TheNational Dayof Japan   was celebrated today, July 11. The Minister of agriculture of Japan,Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Minister of Economy,Daishiro Yamagiwa, the Italian Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry PoliciesMaurizio Martinaand the First ladyAkie Abeopened the inauguration ceremony for the Japanese National Day speaking about the commitment of the two Countries for the themes promoted byExpo Milano 2015.

 

The Japanese Pavilion, the three sides of harmony

 

 The Minister of AgricultureHayashiexplained the importance of the concept of harmony for the Japanese culture and introduced three traditional moments in which this assumption intertwined with the theme of food and safeguard of nature. Harmony with nature, culture with food and gratitude towards nature are part of the Pavilion’s concept and the message that Japan wants to convey. “The interest and respect towards food culture” affirmed YoshimasaHayashi“are enclosed in the values we want to transmit in our Pavilion. It is important to start from traditions to rethink about our relationship with food and with agriculture, to create a sustainable development and growth that can solve the problems connected to the lack of food or to the excess of food”. The institutional event ended in the early afternoon with the visit by Akie Abe, the Prime Minister’s wife, to the Japanese Pavilion.

 

Tradition and contemporaneity meet along the Decumano

 

Japan thanked for the support received after theFukushimadisaster with an extraordinary parade with over 400 people in traditional outfits impersonating representative characters and scenes of Japan. The performers bought the dances and local music of the six major Japanese cities to Milan and four typical performances of the area of Fukushima. During the evening, the National Day of Japan ended withJapan Day Special Live 2015, a cultural event that mixed traditional and contemporary artistic expressions of Japanese culture. Performing on stage theExpo Milano 2015Auditorium were members ofShodo, the calligraphy art, the percussion groupWadaiko, Dadadadan Tenko, the Tsugaru-jamisen players,Yoshida Brothers, Kazufasa Hoshoof the Noh Theatre and the pop musicianKyary Pamyu Pamyu.