Earth Celebration » News

Announcing Temporary Money Exchange Counter

Mon, 17 Aug 2015 15:45:27 +0000

During Earth Celebration, a temporary Money Exchange Counter will be available, operated by Daishi Bank.

Dates & Time	Aug. 21 (Fri) & 22 (Sat) 10:00—16:00
Location	Daishi Bank Ogi ATM Counter
Currency	They exchange cash notes from US Dollar, Euro, and UK Pound to Japanese Yen.
Amount Limit	Maximum amount of exchange is equivalent to 5,000 currency unit per person: US$5,000, 5,000Euro, 5,000Pound
Identification	Please show your passport for identification.
Note	・The Exchange Counter will only accept paper notes; no coins. ・You cannot exchange a portion of note amount. (ex. You may not exchange a $100 note to $60 dollars in Japanese Yen and $40 dollar in change. ・The Exchange Counter cannot break Japanese Yen to small bills and coins.

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Purchasing Day-of Tickets：Atsushi Sugano（Earth Celebration General Producer ）

Sun, 16 Aug 2015 23:00:10 +0000

It’s now less than one week until Earth Celebration 2015. Thanks to you, we’ve already exceeded ticket sales for previous years’ Shiroyama Concerts!

We are planning to release day-of tickets at 9:00AM each day; however depending on the capacity of the venues, we may need to restrict the number of day-of tickets that are made available. For audience members planning to attend performances, we understand that you may be concerned about the weather, but we urge you to purchase advance tickets to secure your seats.

We look forward to seeing everyone this year!

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(日本語) アース・セレブレーションツアーのご紹介

Mon, 10 Aug 2015 06:55:09 +0000

Sorry, this entry is only available in 日本語.

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Announcing Special Jetfoil Service（Niigata Port—Ogi Port —Naoetsu Port）

Thu, 30 Jul 2015 00:30:27 +0000

In conjunction with Earth Celebration 2015, thee will be a special jetfoil route servicing Niigata Port — Ogi Port —Naoetsu Port . The jetfoil service enables guests to reach Ogi, the Earth Celebration main venue from Port Niigata in 1 hour and 20 minutes, and additionally services the very convenient roundtrip from Ogi to Naoetsu. Reservations will be taken beginning Saturday August 1 by phone.

Operating Days	Aug. 22 (Sat) and Aug. 23 (Sun)
Service Routes	（1）Niigata Port 8:15 departure　→　 Ogi Port　9:35 arrival （2）Ogi Port　10:05 departure　→　Naoetsu Port　11:15 arrival　（3）Naoetsu Port　12:45 departure　→　Ogi Port　13:55 arrival　（4）Ogi Port　14:20 departure　→　Niigata Port 　15:40 arrival
Capacity	Each jetfoil trip is limited to 250 passengers　＊Reservations will close when maximum capacity is reached. ＊If there are available seats on the day-of, passengers may board without a reservation.
Fare	Adult　4,980 yen　Child　2,490 yen　（includes fuel cost adjustment fees）＊Niigata Port—Ogi Port , Ogi Port —Naoetsu Port each constitutes one ride at this fare.
Reservations	Reservations will be taken beginning Aug. 1, 2015 by phone. ＊Reservations cannot be made on-line.　＊Passenger tickets cannot be purchased in advance.
Reservations and Information	Sado Kisen　Phone number: 0570-200310 Reservation line is open 9:30—18:00

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“Visit to Bali” Atsushi Sugano, EC General Producer

Thu, 23 Jul 2015 07:38:35 +0000

Leonard Eto, Kinu Watanabe of the Japan Foundation, Shimazaki (Chairman of Kodo Cultural Foundation) and I visited Bali, Indonesia in order to explore the potential for a collaborative performance at EC for the first time in 18 years and for future Kodo performances in Bali. For Leonard and myself, it was our first trip to Bali in 20 years, but the moment we felt the warm, humid air of the tropics, we were overcome by nostalgia, and everything felt at once familiar again. Our reunion with Suwentra, the leader of Suar Agung, also felt so natural that it was as if no time had passed at all. We spoke fondly of our memories together, and continued our recent conversations about this year’s performance at EC without reservation. The next day, we went to Nugara, the western region of Bali where their headquarters are. There, Leonard led rehearsals with Suar Agung, keeping in mind the vision of Mitsuru Ishizuka who would be directing the performance “Shukusai” to close EC. It was indeed a fruitful visit.

