Japanese cultural festival arrives in Tehran

TEHRAN,Jan.28(MNA) -- The Japanese cultural festival arrived in Tehran from Isfahan opening here on Wednesday at the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF). Kinichi Komano, Japan’s ambassador to Tehran, IAF Director Majid Sarsangi and a group of Iranian and Japanese artists attended the opening ceremony. The cultural program is playing host to Japanese traditional paintings, calligraphy, the Japanese tea ceremony (Chanuyo) and the Japanese flower arranging ceremony (Ikebana). Also featured are paintings created by children of quake-stricken regions as well as an exhibit displaying photos of the Fukushima earthquake and the reconstruction process. Ambassador Komano made a brief speech speaking in Persian at the opening ceremony, and expressed his thanks to Iranians for their sympathy and support during the time the Japanese people experienced the Fukushima earthquake. Sarsangi also regarded the festival the best event to develop bilateral cultural relations. He also said that more collaboration is needed to develop bilateral relations and only one cultural festival a year is not enough to help. He expressed hope that the Silk Road of the past would turn into a road of art and culture in the present time to expand relations between Iran and Japan. The Japanese cultural festival was opened in the Isfahan Museum of Contemporary Art last week. The students studying at the girls’ art schools in Isfahan had a chance to learn origami during the festival in Isfahan. Origami is the traditional Japanese art or technique of folding paper into a variety of decorative or representational forms, such as of animals, mostly cranes, or flowers. The festival will be running until January 29 at the forum located on Musavi St., Off Taleqani Ave.