[Ocean Expo Park] July 19th Event: Marine Culture Lecture & Workshop "Ocean Culture Museum and Cultural Revival - Tattoos and Hajichi -"

Ocean Expo Park's Ocean Culture Museum will host the Marine Culture Lecture & Workshop "Ocean Culture Museum and Cultural Revival - Tattoos and Hajichi -" on July 19, Reiwa 8 (2026).

The Ocean Culture Museum was established in commemoration of the Okinawa International Ocean Exposition in 1975 (Showa 50). Since its opening, it has been engaged in the recording, preservation, and revival of traditional cultures passed down through generations, including shipbuilding techniques and traditional navigation methods from various regions.

This lecture will focus on tattoos in the Pacific region and "Hajichi," Okinawa's traditional tattooing custom. Participants will learn about the history and present state of tattoos and Hajichi while touring the museum's exhibits.

Additionally, the workshop will offer an experience of drawing Hajichi patterns on one's own hand using body paint pens.

Date and Time:

July 19, Reiwa 8 (2026) (Sun) 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Location:

Ocean Expo Park, Ocean Culture Museum, 2F Exchange Stage

Lecturer:

Hidenobu Itai (Ocean Expo Park Management Center)

Participation Fee:

Free (Admission fee required: 190 yen for high school students and above)

Capacity:

20 people (High school students and above. Same-day participation may be possible if there are available seats.)

Application:

Advance registration required by phone or email.

TEL: 0980-48-2741 / e-mail: [email protected]

"Ocean Expo Park"

A national park opened the year after the Okinawa International Ocean Exposition in 1975. Located in Okinawa, with its subtropical climate, this vast site embraced by the East China Sea is equipped with a diverse range of facilities that inherit the spirit and legacy of the exposition, which aimed for "The Sea - Its Desirable Future." Visitors can experience "Sun, Flowers, and the Sea" through encounters with numerous "authentic" exhibits. Among the world-class attractions not to be missed are the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, where you can experience the Okinawan sea in its entirety; the Ocean Culture Museum, where you can learn about the lives and cultures of people living with the sea; and the Tropical Dream Center, a power spot where you can feel the life force of nature, the foundation of the sea and humanity, through ancient ruins and tropical plants. Ocean Expo Park is a place to encounter long histories and diverse global cultures, using them as a mirror to update one's understanding of oneself and the world, and a place to return to the origins of the relationship between people and the sea, re-examine the sea, and explore its desirable future. Please use "Churaumi" (beautiful sea) as an entry point to experience the eternal time and culture that lie beyond.

"Ocean Culture Museum"

This is the only remaining building from the pavilions of the Okinawa International Ocean Exposition, which was held with the sea as its theme. It is a unique museum that exhibits approximately 750 artifacts and valuable video materials, many of which are no longer found in their original locations, on themes such as "Food, Clothing, and Shelter," "Music," "Beliefs," "Fishing," "Archaeology," "Navigation," and "Okinawa," tracing the relationship between the sea and people in the Pacific region, originating from human migration. It has a history of supporting the revival movement of Polynesian culture, exemplified by the Hokule'a. Through authentic experiences of cultures, values, and lifestyles that have developed uniquely over tens of thousands of years on Pacific islands, visitors gain an entry point to understanding other cultures (understanding others) and are encouraged to relativize their own culture by seeing it as a mirror (self-understanding). The largest planetarium in the prefecture screens a variety of programs, including the Okinawan night sky on the day of your visit and folk tales related to stars, and also features a "Cultural Experience Room to Encounter the World (Hands-on)" and a "Wood Education Corner," making it very popular with children.