Learning everything about Japanese culture and traditions

The Sakura Festival, which has revealed the surprising and beautiful world of Japan to thousands of Muscovites, is closing today at pavilion 7a at Sokolniki Exhibition and Convention Centre.

In the spacious halls of a new 4, 000 sq.m. mobile pavilion, we have collected everything that Japanese masters are famous for: painted silk and carved furniture, heavy silk-decorated kimonos and the fanciful and delicate origami. One could learn a lot there: the lectures, presentations and master classes were going on continuously. Ancient schools were unveiling some of their mysteries. There were not enough chairs for everyone, but people were eager to hearken standing.

Let us recall what it was like:
From the Presentations Zone, the visitors moved to the stands to listen to the experts, and to spend a long time before a Bamboo wall decorated with hundreds of live sprouts. A special event will be held here on the last festival day.

Master class on Japanese Sumi-e painting.

V. Soldatov telling about the intricate art of bonsai.

Traditional Japanese Arts Reflected in the Mirror of Calligraphy, a lecture from T. Rozonova, Assistant Professor of the Department of Oriental Languages of the Moscow State Linguistic University.

Practicing the art. The first steps in Japanese calligraphy under the supervision of artist calligrapher A. Mamonov.

A tea ceremony from the Ikenobo Ikebana Centre.

Tabi, naga-juban, obi – you ought to know how to wear it! Aleksandra Barkova, the curator of the 1001 Kimonos collection, sharing some of her secrets.

It is not so difficult to make a paper boat, but how exciting it is!

Even more so, when you see what a master can do.

The intricacies of the Go game. I. Grishin, Fifth Dan master.

The art of ikebana. Flowers, music, mystery of a newborn harmony...

The final chord of the festival. Traditional Japanese martial arts with weapons demonstrated by the Russian Kobudo Federation.

Today is the last working day of the festival. It is a pity we have to say goodbye but we are sure the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy and the National Union of Calligraphers of Russia with support of Sokolniki Museum-Educational Complex will surprise the Muscovites with a plethora of new unusual fests.

Source: International Exhibition of Calligraphy