Held for the first time in 1988, Earth Celebration (EC) is an annual summer festival presented by the taiko performing arts ensemble Kodo in tandem with the people of Sado Island. Through the years, EC has brought various artists from around the world to Sado and continues to send a message of “celebrating of the Earth” across the globe.
NIIGATA —Earth Celebration is an international music festival held by the taiko drumming ensemble Kodo. The festival has been held annually since 1988 under the theme “Tataku” (to beat a rhythm) at Kodo’s home, Sado Island, Niigata. This year, it will be held again Aug 21-23.
Every year, between 5,000 and 10,000 visitors come to see the festival. Many of these visitors come year after year, and one in five are non-Japanese. The event’s main venues are a park on top of a hill, the precincts of a shrine, an oceanfront park, and a traditional shopping street in the Ogi district of Sado City, where the residents live in harmony with nature.
During the festival, visitors can stroll through the nostalgic old-style streets, and the oceanfront park is packed with small stalls selling ethnic handicrafts. The festival brings a unique and international atmosphere to the district.
The Earth Celebration Committee was awarded the Furusato Event Award (2008, by Japan Center for Regional Development) and the Tiffany Foundation Award for the Preservation of Japanese Traditional Arts and Culture in Contemporary Society (2009).
(C)Japan Today,
Direct link to the event: http://www.kodo.or.jp/ec/en/
