Japan - The Government of Japan

Starting July 13th, Gifu Prefecture will be alive with 30 nights of traditional folk dancing and music 🎶! Locals and tourists of all ages move as one during the Gujo Odori Dance, one of several ritual dances collectively inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2022. Vividly dressed dancers sometimes numbering in the thousands, hands clapping 👏 and feet stomping in wooden "geta" sandals, create a rhythmic spectacle. One highlight is the Overnight Dance Festival in August, where energetic participants dance the night away over 4 days. https://lnky.jp/Q9T8TSF #UNESCOIntangibleCulturalHeritage #Gifu

“The show must go on” is commonly heard in showbiz and holds true even on remote Awaji Island in the Seto Inland Sea. Here, the traditional performing art of Awaji Ningyo Joruri has a 500-year history of puppets, tayu (narrators), and players of shamisen (a traditional string instrument) all performing as one. Established in 1964, the Awaji Puppet Theatre has held many shows both in Japan and abroad, preserving the old while adding newer elements in tune with newer times, such as collaborations with ballet 🩰. The theater also runs workshops at schools, and is committed to passing on ningyo joruri culture to the next generation. https://lnky.jp/Oqy8J6S #RegionalRevitalization

📢Official e-zine just updated! A mythical gorge in Miyazaki Prefecture’s Takachiho, yukata-worthy old streets in Ishikawa Prefecture’s Kanazawa, and everyone’s favorite summer noodles. Set off to discover the unique coolness of summer in Japan. https://lnky.jp/7J9oGWQ #JapaneseCulture #JapaneseSummer #JapaneseFood

Today, July 7th, marks #Tanabata, also known as the Star Festival 🌠! This magical tradition was inspired by the heartbreaking 💔 legend of Hikoboshi and Orihime, star-crossed lovers separated by the Milky Way 🌌 and destined to meet just once a year. Boasting a roughly 1200-year history, Tanabata began in the imperial court and spread to the common people during the Edo era (1603-1868). People celebrate by writing wishes on decorative "tanzaku" paper strips and hanging them on bamboo branches 🎋. Vibrant events abound in places like Kyoto's Kifune Shrine and Asakusa in Tokyo. https://lnky.jp/tBzkMy6

Have you ever indulged in the silky deliciousness of yuba? A staple of Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, yuba is the delicate surface film that forms when soy milk is gently heated. Born at Hieizan Enryakuji, a temple in Shiga Prefecture, its legacy continues with Hieiyuba Honpo Yubahachi Co., Ltd.! Blending tradition with cutting-edge technology like flavor sensors, this long-established company's yuba is found everywhere today from convenience stores to high-end restaurants 🥢. It aims to bring yuba's goodness from Shiga to the rest of Japan and the world 🌏. https://hieiyuba.co.jp/en/ #RegionalRevitalization #Shiga

Dip into a unique working vacation where a hot spring inn becomes your office! At Wataya Besso, an over 70-year-old Japanese villa in Ureshino Onsen, Saga Prefecture, unused rooms and banquet halls have been transformed by Innovation Partners Inc. into serene rental workspaces with concierge services. This initiative aims to help guests connect with nature 🏞️ and enjoy soothing baths on the inn's expansive grounds during their stay. Using the inn as a hub, it has so far attracted ten companies and increased repeat visits to the town. https://lnky.jp/AqGLQjh #RegionalRevitalization #Saga

#MeetTheChangemakers: Japanese-Filipino fashion designer Yumi Christina Sakamoto weaves vivid life into vintage Japanese kimonos 👘 with her global, sustainable fashion brand! After working for a major Japanese fashion brand, she moved to the Philippines and founded fashion label EDYA1929 to give new purpose to old high-quality kimonos discarded in Japan. Sakamoto and local artisans transform them into dresses 👗 and bags 👜 with Filipino sensibilities, made only as needed and regardless of fleeting fashion trends. Tackling mass production and disposal, Sakamoto turns potential waste into wearable art. https://edya1929.com/

See the fresh faces of Japanese currency 💴! Starting today, new designs for the 10,000 yen, 5,000 yen, and 1,000 yen banknotes will be issued for the first time in 20 years. Each features portraits of historical figures key to Japan's modernization: SHIBUSAWA Eiichi, father of Japanese capitalism; TSUDA Umeko, founder of one of Japan's first institutions of higher education for women; and KITASATO Shibasaburo, father of modern Japanese medicine 🏥. They also boast improved design elements such as enlarged numbers, and anti-counterfeiting technologies 🔒 including the world's first 3D hologram on a banknote. https://lnky.jp/TYnYnnd #NewBanknote

Art 🎨 is off to a great start in Hiroshima Prefecture! Opened in 2023, Simose Art Museum boasts an original design by world-renowned architect BAN Shigeru that immerses visitors into the great outdoors through a mirrored pavilion reflecting the Seto Inland Sea 🌊. It also features some colorful, movable exhibition rooms floating upon a waterbed, a beautiful garden, and a villa where visitors can stay overnight. In 2024, its outstanding artistic quality achieved “World's Most Beautiful” recognition at the Prix Versailles, an architectural prize established by UNESCO. https://lnky.jp/YwapHpx #RegionalRevitalization

📢Official e-zine just updated! To promote green hydrogen energy, which emits no carbon dioxide, Japan’s leading municipality launched the Pacific Hydrogen Alliance in 2023 with two U.S. localities. Find out the aims and aspirations behind it. https://lnky.jp/cOQSKZ5 #hydrogen #GreenHydrogen #CleanEnergy #SmartCities #SustainableCities #CommunityEngagement