Even though it was still hot in September, many events are being held as we head into autumn.
The "Akagome (Red Rice) Festa," held every year in mid-September in Soja City, is an outdoor music event that started in 2016 at the call of singer Aikawa Nanase, who serves as the Red Rice Ambassador.
I was finally able to participate for the first time this year.
In the long early autumn night, I will report mainly on the outdoor live performance featuring a luxurious lineup.
About "Akagome Festa 2024"
The Akagome Festa 2024 was held on September 15, 2024 (Sunday) at the South Square of Bichu Kokubun-ji Temple.
To enter, a red rice festival tenugui (hand towel) is required.
The tenugui can be obtained for a charity donation of 3,000 yen per piece at designated locations (Soja City Hall, Sunroad Kibiji, etc.).
On the day of the event, shuttle buses were operated from the temporary parking lot and JR Soja Station to the venue.
Please check the images below for more details.
Access to the venue and the situation before the performance
I arrived at the temporary parking lot (Yamate Elementary School) before 3 PM. From there, I headed to the venue by shuttle bus.
After about a 5-minute ride, we arrived at the bus drop-off point near the venue, and from there, we walked towards the venue, passing by Bichu Kokubun-ji Temple.
There were also decorations resembling bamboo lighting along the roadside. I look forward to the return journey.
I arrived at the venue shortly after 3 PM, and many people were already lined up in waiting queues.
Additionally, there were red rice fields surrounding the venue, and many people were taking pictures of the red ears of rice hanging down with the five-story pagoda of Bichu Kokubun-ji Temple in the background.
At 4 PM, the opening time.
With the tenugui serving as tickets in hand, everyone spread out their leisure sheets to secure their spots.
The area near the stage was for leisure sheet seating, while the elevated area was for folding chair seating, and according to the organizers, about 2,000 people gathered.
My seat was about five rows from the stage, and I was able to enjoy a very immersive performance at close range.
About the concert content
This year, the following four singers presented a wonderful stage:
- May J.
- Aikawa Nanase
- Hitoto Yo
- Tendo Yoshimi
The founder, Aikawa Nanase, and the gathered divas performed together. Since they are all representative singers of the Heisei era, the venue was greatly excited with each of their well-known songs.
Photography during the performance was prohibited, so I cannot include any photos, but the Mayor of Soja City, Kataoka Souichi, and the performers have posted updates on their social media during the performance. If you're interested, please take a look.
It was also impressive to see Mayor Kataoka enjoying himself both as an organizer and as an audience member.
Akagome Festa. I was mesmerized by this song. Hitoto Yo. pic.twitter.com/NMTCfyTRAc
— Okayama Prefecture Soja City Mayor Kataoka Souichi (@souichikataoka) September 15, 2024
Introduction of food stalls
At the food stalls next to the venue, various menus using red rice were offered.
I also purchased red rice mapo tofu rice bowl and red rice rice burger to fill my stomach before the concert. It is a mixed grain rice that combines white rice with red rice. It was easy to eat without any discomfort.
Since it was a hot day, chilled pineapples and drinks were also selling well.
About red rice and Soja City
The red rice rituals are passed down in three locations nationwide (Tsushima City in Nagasaki Prefecture, Minamitane Town in Kagoshima Prefecture, and Soja City in Okayama Prefecture).
As mentioned at the beginning, Aikawa Nanase has been a bridge for the exchange between these three cities and towns.
This time, the mayor of Minamitane Town, where the Tanegashima Space Center is located, came as a guest.
It seems that Tendo Yoshimi was invited to perform this time due to her connection as the goodwill ambassador "Tonmi" of the town.
Conclusion
The concert, lasting about 2 hours and 30 minutes, concluded successfully.
On the way back, it was already night, and the five-story pagoda of Bichu Kokubun-ji Temple was illuminated, showing its fantastical appearance.
And the bamboo lights we saw on the way there are gently illuminating our way back.
In order to connect the culture of red rice to the future, we planted red rice in the rice field in front of this venue in 2013, and it has been 11 years since then. It seems that the "circle of red rice," including this red rice festival and the exchanges and inheritance of red rice culture among the three mentioned cities and towns, has borne significant fruit.
The proceeds from this event will be donated as Hikarinomi Fund for supporting red rice and for red rice children's exchanges, to be used for red rice exchanges.
As Nanase Aikawa mentioned through this activity, I believe that efforts to preserve such regional cultures will become increasingly important in the future, given the declining population in rural areas and the concentration of people in Tokyo.
Thank you for holding such a wonderful event this time.
I hope that the culture of red rice will continue for many years to come, and I look forward to next year's event as well.
Data for Red Rice Festival 2024
| Name | Red Rice Festival 2024 |
|---|---|
| Date | September 15, 2024 (Sunday) Doors open: 4:00 PM Start time: 5:00 PM |
| Location | 1046 Kamibayashi, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture (South Square of Bichu Kokubun-ji Temple) |
| Participation fee (including tax) | Admission requires a tenugui (hand towel) A donation of 3,000 yen is required for each tenugui |
| Website | Red Rice Festival |
