CONTRIBUTED BY KACEY A.
Here you’ll find a variety of local events happening in the month of October. Events on the island are constantly being created and changed, so please make sure to use the contact info provided on each event to verify information. If you know of an additional event that you’d like to share with our readers, please add it to the comments below!
October 3rd
Kadena Seaside Park. Match 6:45pm. Tickets ¥1,000-¥2,500.
October 3rd – 4th
33rd Kainokuni Satoshi-kan Festival
Celebrating Nokumi Satoshi-kan who introduced the sweet potato to Okinawa, specifically Kadena-cho. Performances, Food, Drink, Bullfighting, Sweet Potato Digging and Fireworks. Kaneku Seaside Park (Behind Naval Kadena). Free. 098-957-111
Food, drink and music on the beach. Ginowan Tropical Beach, 4-2 Mashiki, Ginowan. Free 12pm – 9pm
October 4th
Local food, local crafts, local entertainment. Read about a previous Food Flea on OkiHai. Free. Bring Yen for purchases. Ginowan Marina. 12pm – 6pm.
October 7th
Ultimate Street Basketball Tournament. ¥2,500. Music Town Sound Market 3F Hall, Okinawa City. Doors 6pm Start 7pm. Tickets in Advance at Family Mart Lawson, Music Town, or info@crossover.okinawa. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
October 10th
Naval Kadena, 3F, Kadena Town. Doors 6pm, Match 7pm. Tickets ¥1,000-¥2,500.
October 10th – 11th
Ryukyu folk music performances. Music Town Sound Market 1F Open Cafe & Music Square, Okinawa City. 5pm – 8pm. 098-932-1949. Free.
31st Yambaru Sangyo Festival
Okinawa made products festival featuring woodcraft, pottery and more. Nago 21st Century Mori-no, Taikukan. 2-2-1 Miyazato, Nago. 9am – 5pm. Free. 0980-52-2448
October 11th
One of Okinawa & Japan’s famous male pop groups. Music Town Sound Market 3F Hall, Okinawa City. Doors 6pm, Curtain 7pm. CD with advance ticket ¥3,000, Single with advance ticket ¥2,500. 098-932-1949
Yaese Youth Eisa Festival
Five Youth Eisa groups perform. Yaese Kochina Undo Koen Athletic Field. 12pm – 9pm. Free. 098-998-4334
Largest festival on island! 11:30am – 2pm Parade through Kokusai Dori. Tug of War 2:45pm – 5pm on Route 58 in Naha. Streets will be closed to traffic during those times. Free. Read a review at OkinawaHai.com.
October 16th – 17th
Free Concert featuring dozens of artists over a 2 day period. Japanese goods, foods and delicacies will be available. Okinawa Cellular Statium. 42-1 Onoyama Cho, Naha. 12pm – 8pm. Free,
October 17th – 18th
Uruma Festival
Okinawa Bullfighting & fireworks. Ishikawa Multi Purpose Dome. 3302 Ishikawa, Uruma City. 098-96-4441
October 18th
Ryukyu Kings vs. Shimane Susanoo Magic
Naha City Gym, Naha. Tickets vary from ¥900 to ¥4,000 per game. Season tickets available. Tickets can be purchased at Kadena ITT, MCCS Tours+, and box office. 5:30pm doors open, 7:00pm tip off.
October 19th
Naha Youth Festival
Youth, Childrens, and University groups from Naha City perform traditional Okinawan arts. 3pm – 8pm. Palette Kumoji Outdoor Area. Free. 098-917-3509
Ryukyu Kings vs. Shimane Susanoo Magic
Naha City Gym, Naha. Tickets vary from ¥900 to ¥4,000 per game. Season tickets available. Tickets can be purchased at Kadena ITT, MCCS Tours+, and box office. 12:30pm doors open, 2:00pm tip off.
October 23rd – 25th
39th Okinawa Industry Festival
An indoor and outdoor exhibition featuring products and services exclusively from Okinawa. Onoyama Park, 52 Onoyama-cho, Naha. No parking on site. Free. 10am – 8pm Daily. 098-859-6191
October 24th
4 Big Band & Student Jazz Band Friendship Concert. Music Town Sound Market 1F Open Cafe & Music Square, Okinawa City. Doors 5:30pm, Curtain 6pm. ¥2,000. 098-932-1949.
Naval Kadena, 3F, Kadena Town. Doors 6pm, Match 7pm. Tickets ¥1,000-¥2,500.
October 25th
All of the Islands Lion Dance Festival
Lion Dance Festival & Performance. Agena Bullring, 1706 Agena, Uruma-shi. 098-973-4400. See a review on a previous festival here.
October 28th
Annual Open Air Okinawan Concert
All you can drink awamori while listening to Okinawa folk songs under the full moon! Okinawa Kodomonokuni (Okinawa Zoo), 5-7-1 Goya, Okinawa City. Starts at 6:30pm. ¥1,800.
October 31st
Halloween Mihama Disguise Contest
Annual Mihama American Village costume contest. American Village. Free. 6pm. 098-926-0808
Sakaemachi Market Stall Festival
Okinawa food live concerts, eisa, shishimai dancing in Naha’s oldest market. Oba Rappers Live Show (Rapping Okinawa Grandmas!). Sakaemachi Market. 381 Asato, Naha. 3pm – 9pm. Free.
October 31st – November 1st
Antaur Festival
Music, art, fusion cuisine, live performances, dance (djembe, samba, reggae, Okinawan rock). Day long open-air festival. Shintoshin Park, Naha City. 10am – 7pm (6pm on Sunday). Free. 070-6469-9952
October 31st – November 2nd
11:40am – 11:55am Sakufu Matrix at Shuri Castle Gate. Free.
12:10pm – 1:10pm Sakufu Ritual at Shuri Castle Tadashi, ¥820 entrance to Shuri Castle Park.
4pm – 8pm Shuri Castle Music Festival, Free. Food & Drinks available for purchase.
5pm – 9pm Bankoku Beams of Light along Garden Road, Free.
Other Holidays & Events
October 12th – Sports Day
October 17th – Okinawa Soba Day