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Delightful Japanese treat

AFSAR AHMED
ambassador to Bangladesh, was special guest on the occasion.
Although it is not possible to project the entire culture of a nation in only eight hours, the slogan of the event--Discover Japan--was apt as the display contained glimpses from almost all major traditions of Japan. The exhibition of ikebana, the artistic arrangement of cut flowers, stems, leaves in vases and other decorative containers, had the true Japanese essence of beauty. And viewers were taken in by the miniature version of
Japanese. Japanese books--some of them written by Bangladeshis--magazines, newspapers and posters on Japan also evoked curiosity.
Four documentaries Japan Video Encyclopedia, Mount Fuji and Traditional Japanese Sports Karatedo and Judo captivated the audience with its glimpse of the rich cultural heritage of Japan.
"I hope this fair will help our people take a cue from the perseverance and dedication of the Japanese. With that spirit our country will be on the road to development," commented Momtazuddin Bhuiyan, president of Dhaka Japanese Language Institute Alumni Association.
What comes to mind while thinking of Japan? Technological excellence, a panoramic view of nature--the Fuji Mountain--kimonos, the living art of bonsai, the aesthetic appeal of Japanese dolls and toys, ikebana, the traditional arts of self defence--judo and karate, giant Sumo wrestlers, mouthwatering cuisine, cherry festival and many more. The daylong Japanese Cultural Exhibition 2005, held on February 24 at the Central Public Library, reminded the huge crowd of these facets of Japan. The event was jointly organised by the Dhaka Japanese Language Institute Alumni Association and Bangladesh-Japan Youth Friendship Association (BJYFA) in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh.
The exhibition was inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor of Dhaka university, Professor SMA Fayez, while Matsushiro Horiguchi, Japanese
living trees--the display of bonsai--which looked even prettier than those growing in the wild.
Inquisitive children and adults alike crowded in front of the stall of Japanese toys where colourful attractive handmade traditional playing gadgets were displayed. The Origami figures of animals and plants delighted a lot of people. The Japanese Geisha dolls and other traditional dolls also caught visitors' attention.
The Japanese cuisine, featuring milder herbs and spices, however, drew the most visitors. Kazuko, the Japanese lady in kimono, surprised many with her fluent Bangla while describing the food like sushi, bento, tempura and soba.
Another interesting part was the live exhibition of judo and karate.
Students had the opportunity to gain information about education in Japan as well as learning