From Saturday, August 5th to Saturday, August 19th, traditional performing arts from Sanriku and Asia will converge in the Sanriku coastal region (Ofunato City, Iwate Prefecture; Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture).

The "Sanriku International Arts Festival: From Activities to Art" will be held.

The Sanriku coastal region is an area devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.

Much was swept away by the tsunami.

Yet, the Sanriku coast is a treasure trove of performing arts, unparalleled in the world, with some 2,000 local traditions such as lion dances and kagura. The bonds of community, nurtured by these arts, have supported the region's recovery.

This arts festival aims to "showcase the charm of local performing arts," which have been passed down through generations in the Sanriku region, and to foster "exchange with global performing arts." Six years after the earthquake, it will create a space that evokes a new beginning, with young people and women gathering for a "town reopening."

The area around Ofunato Station, the main venue, is a district where permanent shopping streets and community spaces have finally been established this spring.

Through performing arts and art, the "town reopening" will be celebrated by the entire community.