Cultural fest to bring Japan closer to Chennai

The Consulate-General of Japan at Chennai and ABK-AOTS DOSOKAI, Tamilnadu Centre, will organise a three-day Japan Cultural Festival from March 22. The festival will feature exhibitions of dolls, dioramas (miniature models of the UNESCO heritage sites in Japan), Ikebana (Japanese art of flower arrangement), Nendo No Tetsukuri (clay art), Origami and Bonsai, apart from demonstrations of martial arts Kobudo and Bonsai.
 
“Ikebana is more than simply putting flowers in a container. It is a disciplined art form and the floral arrangement is a living thing, where nature and humanity are brought together. Ikebana is a creative expression with certain rules of arrangements. Most of its materials are live branches, leaves, grasses and flowers.” says a release. Nendo No Tetsukuri (clay art) is designing and making with hand, colorful and everlasting life-like flowers, bouquets, ornaments, accessories, dolls, wall hangings and other decorative objects in clay.
 
Bonsai is the art of growing miniature trees or plants in tray-like containers as if they were in the  natural scenery. A ‘Bon’ is a tray-like pot usually used in bonsai culture. ‘Sai’ means trees and plants grown in the ‘bon’. Various techniques including leaf trimming, pruning and wiring are used to create unique bonsais, the release added. All these events aim at providing an opportunity for Chennaiites to know more about Japanese culture and to strengthen the mutual understanding and friendly relationship between Japan and India.
 
Masanori Nakano, Consul-General of Japan at Chennai, will inaugurate the festival on Friday at ABK-AOTS Dosokai, Tamilnadu Centre, No 37 (110), Nelson Manickam Road, III Floor, Aminjikarai. The exhibition will be open from 10 am to 7 pm and entry is free.