The “Ihatov Festival 2023, 90 years after the death of Kenji Miyazawa” will be held at Miyazawa Kenji Fairy Tale Village in Hanamaki, Iwate, on August 26 (Sat) and 27 (Sun).
The “Ihatov Festival” started in 2013 with the support of director Isao Takahata, and has been held every year around August 27, the date of Kenji Miyazawa’s birth. It was created as a place to enjoy connecting with the world of Kenji Miyazawa’s works through talks, live performances, readings, and other performing arts, as well as video works, with the participation of a variety of guests, including creators and artists active in various fields who share a passion for Kenji Miyazawa’s works.
The first real event in four years, “Ihatov Festival 2023” will feature screenings of the films “Spirited Away” and “Weathering with You” live performances by three artists including Chris Hart, ACIDMAN, and Natsuko Nisshoku, a talk by Toshio Suzuki (producer and representative director of Studio Ghibli Inc.) and live performances and talks by former BiSH members SentoChihiro Chichi and Naoki Wada (CEO / Creative Director of LAND Co., Ltd.) are scheduled. Also, on both days, a musical play will be performed at the opening by mainly children members of groups belonging to the Hanamaki City Arts Association.
