Interest

Japanese Festival in London This Sunday

The Bunkasai Japanese festival, organised by the charity Aid for Japan, will be held in London on Sunday March 11. It will mark the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The festival will include activities relating to Japanese traditional dance, martial arts, music (Shamisen and Taiko drums), and lectures on Shinto, Bushido and calligraphy. The timetable of events is here.

The event will take place at the Park Crescent Conference Centre at 229 Great Portland Street (map). It is close to Regents Park and Great Portland Street underground stations.

The event runs from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. There will be a one-minute silence during the event (at 2.46 p.m.) to remember the victims of the tsunami. Tickets are £5 on the door (£4 for students or free for children under 11). Discount advance tickets, costing £3.50, can be bought online here.

The festival is also looking for volunteers to help on the day; anyone interested should contact [email protected]

The Aid for Japan charity was set up to support children who were orphaned by the Japanese tsunami until they reach the age of 20.

Bunkasai is the name of an annual event in Japan, where children at nurseries, and students at schools and universities, display their work.