Furyu #27

Newsletter of IAC (International Artists Center)1 February, 2014

<page 1>Countryside with strong Japanese cultural influencecan be the starting point of mutual understandingT

he annual number of foreign tourists to Japan finallysurpassed 10 million at the end of December 2013.

This is not necessarily astonishing when compared to countries
like France, which receives the most number of annual foreign
tourists in the world. France receives 8 times more foreign
tourists than Japan a year. In terms of the number of inboundforeign tourists, Japan ranks 39th in the world and 10th in Asia.
Japan is a less developed country when it comes to international
tourism.
On the other hand, there are more than 2 million foreigners
living in Japan, including students and workers (2012 Statistical
Survey on Legal Migrants ).
Although the Japanese government is trying hard to bring more
new foreigners into Japan, I believe it is much more important tointroduce the true value of Japanese culture to the foreign people
who are already living in Japan.
Foreigners living in Japan are relatively familiar with thefamous tourist attractions all over Japan, but they seldom visit
the countryside that still has charms of an old Japanese culturerich with traditional way of living and festivals. If one reallywants to promote international, mutual understanding, it isessential to show foreigners the great virtue of the countrysidewhere the roots of Japanese culture exist.
Having been engaged in community development projects formany years, I know that visits by foreigners revitalize regional
communities. It is about time that each region recognizes thisand takes advantage of such opportunity.
I am very pleased that I now have a good relationship with IAC
which is working hard to promote cultural exchange withforeign countries.
IAC is collaborating with embassies in Tokyo for its projectcalled “Understanding cultures through food” where people canexperience the culinary culture of various countries. IAC also
takes young diplomats to the Japanese countryside and try toconnect them with the local people, so that they develop a
deeper understanding about each other.
In 2013, when the diplomats went to Hinode-machi located inTama, Tokyo, they visited “Hinode Sanso”, an old house with athatched roof that belongs to former Prime Minister YasuhiroNakasone, who is well-known for the so-called “Ron-Yasu talks(talks between President Reagan and Prime MinisterNakasone)”. They also took part in the “Sakura Festival” thatwas being held at the time.

This year, we are organizing a participatory tour to “Shirahama
Ama Festival” at Shirahama in Minamiboso city, Chiba
Prefecture for the diplomats and their families (I have local ties
with this particular area).
Let me introduce to you the “Shirahama Ama Festival” ofMinamiboso city.
“Ama”(female divers) have been around since ancient times. We
don’t exactly know when or where the tradition started, but there
are only two countries in the world where Ama fishing ispracticed, Japan and Korea.
“Ama-chan”, the popular NHK morning drama series aired in2013, is a story based in a fishing village in Sanriku kaigan,
Iwate Prefecture, Tohoku region. Women of Shirahama,
Minamiboso city, Chiba Prefecture have also been practicing
Ama fishing from old times and they are still carrying out freediving to this day. “Shirahama Ama Festival” is held here everysummer.
“Ama no Yaei”(Ama’s night time swimming), in which local
Ama wearing white garments and bearing bamboo torches swim
in the sea at night, is a spectacular event, and is the biggest
summer festival in the area.
Last year, organizers started recruiting women who wish toparticipate in the “Ama no Yaei” from all over Japan.
At night, the excitement starts with the parade of mikoshi(portable shrines) and the dance of Ryu-jin (dragon god) in thesea, which are the highlights of the festival. This is followed by
the nocturnal swimming of ama with bamboo torches in theirhands, and as a finale, hundreds of fireworks light up the sky
above the sea. The program of light takes the spectators into aworld of fantasy.
The festival will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, so
it is expected to be even more exciting！
I am sure that by coordinating events that provide foreign
diplomats the opportunity to experience Japanese culture in thecountryside, IAC can enhance mutual understanding between
Japan and countries from all over the world.
As a community development producer, I would be very proud
if IAC’s activities can also revitalize local communities inJapan. I hope IAC will keep up its pivotal role as the “keystation” for cultural exchange through its future activities.
Nagaki Nihei, Community Development Producer(translated by Keiko Hori, IAC)
(photo by Harunobu Otani, Kintetsu International)<page 2>

