Japanese folk music, martial arts, ethnic cuisine, modern video games, a cosplay contest and much more will be part of the programme of Hinode Power Japan 2017, a Japanese culture and entertainment festival. The festival will take place on 22-23 April at Pavilion 75 at VDNKh. Performers dressed up in traditional costumes, drummers, modern and folk Japanese music, geisha dancing, a colourful samurai show, lectures and contests are just a small part of the upcoming event.
The programme also offers workshops in traditional and modern Japanese arts, hobbies and crafts, including origami, calligraphy, sumi-e ink wash painting and manga comics. Some rare arts will be taught, including Kokeshi wooden doll painting, Oshibana pressed flower craft and Furoshiki cloth wrapping. Cooking enthusiasts can learn how to make onigiri, traditional rice balls. Restaurants and cafes at the food court will be offering Japanese cuisine.
In the sports section, martial arts fans can meet recognised masters of the Japanese arts of fighting and participate in open lessons. Gamers can test the latest game consoles provided by a major Japanese company.
The festival could not happen without guests from Japan. They include popular singer and actress Rica Matsumoto who gave her voice to Ash Ketchum from Pokémon, yo-yo world champion and multiple competition prize winner Hiraku, and artist, designer and illustrator Hidekichi Shigemoto who is developing the branding style for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Seshami Street Boys street artists will play the shamisen, a traditional musical instrument. Gyoten taiko drummers will mix traditional and contemporary music in a show. The Shusui tate-do trio will present their samurai performance.
Also among the guests will be new-generation geisha, actress, dancer and musician Springday Ulala, and fashion model, singer and illustrator Tomizawa Kirara. Another honourary guest is Yasuharu Takanashi, composer, musician, arranger, founder and front man for the Yaiba project. He is known as the author of the soundtrack to popular anime series “Naruto: Shippuden,” “Fairy Tail,” “Sailor Moon Crystal,” “Tiger Mask W,” and others.
Traditionally, Russia will be represented at the festival by the Kiseki no Hana group and the Preobrazheniye children’s choir of the Russian Union of Composers conducted by Merited Culture Worker of Russia Mikhail Slavkin.
Tickets are available online here. Concessions are provided to people with disabilities.
Hinode Power Japan is Russia’s largest festival of Japanese culture and family entertainment. The first festival took place six years ago.
In 2015, more than 14,000 people visited the event. This year, the festival be on a larger scale with a more spacious and well-equipped venue of 7,000 square metres. It is expected that over 40,000 visitors will enjoy spectacular shows and the diverse entertainment programme.