1980s: New Frontier Festival

50 Years of Tourism Association History, 1980s: New Frontier Festival

New Frontier Festival

In 1987, in an effort to revitalize Hokkaido, NHK Hokkaido organized the "Hometown and Song Contest between Municipalities" to promote tourism in Hokkaido. The staff members at each workplace and the members of Ryutopia were a diverse group of people who practiced and worked hard until late at night every night on everything from staging to making large and small props.

The skits are short, but the competition is very tough, even though they are only 1 minute and 30 seconds long. In order to achieve this, both the performers and the people behind the scenes must not make any mistakes. The result is a triumph achieved through the hard work of the staff and the support of the local community. The team won the Sorachi competition three times in a row, and was crowned champion three times, a great accomplishment in the all-road competition.

April 18, 1987 Fukagawa Civic Hall
Hometown Pride: Sunflower Land Hokuryu
Song boast: Mihoko Takada
October 20, NHK Sapporo Broadcasting Station (Hokkaido Convention)
Song boasts: Hideki Matsuura, Yasuko Hasegawa, Mihoko Takada

October 2, 1988 Takikawa Cultural Center
Hometown Pride: A Dragon Dances in the Village of Sunflowers
Song boast: Hirokuni Kitakiyo
0 November 5, Sapporo Kosei-Nenkin Kaikan (All Hokkaido Convention)
Song boasts: Naoko Takada, Hirokuni Kitakiyo

October 8, 1989 Iwamizawa Civic Hall
Hometown Boast: Title Unknown
Song boast: Osamu Sunagawa
0 November 2, Sapporo Kosei-Nenkin Kaikan (All Hokkaido Convention)
Song boasts: Nobuyoshi Teragaki, Osamu Sunagawa

October 21, 1990 Takikawa City Cultural Center
Hometown Pride: The Village of Love as Told by Sunflowers
Song boast: Kisako Hanawa
0 November 9, Sapporo Kosei-Nenkin Kaikan (All Hokkaido Convention)
Song boast: Kisako Hanawa