Emirates News Agency – Japan Festival in Abu Dhabi to celebrate 50 years of Japan-UAE relations

ABU DHABI, 14th December, 2022 (WAM) — The Japanese Embassy in the UAE will organize the “Japan Festival” as a cultural finale event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the UAE.

A statement issued by the embassy said the festival will be held at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, December 18, 2022, and will bring together various cultural events showcasing Japanese culture.

Visitors can enjoy a variety of Japanese cultural experiences such as Japanese drum concerts, movie screenings of the hit anime “Demon Slayer: Yabai – Infinity Train”, the famous Japanese animation “Poupelle of Chimney Town” and the much-loved Emirati animation “FREEJ” Japanese voice-over; as well as games, role-playing, calligraphy demonstrations, traditional dances, tea ceremony, flower arrangement demonstrations, hands-on workshops, Japanese food lectures and tastings.

The free admission event is open to the public. The highlight of the event was a Japanese taiko drum concert by the Japanese drum group “Sai” and the UAE drum group “Kharsha”.

“Sai” is a young professional Japanese group that has performed in Japan and 25 other countries. One of the “Sai” members spent his childhood in the UAE, graduated from a Japanese school in Abu Dhabi, and later returned to his adopted home Abu Dhabi to study at Zayed University. While studying, he and friends in the UAE formed the local Japanese drum band ‘Kharsha’ which has been actively performing at various events including Expo 2020 Dubai.

“Sai” and “Karsha” will be performed on the same stage, symbolizing the cultural friendship between the two countries.