WHAT comes to mind when Japan is mentioned? For me, it’s the sakura, geisha, ramen and sushi, Tokyo and Kyoto, minimalist interior design, onsens, old castles, temples, and World Heritage Sights.

I’ve seen geishas walking quick small steps along a small alley of Gion, a formal tea ceremony in Tokyo, witnessed the Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri. I have yet to see more of Japan’s culture.

It’s now easier for the Davaoeños and Mindanaoans to experience Japan and its culture with the opening of the Consulate General of Japan in Davao. Here, visas to Japan can be issued directly. What we need now is a direct flight to the Land of the Rising Sun.

To promote Japanese culture and make the country more enticing to visit, the newly established Consulate General office recently showcased a cultural show. Featured were the traditional Japanese martial arts Karate and Kendo; taiko drumbeating performance; Jpop music; contemporary music interpreted with a shimasen, a three-stringed Japanese instrument; enactment of transporting the Mikoshi, a portable shine; and the Bon-Odori dance.

It was like a quick trip to Japan. But what made the presentation more interesting is it allowed the audience to “immerse” in the culture. The Bon-Odori, the dance held during the Obon festival, was taught to the audience. A ballroom-filled of dancing guests made a fitting finale to the cultural show.

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