"Iwakubi Dangisho," the base for getting together, makes the most of the abandoned school building.

Iwakubi Dangisho, which is located in the Iwakubi district close to the center of the area on the Kosado coast (the Maehama area), is the hall for sharing new hands-on experiences, which makes the most of the abandoned school building of "ex-Iwakubi Elementary School" as the symbol of the district and as the base for getting together. Iwakubi Dangisho, whose charm is the warmth of a wooden school building, is visited throughout the year by a lot of people from on and outside of Sado Island. "Iwakubi Bamboo-lantern Gathering," which was started to prevent bamboo woods from eating into the terraced rice fields and to improve the deteriorating bamboo woods, has become a traditional summer event. The whole school building becomes enveloped in the light from bamboo lanterns, which creates a very dreamy atmosphere.

Certainly not to be missed are the terraced rice fields of the Iwakubi district!

The Iwakubi district has a hidden place of interest―the terraced rice fields―which cannot be seen from the Iwakubi village located on the coast. The terraced rice fields have slopes which are said to be the steepest on Sado Island. The scenery seen from the top of the fields is really superb. The place commands a complete view of the terraced rice fields, the Iwakubi village and the ocean. In addition, on a fine day you can also see Mt. Kakuda and Mt. Yahiko (Niigata Prefecture), the mountains in Honshu.

The big festival in a small village

"The Iwakubi Great Kumano Shrine Festival," which is held in mid-September every year, is said to have lasted as the local festival of Iwakuni for more than 300 years. Once there was a time when it was difficult to carry on the festival due to depopulation and aging, but sparked by the exchanges with "Kodo," the group of Japanese drum artists, some of the Kodo trainees began to take part in the festival about ten years ago. In addition, people who moved to Sado also began to participate. Now the festival is thronged with people, to such an extent that besides local people, many people gather from outside of the district. On this day people are in the swing of things all day long throughout the streets in the village which is usually quiet. No one can resist gazing at the performing arts unique to the Iwakubi district such as Oni-uchi (Demon Drum Beating), or Oni-daiko (Demon Drum Dance), and Ojishi (Big Lion Dance).