Turn off your phone and sharpen your senses!
Experience wild dyeing with local plants, live music, dance, art, poetry, workshops, film screenings, meaningful encounters, and the joy of sake!
Unleash your inner tanuki!
Return to nature! Return to life!

🗓 November 1–3, 2025
📍 Held at various locations around Kitaushima and Masarakawa
Fun for everyone—from children to adults!

 

Event Schedule

November 1 (Sat)

18:30～

Kitaushima Kominkan

Screening of “Firefly Dreams” (100 min./ 2001)

Followed by a short talk by the director.

 

A bittersweet coming of age story about the friendship between a rebellious teenager and an older woman who was a rebel in her youth in a very different time. John Williams’ first feature was shot in Horai Cho and Nagoya in 1999 and released in cinemas in Japan in 2001. It screened in over 40 festivals and won 6 awards, including the Best Feature Award at The Hawaii International Film.  JAPANESE/NO ENGLISH SUBTITLES

 

November 2（Sun）

9:00～14:00 

In Mushizaki (Between Ryotsu and Kitaushima)

Outside Dyeing Event with Natural Dyes (Fun for Kids and Adults)

Collect plants and dye your T-shirts!

 

Kyoto-based dye artist and designer Hiroshi Saito works in textiles and uses only natural dyes. His performative collective dyeing is fun for adults and children, as we gather to create art and color from plants.

 

Saito Hiroshi’s HP

https://www.komatsucraft.com/a17.htm

 

November 2（Sun）

Kitaushima Kominkan

15:00～16:30：Modern Noh play「Kitaushima・Masaragawa Suite」

16:30～17:30：Poetry Workshop、Yasuhiro Yotsumoto

 

A reading and performance of a modern Noh play based on a cycle of poems by Yasuhiro Yotsumoto, one of Japan’s leading contemporary poets. Yotsumoto is joined by electronic musician, Neji, from sofabed and contemporary dance unit, Yubusha, to bring to life the legends and stories of Kitaushima and Masragawa. 

 

November 2（Sun）

Masaragawa Kominkan

18:30～19:30  

Acoustic Live by “takeshiwo”

Members: Yasunori Henmi and Nagao “Pierre” Kazumi

 

Rock musician Yasunori Henmi was last seen on Sado when he was exiled there in 1472, or some say, when he played the role of the exiled singer in Sado Tempest. With his long-time collaborator Pierre, they will perform an acoustic set in the Masaragawa Community Hall. Henmi won the Best Original Song Award at the Muses Film Awards in Greece, for his songs in the movie, Another Time (Tabi.)

 

November 3（Mon）

13:00～16:00

Above the village of Kitaushima, near the Kuruma Rice Field.

Outside Dyeing Event (Hiroshi Saito・Kaze Kobo)

Let's dye the flag of Kitaushima Tanuki Matsuri together!

Kyoto-based dye artist and designer Hiroshi Saito works in textiles and uses only natural dyes. His performative collective dyeing is fun for adults and children, as we gather to create art and color from plants.

 

Hiroshi Saito’s HP

https://www.komatsucraft.com/a17.htm

 

November 3（Mon）

16:30～17:00

Seaside in front of the Yamasaso Inn

(Just look to your right as you come through the tunnel and you will see the performance stage.)

 

To mark the close of the 2nd Tanuki Matsuri, Yubusha will perform an original contemporary dance outside on the stage near the sea’s edge.

 

Yubusha

https://www.instagram.com/yubusha_butoh/?hl=en

 

 

The event is organised by John Williams, in collaboration with the Sado Galaxy Art Festival and residents of Kitaushima and Masaragawa.

Event details

• Date：
  2025.11.01（土）

  November 1–3, 2025
• Venue：
  Kitaushima / Masaragawa / Mushizaki
• Participation fee：
  FREE