site.btaPlovdiv Hosts Japanese Arts Panorama

The Japanese Culture Center Kokoro organized a Panorama of Japanese Arts at the Plovdiv Cultural Institute on Saturday. The event presented Japanese literature, cuisine, beverages and other typical traditions.

Plovdivers had the opportunity to join workshops in Japanese arts, including shodo (calligraphy), kintsugi (mending broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum), sumi-e (ink painting), chado (tea ceremony), traditional jewellery, origami (paper folding), and furoshiki (wrapping gifts and other objects in cloth).

Most spectators flocked to the demonstration of Japanese martial arts. The Center finds that there is keen interest in the manners and culture of the Japanese people.

The Kokoro Center was set up a year ago for the purpose of enlightening aikido practitioners, sensei Ivaylo Petrov explained. In Sofia, Kokoro uses a space that is the nearest approximation to a Japanese room in terms of sense and furnishing. It comes complete with a zen garden, original tatami mats, and a library. The Centre offers courses in Japanese language and civilization, Petrov added.