The 6th Japan Festival was streamed live on February 12 and 13, in a record first for the event. The Japan Festival is the biggest Japanese event in the Lao PDR, which has been running once every two or three years since 2011.
In the past, various stage performances and activities delighted the live audience.
This year, by holding it online, not only residents in Vientiane capital but also people living in other provinces, and also in Japan could enjoy the various programmes.
The festival opened with remarks by Mr. KOBAYASHI Kenichi, Ambassador of Japan to Lao PDR. Mr. Kobayashi emphasized recent achievements which have furthered cooperative relations between Japan and Lao PDR. “It is my sincere hope that this festival will increase Lao people’s interest in Japan, and motivate them to visit Japan once this pandemic is over,” Mr. Kobayashi said.
The first day kicked off with a dynamic dance performance presented by students from Sakura High School in Japan. Short films of the cities of Takayama, Tahara, and Ise, as well as Kumamoto Prefecture showed the charms of different areas and their friendly relationship with the Lao PDR. In addition, Japanese volunteers who are working in the Lao PDR gave presentations about their home-towns.
Meanwhile, JICA’s projects and activities in Lao PDR were introduced through a movie and interview with the Chief Resident Representative of JICA Laos. Activities from the Lao-Japan Institute were also presented, with a demonstration of how to put on and wear a yukata. When the Japan Quiz Competition started, the event livened up as participants competed against each other with their knowledge about Japan.
“Art, Culture and Japanese Language” from the Vientiane office of the Japan Foundation Asia Center, kicked off the second day. This introduced the role of the center, which promotes exchanges between Japanese and Lao artists and supports Japanese language education in the Lao PDR. The Japan Heart, an international medical volunteers’ organization explained how their medical support has saved many lives in the Lao PDR.
Programs about Japanese home cooking and the Japanese tea ceremony also wowed the viewers. The chef at the Japanese Ambassador’s residence gave a lecture on the characteristics and charms of Japanese cuisine, as well as a presentation on Japanese sake, showing types of sake and how to enjoy sake, with guidance about sake- food pairings.
The program was recorded and can be watched on the Facebook of Japan Festival in Laos. (https://www.facebook.com/JapanFesLaos)
Source: Lao News Agency