Japanese Summer Festival will be held in 12th February (saturday) at Docklands waterfront precinct in the heart of Melbourne.
The first Japanese Summer Festival held in February 2010 was a huge success with approx. 5,000 attendees. This year, we expect more people to participate and we are committed to provide excellent opportunities for cultural exchange between Australia and Japan.
The Japanese summer festival, also known as “Natsu-matsuri”, is an annual festival held during summer throughout all areas of Japan. The festival was traditionally celebrated as a reminder of the gratefulness one should feel toward one’s ancestors. A traditional dance, called “Bon Odori”, is performed at the festival where cotton kimonos are worn by the dancers. The way in which the dance is performed is different in each region within Japan, though the typical Bon dance involves people lining up in a circle around a high wooden scaffold made especially for the festival, called a yagura. The yagura is usually also the bandstand for the musicians and singers of the Obon music. Special performances include professional Taiko Drumming and dances performed by the Japanese School of Melbourne.
he festival is a community-based event aimed at Japanese people living in Australia as well as Australian people who are interested in experiencing Japanese culture. Although the Summer dance is easy to learn, those who choose not to dance can soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the many varieties of Japanese snacks and drinks available to patrons throughout the night. There will also be a raffle with fabulous prizes to be won. Due to its immense success last year, this year we’re expecting more than 7000 patrons to attend this event.
Photo: Masahiro Itaya
