira, who played a leading role in the hit movie "Nabbie's Love" also performed on traditional free-style stage.
The audience danced Kachashi along with the Summit original music "Summit Doi" written by Seijin Noborikawa and Rinsuke Teruya. The Summit Opening Festival ended in an excited mood.
For the Higa family from Nago, the Summit Opening Festival held at the Forest of the 21st century signifies the beginning of the G8 Summit in Okinawa. "My family took the day off today to enjoy this event. The G8 Summit is a fantastic chance for the city of Nago," says Mr. Higa. "I never thought the G8 would be held in Nago. And I am very happy and proud to be here. With the Bankoku Shinryokan in the background, the Okinawan music and culture being shown today in this 'stage on the sea' offers a great show to the world."
Many people were seen at the event: citizens from Nago, mainland Japanese and visitors from overseas. Among them was French cameraman Gerard Mas from French television France 2. "This event is a fantastic chance to meet Nago's citizens," said Mas. "We came to Japan following the French President Jacques Chirac on July 18th. We first went to Nagoya for the Sumo tournament and arrived in Nago on July 20th. To me this island looks like Tahiti. It seems to be a great place for a holiday and as reporters, we wish to show the tropical image of Okinawa to the French people."
"The security is very heavy here in Nago," Gerard Mas added. "We were attracted by the nice sounds of Okinawan music and came to this event. I am very happy to be here. This is my first contact with the Okinawan people and Okinawan culture and I like it very much."
When asked what image of Okinawa he will present to his countrymen back home, Mr. Mas answered: "French people don't know much about Okinawa. Through our reports, we will try to show the beauty of the island as well as the burden that Okinawa is supporting because of the bases."
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