Japanese Embassy holds ‘Japan Festival’ to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations with UAE

Abu Dhabi: The Embassy of Japan in the UAE on Sunday organised Japan Festival as the cultural finale to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the UAE.

Dr. Maitha Bint Salem Al Shamsi, UAE Minister of State, attended the official ceremony at Manarat Al Saadiyat. About 2500 visitors enjoyed various Japanese cultural experiences such as Japanese drum concert, film screenings as well as gaming, cosplay, calligraphy demonstration, traditional dance, tea ceremony, ikebana display, hands-on workshops, a talk on Japanese food and tasting.

The highlight of the event was the Japanese drum concert by Japanese drumming group “Sai” and the UAE drumming group “Kharsha”.

“Sai” is a young professional Japanese group that has performed in Japan and 25 other countries. One of the members of “Sai” spent his childhood in the UAE and graduated from the Japanese School in Abu Dhabi. Later, he returned to his second hometown, Abu Dhabi to study at Zayed University. While studying, he and his Emirati friends formed the local Japanese drumming group “Kharsha”, which has been actively performing at various events, including Expo 2020 Dubai. “Sai” and “Kharsha” performed together on the same stage, symbolising the cultural friendship between the two nations.

As many as 21 Japanese and Emirati students from Japanese School in Abu Dhabi also performed the recitation and sang the national anthem of the UAE.