1.EXHIBITION
BANSUI-SO
9:00- 18:00 Closed: May 9,16,30
<May 3> CANTO VIVO Studying Session/ Free
NHK ART GALLE RY
9:30-17:00 (-16:00 on the Last Day of Exhibition) Closed: Mondays
<May.3-8> Zenga: Painting of Dharma
2. PERFORMANCES
SHIMIN MATSUYAMA KAIKAN
<May 4>14:00～ Matsuyama shimin Chorus Concert Free
COMMUNITY CENTER (CAMELLIA HALL)
<May 4>18:30 Ehime Brass Band ” WAVE ” Concert
500yen (Students: free)
HERMONY FUJITA
<May 5>14:30～ Ishizaki Miyuki & Watanabe Akiko Duo Concert
General seating:1,000yen Students: 500yen
3.FLEA MARKET
ITEM EHIME (Ehime World Trade Center)
<May.3> 9:30-15:00 Admission: Free
“Ehime AOZORA Market” Flea Market
4. TV MOVIES
NHK Educational TV (DIGITAL 2/ ANALOG 2)
I CARLY 19:25-19:49 Tuesdays
CURIOUS GEORGE 8:35-8:59 Saturdays
STAR WARS THE CLONE WARS 18:25-18:48 Saturdays
DRAMATIC EARTH 19:00-19:44 Saturdays
24:00-24:44 Sundays
90210 22:00-22:41 Saturdays
THE PENGUINS 2 7:00-7:24 Sundays
NHK General TV (DIGITAL 1/ ANALOG 6)
NEWS 7 19:00-19:30 Mondays -Sundays
NEWS WATCH 9 21:00-22:00 Mondays-Fridays
YI SAN 23:00-24:00 Sundays
5. THEATER MOVIES
OKAIDO CINEMA SUNSHINE Tel. 986-6633 (Movie times by machine), 933-6677
KINUYAMA CINEMA SUNSHINE Tel. 911-0066 (Movie times by machine), 911-0055
SHIGENOBU CINEMA SUNSHINE Tel. 990-1513 (Movie times by machine), 990-1511
>>May6 THE NEW DAUGHTER [Nest] Shigenobu only
>>May6 DESERT FLOWER Okaido only
6. FESTIVALS
May 3 KENPO-KINEN-BI (Constitution Day) (NATIONAL HOLIDAY)
The constitution was promulgated on May 3, 1947. This day commemorates the event and also is a day to reaffirm hope in national growth.
May 3-4 HOJO KASHIMA SPRING FESTIVAL Kashima，Hojo，Matsuyama City
This festival is famous for its Kaineri-odori, (see below) which is designated as a Prefectural Intangible Cultural Folk Asset, and Oshimenawa-no-harikae, (see below), both of which are done on the sea.
May 3 KAINERI-ODORI (Dance) 14:00-15:00 At Kashima Park on Kashima Island
Kaineri Odori , a prayer dance to succeed in battle and a celebratory dance for victory, are performed. Boats are decorated with bamboo and flowers. Men row the boats and boys perform dances on board, re-enacting famous sea battles using oars. It recalls the tradition of the Iyo Suigun, powerful marine guards who patrolled the sea near here in ancient times. If you want to watch this dance closely on the sea, there is a boat service. (otomo-bune – 500 yen for adults) It starts from Kashima Pier at 14:00.
13:30 Mikoshi Miyadashi and Togyo (portable shrine sailing out)
14:00 A Shirasagi drum performance at Kashima Island Park
14:45 Iyo-manzai (a local dance) and shishi-mai (lion dance) by a children’s group
15:30 Mochi-maki (Rice cake throwing) at Kashima Island Park
May 4 OSHIMENAWA- NO- HARIKAE (Replacing the Sacred Rope)13:10-14:30
At Kashima Shrine
A 45m long and 30cm thick shimenawa (sacred rope) that links the two small islands Meoto-iwa (rock couple) near Kashima will be replaced at Kashima Shrine. The old one is taken down and the new one put in place. There is a boat service which starts from Kashima Pier at 13:00.
9:00-11:30 Preparing and making the new Oshimenawa (sacred rope)
Transportation: Take the JR local train from Matsuyama Station and get off at Iyo Hojo. From the station, walk straight out to the sea and there will be a ferry dock with frequent service to the island — a 10-minute ride. Tickets are sold in vending machines and you only need to show it on the way to the island. (Tel. 089-92-1423)
May 4 MIDORI-NO-HI (Greenery Day) (NATIONAL HOLIDAY)
This holiday was established in 1989 for people to admire nature, give thanks for its blessings, and to cultivate a loving heart for everything on the earth..
May 5 KODOMO-NO-HI (Children’s Day) (NATIONAL HOLIDAY)
Traditionally, this was Boys’ Day, but after World War II it was changed to Children’s Day. Now it is a day to pray for healthful growth of children. Koinobori (carp streamers) are flown from poles and, according to Chinese legend, symbolize vigor and strength. Chimaki (rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaf) and kashiwa-mochi (rice cake wrapped in an oak leaf) are the traditional treats of the day.
May 5 IKAZAKI ODAKO GASEN (Big Kite Fight Festival) 13:00-15:00
Ikazaki, Uchiko-cho
With a 400-year history this is one of the three biggest kite fights in Japan. It is designated as a Prefectural Intangible Cultural Folk Asset. About 1,000 big kites, each 135cm x 165cm, are flown from Toyoaki-gawara in Ikazaki. The feature of this event is that each flier tries to cut down the other kites using gagari, a sharp piece of metal attached to the line of the kite. The last kite left flying is the winner. The origin was to celebrate newly-born babies, hoping for their healthful growth by putting their names on the kites and flying them in the sky. In case of rain, the events will be postponed to May 8th. Everything takes place at or near the Toyoaki Bridge in Ikazaki.
8:00 Boys’ Kendo Contest
Demonstration of Tesuki-washi (Making traditional Japanese paper)
9:45 Handmade kites (by junior high students) contest
10:00 Udon (Japanese noodles) kuihodai (You can eat as much as you like for 400yen.) Ebine Exhibit (orchid)
10:30 Hatsuzeku Shinto Ceremony to bless babies born since last April.
12:00 Flight of Giant Kite (Tatami 100 jo)
Japanese Drum Performance by Uchiko High school students
13:00 Uchiko kodomo-haiku (children’s haiku poem) kite contest
Odako Gasen (Tel. 0893-44-2118) (Big kite fight)
You can join the kite fight if you wish. Kites can be rented for 2,000 yen and you get 1,000 yen back when you return the string and gagari after the fight. The kite is yours to keep. (Tel. 0893-44-2118 Uchiko Town Office Odako-gasen Committee) Transportation: It is recommended to go by train because traffic on Route 56 is very crowded on this day. Take the JR train from Matsuyama Station and get off at Uchiko, not Ikazaki, because the Ikazaki Station is far from the site. There will be free bus service running to the festival site from Uchiko Station. Across the river from the festival site is the Ikazaki Kite Muesum which has a collection of kites from all over the world.
