{"id":13421,"date":"2017-06-03T08:00:43","date_gmt":"2017-06-02T23:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=13421"},"modified":"2020-07-30T14:56:57","modified_gmt":"2020-07-30T05:56:57","slug":"okinawan-dance-eisa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/okinawan-dance-eisa\/","title":{"rendered":"Okinawa Eisa Festival : Traditional Okinawan Music and Dance"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Ladies<\/a><\/p>\n

Okinawa,<\/strong> a legacy and inheritance of the Ryukyu Kingdom<\/a>, characterizes a distinctive, rich and colorful culture that is very different from mainland Japan. Okinawa is not only noteworthy for its\u00a0delicious food and natural landscape. Undoubtedly, the true heroic and beautiful Okinawan spirit lies within the traditional songs\u00a0accompanied by the\u00a0sanshin<\/strong> (a traditional Okinawan string instrument). And the dynamic and powerful eisa<\/em> and teodori dances.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"An<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What are Eisa\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Teodori <\/em>Dances?<\/h2>\n

The origins of eisa<\/em><\/strong> are linked to the practices of ‘ninbuchaa<\/strong>‘, which in Okinawan dialect means ‘monks’. During the introduction of the Jodo-Shinshu sect of Buddhism to the Ryukyu Kingdom,\u00a0monks would dance at funerals and Buddhist ceremonies while reciting the name of the Buddha for spiritual benefit. This process of recitation is\u00a0also\u00a0known as chanting ‘nenbutsu’<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In the 1800’s, young men applied the same dancing style from the\u00a0ninbuchaa practice, to classical Okinawan music. These traditional Okinawan songs<\/strong> are also known as minyo, <\/em><\/strong>and their fusion with the buddhist dance\u00a0prompted the beginnings of today’s\u00a0modern eisa and teodori\u00a0dances<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Okinawa:<\/a><\/p>\n

It was only after World War II that the Okinawan people<\/strong> further developed the traditional eisa dance into the distinguished styles we see today. The numerous youth associations created\u00a0their own brands of eisa with colorful costumes and flamboyant dancing. They also started adding more songs to accompany their dances, which led to the start of teodori<\/strong> –\u00a0a dance of hands usually performed by women – and playing taiko<\/strong><\/em> (Japanese drums<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

\"Okinawa<\/a>

Ladies Playing Taiko<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

What Does Eisa Dance Look Like Today?<\/h2>\n

Nowadays, eisa is usually performed by 20-30 men and women<\/strong> in doubled lines or circles. They all create a unique choreography. They sing together. They play sanshin together. And there are three different types of taiko!\u00a0In addition to the taiko and sanshin, some of the dancers\u00a0might also\u00a0play small hand gongs and yotsutake<\/a><\/i> castanets. What is most fascinating, is how each young group portraits gorgeous costumes according to the local tradition and gender of the dancers.<\/p>\n

\"Ladies<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Okinawa<\/a><\/p>\n

When\u00a0and Where You Can See Eisa Festival in Okinawa<\/h2>\n

You can find this traditional Okinawan dance\u00a0performed at various\u00a0festivals in Okinawa. The most notable festivals are the Bon Festival and the All-Okinawa Festival.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Bon Festival:<\/strong> This festival gives honors to the spirits of ancestors.<\/li>\n
  2. All-Okinawa Festival:<\/strong> A festival which is renowned\u00a0for its grand scale and showy performances.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    For those who love folk dances and embracing themselves in the carnival atmosphere the All-Okinawa Festival can\u2019t be missed<\/strong>. Young Eisa groups from all over the island come to Naha and dance in a vibrant and vivid parade. The festival draws some 200,000 visitors each year.<\/p>\n

    You can find out more about the festivals\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n[cft format=0]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Okinawa, a legacy and inheritance of the Ryukyu Kingdom, characterizes a distinctive, rich and colorful culture that is very different…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":14389,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pgc_meta":"","_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[26,2051,1416],"tags":[1309,1386,2075,1362],"class_list":{"0":"post-13421","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-culture","8":"category-events","9":"category-okinawa","10":"tag-art","11":"tag-budget","12":"tag-dance-festival","13":"tag-tradition"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOkinawa Eisa Festival : Traditional Okinawan Music and Dance<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Okinawa distinguishes itself from mainland Japan not only by its cuisine and landscape, but also by its traditional dancing - 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