Yamagata Prefecture Turns 150 This Year! Birthday Gathering, Yamagata Prefecture 150th Anniversary Ceremony & Concert

Yamagata Prefecture celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, marking 150 years since its current prefectural area was established on August 21, 1876. To commemorate this milestone, the prefecture is holding various commemorative events to reflect on the achievements of our predecessors and look forward to a bright future for the prefecture together with its citizens.

We are now accepting applications for general audience members to attend the "Yamagata Prefecture Turns 150 Today! Birthday Gathering" to be held at the Yamagata Prefectural Office on August 21 (Fri.), and the "Commemorative Ceremony & Concert" to be held at Yamagin Kenmin Hall on September 9 (Wed.). We look forward to many participants.

We kindly request media representatives to disseminate this information widely.

1. Yamagata Prefecture Turns 150 Today! Birthday Gathering

The "Birthday Gathering" on August 21 will be a casual celebration of Yamagata Prefecture's 150th birthday, with participation from children who will carry Yamagata's future, featuring a performance by the Yamagata Prefectural Police Band, a celebratory kusudama breaking ceremony with the governor and children, and a solo performance of the "Yamagata Prefectural Song" and calligraphy performance by high school students.

(1) Date and Time

August 21 (Fri.), Reiwa 8 (2026)

Doors Open: 13:00, Start: 13:30

(Scheduled End: 14:20)

(2) Venue

Auditorium, 2nd Floor, Yamagata Prefectural Office (2-8-1 Matsunami, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture)

(3) Program

Opening Conch Shell Blowing (Haguro Yamabushi)

Performance by the Yamagata Prefectural Police Band

Kusudama breaking ceremony with children and the Governor

Solo performance of the "Yamagata Prefectural Song 'Mogami River'" by students from the Music Department of Yamagata North High School

Calligraphy performance by the Calligraphy Club of Yamagata West High School

* Participants will be served special local fruit juice.

Yamagata Prefectural Police Band, Yamagata West High School Calligraphy Club

(4) Number of General Audience Seats Available

Approximately 80 people (by lottery)

(5) Application Period

July 6 (Mon.) - August 3 (Mon.), Reiwa 8 (2026)

(6) How to Apply

Please apply through the form below (Yamagata e-Application).

Application Form (Yamagata e-Application)

* Lottery results will be sent via email by August 7 (Fri.).

2. Commemorative Ceremony & Concert

The Commemorative Ceremony will include a screening of a video looking back at the 150-year history of Yamagata Prefecture, incorporating its rich nature, food, culture, and industry. It will also feature a reading of the winning essay from the "Yamagata Prefecture 150th Anniversary Essay Contest" and a chorus of the "Yamagata Prefectural Song" and a celebratory song written by Shigeichi Saito, performed by the talented sister unit "Sugar Sisters" from Yamabe Town and students from Yamagata North High School's Music Department. The Commemorative Concert will feature the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra, a leader in Yamagata's music culture, performing pieces related to Yamagata and classical masterpieces fitting for the dawn of Yamagata's future.

(1) Date and Time

September 9 (Wed.), Reiwa 8 (2026)

Doors Open: 16:00, Start: 17:00 (Scheduled End: Around 19:40)

(2) Venue

Yamagin Kenmin Hall (Yamagata Prefectural General Art and Culture Center) Main Hall

(1-2-38 Futaba-cho, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture)

(3) Program

<Part 1: Commemorative Ceremony>

Kaminoyama Domain Drum and Bugle Corps, Sugar Sisters

Yamagata North High School Music Department

Performance by the Kaminoyama Domain Drum and Bugle Corps

Commemorative Video Screening

Address by the Governor of Yamagata Prefecture

Greeting from the Speaker of the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly

Presentation by the winner of the "Prefectural 150th Anniversary Essay Contest"

Chorus by Sugar Sisters and students from the Music Department of Yamagata North High School

"Nihon no Asaake" (Dawn of Japan) (Lyrics by Shigeichi Saito, Music by Kiyoshi Nobutoki)

"Yamagata Prefectural Song 'Mogami River'"

<Part 2: Commemorative Concert by Yamagata Symphony Orchestra (Conductor: Tetsuro Hanaki)>

Yamagata Symphony Orchestra, Tetsuro Hanaki (Conductor)

Overture to "Die Fledermaus" (Johann Strauss II)

"Kaze Kaoru ~Yamadera nite~" (Yumiko Kijima) (Re-performance of a work commissioned for the 50th anniversary of the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra's founding)

"Kawa no Nagare no You ni" (Hibari Misora)

Prelude to Act I of the "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" (Wagner)

And others

(4) Number of General Audience Seats Available

1,600 people (by lottery)

(5) Application Period

July 6 (Mon.) - August 10 (Mon.), Reiwa 8 (2026), until 11:59 PM

* For applications by postcard, they must arrive by the same date.

(6) How to Apply

Please apply using the application form below or by postcard.

Application Form (Google Forms)

* When applying by postcard, one postcard can be used for up to 5 people. Please be sure to include the 1 name, 2 age, 3 address, 4 phone number, 5 whether wheelchair access is needed, 6 whether sign language interpretation is required, and 7 whether nursery service is needed (limited capacity) for all desired attendees, and send it to the address below.

To: Yamagata Prefectural 150th Anniversary Ceremony & Concert Operations Office

Central Post Office Yamagata, P.O. Box 57

990-8799 Yamagata

* Lottery results will be sent around August 24 (Mon.). Winning participants will receive admission tickets, which should be brought to the venue on the day of the event. If applying for multiple people, admission tickets for all attendees will be sent to the representative.

3. Other Information

* Personal information collected will be used solely for the purpose of operating this event and sending admission tickets.

* For details such as performer profiles, please visit the prefectural website.

(URL) https://www.pref.yamagata.jp/020026/150anniversary/150anniversaryindex.html

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  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Event募集