Japanese craft festival in Hong Kong to proceed despite geopolitical tensions
Organisers vow to press on with the event, emphasising its purely cultural promotion focus, amid concerns over strained China-Japan relations
The organiser of a private cultural festival celebrating Japanese craftsmanship said it would go ahead with the event in Hong Kong next month, despite feeling under pressure as friends voiced concerns about possible fallout from the ongoing Sino-Japanese row.
Theresa Ting, co-founder of the Japanese cultural festival “A Journey into Japanese Craft Aesthetics”, said no organisations or institutions had so far requested the cancellation or postponement of the event. She stressed that the activity was purely commercial and not affiliated with any government.
The festival, to be held at PMQ in Central for 12 days from December 24, aims to showcase traditional Japanese craftsmanship. Its highlight will be the rare art form “Awa Ningyo Jōruri”, a puppet theatre with a centuries-long history.
Other demonstrations and workshops will include Takaoka tin casting, incense-making, Okinawan dyeing techniques, lacquer art, Japanese dance, martial arts, swordsmanship, calligraphy and more.
“We have been continuously receiving concerns and inquiries from friends across various sectors, which has indeed brought some psychological pressure, to a greater or lesser extent,” Ting said.
“However … we have been crystal clear about our focus on cultural promotion, with the goal of bringing Japanese culture to friends in Hong Kong from a more in-depth perspective.”