Ora Town Citizen Festival 2026

On November 7th and 8th, a town cultural festival was held at Oura-no-Mori Hall in Oura Town, Gunma Prefecture. During the opening ceremony, the members of the Oura Boys and Girls Choir "SING!" once again performed the national anthem of Tonga, singing in the Tongan language. SING! celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The group also performed the Tongan national anthem on the pitch during the charity match between the Japan national team and Tonga Samurai, held at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in 2022. While formal exchange events between Oura Town and the Kingdom of Tonga have been taking place since 2020, their origins can be traced back to the late Namoa Watesoni—a man who distinguished himself as a rugby player for both Daito Bunka University and the Tokyo Sanyo Electric rugby team. After retiring from his playing career, he made Oura Town his home, where he dedicated himself to teaching rugby to children and fostering cultural exchange by sharing Tongan traditions. The Japan-Tonga Friendship Association remains committed to upholding Namoa’s vision; we will continue to pour our full efforts into various initiatives that serve as a bridge of friendship between Japan and Tonga.