Rhobashangkaran Hemarajan, Omar Alghamdi Hiratsuka

Arabs studying at Tokai University in Japan flocked to the recently held annual International Cultural Festival.

Students from more than 20 countries, including five Arab states, participated in the event. The Arab pavilion was the largest at the festival and it included translations of names from Japanese to Arabic, and a quiz station about Arab countries.

Refreshments, mainly made from dates, were served to visitors but it was the Arabic coffee which was enjoyed most by Japanese guests. “I have never tasted such coffee in my whole life,” said one Japanese student.

The Arabic “name corner” was also a big hit. “It’s a new experience for them (the Japanese), and the joy in their eyes kept me going,” said Ryan Asiri, who was manning the booth.

Visitors names were taken down in Arabic, and then they picked their favorite color string to make into a name tag.

At the quiz station, visitors were asked to describe objects and name countries that use the Arabic language. Key chains portraying most Arab nations were handed out to participants who answered three questions correctly.

Henna, an enduring tradition in the Arab world, added color to the festival experience. “This is the second time we have applied henna on our palms. It’s always interesting and we just love it,” said two Japanese girls who visited the pavilion.

The cultural event also featured performances by Arab students. The oud was played by Abdulrahman Al-Qarzai, while other students joined in singing.