The local culture of the Yanbaru region in the northern part of Okinawa Prefecture is rich in variety, ranging from traditional dance and theater to bōjutsu staff fighting and Eisa drum dancing, handed down from generation to generation.
But such local performing arts have become endangered due to depopulation and lifestyle changes, and three years of COVID-19 has delivered yet another blow.
Elderly people who supported local events have become exhausted by having to refrain from going out for a long time, and there has been less interaction among neighbors, discouraging people from engaging in the performances.