Ambassador of Japan Hiroshi Inomata and Midori Inomata hosted the ‘Bon Odori’ festival at their residence. The festival is a Japanese Buddhist custom which honours the spirits of one’s ancestors.

The ambassador said: “This is the second time we have hosted a Bon Odori festival here and I am delighted to see so many of our Pakistani friends join in a tradition which reinforces our gratitude towards our ancestors.”

The festival has evolved into a family reunion holiday, where people return to their ancestral sites and visit the graves of their ancestors. It has been celebrated in Japan for over 500 years and includes a dance called the Bon Odori.

Guests were enraptured by the Japanese dancing, drumming and food. Inomata played the Wadaiko drums while the Bon Odori was performed by women dressed in traditional Yukatas. The ambassador played the drum on a wooden platform called the yagura and many guests joined the dancers.

The food was a mix of traditional Pakistani snacks, as well as Japanese favourites. Guests could play games and have their photographs taken in colourful Haori kimonos.

“Japanese culture is fascinating and we should take all possible opportunities to increase people-to-people contact and facilitate learning between our people. The Japanese embassy has shared many lovely traditions from Japan with us over the years,” Walid Mushtaq said.

Published in Dawn, October 12th , 2015

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