Amin Abbas

ABU DHABI: The attendees of MEFCC 2025 had an amazing and joyful time at the Japanese Village, which featured a fusion of traditional culture and modern pop culture activities such as Japanese calligraphy, origami, Teru Teru Bozu crafting, Japanese traditional tea ceremony, Konpira Fune Fune challenge, Shateki Shootout, kimono experience, and Kabuki stage for live performances including traditional dance acts, classic instrumentals, and anime-themed performances.

Ahmed Al Mazmi, founder of HalaCultures, said about the Japanese Village, “The main highlights of the event were the Japanese Resting Area, which was hosted by HalaCultures, where visitors had the chance to rest and drink a cup of matcha or genmaicha. As well as the interactive experiences around the Japanese Village area, such as the kimono booth and the Japanese calligraphy booth.”

“The Japanese Village at MEFCC felt like being transported straight to Japan,” said Japan in Arabia founder Jason Ishida. “With the sounds of traditional music in the air, vibrant torii gates, and a pathway lined with yatai (festival food stalls), it truly captured the atmosphere of a Japanese matsuri (festival). Visitors got to enjoy authentic cultural experiences like kimono fittings and tea tasting and it was our first year to exhibit as Japan in Arabia, which provided custom calligraphy and shateki shooting experiences.”

About the response and feedback from the visitors of the Japanese Village at MEFCC, Al Mazmi said, “The feedback was very positive from the visitors of MEFCC, as everyone was engaged and was able to create memories with their families and loved ones.”

“The response was overwhelmingly positive. Many guests shared that it genuinely felt like stepping into Japan, and they appreciated the attention to detail,” said Jason. “We had many comments on how much fun they had at the shateki booth, with many repeat visitors. Guests were also blown away by the skilled Japanese calligraphers writing custom names and meaningful words on fans, papers in frames, and much more.”

Both HalaCultures and Japan in Arabia are planning for activities with immersive experiences in the upcoming months.