Shuri Castle Park (free admission area) in Naha, Okinawa will host the "Shuri Castle Main Hall Completion Commemorative Karate Demonstration: Okinawa Karate and French Cultural Exchange" on Saturday, November 7, 2026. The event is organized by Okinawa Prefecture.
In 2019, both Shuri Castle in Okinawa and Notre-Dame Cathedral in France suffered major fires. Prompted by the monument exhibition at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, a new cultural exchange with France is beginning in Okinawa, the birthplace of karate.
In addition to the karate demonstrations, Part 2 features live performances of chanson and Okinawan folk-pop, as well as a Ryukyuan dance stage. The program is designed to be enjoyed not only by karate fans but also by families and sightseeing visitors.
On the following day, Sunday, November 8, the Reiwa 8 (2026) "Karate Day" Commemorative Demonstration Festival will take place on Kokusai-dori Street in Naha.
Event Overview
| Name | Shuri Castle Main Hall Completion Commemorative Karate Demonstration: Okinawa Karate and French Cultural Exchange |
| Date and Time | Saturday, November 7, 2026, 2:30 PM to 5:40 PM |
| Venue | Shuri Castle Park (free admission area). Part 1: Lawn Plaza in front of Shurimorikan (首里杜館). Part 2: Shimo-no-Otei (下之御庭) |
| Admission | Free |
| Organizer | Okinawa Prefecture |
| Cooperation | Okinawa France Association (沖縄フランス協会) |
| Operation | General Incorporated Association Okinawa Traditional Karate-do Promotion Association (一般社団法人沖縄伝統空手道振興会) |
| In Case of Bad Weather | Please check the official website for the decision on whether the event will be held. |
| Official Website | https://karate-event.jp/shurijo-karate-2026/ |
Schedule of the two-day Karate Day commemorative events (November 7 and 8)
Four Highlights of the Shuri Castle Demonstration
1. The 50th Restoration Prayer Demonstration
Starting the month after the main hall of Shuri Castle was destroyed by fire, the "Shuri Castle Restoration Prayer Karate and Kobudo Demonstration" has been held continuously across the boundaries of different karate styles. This year, when the main hall is completed, it marks the 50th event.
2. Okinawa Karate and France: An Evening of Cultural Exchange, With Music and Dance Stages
Part 2 offers plenty to see beyond karate. French-born Naha Tourism Ambassador ジリ・ヴァンソン serves as MC, and soprano 宮平真希子 and others perform the opera aria "Je veux vivre" and the chanson "Hymne à l'amour." 田福真美 and others perform Okinawan folk-pop numbers such as "Asadoya Yunta" and "Dynamic Ryukyu" live. At 4:27 PM, all performers are scheduled to sing "Aux Champs-Élysées" together. The Ryukyuan dances "Yotsudake" and "Bu no Mai" follow on stage. In the second half, dojo from around the prefecture give group demonstrations, with children who will carry karate into the future showing the results of their daily training. A group demonstration by French karate practitioners (ワールド王修会 France branch) will also be presented.
3. Special Demonstration by Eight Intangible Cultural Property Holders
Eight holders of the Okinawa Prefecture-designated Intangible Cultural Property "Okinawa Karate and Kobujutsu" (島袋春吉, 池宮城政明, 仲里稔, 久場良男, 嘉数嘉昌, 八木明達, 平良慶孝, 照屋幸榮) will give a special demonstration.
4. Tile Breaking, a VR Experience, and a Panel Exhibition Held at the Same Time
On November 7, a tile-breaking experience and a karate VR corner will be set up, and 琉空太郎 will appear on stage. The panel exhibition is held at Shurimorikan from Saturday, November 7 to Sunday, November 15.
Part 1: The 50th Shuri Castle Restoration Prayer Karate and Kobudo Demonstration
2:30 PM to 3:30 PM | Lawn Plaza in front of Shurimorikan
| Time | Program | Performers |
|---|---|---|
| 2:30 PM | Opening | MC: よっしゃあ金城 (comedian / Kunigami Village tourism ambassador) |
| 2:32 PM | Greetings | 上間建, Director of 小林流守武館, （一社）首里空手古武道保存会 |
| 2:35 PM | Shuri Castle Restoration Prayer Karate and Kobudo Demonstration | 鳥堀創作芸能団 (opening performance) / Okinawa Shogaku High School / 小林流守武館, （一社）首里空手古武道保存会 / JICA Okinawa trainees from Latin American Nikkei communities / 琉球古武道琉棍会守道館総本部道場 (performance order not fixed) |
| 3:05 PM | Stage changeover and break | - |
| 3:10 PM | 琉空太郎 stage and tile-breaking experience | 琉空太郎, よっしゃあ金城 (the tile-breaking experience will also be held outside the program) |
| 3:30 PM | Closing and introduction to Part 2 | - |
Part 2: An Evening of Okinawa Karate and French Cultural Exchange
4:00 PM to 5:40 PM | Shimo-no-Otei (下之御庭)
A stage where visitors can enjoy live chanson and Okinawan folk-pop, Ryukyuan dance, and karate demonstrations all at once.
