Okinawa Zentō Eisā Festival

Eisā is Okinawa's version of an Obon dance — a way of sending ancestors off during the Bon season, performed to sanshin, taiko, and chanting.

This festival, held every year in Koza the first weekend after Obon, is where all of Okinawa's eisā groups converge to show off, and it's been running since 1956.

It unfolds over three nights: a street parade through Goya Crossroads on the first night, then two nights of performances at Koza Sports Park — first the local neighborhood groups, then everyone, from all over the island, on the final night.

If you only catch one Okinawan festival, this is a strong contender — the drumming alone carries for blocks, and the energy builds noticeably each night as more groups arrive.