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The EC Charter Bus has reached its capacity

Tue, 21 Jul 2015 08:47:30 +0000

The Earth Celebration Charter Bus （Overnight bus from / to Tokyo）has reached its capacity. For those who made reservation, please note that the bus will be running as scheduled. For inquires, please contact:

Niigata Kotsu Sado, Crayon Sado

Tel. 0259-57-1116（Office Hours: 9:00 – 17:00）Fax.0259-52-3000
*Assistance available in Japanese only.

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Earth Celebration 2015 T-shirts Available Now!

Tue, 14 Jul 2015 05:55:38 +0000

We are pleased to announce the arrival of the Earth Celebration 2015 T-shirts! This year’s design is taken from the cover of the tabloid size flyer (with schedules and other information) in 8 different colors. Available for purchase now at the Kodo on-line store (in Japanese only), through mail order, and at the Sado Island Taiko Centre (Tatako-kan).

Since there are a finite number of shirts, color and size preferences may be limited. If there’s a shirt you like, don’t wait, buy now!

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About reservations for “Akane” Naoetsu-Ogi Route

Thu, 02 Jul 2015 03:30:13 +0000

All ticketed passengers on “Akane”, the new high-speed car ferry with service between Naoetsu and Ogi, will have seats on the ferry. Seats can be reserved two months in advance of departure date; reservations has already started for the period of Earth Celebration. On the day of departure, if there are any available seats, passengers may board without a reservation. However, due to the limited seats and to avoid confusion, we recommend reserving early.

For reservations in English, please call the Sado Ferry Reservation Centre at +81-(0)25-245-6122 (8:30~18:00).

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Fast Car Ferry “Akane” Launched Today!

Tue, 21 Apr 2015 14:30:06 +0000

The new fast car ferry “Akane” was launched today to run between Naoetsu Port on Honshu and Ogi Port on Sado Island. It replaced the former, slower car ferry and will bring you to Sado in just 1 hour & 40 minutes, with or without your car. We hope you will use this new, swift service when you come to Earth Celebration this year.

SADOKISEN

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A Predestined Reunion: Message from Atsushi Sugano, EC General Producer

Tue, 14 Apr 2015 14:25:06 +0000

Balinese jegog ensemble Suar Agung appeared at the Shiroyama Concerts in 1991 and again in 1997, for the 10th anniversary of EC. In 2015, eighteen years later, the unique sound of Suar Agung will echo throughout Shiroyama Park once again. Suar Agung means “Great Lights” in Balinese. The ensemble’s artistic director, Mr. I Ketut Suwentra, came across a tape recording of Jegog music at The Royal Tropical Institute in the Netherlands when he was a student in 1974. It contained Balinese music that was lost during the colonial period, so he used it to revive Balinese jegog music.

Recently Kodo has been using Balinese bamboo instruments, such as jegog and anklung, in its performances but the younger members have not had the opportunity to hear the true sound of these instruments. So we thought it would be a wonderful idea to invite Suar Agung to return to Earth Celebration, for a reunion with Kodo and to give Kodo’s younger generation the chance to learn and experience the real sound of these instruments firsthand. Leonard (Leo) Eto, who will also join us this year as a Shiroyama Concert guest artist, traveled to Bali with me in 1991 when he was a Kodo member so that we could meet Suar Agung in preparations for EC 1991. 2015 will also mark Leo’s first time to perform at EC in 18 years. After he left Kodo, Leo traveled to Europe with Suar Agung for his own project, “Mega Drums.” This year’s Earth Celebration feels like a predestined reunion on Sado Island with both of these great artists.

We are privileged to have hosted so many artists at Shiroyama Park over the past decades. Among those encounters, I can still physically remember the heavy bass sound of bamboo created by Suar Agung, which echoed out into the summer night in the natural Shiroyama amphitheater. Leo understands Suar Agung and their sound very well, so I am sure that under his guidance, the 2015 Shiroyama Concerts will be simply extraordinary.

参考資料(PDF 242kb)

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