| Time | Program | Performers |
|---|---|---|
| 4:00 PM | Opening | MC: ジリ・ヴァンソン (French-born actor and multi-talent / Naha Tourism Ambassador). Opening remarks: 岩崎セツ子, President of the Okinawa France Association |
| 4:05 PM | Classical / chanson: "Je veux vivre" (from the opera "Romeo and Juliet"), "Amazing Grace," "Hymne à l'amour" | 宮平真希子 (soprano), 樋渡かおり (alto, grand harp), ジリ・ヴァンソン |
| 4:19 PM | Okinawan folk-pop: "Asadoya Yunta," "Dynamic Ryukyu" | 田福真美 (vocals, sanshin), 仲地美音 (taiko drum, chorus), HOMARE (guitar) |
| 4:27 PM | Chanson "Aux Champs-Élysées" | Sung together by all performers |
| 4:43 PM | Ryukyuan dance "Yotsudake" and "Bu no Mai" | "Yotsudake": 金城麻美, 伊野波昭乃, 宮里香澄. "Bu no Mai": 比嘉清子, 伊佐幸子. Vocals and sanshin: 名城一幸, 喜納吏一. Flute and taiko drum: 平良大 |
| 4:53 PM | Organizer's greeting | Okinawa Governor 古謝玄太 |
| 4:56 PM | Group demonstration by groups affiliated with the （一社）沖縄伝統空手道振興会 | 全沖縄空手道連盟 上地流空手道協会 上地流豊見城修武館 / 沖縄空手・古武道連盟 国際明武舘剛柔流空手道連盟総本部 八木道場 / 沖縄県空手道連合会 沖縄空手道小林流武徳館協会 太悟道場 / （一社）沖縄県空手道連盟 沖縄船越少林流空手・古武道協会 清流館 |
| 5:08 PM | Activity report and demonstration for the 50th Shuri Castle Restoration Prayer Karate and Kobudo Demonstration | 小林流守武館 (joined by Master 照屋雅浩, former top commander at the Shuri Castle fire scene) |
| 5:12 PM | Group demonstration by French karate practitioners | ワールド王修会 France branch |
| 5:16 PM | Special demonstration by holders of the Okinawa Prefecture-designated Intangible Cultural Property "Okinawa Karate and Kobujutsu" | 島袋春吉, 池宮城政明, 仲里稔, 久場良男, 嘉数嘉昌, 八木明達, 平良慶孝, 照屋幸榮 |
| 5:40 PM | Closing | - |
The program, times, and performers are subject to change. Please check the official website for the latest information.
Concurrent Events
| Event | Venue | Date and Time |
|---|---|---|
| Panel exhibition | Shurimorikan, Basement 1st Floor, Guidance Hall | Saturday, November 7 to Sunday, November 15 |
| Tile-breaking experience | Lawn Plaza in front of Shurimorikan (shaded area) | Saturday, November 7, 12:30 PM to 3:45 PM (planned), except 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM |
| VR experience corner | Shurimorikan, 1st Floor, Review Hall | Saturday, November 7, 12:30 PM to 3:45 PM (planned), except 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM |
The panel exhibition covers the following topics: the popularization and awareness of Okinawa karate; the history of karate and Shuri Castle; the Osaka-Kansai Expo legacy "Island of Recovery: Notre-Dame Cathedral and Shuri Castle"; and the exchange between the Naha City Fire Department and the Paris Fire Brigade.
Free Shuttle Buses
Free shuttle buses connecting Tedako-Uranishi Station (てだこ浦西駅), Shuri Station (首里駅), and Shuri Castle Park are planned to run at intervals of about 15 minutes (except at some times). Details such as operating hours are available on the official website.
Event poster
The Next Day, Sunday, November 8: Reiwa 8 "Karate Day" Commemorative Demonstration Festival
Karate practitioners from different styles and groups will gather on Kokusai-dori Street for mass demonstrations of Fukyugata I, II, and III (普及型Ⅰ・Ⅱ・Ⅲ) and group demonstrations. The festival ends with 50 seiken punches (正拳50本突き) in a prayer for world peace.
| Date and Time | Sunday, November 8, 2026, 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM |
| Venue | Kokusai-dori Street, Naha (from in front of Palette Kumoji to in front of Tenbusu Naha), and the plaza in front of Tenbusu Naha |
| Program | Opening ceremony / Mass demonstration of Fukyugata I, II, and III / Group demonstrations / Closing ceremony and prayer for world peace (50 seiken punches) |
| Live Streaming | Planned on the official YouTube channel |
| Organizers | Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawa Prefectural Assembly, General Incorporated Association Okinawa Traditional Karate-do Promotion Association |
| In Case of Bad Weather | If the event is canceled due to bad weather, an announcement will be made on the official website at 5:00 PM on Saturday, November 7, or 8:00 AM on Sunday, November 8. |
| Official Website | https://karate-event.jp/memorial-demonstration/ |
