"Nanako Matsuri" is a festival that was created after the Tohoku Pacific Earthquake. It aims to provide a special forum for the folk arts of coastal regions of Tohoku and to bring cheer back to the locals, both spectators and performers alike. The festival is named after Ms. Nanako Sasayama of Kamai City, whose family performs Shinto music and dance at their inn and as a traveling act. Her family offered their inn to host the performing arts festival in February this year, so the event took on her name and is called "Nanako Matsuri."
This December, the third festival will be held at the Sanriku Hana Hotel Hamagiku in Otsuchi Town, which overcame the disaster and reopened for business. Kodo is wholeheartedly supporting this event, which aims bring smiles back to the people in the coastal regions of Tohoku. Visiting the area and enjoying the arts with the locals there is a form of aid. We hope everyone who has been thinking about the people of coastal Tohoku since the tsunami will take this opportunity to visit the area and see the power of folk arts in action.
You can download the flier here (in Japanese only).
JTB Tohoku Volunteer Support Bus Plans for "Nanako- Matsuri – Fuyu no Jin"
http://www.jtb.co.jp/tabeat/volunteer/
"Nanako Matsuri – Fuyu no Jin" will be held on December 7 and this year there are a range of tours on offer to take you there so you can take part. For further details (in Japanese), please see the Volunteer Page on the JTB website.
[2 day/1 night Support & Exchange Program] Take a step towards tomorrow with the towns of Otsuchi & Yamada, united by traditional performing arts! "Nanako Matsuri – Fuyu no Jin" (Support, Exchange and Participate Plan for Traditional Performing Arts Festival at Sanriku Hana Hotel)
http://www.jtb.co.jp/tabeat/List.asp?Tourno=a0d95e499134446ab4e044e4
[3 day/1 night Overnight Bus Plan] Take a step towards tomorrow with the towns of Otsuchi & Yamada, united by traditional performing arts! "Nanako Matsuri – Fuyu no Jin" (Support, Exchange and Participate Volunteer Plan for Traditional Performing Arts Festival at Sanriku Hana Hotel)
http://www.jtb.co.jp/tabeat/List.asp?Tourno=b419e7c2a8844fac8f85d108
[2 day/ No stay Overnight Bus Tour] Take a step towards tomorrow with the towns of Otsuchi & Yamada, united by traditional performing arts! "Nanako Matsuri – Fuyu no Jin" (Support, Exchange and Participate Plan for Traditional Performing Arts Festival at Sanriku Hana Hotel)
http://www.jtb.co.jp/tabeat/List.asp?Tourno=d8fa74f8245645c4b26e5545
[Seeking Volunteers for 3 days & 2 nights] Take a step towards tomorrow with the towns of Otsuchi & Yamada, united by traditional performing arts! "Nanako Matsuri – Fuyu no Jin" (Support, Exchange and Participate Plan for Traditional Performing Arts Festival at Sanriku Hana Hotel)
http://www.jtb.co.jp/tabeat/List.asp?Tourno=6be0232f44b6435e854195f0