Iruma City’s Autumn Cultural Festival to be held at 12 buildings over three weeks, with a total of 10,000 participants
Iruma City Press Release: October 29, 2025 Iruma City’s Autumn Cultural Festival will be held at 12 buildings over three weeks, with a total of 10,000 people expected to
participate. ~Local cultural festival with residents at the center, a place for intergenerational interaction~ In Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture, the “2025 District Cultural Festival” will be held sequentially from October 31st to November 16th at 12 district centers (community centers) and branch centers in the city. Community groups and local residents participating in community center activities at each center will showcase their hard work through art exhibitions, performances, and food stalls. This autumn tradition in Iruma City attracts a total of approximately 10,000 visitors annually. With the declining birthrate and aging population posing a challenge for the weakening of local communities, this cultural festival provides a valuable opportunity for residents to meet face-to-face and interact across generations. A community-based cultural festival where the individuality of each of the 12 buildings shines. Each district cultural festival is organized by a truly community-based executive committee made up of members of the district cultural association, local neighborhood association, and clubs and groups that normally operate at the center. Each district will hold a cultural festival that reflects its unique characteristics and themes.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/39058/175/39058-175-bca8d4c1aa35f13bdfae3f7fcabfe905-366×274.jpg Main features – Higashimachi: A performance by the junior high school brass band and an exhibition of elementary and junior high school students’ artwork will also be held at the same time. – Higashikaneko: A performance of local music by the Shinkyu Hayashi Preservation Society. – Kaneko: A stamp rally will be held for visitors to enjoy. ・Miyadera: Popular with children for free popcorn distribution and raffles ・Higashi-Fujisawa: Exhibition of posters created by local elementary school students In addition, each museum will exhibit works of art such as painting, calligraphy, knitting, and pottery, as well as a variety of performing arts performances such as folk songs, dance, karaoke, and hula dancing. Visitors’ comments These are some of the comments we hear from participants and visitors of the cultural festival. “There were lots of fun events, and both children and adults were smiling.” “The exhibition was wonderful, but what really impressed me was the stage performances and the audience, how much fun and lively they were.” A practical model for revitalizing local communities As community ties have become weaker in recent years, Iruma City’s cultural festival serves as a place for residents to build face-to-face relationships with each other. This initiative prevents social isolation by providing a “place” for seniors and those raising children, and promotes intergenerational exchange through exhibitions of elementary and junior high school students’ artwork and the preservation of traditional performing arts. It is also expected to foster future leaders in the arts and culture by providing a venue for citizens to engage in creative activities and present their work. In this age of increasing digitalization, these opportunities for face-to-face interaction are being reevaluated. Event overview 1. Event Period October 31 (Friday) – November 16 (Sunday), 2025 *Dates vary by venue 2. Hosting venues 12 venues in the city (district centers and branch libraries) Ogimachiya, Kubo Inari Branch, Kurosu, Takakura Branch, Higashimachi, Higashi Kaneko, Kaneko, Miyadera, Nihongi Branch, Fujisawa, Higashi Fujisawa, Seibu 3. Main Contents ・Silent Section: Exhibitions of paintings, calligraphy, knitting, pottery, and other works by elementary and junior high school students ・Active Section: Performing arts performances such as folk songs, dance, karaoke, hula dancing, and brass band music – Stall section: Mock stalls run by local residents 4. Expected number of visitors Approximately 10,000 people in total (last year’s results) 5. Admission fee Free 6. Other Parking is limited at each museum, so please cooperate by using public transportation, walking, or cycling when visiting. Thank you. For detailed schedules and content, please contact your local district center or visit the city’s official website. Please refer to the following. Interview Information Interview requests are accepted on the days when events are held at each district center. If you contact us in advance, we will arrange interviews with organizers and participants.
About Iruma City [From Sayama Tea Homeland to the World] Iruma City’s Vision of the Future as a “Well-being City” – A New Model for Spiritually Enriching Living, Weaving Traditional Tea Culture with Cutting-Edge Urban Development – About an hour by train from the Tokyo metropolitan area, the city is covered with lush tea fields, and the scenery changes with the seasons, leaving behind a nostalgic atmosphere. Iruma City is the northernmost commercial tea-producing region in Japan, and has been heavily involved in the development and branding of Sayama Tea. While cherishing its historic tea culture, the city is currently working to develop a city that incorporates diverse cultures and values.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/39058/175/39058-175-6a8923153cc7e6f9e027eb123f0b357e-1200×600.png A unique landscape of Iruma City, where tradition and diversity blend together In this area blessed with the natural beauty of the Kanto Plain, Sayama tea is carefully cultivated by tea farmers whose work has been passed down for generations. On the other hand, the city is home to “Johnson Town,” a redeveloped former U.S. military base site, and the large-scale commercial facility “Mitsui Outlet Park Iruma,” creating a townscape where tradition and modern elements blend in harmony. This diversity is one of Iruma City’s great charms. ������ “Well-being City Iruma”: A Challenge as an SDGs Future City In 2022, Iruma City was selected by the Cabinet Office as an “SDGs Future City.” Seizing this opportunity, the city has adopted the vision of “Well-being City Iruma, a city where people can experience health and happiness through co-creation of the future” and is promoting sustainable urban development that makes use of local resources. In October of the same year, the city enacted the nation’s first “Delicious Sayama Tea Love Ordinance,” in order to pass on the appeal of Sayama tea, a source of local pride, to future generations. Citizens, businesses, and the government are working together to preserve and revitalize local culture. ������ Project to Envision the “Original Landscape” of the Future “Creating and passing on the ‘original landscape of the future’ that enriches the soul.” With this in mind, Iruma City is promoting urban development that values connections between people and the region’s unique scenery and culture, even in times of rapid change. We hope that our efforts to think outside the box and envision the future together with citizens will continue to contribute to the realization of a better local community.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW2egzDwMXc ������ Highlights • The northernmost commercial tea-producing region in Japan, home to Sayama tea, with a 400-year history. • Sustainable urban development as an SDGs Future City (selected in 2022) • A diverse urban landscape where Sayama tea culture, American culture, and urban commerce coexist • “Iruma: A Well-Being City” Vision Created Together with Citizens • Promoting and preserving tea culture through the nation’s first “Delicious Sayama Tea Love Ordinance” ▼Click here for a proposal form for solving Iruma’s local issues from companies and other
organizations Iruma Future Co-Creation Lab
https://www.city.iruma.saitama.jp/gyosei_joho/purpose/10547.html Basic information ■ Iruma City Hall Address: 1-16-1 Toyooka, Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture Telephone: 04-2964-1111 (Main) 《Links》 Iruma City Official Website (https://www.city.iruma.saitama.jp/) X (old twitter) (https://twitter.com/_irumacity) YouTube
(https://www.youtube.com/c/irumacity)
LINE(https://line.me/R/ti/p/@irumacity) 【Contact for inquiries regarding this matter】 Business details: Board of Education, Social Education Division: Arai 1-16-1 Toyooka, Iruma City TEL: 04-2964-1111 (extension 4122/ir815000@city.iruma.lg.jp) Other: Planning Department, Secretarial and Public Relations Division: Nakamura, Toyama 1-16-1 Toyooka, Iruma City TEL: 04-2964-1111 (extension
3122/ir111000@city.iruma.lg.jp) For more information about this release automatically, so please do not reply.