A 16 member dance team participated in the Awa Odori Festival on August 13 and 14 in Tokushima, Japan. The dance form dates back to 1587 and now the festival is the seasonal delight of Tokushima when the entire city resounds with music and dance. The Bangladesh team was led by noted cultural personality, Ramendu Majumdar and the choreography was done by Kabirul Islam Ratan.
The team was invited by the Festival Committee in association with the Japan Embassy in Bangladesh, and was sponsored by Maruhisa Pacific Co Ltd, a reputed Japanese garment manufacturer operating in Japan, Thailand and Bangladesh.
They gave four performances, the first being at the welcome party hosted by Kiminobu Hiraishi, chairman of Maruhisa. Before the performance, Masud Bin Momen, Bangladesh ambassador in Japan, Shiro Sadoshima, ambassador of Japan in Thailand and previously in Bangladesh, Hiraishi and Ramendu Majumdar among others, addressed the gathering.
The second performance was at the NHK special stage in collaboration with Heiwa-ren dancers which was shown live. This was followed by another performance at Awa-Kanko hotel in the chamber of commerce.
The final performances, in two phases, were at the festival’s main venue where five thousand spectators highly lauded the Bangladeshi dancers.
The delegation also met the mayors of Tokushima city, Naruto city and the Governor of Tokushima prefecture. During these courtesy calls, both sides emphasised on more cultural exchanges between Bangladesh and Japan.