Nago Events
Warmer than normal winter weather has spurred the cherry blossoms into bloom, just in time for the Yaedake Cherry Blossom Festival. Northern Okinawa is alive with budding sakura, with more than 20% of the cherry blossoms already showing themselves, and festivals will pay homage over the coming month. The 32th annual Motobu Yaedake Cherry Blossom Festival begins January 16th, running through February 7th. Yaedake is in northern Okinawa, near Nago City. The Nakijin Castle Cherry Festival runs the same dates as Yaedake, a first for the castle event. For the Okinawa newcomer, cherry blossom festivals rank as one of the most beautiful events of the year, as Mother Nature shows her colors with the traditional flowers. This year's ‘best viewing’ is projected through the last week of January, although the blossoms will be on trees across Nago and nearby Mount Yaedake through late February. The Nago Cherry Festival comes next weekend, with a full slate of festivities the 30th and 31th. Mount Yaedake, the island’s second highest point at 453.4 meters, has more than 4,000 cherry trees now opening their blooms. The Yaedake area is also the orchids capital of Okinawa. Cameras are an absolute ‘must’ for the cherry blossom festivals. Nago City’s festival next weekend, the 46th annual event, will have a full round of bands, folksongs, Okinawa dance, taiko drums and more. The last entertainment acts each day are shortly before sunset. Sunday morning is a terrific time for strolling the Nago Castle area, soaking in the cherry blossoms. Festivities are held at the base of Nago castle, the expansive home to the local Aji chieftain in the 14th century. The area is now Nago Central Park, where thousands of cherry trees(hizakura) are in full bloom early each year. The forecast this year is for more than 200,000 pink cherries to be in full bloom. Sturdy walking shoes or sneakers are recommended for the trek up the well marked and paved roads and walkways to the top of the mountain, where there’s a spectacular view of not only the cherry blossoms, but of Nago and the surrounding waters of the East China Sea.
■Main Support Subsidies
Incentives and subsidies available under the Okinawa Promotion and Development Special Measures Act for enhancement of Industry Sites, Information and Communications or Tourism Promotion.
■Municipal Subsidy Program
Subsidies for ventures locating in the Nago City Multimedia Complex (3 years at no cost)
■Main
Industries, Local Firms
●Orion Beer
(Inc.)
●Ryukyu
Cement (Inc.)
●Okinawa
Pref. Agricultural Products Processing Factory
〒905-8540
1-1-1 Minato, Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.
Contact Office: Commerce, Industry & Tourism Section
TEL : 0980-53-1212 FAX:0980-53-6210
URL : http://www.city.nago.okinawa.jp/index.html
(Japanese only)
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