The Dublin Arts Council brought the essence of Japan to Columbus with the Celebration of Japan Festival on Saturday.
It was a normal American school building, but once the door opened to Dublin Scioto High School people were led into the world of Japan. Japanese art, music and hands-on activities were waiting for the those to attendance to experience.
“We have so many Japanese in the area because of (people at) Honda,” said Christy Rosenthal, director for the Dublin Arts Council. “This is the way to bridge the gap between two cultures.”
American girls put on kimonos and traditional Japanese clothing, and make-up was applied to make them kabuki actors. Kabuki is a type of traditional Japanese play.
Kamishibai storytelling was another event children enjoyed. The children learned how traditional storytellers ride bikes from one town to another, telling stories to the people through the art of pictures.
The festival was not only for little kids, but people of all ages.
Through a tea ceremony, adults learned how to achieve tranquility, and see the uniqueness of drinking tea in Japan.
Tea drinking is more than just drinking a beverage. It is a long process of art, which takes almost 15 minutes to complete.
There are also certain customs which each tea drinker should follow. From entering a room to drinking the tea, people should bow several times.
Unlike the cups most people are used to, tea is poured into a bowl. Individuals should turn around the bowl twice before drinking, and clean the part of the bowl where the lips touched with their fingers.
“It is fun to see different aspects of Japanese culture,” said Charlie Stevens, a senior in Japanese and international business.
Stevens, who has visited Japan for one year as a high school student, learned a lot about Japan at the festival, he said.
“People are learning, but they don’t necessarily know they are learning because they have so much fun,” Rosenthal said.
Japanese people enjoyed themselves in watching and learning about their own cultures in Columbus far away from Japan.
“It was interesting for me as a Japanese,” said Akiko Fujii, a senior in psychology. “Although I heard about traditional culture, it was difficult to see the real traditional stuff even in Japan.”
Fujii saw how to do Gyotaku for the first time at the festival, she said.
Gyotaku is a fish print in Japanese. It originated as a way for Japanese fishermen to measure the exact size of the fish they caught by pressing on the surface of the painted fish. Festival attendants could make Gyotaku at the event.
