The origin of “festival dances” in Japan is Ushibuka?!
Dancing in a yukata, and playing the shamisen.
The three-day trip to enjoy the “Ushibuka Haiya Festival” to the fullest.
| Date/Time | Itinerary |
| ■Day 1 |
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| 7:00 | Meet at Hakata Station. Take Kyushu Shinkansen (bullet train) to Izumi Station. Take the shuttle bus, then the ferry from Izumi Station to head for Ushibuka. |
| 10:30 | Arrive at Ushibuka |
| 11:00 | Welcome reception – enjoy the local foods. |
| 13:00〜 | Attend the entrance ceremony to the “Ushibuka Haiya School”, the special “institute” established for this occasion. Participate to the orientation meeting. |
| 13:30〜 | ■”Ushibuka Haiya-logy” Practical Course 1 Learn the history and uniqueness of Ushibuka Haiya. |
| 15:00〜 | ■”Ushibuka Haiya-logy” Practical Course 2 Practice and learn the “Haiya Dance” yourself. |
| 16:00〜 | ■”Ushibuka Haiya-logy” Practical Course 3 Practice and learn how to play shamisen and bell (both are musical instruments). |
| 17:00〜 | Stroll around the town of Ushibuka with the guide by the local fishermen. Inclusive of the seafood BBQ dinner. |
| 19:00〜 | Get on the fishing vessel to take a short cruise trip on a full-moon night. |
| 21:00 | End of Day 1 Program |
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| ■Day 2 |
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| 〜12:00 | Take all AM to yourself. Spend the time on whatever you want to do e.g. go swimming in the sea from the nearby beach or fishing. |
| 12:30〜 | Lunch |
| 14:00 | ■”Ushibuka Haiya-logy” Practical Course 4 Learn how to wear yukata, the essential attire for “Haiya”. |
| 15：00〜 | Rehearsal Go over the “Haiya Dance” and the “shamisen” that you learned on the previous day. Wear a yukata to practice the dance, just like the actual festival. |
| 18:00〜 | Cross the Haiya Ohashi Bridge and visit islands of Ushibuka. Enjoy the gorgeous sun setting in the East China Sea on our way. |
| 19:00〜 | Participate in the music reception to further interact with local people and enjoy dinner. You can dance to the music of various categories played by local bands. |
| 21:00 | End of Day 2 Program |
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| ■Day 3 |
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| 10:00 | ■”Ushibuka Haiya-logy” Practical Course 5 Go over everything you learned in the past two days. Then, attend the commencement of the “Ushibuka Haiya School”. |
| 11:00〜 | Lunch |
| 12:30〜 | Participate in the actual “Ushibuka Haiya Festival” to give the dance performance on stage. Also enjoy the “Haiya” experience in a yukata in the main streets of Ushibuka to feel the essence of the festival. |
| 17:00 | End of Programs |
| 17:30 | Take the ferry and the shuttle bus to Izumi Station. Take Shinkansen (bullet train) from Izumi Station to Hakata Station. |
| 21:00 | Break up upon arrival at Hakata Station. |
| Accommodation: | Minami Amakusa Rest House Yui no Sato http://we.magma.jp/~yui-sato/ |
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| Stay at the dormitory-style rooms with the view of the ocean (single-gender rooms only) |
| Sponsored by: | Ushibuka Community Development Committee |
| Cost: | JPY30,000-/person |
| Meals: | Meals from lunch on Day 1 – lunch on Day 3 are included. |
| Insurance: | You will be covered by the travel insurance for unexpected incidents during the three-day program. |
| What to Bring: | Clothes, toiletries, towels, walkable shoes, pens, swimsuits (if desire to swim) for 2-night/3-day trip |
| Not Included: | Breakfast on Day 1, dinner on Day 3, gift/souvenirs and gifts, and snacks/beverages for personal consumption |
| Requests to Participants: | The depopulation and aging of population are the serious problems for Ushibuka. We would like you to participate in the “Ushibuka Haiya Festival” to dance and have fun together, and bring the energy to Ushibuka! Also, we would appreciate if you can also communicate the charm and allure you find in Ushibuka via social media! |