Unfolding a Culture: A Celebration of Japanese Culture and the Arts

UNFOLDING A CULTURE

 A Celebration of Japanese Culture and the Arts

For the whole month of July Shangri-la Plaza will holding an event called Unfolding a Culture A Celebration of Japanese Culture and the Arts. A month long event that hopes to bring the culture and artistry of japan to the Philippines in the hopes of better appreciation and understanding the japanese culture by the local people of the Philippines.

With the country celebrating Philippine-Japan Friendship month this July it's a great chance to immerse oneself in the culture of the land of the rising sun.

Experience the richness and diversity of japanese art and culture. Take a stroll to the Nihonichi Japanese market and marvel at the colorful items on display from Tengu masks, lucky charms, japanese dolls, paper fans, Daruma, Manekineko (Beckoning Cat) and other japanese novelty items for the most japanese and otaku enthusiast.

You can also rent out one of the kimono's for a decent price so you don't only feel the ambience of a japan market place but also look the part too. All for a reasonable price of course. They also have kendama which a Japan ball and string toy. They even offer japanese fortune telling and a chopstick challenge and other games and activities for visitors .

There are life size japanese armors on display as well and some real life katana all with various designs and decorations. They even got japanese sandals and a kandama which is a ball and string toy. They even got a japanese tanto which one of my favorite Japanese blade.

They even set up a miniature japanese Nara park where visitors can take photos underneath a sakura tree and a colorful bamboo forest. They are perfect when you want to take a photo op in a kimono or maybe even in a cosplay. Just be careful not to touch anything as a lot of them seem fragile. So please be extra careful.

I also notice a few shops that sells japanese items like a Kushi, which is a japanese traditional comb usually with a flower motif design. Also some awesome Kanzashi Hairpins. They even have a japanese products, toys and books courtesy of Daiso, National Bookstore and Toys R Us that sells Gundams and the likes.

There's even a japanese Art exhibit at the Shangri-la East Wing which you can access from the main lobby through the second floor walkway where traditional japanese paintings and more samurai armors are on display. Very few people here though as it's not that easy to find that I have to ask a few people for directions. Fewer visitors means more place to take pictures and they got some sort of Japanese garden here as well.

This is all made possible through the good folks of Shangri la and its participating partners Alter Ego, Daiso, KimonoPH, Matsuri! Matsuri!, the bakeshop by Edsa Shangri-la manila, Tochi and Toy's R Us.

I'd like to personally thank Eleven-Up Novelty Shop, sir Archimedes Belando of Matsuri Matsuri and Kimono World Matsuri Bazaar, KimonoPH, Alter Ego Gaming Library, Kana no Kitsuke Kimono and Accessories Shop, The Noob Artist, Kanzashi and Art Online Shop and EhsamShoppu for allowing me to take photos and entertaining my inquiries.

The event will run all the way until the end of July so if you haven't seen it yet then just head on over to Shangri-la Plaza and experience it for yourselves.