IIAI AAI 2025 Special Website

Banquet at Takami Shrine

Experience a Traditional Japanese Summer Festival

The IIAI AAI 2025 banquet will take place at Takami Shrine, a historic location closely tied to the city of Kitakyushu. This special evening will recreate the atmosphere of a Japanese summer festival, offering a relaxed and memorable cultural experience. A highlight of the night will be a performance by the Koyanose Shukuba Odori Preservation Society, designated as an Intangible Cultural Asset of Fukuoka Prefecture. Participants will not only enjoy a live Bon Odori demonstration, but also have the opportunity to learn the dance and join a light-hearted contest. The event will also feature a selection of local food served from food trucks, along with a tasting corner for Kyushu’s regional sake and craft beer. Enjoy traditional rhythms, flavors of the region, and the festive spirit of summer in Japan—all in one evening.

Takami Shrine

Guardian of Japan’s Modernization and Spirit of Craftsmanship

Takami Shrine stands as a spiritual guardian of the Yawata Steel Works—the first government-run steelworks in Japan—and has long been revered as the “god of craftsmanship.” As Japan embarked on its journey of modernization, the shrine offered protection and blessings to those engaged in manufacturing and heavy industry. Even today, it continues to watch over workers and their families from steel plants and related industries, earning deep respect as a deity of safety and prosperity. Set amid the natural beauty of the Takami district, the shrine offers breathtaking scenery in every season. One of its most distinctive traditions is the distribution of special protective amulets made using steel from the Yawata Works—drawing visitors from across the country. During the banquet, the head priest of Takami Shrine will deliver a special talk, sharing the shrine’s history and introducing the principles of Shinto, Japan’s indigenous spiritual tradition.

Takami Shrine Official Website (Japanese)

Koyanose Bon Odori Preservation Society

The Koyanose Bon Odori Preservation Society is dedicated to passing down the Koyanose Bon Odori—also known locally as the Shukuba Odori—which has been preserved for over 300 years. The group actively promotes the tradition by teaching the dance to younger generations, including children. Bon Odori originated as a ritual to honor and console the spirits of the deceased. In this region, the original custom is still alive: every summer, dancers visit the homes of families who have lost loved ones in the past year, performing the dance outside in gardens or on streets to pay their respects. According to local tradition, the Koyanose Bon Odori began during the Edo period, when highways and post towns were being developed, and pilgrimages to the Ise Grand Shrine—Japan’s most sacred Shinto shrine—became popular. It is said that travelers from Koyanose witnessed a Bon dance during a visit to Ise and brought it back to their hometown.

Koyanose Bon Odori Preservation Society Official Website (Japanese)

Move to Takami Shrine

Buses will be operating between the Kitakyushu International Conference Center and Takami Shrine.