Press Release
2016/4/13
[16-05] 7th Year of “Experience Japan” - Ireland celebrates Japan and Japanese Culture!
Large numbers expected at Experience Japan Festival Day in Farmleigh Park, Sunday 17 April (12-4pm) 2016. All Welcome and Entrance is Free
‘Hanami’, or flower viewing, is the centuries-old Japanese custom of families and groups all over Japan coming together to enjoy springtime viewing of the beautiful ‘Sakura’, or cherry blossoms. Founded in 2010, Experience Japan is an Irish version of Hanami and its main Festival Day takes place in the magnificent grounds of Farmleigh House (Phoenix Park). In 2016, it takes place on 17th April between 12noon and 4pm. The annual attendance is usually close to 25 000. In the last seven years, the event has grown from strength to strength, bringing together Irish and Japanese communities attracting large numbers and interest from all sections of Irish society. This year’s festival will be the biggest yet!
http://utv.ie/News/2015/04/12/Experience-Japan-festival-held-at-Farmleigh-House-35286
A varied line-up of activities includes a range of Main Stage activities with taiko drum performances and Japanese and Irish fusions of music and dance with group and individual performers. A large second stage attracts large numbers to enjoy martial arts performers. And around the beautiful Farmleigh Park, there will be displays of origami creation, live performances of Rakugo (a very popular form of ‘sit-down comedy’), cosplay, traditional kimono-dressing, information desks on Japan, on textile dyeing, Haiku readings, Japanese food stalls and seminars on Japanese culture food, a presentation from CoderDojo (pictures below courtesy of Experience Japan) and much more. The high point in the Festival during the Official Opening (3pm) and welcome is the Sake Barrel Opening Ceremony on stage. During this colourful event, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Ardmhéara Críona Ní Dhálaigh, Mrs Mari Miyoshi the Japanese Ambassador, the Chairman of Experience Japan and a representative of the Office of Public Works will come together for Kagami Biraki, a centuries-old tradition when the lid of the sake barrel is broken open by a wooden mallet and the sake is served.
On Saturday 23 April, there will be a TED-style talk in UCD Sutherland School of Law and on a range of topics including Artificial Intelligence, Cuisine and Tea, Martial Arts, and Diplomacy and Business and other areas.
Detailed information on the programme is available in the attached List of Events.
All media are kindly invited to visit Farmleigh to get photos and videos of dignitaries and the main performances.
Mrs Mari Miyoshi, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland said, “It gives me great pleasure to take part in today’s seventh Experience Japan festival during the cherry blossom season, famous as a symbol of Japan. Hanami is an ancient Japanese custom, and it continues to be hugely popular today”, and continued, “During the hanami season in Japan you will see groups of friends and family of all ages gathering together to share food and strengthen their bonds. Strengthening bonds is a very important theme today, because 2017 will mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Japan”.
Experience Japan is run with the support of the Office of Public Works in Farmleigh, Dublin City Council (DCC), the Chester Beatty Library (CBL), University College Dublin (UCD) and the Embassy of Japan in Ireland. Its sponsors include the Ireland Japan Association (IJA) and the Japan Business Society in Ireland.
For latest information see below:
Website: www.ExperienceJapan.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Experience-Japan/364831154258
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExpJapan
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeiMSdq8hnf83YDapC9bnzQ
‘Hanami’, or flower viewing, is the centuries-old Japanese custom of families and groups all over Japan coming together to enjoy springtime viewing of the beautiful ‘Sakura’, or cherry blossoms. Founded in 2010, Experience Japan is an Irish version of Hanami and its main Festival Day takes place in the magnificent grounds of Farmleigh House (Phoenix Park). In 2016, it takes place on 17th April between 12noon and 4pm. The annual attendance is usually close to 25 000. In the last seven years, the event has grown from strength to strength, bringing together Irish and Japanese communities attracting large numbers and interest from all sections of Irish society. This year’s festival will be the biggest yet!
http://utv.ie/News/2015/04/12/Experience-Japan-festival-held-at-Farmleigh-House-35286
A varied line-up of activities includes a range of Main Stage activities with taiko drum performances and Japanese and Irish fusions of music and dance with group and individual performers. A large second stage attracts large numbers to enjoy martial arts performers. And around the beautiful Farmleigh Park, there will be displays of origami creation, live performances of Rakugo (a very popular form of ‘sit-down comedy’), cosplay, traditional kimono-dressing, information desks on Japan, on textile dyeing, Haiku readings, Japanese food stalls and seminars on Japanese culture food, a presentation from CoderDojo (pictures below courtesy of Experience Japan) and much more. The high point in the Festival during the Official Opening (3pm) and welcome is the Sake Barrel Opening Ceremony on stage. During this colourful event, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Ardmhéara Críona Ní Dhálaigh, Mrs Mari Miyoshi the Japanese Ambassador, the Chairman of Experience Japan and a representative of the Office of Public Works will come together for Kagami Biraki, a centuries-old tradition when the lid of the sake barrel is broken open by a wooden mallet and the sake is served.
On Saturday 23 April, there will be a TED-style talk in UCD Sutherland School of Law and on a range of topics including Artificial Intelligence, Cuisine and Tea, Martial Arts, and Diplomacy and Business and other areas.
Detailed information on the programme is available in the attached List of Events.
All media are kindly invited to visit Farmleigh to get photos and videos of dignitaries and the main performances.
Mrs Mari Miyoshi, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland said, “It gives me great pleasure to take part in today’s seventh Experience Japan festival during the cherry blossom season, famous as a symbol of Japan. Hanami is an ancient Japanese custom, and it continues to be hugely popular today”, and continued, “During the hanami season in Japan you will see groups of friends and family of all ages gathering together to share food and strengthen their bonds. Strengthening bonds is a very important theme today, because 2017 will mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Japan”.
Experience Japan is run with the support of the Office of Public Works in Farmleigh, Dublin City Council (DCC), the Chester Beatty Library (CBL), University College Dublin (UCD) and the Embassy of Japan in Ireland. Its sponsors include the Ireland Japan Association (IJA) and the Japan Business Society in Ireland.
For latest information see below:
Website: www.ExperienceJapan.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Experience-Japan/364831154258
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExpJapan
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeiMSdq8hnf83YDapC9bnzQ