The Sakai ASEAN Week 2014 officially began in Japan’s Sakai City on Sunday.  In attendance were representatives from Consulates General of ASEAN member countries, a large number of expats living in Japan, and many reporters from the Southeast Asian region. 

The opening ceremony featured musical exchanges and traditional culinary programmes, along with other activities to introduce the beauty of the land, people and culture in Japan’s Kansai region, and in ASEAN member countries as a whole.

A traditional dance performed by some Vietnamese expats in Japan

The annual Sakai ASEAN Week aims to strengthen solidarity and cultural exchanges, as well as boost long-term cooperation between Japan, especially Sakai City, and ASEAN member countries.  The purpose for participating countries is to develop their own economies in combination with preserving their long-lasting traditional cultures, as well as to learn more about special cultural values from each other.

Apart from the numerous cultural exchange programmes, a series of field trips is also being held to advertise the special cultural characteristics of Sakai City, which is considered a cradle of various Japanese traditional cultural forms.  They include the art of the tea ceremony, Kado flower arranging, Haiku poetry, and the traditional Japanese confectionery Wagashi.