Slated this Saturday, April 22, the event, which is the fourth of its kind, will be held for the first time in this island-paradise. Apart from the impressive DJ lineup from the Philippines and Japan, the festival will also train the spotlight on visual arts and crafts, including awesome Japanese lanterns, designed by some of the best Filipino and Japanese artists and craftsmen. Influencers will also be gracing the event to drum up awareness on various concerns, including health and fitness, and various outreach programs.
Apart from sun, sea and sand, there’s one more reason to spend the sweltering summer in Siargao, as the island becomes a Meccah for music, cross-cultural exchanges and live performances.
Osaka-based event production company Hiragana, in collaboration with Manila-based B-Side Productions, announces the upcoming Ichiban Festival, a celebration of Japanese and Filipino cultures. As ichiban means “the best,” this festival aims to bring together some of the best talents from Japan, the Philippines and more.
Although this is the fourth edition of Ichiban Festival in the country, it will be the first time to be held outside Manila, and in one of the world’s most beautiful islands no less. The festival will take place this Saturday, April 22, at Harana Surf Club, the home of Siargao’s ultimate Saturday night parties dubbed as “Harana Sabado Nights.”
The DJ lineup includes international artists DJ HI-C, Senoh and MOMO from Osaka, 8Man and Ruffles from Melbourne, Jase from Ho Chi Minh, Free the Robots from LA, and Manila-based acts Mulan, JayRu, and Butta B.
In addition, Japanese artists Sence of Wonder (Lazer Technical Crew) and Moya (Kunihiko Harada) will be providing entrancing visual effects throughout the event. The musical and visual artists will be performing across two stages: the Main Stage and the Beach Stage, making the entire event a multi-sensory experience.
Ichiban Festival will also feature Japanese lanterns called chochins that will be hanging around Harana’s garden. Each of these chochins will be designed by critically acclaimed Filipino and Japanese artists Garapata, Avggs, Anton Belardo, Vernon Perez, Tyang, Raizel Go, Doctor Karayum, Kiko Escora, Itoyo, Hana, Casper, Naoki, Baki Baki, and Mon.
On top of the festivities, Hiragana will also be hosting an outreach program in collaboration with Siargao’s very own Lokal Lab, a grassroots NGO. The effort aims to support and empower Siargao’s local community through sustainable projects inspired by island cultures. This outreach program also aims to enrich cross-cultural understanding and appreciation by teaching Japanese arts and crafts to local children as well as bringing the visiting international artists to Lokal Lab’s farm to learn more about Siargao’s environmental best practices and challenges.
In line with this, Ichiban Festival intends to bring together a diverse audience who share a common love not only for music and art and culture, but also nature, health and fitness. As such, influencers including Siargao-based Andi Eigenmann, Metro Channel’s Beached host Christi McGarry and Brazilian DJ-adventurer-athlete Eduardo Lara will be gracing the event.
With world-class DJs, stunning visual artistry, and a community outreach program to boot, Ichiban Festival will be a unique and unforgettable experience.
For more information check out the festival’s official Instagram accounts @hiraga_naa and @bsideprod.ph. and https://hiragana-japan.com; info@hiragana-japan.com
