Japan Matsuri 2015


London’s very own festival of Japanese culture returns

JAPAN MATSURI 2015

 

London’s very own festival of Japanese culture – JAPAN MATSURI returns on Saturday, 19th September 2015 in Trafalgar Square in the centre of the city. A regular fixture now in the London calendar, this annual festival brings people together to enjoy Japanese food, music, dance, and activities for all the family. And it’s FREE!

 

This year we are celebrating a special anniversary of 150 years of friendship between London and Japan and the story of the Satsuma Students from Kagoshima.

 

We have special appearances from a number of acts from Kagoshima including the spectacular IZAKU TAIKO ODORI (Izaku Drum Dancers), the brave samurai character SATSUMA KENSHI HAYATO and GURIBU, Kagoshima’s yurukyaramascot.

 

Everything kicks off at 10 am and runs through till 8 pm.

 

www.japanmatsuri.com

 

With two stages, there is plenty to see all day with an exciting programme of martial arts, the thrilling sounds of taiko drumming, festival dance and this year’s special JAPAN MATSURI SONG with Naomi Suzuki. Fancy joining in the ever popular Nodojiman karaoke contest!

Enjoy the atmosphere with Japanese festival food from the numerous stalls. Join in the fun in the family activities area with games and dressing in kimono. Try your hand Japanese cartoons on the manga wall.

 

Family Fun in the Activity Tent & The Manga Art Wall

 

Japan Matsuri 2015 offers a fantastic family fun day with traditional Japanese games and opportunities to learn the secrets of Origami and Japanese Calligraphy as well as your chance to be a manga artist and display your masterpiece in front of the National Gallery.

Throughout the day in the Activity Tent there will be an opportunity to play traditional Matsuri games and to learn a variety of Japanese crafts. We will be running origami, calligraphy and manga art workshops during the day.

 

London Japan Matsuri Theme Song & Music Video Production with NAOMI SUZUKI (MC & Singer for Japan Matsuri)

We shall debut the song at this year’s festival in Trafalgar Square on 19 September, 2015!!

Naomi is a UK-based multi-talent and the “most well known Japanese singer in the UK", has been the host of Japan Matsuri since the first event 7 years ago, and will sing the Japan Matsuri Theme Song this year!!

 

She will be singing about our feelings for Japan for the whole world to hear, and making a Japanese festival song that everyone can sing and dance along to!!

By all means, join in the fun and come and perform with us in the Japan Matsuri Song, "Ibuki", music video!! As the song is performed on stage, a music video will be shot, so please come and dance with us! (12pm, 3pm, and 6pm)

 

By singing and dancing together, we want to promote Japan from London, a musical hotspot, by joining the thoughts and feelings of Japanese people the world over. We want to make people around the world happy through this song, which symbolizes Japanese culture and the power of music.

 

We also hope that we can transcend the simple concept of "cultural exchange" and find a way to become a true bridge between Japan and the rest of the World.

 

Naomi Suzuki : She has been the subject of a report by UK Medias as the "Most famous Japanese singer in the UK" and has worked as host of "JapanMatsuri" since the first event 7 years ago. In March 2015, she made the first concert held by a Japanese national in the British Houses of Parliament into a big success, drawing attention from the Japanese media as well.

"Sweet Roses", which she released as a part of "AJ Unity" in 2012, reached #14 in the US Charts and took the #1 position for 3 weeks straight on a poll that was voted on by 1400 radio stations all over the world. She's well known in the US, and continues to challenge herself all over the globe. As for her presenting duties, Naomi has been busy working as the presenter for a production celebrating a special anniversary of 150 years of friendship between London and Japan and the story of the Satsuma Students from Kagoshima. 

 

150 years ago, 19 young men secretly left Satsuma for the UK to embark on a period of study in London. They were intrepid pioneers and paved the way for friendly relations to exist between our two countries.

 

In celebration of links between the UK and Satsuma, present-day Kagoshima, Japan Matsuri has the pleasure of welcoming some special performers from Kagoshima in Japan. 150 years

 

 

IZAKU TAIKO ODORI (IZAKU DRUM DANCERS)
伊作太鼓踊り

 

The Izaku Drum Dancers from Kagoshima in southern Japan continue a tradition passed down through many generations. It is the vigorous victory dance of ShimazuHisayoshi dating from 1406 with the dancers closely resembling warriors of the time. Each drum dancer wears a banner of bamboo and paper, 2.5 m tall, strapped to his back, is adorned with the black tail feathers of the Satsuma rooster and beats a drum fixed to his chest. Each outfit weighs nearly 20 kilos. The dance is performedeach year on 28 August at Minami Kata Shrine by one of six groups. This year, it is the turn of the group fromIriki.

 

Japan Matsuri is delighted to welcome Izaku Drum Dancers (Iriki Group) to London in this special year for Kagoshima-London relations.

 
Satsuma Kenshi Hayato, is a samurai from Kagoshima. He is strong and compassionate, a lover of Kagoshima’s beautiful landscape, traditions and food. His sword has no lethal blade and he defeats his enemies through mutual understanding and a meeting of minds. He is joined on his first trip out of Asia by Yassembo, themischievous fox spirit, who is always looking to misbehave and ways to trick our Satsuma hero.

 

www.japanmatsuri.com

September 3, 2015 10:40am ET by Manilla PR Ltd.   Comments (0)

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