The eight, chosen from over 60 members to represent Saipan, joined the Tokyo Tensuiren Group at Koenji’s main streets on Aug. 29 along with over 70 other groups from all over Japan.
The event, the second biggest Awaodori event in Japan next to the festival in Tokushima, drew hundreds of thousands of people and was covered by major media outlets all over the country.
The Saipan Awaodori Team joined the Tokyo Tensuiren group during the second day of the festival.
Ithyvin They, a 5th grader at Koblerville Elementary School, said he was very happy to be part of the group.
“I liked going to Disneyland but I liked the dancing part with the Tokyo Tensuiren group most of all,” They said.
His sister Thyvie Ann said it was not easy dancing with professionals but it was fun. Thyvie Ann will be fourth grade at Koblerville Elementary School.
For Virginia Imperial, who will be in 5th grade at Koblerville Elementary School, and Codi Litulumar, who will also be a 5th grader at William S. Reyes Elementary School, the trip was unforgettable.
“I had so much fun dancing on the streets at the festival and I loved Disneyland,” Imperial said.
Elisa Lazaro, who will be in 7th grade at Hopwood Junior High School, and Ronald Peter Fitipol, who will be in 5th grade at WSR, said the trip was so much fun.
They said the dancing part was not that hard because they had been practicing on Saipan for the past years.
Jinky Kintaro, the group leader, said that it was not easy to dance with the Japanese group at the actual festival.
“They have more practice but we were happy they let us join them,” she said.
Norihiko Iwanami, the leader of the Tokyo Tensuiren Group, said “the Saipan team is good at what they are doing.”
“I saw their effort and the hard practice that they put into their performances, and I have no difficulty in merging them with the group,” Iwanami told the Variety.
Aside from sampling Japan’s popular cuisines in various restaurants, the group paid a courtesy visit to the Marianas Visitors Authority office in Tokyo, toured the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the Asakusa Nakamise, one of the oldest shopping centers in Japan, and the Asakusa Kannon Temple and spent a whole day at the Tokyo Disneyland enjoying all the rides, parades and various entertainment courtesy of the Tokyo Edogawahigashi Lions Club which donated almost a thousand dollars worth of entrance tickets for the group.
Paseo De Marianas Promoters Inc. directors Misako Kamata and Hideaki Sawada of Furusato Restaurant, who accompanied the team to Japan, extended their appreciation and thanks to all the parents and members of the community who supported the group and made its participation in the festival possible.
The group left Saipan on Aug. 26 and returned on Sept. 2.
