Event on 24 February will mark 10th anniversary of UCLan’s Japan day
A free, day-long, event sharing Japanese culture with the public has been organised by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in celebration of a decade of promoting Japanese studies and culture at the University.
Visitors to the family-friendly UCLan Japan Day will see live performances such as Soranbushi mass dance, martial art, J-Pop dancing and spectacular Taiko drumming.
They can also take to the catwalk in their favourite Japan-themed attire and learn how to play the Taiko drum.
Family workshops include Samurai warrior helmet making, an anime photobooth, Kamishibai picture story theatre, calligraphy, furoshiki wrapping, a Japanese language trial session. There is also a display created by Japanese school children for visitors to explore.
"There will be activities and performances to view for everybody; from our very talented mass dance performances to authentic Taiko drumming displays."
— Organiser and Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies at UCLan Takako Amano
For the adults, in addition to a language taster, there will be a tea ceremony and the opportunity to try on the traditional Japanese garment, the kimono. Visitors can also see how quickly UCLan students of Japanese advance in learning the language and see how Japanese popular culture Anime and Manga is researched.
UCLan first hosted its Japan Day a decade ago and since then hundreds of people have attended the annual event, including a range of distinguished Japanese Ministerial visitors.
Organiser and Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies at UCLan Takako Amano said: “To mark this milestone, we want to open it up to more than just students and invite the local community to come along. There will be activities and performances to view for everybody; from our very talented mass dance performances to authentic Taiko drumming displays.
"I’m sure all visitors will enjoy themselves and leave knowing a little bit more about Japanese culture."
— Organiser and Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies at UCLan Takako Amano
“There also will be an opportunity to taste a flavour of Japanese cuisine courtesy of the Nihon Shakken Corporation and experience a Japanese tea ceremony.
I’m sure all visitors will enjoy themselves and leave knowing a little bit more about Japanese culture.”
Attendees will also be able to have a go at running their own Japan themed shop and explore employment opportunities with JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) representatives.
The day will be partly BSL (British Sign Language) interpreted, with one of the workshops demonstrating BSL vs Japanese Sign Language.
The event is free but it is strictly for tickets holders so people need to book tickets in advance via Eventbrite, where they can book morning or afternoon slots. Guests who want to stay for the full day need to book tickets for both sessions.
For health and safety and security reasons there is a limited capacity for this event so visitors need to book a ticket per person, even if it is for a small child.
For more information about UCLan's Japan Day, visit the University's website.
