As part of the year-long celebration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan, DLF Avenue inaugurated the ‘Konnichiwa Japan 2022’ festival. The event was inaugurated by Ambassador of Japan to India, Mr. Hiroshii SUZUKI, Embassy of Japan and witnessed a series of events through 16th & 17th December at DLF Avenue Saket. One of the key attractions at the festival was the Japanese Sumo Wrestling event.
Konnichiwa Japan 2022 was organized by Konnichiwa Japan Club with the support of the Embassy of Japan New Delhi, Japan Chamber of Commerce, and Industry in India (JCCII), Japan Foundation, Discover India Club, and India Japan Friendship Forum. The two[1]day flagship event featured a series of events including Sumo Wrestling, Karate Performance, Taiko Performance (Traditional Japanese drums), Japanese food tasting sessions, Japanese tea making ceremony, Calligraphy, Okinawa Dance Performance, Japanese Songs & Dance, Cosplay show, Japanese Quiz, Bollywood Dance by Japanese Artists, Kimono Wearing Show, etc.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Ambassador of Japan to India, Hiroshii SUZUKI, Embassy of Japan said, “I am so glad to be here and bringing the Japanese culture to you all in India. Like India, Japan has a very rich culture and heritage, and with this festival, we aim to present all of you with an opportunity to experience various Japanese traditions like the food delicacies, Cosplay, dance & music. And this cannot be complete without our main attraction, Sumo Wrestling. We will also have a cultural amalgamation wherein our Japanese artists will dance on the popular beats of Bollywood songs. We are de[1]lighted to bring this festival to Delhi for everyone to experience and hope that it increases your love for Japan.” Dr. Alka Kumar, President, Konnichiwa Japan Club, says, “The objective is to showcase and introduce Japanese culture to common Indian people through various cultural performances and lectures. Furthermore, we hope to reach out to people who are yet to visit Japan and introduce the authentic Japanese culture by giving them an insight into the beautiful country of Japan through various events by professional Japanese performers during the festival.”
Siddhartha Natu, Vice President & Cluster Head Retail, Delhi at DLF Limited said, “DLF Avenue has the distinction of bringing together various cultures through curated experiences for a diverse community, and Nissan Konnichiwa Japan 2022 at DLF Avenue is an exciting way to bring Japan’s rich and diverse culture to India. Our patrons can expect an exquisite showcase through the exclusive line-up of activities being hosted at the festival. DLF Avenue has always thrived to delight its customers by providing elevated social experiences and this festival will definitely raise the bar in that category.” SUMOs who participated at the event are: Keisuke Kamikawa (sumo name Wakatenrow), 184 cm, 170 kg and Kazuyuki Hino (sumo name Kotohino) 177cm, 138 kgs respectively.