The Indian Express – February 4, 2016 – Cool Japan Festival will be held from February 6-7, 2016 at High Street Phoenix, Mumbai. This year, with the Consulate General of Japan being actively involved in the proceedings, the festival will be designed on the theme – ‘Let’s learn about Japan’.
Hightlights of the festival are:
1. Japanese Pop singer Erina Matsui will perform Japanese songs. Her debut song was the popular theme song called ‘B‐Bird’ for ‘Gundam’, a famous science fiction Japanese animation
2. Miss Japan World 2015, Chika Nakagawa will talk about the Japanese culture, food and traditions among other things
3. Spice Madams, a group of Japanese ladies living in Mumbai who enjoy dancing on Bollywood song, will be performing live at Cool Japan Festival 2016
4. Japanese kids who reside in Mumbai will showcase their culture by performing tradional dance.
5. The festival will also put across a Cosplay Fashion Show where comics and pop culture from all over India will unite to showcase the Japanese animation characters
6. The Mumbai Kendo club will demonstrate Kendo – ‘the way of the sword’, one of the many Japanese martial art forms using bamboo swords and protective armor
7. The Delhi Wadaiko team will be performing the art of Taiko. Also known as Wadaiko, Taiko is the indispensable Japanese musical instrument for festivals and religious rituals.
The Cool Japan Festival 2016 will offer a variety of traditional Japanese cuisines, which include:
1. Donburi, a Japanese rice bowl dish consisting of fish, meat, vegetables or other ingredients simmered together and served over rice
2. Chef Komaki from Japan will visit the festival to prepare Shojin Ryori, a type of vegetarian cooking delicacy brought to Japan together with Buddhism in the sixth century which will be introduced in India for the first time
3. Dorayaki, a Japanese sweet that consists of the popular Azuki (red bean paste)
4. Nissin Cup Noodles will be selling their four flavours – Mazedaar Masala, Veggi Manchow, Italiano and Spiced Chicken
5. Sushi, the most traditional and famous Japanese cuisine
6. Obento is yet another Japanese style lunch box which will also be made available at the festival
Speaking on the occasion, Rajendra Kalkar, president – West, The Phoenix Mills said, “We invite our patrons and food lovers to this one-of-a-kind experience of Japanese culture in its fifth season. Since our theme this year is ‘Let’s learn about Japan’, we hope that the visitors will be able to learn more and appreciate Japanese culture, products, and services.”
Yoshiaki Ito, Consul General, Consulate General of Japan, Mumbai said, “The Cool Japan Festival started in 2012 as part of the 60th anniversary of India-Japan relations. This festival introduces Japan to the people of Mumbai through technology, food, culture, animation and much more.”