Little World Open-Air Folk Museum in Inuyama, Aichi is holding the "Shurijo Castle Main Hall Completion Commemorative Event" (supported by the Okinawa Prefecture Nagoya Information Center, 沖縄県名古屋情報センター) for three days, from Saturday, November 21 to Monday, November 23 (national holiday), 2026.
The main hall (Seiden) of Shurijo Castle, which has been under reconstruction since the fire in October 2019, will hold its completion ceremony on Sunday, November 22, 2026, and open to the public (begin service) the next day, Monday, November 23 (national holiday). At Little World, the walls of the Okinawan restaurant Mensore (めんそーれ) use genuine red tiles (sengawara, 磚瓦) from the Shurijo Castle main hall that miraculously survived the 2019 fire, and the museum has shared Okinawan culture with hopes for the castle's restoration.
To mark the main hall's completion, Eisa, a traditional performing art, will be performed every day, and a giveaway of Sata Andagi, an auspicious Okinawan treat, will be held. On November 23 (Mon, holiday), singer Rimi Natsukawa, an Inuyama Tourism Ambassador (犬山観光特使) from Ishigaki Island, will give a special stage performance, and on November 21 (Sat) and 22 (Sun), a workshop using Modama from Ishigaki Island will be held. From Inuyama, Aichi, far from Okinawa, the event celebrates the completion of the main hall while introducing the appeal of Okinawa, including its history and culture.
1. Eisa Performances
Drummers dance while beating large and small drums, accompanied by the "jikata" (地方) musicians, who set the tempo with sanshin and song. White-faced "Chondara" (チョンダラー) performers lead the procession while drawing the audience in. The resonance of the drums and the sense of unity across the venue are the highlights.
Dates: November 21 (Sat) to 23 (Mon, holiday)
Location: Main Building Plaza (本館プラザ)
Showtimes: ① 10:30 AM ② 2:30 PM
Performers: Aichi Eisa Council (愛知エイサー協議会)
2. Rimi Natsukawa Special Stage
Rimi Natsukawa, a singer from Ishigaki Island who serves as an Inuyama Tourism Ambassador, will take the stage. Along with hit songs such as "Nada Sou Sou" (涙そうそう) and "Shimanchu nu Takara" (島人ぬ宝), she will perform "Asadoya Yunta" (安里屋ユンタ) together with the Aichi Eisa Council. Her clear voice and the beat of the drums are expected to bring the feel of an Okinawan breeze.
Date: November 23 (Mon, holiday)
Location: Main Building Plaza (本館プラザ)
Showtimes: ① 11:00 AM ② 3:00 PM
About Rimi Natsukawa
Rimi Natsukawa made her debut in 1999. Her big hit "Nada Sou Sou" brought her five consecutive appearances at NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen and several awards at the Japan Record Awards. She has been active internationally, with successful tours in Asia and South America and collaborations with overseas artists. She marked her 25th debut anniversary in 2024 and continues to tour nationwide. In September 2026, she was appointed Inuyama Tourism Ambassador.
3. Sata Andagi Giveaway
During the event, for every order of Sata Andagi (3 pieces, ¥500) purchased at the Okinawan restaurant Mensore (めんそーれ), one brown sugar Sata Andagi is given as a gift.
Dates: November 21 (Sat) to 23 (Mon, holiday)
Location: Mensore (めんそーれ)
Limited to the first 100 gifts each day. The giveaway ends when they run out.
About Sata Andagi
Sata Andagi is a traditional Okinawan fried confection made by kneading sugar, eggs, and flour and deep-frying the dough. The surface cracks open as it fries, and the shape looks like a smile, so it is regarded as an auspicious treat essential to celebrations.
4. Modama Accessory Workshop
An original craft experience using Modama, a legume plant said to bring happiness and one of the largest of its kind in Japan.
Dates: November 21 (Sat) and 22 (Sun)
Location: Ishigaki Island House, Okinawa Prefecture (沖縄県 石垣島の家)
Fee: Scratch and paint experience from ¥1,000
Prices vary depending on the activity.
About Modama
Modama is a legume plant that also washes up on the shores of Okinawa. Its seeds, which cross the sea, are called "lucky beans" and have long been cherished in Okinawa as a good-luck charm. As a gift of nature, it is a popular material for craft experiences.
Little World and Its Ties to Okinawa
Little World displays a traditional house built in 1871 that was relocated and restored from Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture. In addition, the walls and wainscoting of Mensore (renovated in 2024), the restaurant in the museum's Okinawa area, use genuine sengawara (磚瓦) that miraculously survived the 2019 Shurijo Castle fire. Sengawara are the prestigious red tiles that were laid on the floor of the Shurijo Castle main hall and elsewhere. They were incorporated into the museum's building as a symbol of keeping the memory of the fire alive and passing Okinawa's history and culture on to the future, and in hope of the main hall's restoration being completed in autumn 2026. The walls and shisa designs that carry the history and spirit of Shurijo Castle are worth a look.
For more information, visit the Little World official website.
Separate museum admission is required. All prices include tax. All events may change depending on weather or circumstances.
