Bunkasi Runway showcases Japanese fashion as part of cultural celebrations
Students at UCLan turned Japanese as the university hosted its very first public fashion show to celebrate Japan Day.
Now in its sixth year at UCLan, the Bunkasai Japanese festival celebrates Japanese culture with both students and staff. This year for the first time the event hosted its own Japanese fashion show, Bunkasai Runway, which showcased J- Fashion and new Japanese cultural trends. Students and staff modelled both new and traditional fashions for the event in UCLan’s Harrington Building, Victoria Street.
In addition Takeshi Ito, the newly appointed Minister for Public Diplomacy and Media at the Japanese Embassy in London opened the event as a special guest and talked about Japanese Foreign Policy to students and staff.
Students from Priestley College, Warrington also performed Japanese songs at the festival with assistance from former UCLan languages graduate Taegan Jones Skinner, who now teaches students at the College.
"The Japan Day Bunkasi event continues to grow each year in popularity and this year we had the biggest range of activities yet for visitors to enjoy."
Visitors to the Bunkasi event also had the chance to savour authentic Japanese cuisine during a special lunch event.
UCLan students also mounted special displays celebrating such themes as Japanese poetry, Japanese chess and Japanese computer gaming. Many of the displays were based on their learning and travelling experiences of studying for a year in Japan.
Takako Amano, Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies at UCLan, said: “The Japan Day Bunkasi event continues to grow each year in popularity and this year we had the biggest range of activities yet for visitors to enjoy.
“Our very first Runway catwalk fashion show, for example, gave visitors a chance to see a variety of styles ranging from the latest in J-fashion, Japanese Pop culture to more traditional styles.”