Odisha-Japan Festival 2020 in Puri to give a glimpse of Mini Japan

PURI (ODISHA): Coming February on 8th and 9th, a part of popular Jagannath Stadium in Puri, the cultural town of Odisha state will wear the look of Mini Japan. The occasion is the 2-day Odisha-Japan Festival 2020 which will be swarmed by about 100 Japanese artists, artisans and their associates flying in from various parts of Japan.

And the place will give a look exactly that of a traditional Japanese fair held in Japan.

Being organized by Japan-India Club, Chandra Sekhar Academy & India-Japan Friendship Center collectively, the Odisha-Japan Festival 2020 will be held in the evening hours on both the days.

The event venue would have three platforms made on the bamboo sticks as is traditionally done in Japan for fairs there.

“These stages will be decorated with over a thousand lighting and other colorful Japanese fixtures as well as “Koinobori” or Japanese fish-shaped kites, exactly the same way these kinds of festivals or fairs are organized in Japan in the open-to-air settings,” said Kunna Dash, the promoter of Japan-India Club, Chandra Sekhar Academy & India-Japan Friendship Center. He has been organizing this annual event since 2006.

Usually made by drawing the pattern of a fish named “Koi Carp” on a paper or cloth, the Koinobori” or Japanese fish-shaped kites are flown in Japan to celebrate “Kodomo No Hi” – the National Children Day on May 5,

Not only this, but the event Odisha-Japan Festival 2020 would also witness almost an equal number of Odissi artists and artisans displaying their native food, art, and culture to their Japanese counterparts.

“The visitors will enjoy the blend of Japanese and Odissy art, culture and food during the 2-day Odisha-Japan Festival 2020 to be held on the auspicious evening of Feb 8th and 9th at Penthakata corner ground towards the curved end of the City Road (Jagannath Stadium ) Puri, Odisha,” said Dash.

In order to promote Indo-Japan solidarity through reciprocal enhancement in the varied fields of Culture, Education, Food, Tourism, Commerce & Industry, the entry to the event has been made free-of-cost, therefore anybody and everybody can enjoy the event, he added.

The event will be held in an open space like Japanese Matsuri architecting a decorative stage in traditional Japanese patterns.

Both the artists of Japan & Odisha shall throng the stage performing their best so as to understand each other in its depth & depiction. A similar event in  2018 too was a grand success.

“While having ongoing music and dance on the stage you can have a stroll through the decorative stalls depicting the culture, education, tourism, commerce & industry, etc. of Japan and Odisha on the sidelines too, an effort made to turn Odisha the gateway of south-east Asian nations,” said Kunna Dash.

Also read: Japanese connect Puri Rathayatra with Kyoto’s Gion Matsuri

More than 5000 people, especially from Puri and its outskirts, are likely to join this festival as a token of love and belongingness for its grand celebration and Japanese culture.

“The more we get connected with the people, the more will be our bonding which paves the way for business & commerce and thereby erect a bridge between Japan and Odisha. You feel something anew here in this congregation as if you are in Japan amidst Japanese artists, music and people, a sensation beyond your imagination,” said Dash.

Also read: Puri first tier-2 city of India to host Japanese Film Festival