-Traditional and cultural performances entertained guests at Expo-
Dubai, UAE-: Japan celebrated its National Day on 11th December 2021, as part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s continued efforts to promote its participants’ cultural diversity.
The Day opened with the official ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza. As the opening remark, Her Excellency Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology, the United Arab Emirates, commented “Japan Pavilion demonstrates to the world the importance of collaboration and the development of the culture, ideas, and the teaching to the creation of the better tomorrow.” “I hope Japan Pavilion can offer visitors thoughts or inspiration for solutions to common challenges we face globally,” said His Excellency ISOMOTO Akio, Ambassador of Japan to the United Arab Emirates, in his opening remarks. “Japan will host the next Expo, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. We intend to provide a venue to discuss ways of a happy life for each individual and the future socio-economic system to support it,” he continued.
After the solemn ceremony took place, Japanese taiko drumming troupe, SHOTEN, stunned the audiences with their performance followed by masterful demonstration of Japanese martial art “Akido”. Al Wasl Plaza also welcomed students from Japanese School in Dubai performing Nanchu Soran to Japanese folk song “Soran-bushi.”
At four gates at the Expo site, performances by SHOTEN, Japanese School in Dubai, as well as Zanshinkan Aikido Dubai and artistic ink-wash Sumi-e artist welcomed visitors.
Many visitors witnessed the parade through Ghaf Avenue by attendants at Japan Pavilion in uniform with the cutting-edge textile technologies and performers from the welcome plazas. The parade expressed the rich culture of Japan, where the next Expo will be hosted in 2025, and will bridge connections from Dubai to Osaka, Kansai.
Japan Day also saw many other Japanese cultural programs and workshops including “Ikebana”, art of Japanese flower arrangement and “Go” an abstract strategy traditional board game, music, dance, flower arrangement, and kimono shows.