Experiencing the Charms of Aogashima with the Aogashima Symposium, It was a Great Success
Aogashima is the southernmost island of the Izu Islands that's inhabited. Separated from the mainland, the people there developed a unique culture amongst a harsh natural environment. "Aogashima Kanju Taiko", participating in the Tokyo Treasure Islands Acceleration Program, held the Aogashima Symposium in Ginza to introduce the island's regional culture, which normally would be difficult to access and experience, to people from outside the island on February 12th, 2023.
In this symposium, specialists from each industry talked about Aogashima's natural environment and regional culture. Videos were also shown to the audience in order to show them the profound aspects of the island.
(The venue)
The symposium introduced the island's plantlife, myths, performance arts, food and the island's large variety of nature and culture. Videos that showed proprietors passing on how to make traditional foods such as imotsuki and shiokara were only available at the venue. Imotsuki is steamed taro that is crushed and mixed with boiled ashitaba. Shiokara is a traditional fermented food where fish slices are salted, fermented, and mixed with spices like red pepper. The videos showed what made the food of Aogashima so great with the Izu Islands Cinema Center in charge of the production of the videos. The venue also had a tasting corner for Aogashima's shochu, allowing visitors to the venue to enjoy the individual taste of each of the makers.
(Aogashima Shochu tasting corner)
Lastly, traditional song and dance from Hachijo Taiko and Aogashima Kanju Taiko were performed live for the audience. At the end of the symposium, visitors joined in a circle and started dancing themselves. It was quite an exciting day.
(Everyone got into a circle and started dancing)
The venue was filled to capacity. A YouTube live was available at the time and is now archived, allowing more people to watch and experience the event for themselves.
This symposium reaffirmed the value of regional culture and natural environments; it was an event that passes on such knowledge to the next generation. "Aogashima Kanju Taiko" hopes that events like these will further promote regional development by sharing ideas for the future of the island by introducing Aogashima's abundant natural environments and regional culture to a wider audience.
Aogashima is the southernmost island of the Izu Islands that's inhabited. Separated from the mainland, the people there developed a unique culture amongst a harsh natural environment. "Aogashima Kanju Taiko", participating in the Tokyo Treasure Islands Acceleration Program, held the Aogashima Symposium in Ginza to introduce the island's regional culture, which normally would be difficult to access and experience, to people from outside the island on February 12th, 2023.
In this symposium, specialists from each industry talked about Aogashima's natural environment and regional culture. Videos were also shown to the audience in order to show them the profound aspects of the island.