Screening Event Held for "The Sea God" - Tottori Prefecture Iwami Town's Maritime Folktale Animation at the 9th Iwami Town Squid Festival

The "Maritime Folktale Towns Project," undertaken by the General Incorporated Association Nippon Mukashibanashi Association, held a screening event for the town's maritime folktale animation "The Sea God" on March 28, 2026 (Saturday) at the "9th Iwami Town Squid Festival," held around Tago Port in Iwami Town. In addition to the animation screening, the venue featured storytelling by local narrators and a workshop for making original can badges, making it a day for many families to engage with the region's culture.

This event is part of the Nippon Foundation's "Umi to Nippon Project" (Sea and Japan Project), which aims to connect people through the sea to pass on a rich and beautiful ocean to the next generation.

<The Sea God>

▼For information about the Tottori Prefecture Iwami Town maritime folktale animation "The Sea God" and Iwami Town, please visit:

https://uminominwa.jp/animation/108/

▼YouTube of the maritime folktale animation "The Sea God"

<Screening Event Overview>

Date and Time	March 28, 2026 (Saturday) 10:30 AM - 12:15 PM (During the "9th Iwami Town Squid Festival")
Venue	9th Iwami Town Squid Festival. Location: Around Tago Port, Iwami Town, Tago Community Center
Program	10:30 AM - 10:45 AM: Folktale Reading 10:50 AM - 11:15 AM: Animation Screening ("The Sea God" + Maritime Folktales of Tottori Prefecture) 11:30 AM - 11:45 AM: Folktale Reading 11:50 AM - 12:15 PM: Animation Screening ("The Sea God" + Maritime Folktales of Shimane Prefecture)

■Screening Event Report

At the screening event, animations based on maritime folktales from Tottori and Shimane Prefectures, including Iwami Town's own "The Sea God," were shown one after another. Attendees were captivated by the animations, which conveyed the region's history and lessons. The "Iwami Minwa wo Kataru Kai" (Iwami Folktale Storytelling Group) presented a paper-play of the widely known "Urashima Taro" and a handmade cloth picture book, "The Old Woman Who Ate a Crab," which conveyed a sense of warmth. The venue was filled with a consistently pleasant atmosphere thanks to the emotional voices of the storytellers.

In the can badge making workshop, children enjoyed creating their own unique works by freely coloring characters from "The Sea God." Samples of collaborative products featuring "The Sea God" were also exhibited, attracting attention as a new regional attraction. Participants received limited-edition clear files as gifts. These clear files were also presented by the Iwami Town Tourism Association to local residents through community associations, extending the reach of the folktale initiative beyond the event itself to the entire community.

<Organization Overview>

Organization Name: General Incorporated Association Nippon Mukashibanashi Association

URL: https://www.nippon-mukashibanashi.or.jp/

Maritime Folktale Towns Project

This project aims to convey the "connection with the sea" and "pride in the region" of Japan, a country deeply connected to the sea, to children and pass it on to the future. It selects highly valuable stories containing lessons about the sea from maritime folktales, which are intangible cultural assets across Japan, and transforms them into "Maritime Folktale Animations" to archive them for future generations. Furthermore, it certifies regions where these maritime folktales have been passed down as "Maritime Folktale Towns" and works together to promote and utilize them.

Official Website https://uminominwa.jp/

Official Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@uminominwa

X (formerly Twitter) https://twitter.com/uminominwa

Nippon Foundation "Umi to Nippon Project" (Sea and Japan Project)

The sea supports the lives of Japanese people in various ways, sometimes providing comfort, excitement, and inspiration. This project, promoted by All Japan, aims to raise awareness among children and people nationwide about the current state of environmental degradation in the sea and other issues, encouraging them to take personal responsibility and expand the circle of action to protect the sea for the future.

https://uminohi.jp/