France Tour 2025
"UMUI - Guardians Of Traditions"

Performance Dates & Locations (2025) 

• March 6: France (Paris) / Émile Guimet (Musée Guimet) (Local Presenter: Musée Guimet)

• March 8: France (Montpellier) / Utopia Borderouge Montpellier (Local Presenter: CRICAO)

• March 12: France (Montrésor) / CINEMA LES VARIETES (Local Presenter: CRICAO)

• March 13: France (Toulouse) / Utopia Borderouge Toulouse (Local Presenter: CRICAO)

• March 14: France (Paris) / Espace Culturel Bertin Poirée Paris (Local Presenter: CRICAO)

Cast & Crew

[Performers]

• Ruki Nakahara (Ryukyuan Dance) 

• Fuka Takazato (Ryukyuan Dance) 

• Takuya Shimabukuro (Eisa & Shishimai) 

• Fumiya Iha (Eisa & Shishimai) 

[Staff]

• Tomoya Ogoshi (Producer) 

• Daniel López (Film direction and staging) 

• Yu Zakimi (Live Camera )

• Chotaro Owan (Photography)

[Support & Cooperation ]

• The Japan Foundation、CRICAO (Toulouse, France), Ginoza Village Garaman Hall, Ginoza Village Culture Promotion Committee

Film & Live Performance: UMUI - Guardians of Traditions 

We participated in the 23rd Nippon Connection Film Festival held in Frankfurt, Germany.

Our documentary film, UMUI - Guardians of Traditions (75 min, 2022), was nominated and screened at the festival. On a separate day and at a different venue, we also presented a powerful live stage performance showcasing traditional Okinawan performing arts, including Ryukyuan dance, Eisa, and Shishimai (lion dance).

Born in Okinawa—a group of islands in southern Japan—and specifically from a small village of only 6,000 people in the northern part of the main island, this film and stage production successfully delivered the rich charm of Okinawa's traditional performing arts directly to German audiences through this international endeavor.

To bring this unique, multidisciplinary Okinawan stage experience to life, a team of seven performers and staff members traveled to Frankfurt.

Performance Dates & Locations (2023)

• June 8, — Film Screening & Talk

  • Venue: NAXOS Cinema (Frankfurt)

  • German premiere of the film "UMUI" in the presence of director Daniel López and producer Tomoya Ogoshi.
    
    

• June 9, — Live Performance: Lion Dance From Okinawa

  • Venue: Internationales Theater Frankfurt

  • A 60-minute live showcase featuring authentic Shishimai (lion dance), Ryukyuan dance, and Eisa accompanied by vibrant, energetic music.

Cast & Crew

[Performers]

• Takuya Shimabukuro (Eisa & Shishimai)

• Naofumi Urasaki (Eisa & Shishimai)

• Kozue Miyagi (Ryukyuan Dance)

• Iroha Nakachi (Ryukyuan Dance)
  
  

[Director & Producer]

• Daniel López (Staging & Film Director)

• Tomoya Ogoshi (Producer / Technical Staff)
  
  

[Staff]

• Yu Zakimi (Live Camera)