On the 19th of October 2014 the Ukrainian community in Japan has organized and hold the first Ukrainian Festival “ウ ク ラ イ ナ DAY – Ukrainian Day” in Tokyo.
Ukrainian festival attended about 500 people in Japan: Ukrainian, Japanese, French, Indians, representatives of other nationalities. Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan Igor Kharchenko had the welcome speech to the participants and guests at the beginning of the Festival.
The festival program was very intensive: master-class how to make Pysanky (Easter Eggs) and Reeled dolls (motanky); training of Ukrainian song and dance, lectures on Ukrainian culture, language and traditions, videos, slideshows and photo exposure with views of the picturesque places of Ukraine. Visitors also learned the basics of Ukrainian language – everybody had a chance to learn the Ukrainian alphabet and wrote their names in Ukrainian.
Worked Ukrainian restaurant where guests could taste traditional Ukrainian cuisine. Extraordinary demand was Ukrainian dishes and, of course, the traditional Borshch. Separately functioned the corner “Pictures with beautiful girl and handsome boy” – where everybody could get dressed in Ukrainian embroidery traditional cloth, Ukrainian wreath and make a photo with participants dressed in Ukrainian costumes.
In the end of the festival there was a concert, in which took the part the bandura player Kateryna Gudziy (she played on the bandura not only Ukrainian, but also Japanese traditional songs), kids-pupils from the Ukrainian school “Dzerelce” in Tokyo, international folk music ensemble “Tama Linda”, amateur and professional performers.
Initiator and inspirer of the festival was Ukrainian bandura player Kateryna Gudziy. Ukrainian festival was organized by active members of the Ukrainian community in Japan – Tokyo residents, Yokohama, Saitama Prefecture and even from Kyoto; parents and children – pupils of Ukrainian school “Dzerelce”. In the preparation assisted local Japanese and foreigners as well. Special thanks to Maoki Sato, who gave the office for the festival.
All donations from classes, sales of Ukrainian souvenirs and Ukrainian dishes are sent to help the wounded in the ATO.
