Category: Japanese Event

  • Japanese Calligraphy Demonstration @ Craft Fair

    Japanese Calligraphy Demonstration @ Craft Fair

    We have some great news to announce, Yukiko Ayres,  a professional calligrapher based in London, is happy to give us a demonstration at craft fair. She started learning the art of Shodo from the age of six and now works as a professional calligrapher in Japan and UK. She is also a 5th Dan Kendo master! This character ‘武道-Budo’ is her recent work which was used for the event held in London. So from 11:00 am at the craft fair, she will give us a Japanese Calligraphy Demonstration. She will write your favourite words. Just to let you know, words she writes on the day are not for commercial purposes. If you would like to use her beautiful calligraphy for your flyer or business card or anything like that, please speak with her directly. All the profit from this demonstration will go to Save the Children Japan Appeal and also the Muslin Square Project.

    We are sure a lot of people know about Save The Children, but many people might not have heard about the Muslin Square Project before. The Muslin Square Project is organized by Japanese mothers who live in the UK. Muslin Squares are large pieces of cloth used to wipe babies’ mouths, for breastfeeding or as burp cloths. They are sending these to help young mothers and mothers-to-be in areas affected by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear aftermath in Japan. They don’t send goods directly to the evacuation centres. Instead, they check how many Muslin Squares are actually needed and the majority are sent to the maternity centres in Tokyo. From there, the goods are distributed to the maternity and evacuation centres in the affected areas.

    We sincerely hope the money raised at the fair will help people, especially those children and mothers who suffered from the disaster.


  • Japan Charity Craft Fair

    Thank you for all your support for Japan. They are, of course, still having a very difficult time with the huge amount of work involved in rebuilding the region, re-housing those who lost their homes and still battling the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

    Poster from the Japan Charity Craft Fair

    In light of the crisis our Festival Director, Eiko Meredith, has decided to hold  a special Japan Charity Craft Fair in Caerphilly, in order to raise money for the Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund, Save the Children.

    Sadly children are the most effected by radiation, and their risk of cancer from radiation is 10-100 times higher than an adult exposed to the same amount. Children grow more rapidly than adults, and their higher rate of cell division means they are at greater risk because radiation can disrupt the cell division process, leading to cancers, mutations, deformities and abnormalities. Unfortunately Fukushima,  like Chernobyl, could continue to be a problem well into the future, and its effects could cause severe problems not only for the current generation but also for generations to come.

    So, please come along on 2nd July from 10am to The Visit Caerphilly Centre and support the fair, and we hope the money we raise will help the children in Japan to have a chance at a better future. At the fair, there will be wonderful handmade crafts by local artists, such as Knitted &Crochet gifts, Pottery, Japanese crafts and lots more. Full details are available on the poster here (click it to open a larger version).

    Kotatsu Festival Update
    Also, we haven’t forgotten about the Kotatsu Festival! Eiko has been very busy working away recently, but is now back and ready to take the reigns once again to organize this year’s event. We will post updates here as soon as we have further news.


  • A Winter Chorus

    Our Festival Steering Committee member Midori Matsui, MBE is organizing a charity concert in aid of The Japanese Saturday School, Whitchurch, Cardiff. The event will take place on Saturday 29th January 2011 at 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm), at the Canton Uniting Church, Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff, CF5 1LQ. On the bill are Saya Okada (Piano), Hiroko Sue (Koto) and bechgyn bro taf (Male Voice Choir).

    Tickets are £10 (£8 concessions), with family tickets for 2 adults and 2 children also available at £26. Children under 14 can get tickets for just £5.

    Tickets are available from:

    Midori Matsui 029 2069 1803 / 07791 805 710 or gwyrdd@ma.kew.net,
    or from Bet Davies on 029 2084 4950 / 07900 842 371.

    Flyer for the Winter Chorus charity concert 2011
    Flyer for A Winter Chorus 2011