This coming week-end barcelona’s Moll de la Fusta will host the Matsuri Intercultural Festival, a Japanese cultural event that last year brought together 30,000 people and celebrates its tenth edition in 2024.
The Japanese Cultural Association Matsuri with the support of the City Council of Barcelona, Casa Asia, the Japan Foundation, the Port Vell, the Consulate General of Japan and the Japan-Spain Business Circle organize this event that will unite the performing arts and music with the most traditional Japanese culture and a small space dedicated to its gastronomy.
The Program will include various folkloric traditions, with dances, musical shows, traditional songs and authentic typical food stands.
Traditional music performances will be given by shamisen player José Luque and the Barcelona Taiko group. From Japan, Katanaya Ichi’s Samurai show will arrive, along with other Japanese Taiko drumming performances and traditional artists such as Chieko Kojima, Tetsuro Naito, Tomoko Takeda and Ryota Kawano.
In addition, there will be workshops on Japanese Shodō calligraphy and Sumi-e painting with Mitsuru Nagata, as well as martial arts exhibitions by Bujinkan, Katori Shinto Ryu and the Hirota Karate club.
Children will also have their space with a Zone that will include wooden kendama, stilt walkers and many other activities.
There will also be the traditional participatory Bon Odori, with typical dances and live traditional music by Barcelona Ondo, which will take place on Saturday afternoon and will also mark the closing of the festival on Sunday.
The gastronomic offer will focus on street food stalls typical of Japanese festivals, managed by different Asian restaurants in Barcelona. In addition, some 40 stores will sell a variety of Japanese products.