About the artwork

Earth Sports Festival is a comprehensive art event that invites participation from local residents, children, supporters, and artists from various nationalities, regions, generations, and genres. We are seeking participants for both the event day and the preparatory workshops. Many international guests are expected to join, so please come and join!
*Registration has been closed due to reaching the maximum number of participants. Please note that this event requires advance registration and cannot be attended on the day of the event. (As of September 2, 2024)

■ Programme for Saturday 7 September 2024 (tbc)
11:00～　Opening Parade, Opening Ceremony, Warm-up Exercises
11:30～12:30　Three Events, including Ball Toss and Onigiri Rolling
12:30～13:30　Lunch break (Onigiri)
13:30～14:30　Three Events, including Relay Race and Tug-of-War
14:30～14:45　Closing Ceremony　

*Please note that the events are currently being planned and may be subject to change.
*In case of severe weather (heavy rain, typhoon, lightning), the event will be cancelled. A notice will be posted on this page at 6:00 AM on the day of the event.
*In case of rain, the event will proceed outdoors.
*No refunds will be issued in the event of cancellation.
*Meeting times and locations will vary depending on how you participate.Please see below for details.

《How to participate》
■ Participate in the Earth Sports Festival only (7 Sep)
【Capacity】75 (first-come, first-served)
【Fees】Adult JPY1,500, Primary and Junior High School students JPY1,000, Preschool children JPY500
（Fees include participation, insurance, and onigiri)
【Meeting place】Parking Lot of Matsudai Branch Office ※ You may park your own car here.
【Registration time】9:30～10:00
Please register and take the shuttle bus to NUNAGAWA Campus. Please do not go directly to NUNAGAWA Campus.
※ If you can come directly to NUNAGAWA Campus on foot or other means other than driving, please indicate so on the application form.
【How to apply】
① On-line：Peatix (Booking open from Sat 19 June)
② On site：Please fill out the form here and submit it to Museum on Echigo-Tsumari (MonET) (※ temporary closed from 2 to 12 July) or Matsudai Nohbutai (opening hours 10:00 – 17:00, closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)

■ Pre-event programm（tbc）
We will hold workshops to create decorations and tools for the Earth Sports Festival and practice cheer songs. Please join us if you can.

【Venue】NUNAGAWA Campus
※ Scheduled for around August. Details will be communicated once finalized.

Organiser: Earth Sports Festival Executive Committee
Chairperson: Tamesue Dai (Japanese national record holder for 400m hurdles)
Advisors: Sekiguchi Yoshifumi (Chairman of Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Executive Committee/Mayor of Tokamachi-city), Kitagawa Fram (General Director),
Executive committee: Abe Toshiki (Representative, Ridilover Inc.), Kamei Maki (Executive Committee, Refugee & Migrant Festival), Kurakake Junichi (Artist, Principal of NUNAGAWA Campus), Hara Mitsu (Secretary General, NPO Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Collaborative Organisation)

■ Why Earth Sports Festival?

We are pleased to announce that on Saturday 7 September, the “Earth Sports Festival” will be held as part of the 9th iteration of Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale. This event will be a highlight of the art festival, bringing together a diverse array of participants, including local residents, children, supporters, artists, and people from different nationalities, regions, generations, and genres.

The Sports Festival (or “undookai”), a unique Japanese tradition, involves not only schoolchildren and their parents but also local elders, preschoolers, and everyone in the community. It features competitive events such as tug-of-war and ball-toss games, cheering contests, music performances during the breaks, spirited announcements to encourage the participants, colourful scoreboards, a picnic atmosphere with lunchboxes in the spectator area, and a relay race with representatives from different generations.

The Earth Sports Festival promises to be a unique event engaging all five senses, showcasing the essence of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale through a blend of sports, dance, music, art, and culinary delights. It will also serve as a grand gathering for foreign workers and refugees living in Japan, their supporters, economically disadvantaged children, disaster survivors, people with disabilities and their caregivers, local residents, and supporters.

The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, founded on the principle that “human beings are part of nature” is a project that has explored the relationship between people and nature for over a quarter of a century. The fact that 8 billion individuals live simultaneously on this planet is the precious reality we consider the essence of art. Every place is the centre of the world, and it is this philosophy that allows communities to shine—this is the motto of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale.

We invite you to join us for the Earth Sports Festival, where people from different backgrounds can spend a joyous day together, getting to know each other and forming closer bonds. Come and be a part of this diverse and collaborative celebration.

(Kitagawa Fram, General Director, Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale)