Japan seems to be popular in the UK this year, which is good for me! I’ve just learnt that the Mayor’s Thames Festival in London will be featuring a Taiko and Lantern Parade. Here are the details, taken from the Japan Society of the UK website:
TAIKO and LANTERN PARADE
Evening, Sunday 11th September 2011
5 pm to 6.30 pm: form procession
6.45 pm: Start
9.45 pm: Fireworks (and end of procession)
LANTERN MAKING WORKSHOPS and ACTIVITIES
12 noon – 6pm
Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th September
The Mayor’s Thames Festival Night Carnival will be held in the evening of 11 September 2011, six months to the day after the massive earthquake and tsunami struck the Tohoku region of Japan. We’re raising money for Tohoku: you don’t have to give money, your participation, however, will generate cash.
During the weekend of the festival (Saturday, 10 and Sunday, 11 September; 12 noon to 6pm) there will be workshops to make lanterns for the Night Carnival and other activities to raise money for the Japan Society Tohoku Relief Fund. These lanterns will be carried by volunteers and accompanying the JOJI HIROTA TAIKO DRUMMERS during the parade.
We need:
Empty plastic 1.5- or 2-litre mineral water bottles, ideally square bottles with ridgid sides such as Volvic or Highland Spring, to provide the basis for the lanterns. There are four collection points for bottles:
Embassy of Japan, 101/104 Piccadilly, London W1J 7JT (contact: Mark McEvoy, tel: 020 7465 6589)
Japan Society, Swire House, 59 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AJ (contact: Yuko Kobayashi, tel: 020 7828 6330)
Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, Daiwa Foundation Japan House, 13/14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle), London NW1 4QP (contact: Susan Meehan)
ICN Gallery, 96-98 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4RH (contact: Taki Togashi)
We are looking for at least 100 Volunteers, prepared to dress in yukata or happi, to carry lanterns in the Night Carnival and also volunteers to help during the daytime (in shifts between 12 noon and 6pm) over the weekend of the festival.
☆★☆
If you would like to take part in the Night Carnival, or volunteer to help with lantern-making workshops and other activities, please visit the Japan Society website (http://www.japansociety.org.uk/20077/thamesfestival/), fill in the form and they’ll get in touch. Alternatively, please telephone the Japan Society office on 020 7827 6330 or email: events@japansociety.org.uk.
For information in Japanese, click here. I heard that Japanese people are especially being encouraged to join this festival, so please pass this information on to any Japanese people you know who might be interested.
For more information about the Mayor’s Thames Festival, please see: http://www.thamesfestival.org/.
Haikugirl's Japan 