Tomoko Uehara, lead female vocalist for Rinken Band

What better way to begin this year’s coverage of the 25th Annual Okinawan Festival, which took place from August 30 to September 2, 2007, than to talk about Saturday evening’s FREE concert performance by the Rinken Band. For those not familiar with this very popular group direct from the motherland, Rinken Band blends traditional Okinawan folk music with modern pop and rock influences, along with a dynamically percussive, mostly upbeat stage performance.

Their show started at 8pm on Saturday evening following the usual Bon Dance on an exclusively-built concert stage in the middle of Kapiolani Park, just outside the fence to the Waikiki Shell, with Diamond Head crater as a backdrop. The sound and lighting was superb, and it also included 2 large projection screens so folks could zoom in on each performer.

Speaking of performers, the 3 other male frontmen really got the crowd pumped by their energy!…

I can’t pinpoint the songs, as I don’t own any Rinken Band albums, but let’s just say the live show was something to behold, and those who were lucky enough to see it, including yours truly, probably sure were glad not to have missed it. It was just awesome in every way. The crowd, compiled of everyone from 2 to 80, kept a steady clap throughout the show, and during the final 5 or so songs, the younger folks got in front of the stage and danced the night away, getting the band even more pumped! We even learned how to say “Hanahou!” which means “One more time!” in Hawaiian in Okinawan. The term is “Ma-Ti-Che”. Not sure on the spelling, but it’s pronouced “Mah-Tee-Shay”. So next time you’re at an Okinawan event and you want an encore, say that!

Here’s the entire Rinken Band on stage…

You can’t see the drummer in this shot, but we were told this young fellah’ was only 10 years old, yet he could sure lay down the beat… he was rockin’!

During the final two encore songs, it began to drizzle, then drizzle a bit heavier, almost as if the band brought on a blessing to everyone there. It was that kind of chicken skin feeling you felt watching them perform. If you ever hear of this group coming to your neck of the woods, consider seeing them. Highly recommended. Sugoi Tanushitakatta… that was a lot of fun!

Wind back the clock to 1:30pm that same day, and here we are at the same stage…

Daimond Head crater for a backdrop. Nice!

The two open frames on the sides are where the projections screens will go later in the evening…

As you can see, it was clear blue skies, sunny and HOT!…

Not to mention crowded, yet controlled enough that I didn’t have to wait too long in line for anything…

All the Okinawan grocery foods could be found under one tent…

The keiki were kept busy with plenty of bouncers to choose along the Diamond Head end of the tent booths…

Other kids enjoyed the Andagi Dunk game just to cool off…

All of the performances scheduled throughout the 2 days at the park this year were held on that new concert stage, which relegated the Kapiolani Band Stage as a place for folks to get some shade and a place to sit..

Which brings us back to the food. All the usual suspects were in attendance, this time with me getting to try a a bowl of the ever-popular Okinawan Pig’s Feet Soup!…

Okinawan Pig’s Feet Soup, 28 scrips ($7)
Oh my, this is GOOD stuff, having an almost medicinal quality to it; like kicking chicken noodle soup up a notch. lol It has a strong ginger flavor that compliments the deep and “porky” pig’s feet broth. There was also generous cuts of fatty pig’s feet in it, while kept in balanced by the large cuts of daikon, mustard cabbage, kubo (konbu/seaweed) and celery.

Here they are preparing bowls, sans broth, for service…

So everything doesn’t get soggy, the broth isn’t added until you make an order. It’s served with a small plate of rice and minced fresh ginger as a condiment.

Anyhow, don’t let the name scare you, just try it… buggah stay ono!

My niece ordered the Yaki Soba plate…

Okinawan Yaki Soba, 28 scrips ($7)

The noodles were a bit soggy, but otherwise the combination of flavors and textures from the luncheon meat, ginger, carrots, green onion and seasoning was delicious (I sampled a bit).

Volunteers stationed at multiple woks cook up crowd-pleasing portions of Yaki Soba…

While volunteers at another tent prepare plain Okinawan Soba noodles, which will be used in a soup-style preparation…

Due to the scorching hot sun, one of the longer lines while I was there was at the shave ice tent…

Here’s the Okinawan Plate…

Okinawan Plate: Champuru (the cabbage and agedofu mixture), Shoyu Pork (Rafute), Rice and Andamisu (pork and miso condiment), 28 scrips ($7)

I also grabbed a few Andadogs to go (gotta’!)…

Okinawan Andadog, 5 scrips ($1.25) each

A note on the prices, just about everything went up this year, including most of the main entree items, which were $1 higher than last year.

From the looks of the crowd, which was estimated around 75,000 over the course of all three days, and the line-up of performances and demonstrations, including that fantastic Rinken Band concert, this year’s 25th Annual Okinawan Festival appeared to be the biggest ever and a total success. Here’s to generations ahead for this wonderful cultural event… Kanpai!