Updated 2/1/16, 6/12/16, 6/15/16
For the latest updates, click here.
The official dates for 6th Worldwide Uchinaanchu Festival (世界ウチナーンチュ大会) are October 26-30, 2016. (Source: The Okinawa Association of America, 10/13/15.) Click image to enlarge.
Click image to enlarge.
Update 1/31/16: “The 6th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival,” Okinawa Island Guide, n.d. “Starting with the Festival Eve Parade along Kokusai Street and the opening ceremony held at Okinawa Cellular Stadium, there will be a multitude of exciting events and programs to be enjoyed throughout the festival, including the World Business Fair, the Uchina Junior Study Tour, the Congress of the World Youth Uchinanchu Association and the Karate and Kobudo Exchange Festival. In addition, some of Okinawa’s most popular annual events, such as the Shurijo Castle Festival and the Okinawa Industrial Festival, will take place before, during and after the 6th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival.”
Update 1/31/16: “Creative logo design and catchy slogan wanted for the upcoming Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival,” Okinawa Island Guide, n.d.
The objectives of the Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival are: To further develop the Uchina (Okinawan) network and pass it down to the younger generations and to showcase Okinawa’s soft power to the world and maximize it for the island’s future success.
All entries must comply with the following requirements:
– Must reflect the festival’s objectives.
– Must express the Uchinanchu (Okinawan) identity.
Entry deadline: Monday, Feb. 1, 2016
How to enter:
Logo design
Entries are accepted via mail only. Send your design printed on A4-size paper together with an information sheet (another sheet of A4-size paper bearing your name, address, age, occupation/school name, phone number and a brief description of your work) to the address below. You may submit multiple entries, although each entry must be printed on a separate paper and accompanied by an information sheet.
Your logo design must include the name of the event in full “6th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival” and the year “2016.”
Slogan
Entries are accepted via mail or fax. You may submit multiple entries, but each entry must be written on a separate sheet of paper together with your name, address, age, occupation/school name, phone number and a brief description of your work.
Qualification requirements: None
Judging: A panel of judges will be formed by the 6th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival Committee. The winning logo designs and catch phrases will be announced in late February 2016.
Prize
Best logo design: Letter of commendation and 100,000 yen cash prize
Best slogan: Letter of commendation and 50,000 yen cash prize
6th Worldwide Uchinanchu Festival Committee (Logo and Catch Phrase Competition entry)
1-2-2 Izumizaki, Naha City, Okinawa 900-8570
Fax: 098-866-2622
Update 2/1/16: Mascot Design and Theme Song Winners for Taikai 2016
Winners of the mascot design and theme song for Taikai 2016: Shiroma Tsukasa’s1 (城間司) “Ryumaru”2 (笠丸) and dancer, singer, and songwriter Hanashiro Mai‘s (花城舞) “Striving for a United Heart”(?)「結～心届く～」. Photo and information from Ryukyu Shimpo 10/11/15.
Theme song 「結～心届く～」written and composed by Hanashiro Mai, arranged by Katsuya Yabe. Uploaded to YouTube by okinawaBBtv on 1/28/16.
Lyrics for「結~心届く~」
作詞・作曲 花城 舞
編曲 矢部克也
唄 花城 舞
夢と希望乗せた船 南風が見送る波
笑顔と涙抱きながら 歴史とルーツ繋いできた
この広い世界 あなたが 生きてることが誇り
世界中のどこでも 島謡唄えば
この島のどこかで 三線の音が響く
海に空に風に乗って きっと想いは伝わる
御万人ぬ想い見守る 夜空に光る天の川（てぃんがーら）
この広い世界 あなたに逢えたことが誇り
時代を越えていつでも 太鼓が響けば
この地球のどこかで 旗が揚がり舞い踊る
願い結ぶ月は今日も あなたを照らし輝く
雨の後は大きな虹 平和の橋あなたに架ける
あなたが望めばいつでも この島に心届く
世界中のどこでも 島謡唄えば
この島のどこかで 三線の音が響く
海に空に風に乗ってきっと想いは伝わる
__________
1 Shiroma is a lecturer at IT College Okinawa. From IT-College website, 10/15/15.
2 “Ryumaru” is named after the immigrant ship Ryutomaru as a symbol of Okinawan immigration.” From “Next Year’s Uchinanchu Taikai Mascot ‘Ryumaru’,” Okinawa Times, 10/11/15.
liuchiuan 
We made this graphic before receiving the official Taikai poster, so we mistakenly wrote October 27th instead of October 26th. Here’s the official poster from Okinawa:
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/10422373_10153365130170610_637263481408847366_n.jpg?oh=96ed86db9b053122970cc26b9ec1bc10&oe=569002EE
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/11412105_10153365130180610_2336913591435784115_n.jpg?oh=d7d30a8ecc5ba043962c70161311ea10&oe=568A56CE
OAAmensore, thank you for the update! I’ll post it asap.
1. What is the theme of the conference?
2. Who can we contact if we have recommendations for a speaker?
Need additional information on the upcoming event. Left Okinawa in 1978 looking forward to return.
Misuzu and George, click here to link to the official conference site. It’s in Japanese so you may need to use Google translate. You can contact the 6th Uchinanchu festival executive committee secretary via phone: 098-866-8060 or FAX: 098-866-2767 .
Misuzu, my apologies for the long delay in responding. I’ve been waiting for more info to pass on to you and other readers but haven’t received any. I will post news as I receive it.
George, please see the updates in the article for more on the contest. The deadline is Feb. 1, 2016. -Jim
Official site has English, Spanish, Portuguese. At least, it claims. I haven’t clicked everything yet 😉 This is the direct link for English version: http://wuf2016.com/en/
Will there be singing contests as in the past. I was a participant in 2006?
Just bought the airline tickets! Can’t wait to experience this excitement w my bf who is part okinawan. Ok see all of u guys there!!
How do I get tickets for the event if I don’t book through a travel agency?
Hi Anonymous. Good question. I’m wondering the same thing, too. I decided to post your question as a separate article to bring more attention to it. See Taikai 2016 Event Tickets: How to Get Them on Our Own? Hopefully someone will give us some answers. -Jim
Try your local Okinawa Kenjinkai (prefectural association for people who live outside Okinawa). That’s how I registered 2 taikais ago but not sure if that’s how it’s still done. Kenjinkais might be holding info sessions soon. It all depends on how info is relayed from Okinawa outwards and they can be slow about it. Multi-lingual website from them is a huge step!
Ryukyu Damashii — a belated thank you for your good advice. I asked a few individuals, and they all seem to be taking or recommending the tour route, which includes tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies. However, I did find an Uchinanchu association in Ohio that may be able to provide info. I’ll be sharing their reply as soon as I hear from them. -Jim
Valuable post ! I loved the points , Does someone know where my company can get a fillable a form form to use ?
At this world taikai, the people of Okinawa should be encouraged to have a plebiscite as to what the destiny of Okinawa should be. Okinawa suffered a staggering loss of lives during WWII because Japan used it as cannon fodder and guinea pigs. After the end of U.S. occupation of the islands, Okinawa was reverted to Japan with no input from the Okinawans. Was that what they wanted? Now Okinawa is used as a dumping ground for U.S. militatry installations because the other areas of Japan don’t want them. Okinawans deserve better. They should be able to determine their own future without being dictated to by Tokyo.
@okinawanatheart @Gordon — agree. Self-determination is critical in this case when the national government is clearly overburdening the Okinawan people with Japan’s US bases. It’s unfair, and if the government fails to correct the imbalance, then the Okinawans have every right to take the next step — whatever that is. -Jim
Thats waht i say!