JCC E-Magazine November 2016

During the stage performance at SJ50 Matsuri

SJ50 Matsuri & Friendship Parade – the largest element of the ongoing celebration that marks this year’s 50 years of Singapore–Japan Diplomatic Relations (SJ50) was held with a blast on 29th and 30th October at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza. With over 50 exhibitors showcasing Japanese tradition, food and pop culture, as well as featuring 40 performances by 24 groups and organisations from Japan, Singapore and other Asian countries, the two-day event attracted more than 100,000 visitors, making it the biggest Japanese festival ever held in Singapore!

A mass street walk and dance called the SJ50 Friendship Parade was the highlight of the festival. Comprising of 60 top Awa dancers who flew in especially from Japan’s Tokushima and Koenji, five athletes who represented Singapore at the Rio Olympics, together with mascots Domo-kun and Kumamon, and more than 2,000 Japanese and Singaporeans participants from various Singapore-Japanese Friendship organisations, institutions and schools dressed up in their best Cosplay attire, team uniform and traditional outfit, marched and danced Awa Odori along Orchard Road from Lucky Plaza to Paragon – a dance originated from Tokushima prefecture around 400 years ago to welcome the souls of ancestors.

Dancers performing Awa Odori at SJ50 Friendship Parade

Opening of the SJ50 Friendship Parade

H.E. Ambassador Kenji Shinoda and Senior Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Transport Mrs Josephine Teo graced in the parade and joined in the Awa dance as well. The festival, which is organised by the SJ50 Steering Committee headed by the Embassy of Japan in Singapore, aimed to foster more opportunities for the people of both nations to interact with each other, further developing friendship and mutual understanding, and promoting sustainable relationships for the next 50 years. We thank you for your support for the SJ50 Matsuri & Friendship Parade and together, let’s go SJ100!

Deputy Chief of Mission Mr Naohiro Tsutsumi commencing the start of SJ50 Matsuri		Awa Odori dancers performing on stage
Visitors at the booths of SJ50 Matsuri		Performances on the stage
H.E. Ambassador Kenji Shinoda and Senior Minister of State Mrs Josephine Teo with Awa Odori dancers at the parade		H.E. Ambassador Kenji Shinoda, Senior Minister of State Mrs Josephine Teo, SJ50 executive committee, Special Sponsors and Representative of Performers at the parade
Participants at the parade		Mascots at the parade
Mascot at the parade		Participants at the parade
Participants at the parade		Participants at the parade
Participants at the parade		Participants at the parade
Awa Odori dancers and participants at the parade		H.E. Ambassador Kenji Shinoda with Awa Odori dancers and participants at the parade
Booths and exhibits at the SJ50 Matsuri		Booths and exhibits at the SJ50 Matsuri
Booths and exhibits at the SJ50 Matsuri		Mascot at the SJ50 Matsuri

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2016 marks the
50th Anniversary of Singapore-Japan Diplomatic Relations