| James Kon |
HER Royal Highness Princess Fadzilah Lubabul Bolkiah yesterday enjoyed a firsthand experience of Japanese cultural traditions at the opening of the ‘Prologue for Culture Tourism’ event hosted by Smart Shield Sdn Bhd and Smart Coating Technologies Sdn Bhd, with support from the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT).
Held at The Empire Hotel & Country Club, the opening was also attended by Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MPRT Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali and Japanese Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Motohiko Kato.
In his welcoming remarks, Smart Shield Sdn Bhd and Smart Coating Technologies Sdn Bhd Director Okuchi Hiroshi said, “The event is organised in the spirit of ‘muhibbah’, or goodwill, to get a feel of the different cultures.”
He also extended his congratulations on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam’s Accession to the Throne.
Following the speech, Her Royal Highness officially launched the ‘Prologue for Culture Tourism’ event, which showcases numerous exhibits on Japanese calligraphy, ceramics, pottery, in addition to several paintings and a demonstration of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.
Experts from each of these fields were invited to display their skills at the opening ceremony.
One of them was Rie Takeda, with more than 30 years of experience as a master of the Japanese tea ceremony, and with 500 students worldwide. She demonstrated to Her Royal Highness, who was seated on a Japanese mat, the tea-making rituals and etiquette.
Another was Rinsetsu Yoshikawa, with more than 20 years of experience in the art of Japanese calligraphy. She displayed her talents, and guided Her Royal Highness in writing of the word ‘elegance’ in Japanese kanji.
Also showcasing their talents were pottery and ceramics artist, Professor Nishimura; and Yuko Tada, a well-known contemporary painter with over 40 years experience.
Before attending a tea reception in her honour, Her Royal Highness was given a tour of the exhibits at the ‘Prologue for Culture Tourism’ venue.
The cultural event is hoped to further strengthen the ties between Brunei and Japan, in addition to promoting an understanding of Brunei-Japanese cultures.
The exhibition is open to the public for two days until October 29, and is free of charge.
The post Royalty launches Japanese exhibition appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.