Understanding the Culture of Peru through Food

During four days, from Friday 6th until Monday 9th,
December 2013, The Embassy of Peru in Japan held two
really meaningful cultural events in the IAC-International
Artists Center Tokyo, Design Festa Gallery.
Two main Peruvian artists shared this gallery to show different
aspects of Peru. On first place we had Japanese-Peruvian painterOswaldo Higuchi with 5 master pieces about the immigration ofJapanese people to Peru during the last part of the 19th century.
On the other hand, Peruvian plastic artist Gisela – Freundt
exhibited her personal homage to the city of Machu Picchu with
10 abstract paintings. Alongside these paintings the Embassy ofPeru set up an exhibition/sale of handicrafts made by Peruvian
artisans, including gloves and scarves made of alpaca as well as
little typical souvenirs made by Peruvian artists by hand.
In addition, of this outstanding exhibition, a second main event
was held on December 7th: “Peruvian tourist spots, ethnic grains
and cuisine”, as the name of a special seminar/workshop madein the Design Festa Gallery’s restaurant. H.E. Mr. Elard Escala,Ambassador of Embassy of the Republic of Peru attended.
Omar Ortega Ortega, second Secretary was in charge of giving adelightful presentation on where to go, what to do and what toeat in Peru, followed by Giulianna Soto, Peruvian Ambassador’sResidence cook, who gave a master class on the now trendingPeruvian food.
The year 2013 was declared "The International Year of theQuinoa" by FAO and Peru is a major quinoa producer country.
Therefore, in addition to tourism and Peruvian Culture, bothparts of the presentation where focus on giving as muchinformation as possible about this Andean golden grain, since inJapan is still not that common in every Japanese family.
Because its recently discovered nutritional facts, Quinoa may
play an important role in eradicating malnutrition and hunger,
which brought huge attention from all over the world in recentyears.
The menu for the workshop included a “Seafood Quinoa
Risotto", jelly and juice made of Peruvian purple corn, and it
was very well received by participants in the cooking class.
(Embassy of Peru)<page 4>

Hello, dear embassy #16 "Burkina Faso"

Burkina Faso is a multi-ethnic, landlocked country inWest Africa, home to over 60 ethnic groups and 60
different languages
The name of the country translates to “Home of NoblePeople.”
Its main industries are agriculture and livestock rearing.
Baseball has flourished underneath guidance by Japan
When asked what they know about Burkina Faso, the majority ofpeople in Japan respond with " … what?" Burkina Faso is alandlocked country in West Africa with a total area of 274,000 km²(70% that of Japan), and a population of 15.76 million (in 2008).
Before gaining independence from France in 1960, the country wasknown as Haute Volta (Upper Volta, in English, in reference to its
location along Volta River). In 1984, the name was changed toBurkina Faso under President Sankara, who established asemi-presidential republic. The name « Burkina Faso » translates to“Home of Noble People”.
The Embassy of Burkina Faso is located in the quiet residential areaof Sendaizaka, Minato-city, surrounded by the foreign embassies ofSouth Korea, Madagascar, France, Germany and others.
Mr. François Oubida, the Ambassador of Burkina Faso, greeted us
at the start of the interview. He is a career diplomat with work
experience in Cuba and New York.
Ambassador: "While this is my first post in Japan I have alreadyserved as the director of the ministry of foreign affairs between
Japan and Burkina Faso, so I am fairly knowledgeable about thecountry. I was also invited here for a visitation in 1998 by theJICA."

Dancers from Botswana----------What is Burkina Faso like?
Ambassador: “Burkina Faso is a multi-ethnic, landlocked country
that is home to over 60 ethnic groups and 60 different languages.
Our official language is French. Our economy is centered onagriculture. Our economy is based on a flourishing agriculturalindustry and the cultivation and production of cotton, peanuts, sugar
cane and sesame, and the raising of goats, sheep, chicken and otherlivestock. One of our immediate goals is to modernize ouragricultural processing techniques, as we currently import morethan we export to Japan due to the state of our manufacturingindustry. A semi-presidential democratic republic, we have ahistory of many coup d'états, but the country is now very stablebeneath President Blaise Compaoré. Through the government'sdemocratic reformation efforts the maximum presidential term wasrecently revised from seven to five years."----------Is baseball popular in Burkina Faso?
Ambassador: "The sport is only played in the capitol,
Ouagadougou, for now. We have 5 active teams. About ten years
ago, Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers introduced baseball toour country for the first time. Since then, it has really taken root.
We have even sent a young athlete named Sanfo Lassina to a teamin Kochi prefecture in Japan to improve his skills.”
It would be exciting if, some day, extraordinary baseball players
from Burkina Faso could find success through playing Japanesehigh school baseball, Japanese professional baseball and even in theMajor Leagues. It could only mean good things for the prominenceof the country.
(Yasunori Yamashita, IAC)
(translated by Feinerman Sarah, Design Festa Office)(photo by A.M. Fujikura)

Join the IAC!
International Artists Center (IAC) is a non-profit organization. It was established in1960 and has been doing its activities in the aim to contribute to the international
understanding and the world peace through cultural exchanges programs.
NPO法人

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