[OFF-TRACK] Matsuri Time

In a complete change of mood this weekend, this blog’s owner went to the fourth edition of the Festival do Japão RS, an event totally oriented under the Japanese culture and the relationships between Brazil and Japan. The event was held on Saturday and Sunday (15, 16) at Porto Alegre, and during fifteen and a half hours, we had lots of attractions, food and fun.

In the festival area, there were all sorts of spectacles to watch, being them traditional dancing, pop music, taiko (a Japanese drum) groups and martial arts demonstrations. Outside the shows, some were selling goods if you would have the urge to buy something, as well exhibitions with objects portraying part of the Japanese culture and the relationship with Brazil, being in commercial and political agreements as well simple culture exchange.

Martial arts demonstrations involved sumo, karate kyokushin, kenjutsu, shorinji kenpo and aikido, with technique and fighting demonstrations. All of them were made by academies from Porto Alegre itself or nearby locations.

In the singing department, Mariko Nakahira and the PUCRS university choir were the main events of the weekend, followed by some other artists.

The traditional Japanese dances were in charge of the groups Kotobuki, Nadeshiko and Momiji, with gentle moves and sparkling colors in every presentation.

Them, the traditional music was brought to the spectators via the groups Geino Dokosai, of Eisa Taiko, which is a variation of taiko found at Okinawa, and Kaito Shamidaiko, where the percussion instrument was mixed with other ones and singing, and sometimes with dancing too, as the group Shinsei shared stage time with them.

The eight presentations of these three groups clearly settled the mood of the spectators, as lots of energy was demonstrated in every presentation.

If you wanted to give a break from the festival area, the food court had almost everything you would like to eat in terms of Japanese food, as gyouza, sushi, temaki, takoyaki, ebiyaki, yakisoba, donburi, onigiri, nikuman and yakitori were there, and if you wanted a dessert or two, anpan and manju would be your choices. Bentos, lunch boxes with all sorts of food inside, were available if you have a huge appetite.

Not too much in Japanese food? Eastern food and sweets were also there.

OWNER NOTE:

There are no photos of the food court as the blog owner and invited people were too much into eating, sorry.

In parallel with the festival, the Anime Buzz event was held for those more into the animation and pop culture, with games, karaoke and cosplays, lots of cosplays.

It’s estimated that spectator numbers were in the dozens of thousands, and the food donated to the organization reached the 8 ton mark, which will be given to the institutions in need.

Although the 2016 event won’t be celebrating the 120 years of the cooperation Brazil-Japan, it is expected to be held in middle August too, and if so, you can count with me there.