Dubai: Shinto Torii gates have long been symbolic passageways in ancient Japanese culture to places filled with wonder, higher learning and fulfilment of the soul.
And this year, for the first time. an imposing vermilion-red Torii gate is beckoning curious patrons to the new Far East pavilion at Global Village, the long-standing multicultural theme park on the sandy outskirts of the city of Dubai now in its 21st season.
Flanked by massive Far East warriors standing guard at the façade, the newest sensation at Global Village is drawing visitors in droves on the hunt for original, unusual wares — from clothing and foods to artworks, sculpture and pop-culture items of the modern age.
The latest multifaceted venue is one of more than 30 pavilions representing 75 countries from around the globe awaiting millions of annual visitors who are taking in the expanded, renovated park at Exit 37 on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road.
Only steps away from one of Global Village’s canals, a cluster of 14 Japanese shops are complemented by three Far East neighbouring countries of the Philippines, Indonesia and South Korea.
According to Global Village management, the pavilion was “put together to offer visitors maximum exposure to Asian culture, history, and of course, authentic products that represent the respective countries.”
Authenticity is a key aim to meet the demand by park regulars seeking real, meaningful experiences with different cultures through sights, sounds and smells of faraway lands.
Ahmad Hussain Bin Eisa, CEO of Global Village, told Gulf News in an interview that keeping the park experience fresh is a key to the venue’s unbridled success over the years.
“Every season, Global Village is committed to introducing new countries and destinations to ensure that visitors can sample something new and exciting from around the world in addition to our incredible array of global eating experiences and entertainment including this month’s spectacular Spirit of the Dance show,” he said.
“We are very pleased with the impact of our new Far East pavilion this season and enormously positive reaction of guests. It enables our guests to sample the flavours and cultures of Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and South Korea in one location. The Far East is one of four new pavilions we have introduced to Global Village with the others being Algeria, the welcome return of Jordan and a new Eastern European pavilion that provides an insight and experience of Ukraine, Romania and Serbia.”
A unique museum just inside anchors the pavilion touting rare antiques from all four countries — ranging from ancient Samurai swords valued up to Dh69,000 and battle armour valued at Dh114,000 to exquisite pottery and simplistic sculptures.
Near the collectibles, a Japanese woman dressed in traditional floral wear offers visitors to paint their given names in large Japanese Hiragana characters using a fine brush.
A nearby library also offers Asian history and contemporary books on the region.
Japanese national Miho Ohara, 33, travelled to Dubai to host the Pik-A-Chu stall chocked full of modern plush Pokemon stuffed toys that are the rage in modern-day Japan following the craze of the online game.
Ohara told Gulf News she was surprised at the high levels of interest and said younger generations are mobbing the shop in search of authentic Japanese mementoes shipped from the Far East.
“We are very pleased with the number of visitors to our place,” said Ohara. “Young boys are really enjoying our shop.”
Gulf News found Indonesian shop operator Iketut Artana, who hails from Bali, standing in the middle of an elaborate mix of Buddha, wildlife and keepsake curios handcrafted from native swar and teak woods in his homeland.
“Those who come to our shop seem to like us. We have a real mix of Indonesian treasures,” Artana said, noting that his dreamcatchers are flying off the shelves given their low sticker prices of up to Dh55 each.
Franze Arnie Merene, 29, from the Philippines, was impressed with the food on offer at the pavilion noting that “it is very good food. We like to eat a lot. This is a good idea to have a Far East pavilion to give exposure to so many countries under one roof”.
Malaysian national Lucien Lee, 20, said he learnt a lot about his own part of the world from his visit to the pavilion and said he enjoyed the historical display.
“This is a great way to learn about Asian history,” he said.
Yasem Khalid, 26, a Syrian national who lives in Dubai, said he liked the historical artefacts because it gave him a sense of place.
“I liked the original Katana swords, you don’t see one of these up close everyday,” he said.
More new pavilions
Dubai: Global Village managers said it has welcomed other newcomers into the family of pavilions at the pluralistic festival park.
For the first time in the 20-year history of the family facility, a new Algeria pavilion has opened with 20 separate stalls offering new food, fashion and cultural experiences every month until the end of the park season in April.
Algeria’s rich musical cultural past will be celebrated inside the pavilion with folklore music and dance performances by the Tuareg people from the Berber ethnic population found in southern reaches of the country.
Meanwhile, Global Village is also celebrating for the first time a new Eastern Europe stall with three countries — Romania, Serbia and Ukraine — all under one roof to celebrate the deep history of the region.
Timings
Global Village operates seven days a week and opens its gates to visitors from Saturday to Wednesday from 4pm to 12am, and till 1am on Thursdays and Fridays.
For details, log on to globalvillage.ae
