Manar Elbaz

DUBAI: Dubai’s Jameel Arts Centre turned into a Japanese culture haven on Dec. 6 as the much-anticipated Japan Festival in Dubai returned with its fourth edition under the slogan ‘Traditions Flow, Futures Shine.’ 

The opening ceremony welcomed various esteemed guests such as IMANISHI Jun, Consul-General of Japan in Dubai; Sota Saito, President of the Japanese Association of Dubai and the Northern Emirates; Daisuke Kobayashi, Director of the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO); and Kenji Otsuka, Chairman of the Japanese Business Council. 

“This year marks the UAE’s ‘Year of the Community.’ We hope that our event strengthens bonds and friendship within the Japanese community and contributes to the international goodwill with the UAE residents,” Imanishi said.

The event kicked off with Japanese students from Dubai Japanese School performing Sōran Bushi, a popular traditional Japanese dance originating from Hokkaido. The students, dressed in red, enchanted the guests with their swift moves, starting the festival on a high note. 

“Our teacher told us there was a dance I could participate in, so I volunteered. I wanted everyone to know more about Japanese culture,” 11-year-old Hana Iwata Girard told Arab News Japan after concluding the performance. 

“My favorite part about the dance was when everyone applauded us. I think they were surprised,” she added. 

One of the highlights at the event included an interactive sumo show, where wrestlers demonstrated different wrestling techniques such as the correct ways to throw opponents out of the ring as well as the warmups wrestlers do before matches. 

At the end of the sumo demonstration, the wrestlers invited the guests to go against them and practice the techniques they showcased. The participants had the chance to dress in a sumo suit to fully immerse themselves in the experience to participate in a comical one-on-one match with the wrestler of their choice.

The wrestlers let the volunteers win every match and celebrated them for their bravery. 

Other highlights included a Bon Dance, a traditional folk dance performed during the festival. The dance welcomed guests as they danced in a circle, repeating simple moves while enjoying the music and the sound of the taiko drums. 

Additionally, during the evening, the festival welcomed a rock band on the stage who brought the crowd to life with the tunes of popular Japanese songs.

The festival concluded with a karaoke contest and another round of Bon Dance. 

Away from the main stage, guests had the chance to indulge in authentic Japanese food and drinks provided by renowned Japanese restaurants such as Kimuraya and Yume Ramen. 

They also had the chance to try snacks straight from Japan provided by Summit Group. 

Other booths provided experiences related to Japanese culture, such as trading Pokemon cards, playing Mario Kart, trying on a kimono, or taking part in an Ikebana session. 

The JNTO Director told Arab News Japan that he hopes the festival attracts UAE residents to Japan. 

The JNTO booth at the festival provided brochures on different prefectures such as Kobe, Fukushima, Tokyo, and Osaka, as well as a visitor’s guide to Japan, helping guests learn more about Japan beyond the surface. 

“This is our fourth time participating in Japan Festival. We have so many people here who are interested in Japan,” Kobayashi said. “I hope people don’t only get to know about Japanese businesses but also enjoy Japanese food and experience Japanese culture.”

“This year, I’m very surprised because many people from different nationalities are attending. I hope everybody who is interested in Japan feels some sense of the culture,” he added. 

Tadahiro Matsushita, chairman of the Japan Festival, echoed Kobayashi’s statements, adding that this event was only able to happen through communities and various volunteers coming together to promote the culture. 

“Because this year, and every year, is built by volunteers and community, it motivates us to do (the event),” he told Arab News Japan, adding that this year’s event had more than 290 volunteers and more than 23 committee members. 

This year, the festival changed its venue from Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort to Jameel Arts Centre. The new venue, which overlooks the Dubai Creek, highlights the importance of water as a symbolic element in Japanese culture, as it reflects tradition, life and flow.

“It was very anxious (changing the venue) because we didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “With the power of community, we were able to get it done.”

“Our format is the same, but this year we added new detailed things. We got new martial arts swords from Japan and we implemented new games that are very popular in Japan. As long as everyone is happy, we are happy. We want to expand this happiness across communities,” he shared. 

Organized by the Japanese Association of Dubai and the Northern Emirates, in collaboration with Art Jameel, the festival strengthens the cultural ties between Japan and the UAE, showcasing the strong bonds between the two countries.