Last Sunday, 20 May, the Rapenburg and the Groenhazengracht in Leiden from Japan Museum SieboldHuis through the Hortus botanicus to the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden was dedicated to Japan. With a deafening performance by Pure Percussion on the Japanese taiko drums, the eleventh edition, together with Hiroshi Inomata, ambassador of Japan in the Netherlands and Kris Schiermeier, director Japan Museum SieboldHuis, was officially opened at 12.00. With almost a kilometer of stalls, the Japanese food court on the Groenhazengracht, various activities in the Japan museum SieboldHuis, the tour boats of the Leiden shipping company, and the dance and battle sorts demonstrations in the National Museum of Antiquities, the Japan market attracted more than 10,000 visitors on this sunny first day of Pentecost.
The Japan market is organised every year by Japan Museum SieboldHuis in memory of the Japanese Emperor’s visit to Japan Museum SieboldHuis and Rapenburg on May 25, 2000. Visitors could experience all facets of Japanese culture at more than 80 stalls offering culinary and cultural goods. such as kimono, prints, bonsai, J-Pop, manga, sushi and takoyaki. Because of the 200-year jubilee year, visitors were allowed to visit the museum for 130 yen (€ 1, -). In addition, several martial arts demonstrations alternated with energetic dance performances by Raiden Yosakoi from Leiden. The twelfth edition of the Japan market will take place on the 1st day of Pentecost, Sunday 9 June 2019.
Photography: Romy Kerkman
Source: Press release
