Japan and Argentina are celebrating 140 years of diplomatic relations, and to mark the occasion, Buenos Aires is hosting a Japanese Festival featuring a tea ceremony, talks, workshops, musical performances, Japanese drums, and much more.
Free Japanese Festival in Puerto Madero this weekend: Japanese drums, traditional dance, and a tea ceremony
On Saturday, March 21, and Sunday, March 22, the open plaza, auditoriums, and terrace of the Palacio Libertad will be filled with taiko drums , traditional dances, origami classes, martial arts demonstrations, bonsai, ikebana, kokedama, and even a tea ceremony. And admission is free!
Drums, karate, and a dance you’ll end up joining in on
Origami, kokedama, and plants that grow without pots: workshops with limited space that you shouldn’t put off
Saturday afternoon’s main event takes place in the plaza seca and kicks off with demonstrations of judo, karate, and aikido. Then, starting at 4:45 p.m., taiko percussion groups take the stage: Mukaito Taiko, Buenos Aires Taiko, and Nikyokan Wadaiko, culminating in the Bon Odori, a traditional participatory dance. You’re invited to join in!
At Espacio Bouchard, the Japanese painting and origami workshops have limited space—which means you should stop by the counters to pick up a ticket.
In the auditoriums, talks range from historical to contemporary topics. There is also a talk on manga and anime with Kimura Akira, director of the Japanese publishing house Ichijinsha, as well as demonstrations of ikebana, bonsai, and kokedama.
On Sunday: tea ceremony, kimonos, and a closing performance featuring Okinawan drums
Sunday afternoon kicks off with Nikkei choirs in the plaza and continues with more martial arts and live music. At 5:50 p.m., the Ryukyukoku Matsuridaiko group closes with drums and choreography, and the finale is the Kachashi, a participatory dance of Okinawan origin.
In Auditorium 411, Sunday’s highlight is the tea ceremony with the Urasenke school—one of the world’s most prestigious schools in the practice of chado—followed by a demonstration on how to properly wear a kimono. On the terrace, starting at 5 p.m., various schools will present music and dance in a mini-festival within the festival.
FULL SCHEDULE
— SATURDAY, MARCH 21 —
Open-air plaza
- 3:00 p.m. — Talks and demonstrations of Judo, Karate, and Aikido
- 4:45 p.m. — Mukaito Taiko + Pamela Shimabukuro
- 5:05 p.m. — Buenos Aires Taiko + Bruno Cecconi
- 5:25 p.m. — Nikyokan Wadaiko (Drums) + Gastón San Cristóbal
- 5:45 p.m. — Bon Odori, participatory dance — Ondo Sarmiento and Matías Zakimi
Espacio Bouchard ⚠️ Limited capacity — pick up tickets at the counters
- 4:00 p.m. — Japanese painting workshop with Cristina Ishikawa
- 5:00 p.m. — Origami Workshop, with instructor Noemí Nohara
Terrace of the National Auditorium
- 4:30 p.m. — Japanese dances: Tsubaki no Kai
- 4:50 p.m. — Japanese dances: Shirayurikai, Anzu no Kai, and Sakura no Kai
- 5:15 p.m. — Kawachi Otoko Bushi, participatory dance
Auditorium 413
- 3:00 p.m. — Talk: The importance of knowing where we come from. Why are 140 years significant?, with Dr. Cecilia Onaha
- 4:00 p.m. — Talk: Industry 4.0, with Sebastián Bónica Nudelman (Toyota), and The Future of Mobility, with Fernanda Pérez Cometto (Toyota)
- 5:30 p.m. — Talk and Okinawan dance workshop with instructor Analía Tengan
Auditorium 411
- 3:00 p.m. — Talks: Manga and Anime, with Kimura Akira (Ichijinsha Publishing), and How Do Manga and Anime Reach Us?, with the Kodansha Group
- 4:10 p.m. — Ikebana talk and demonstration, Ohara School, with Leticia Tanoue
- 4:40 p.m. — Bonsai talk and demonstration, La Casa de Bonsai, with Lucas Díaz
- 5:10 p.m. — Talk and demonstration on Kokedama, with Hideyo Negishi
— SUNDAY, MARCH 22 —
Open-air plaza
- 3:00 p.m. — Nichia Gakuin Choir
- 3:15 p.m. — Nikkei Choir, conducted by Nicolás Fiorotto
- 3:35 p.m. — Nichia Gakuin Choir, a four-part choir, featuring Milagros Seijó
- 4:00 p.m. — Japanese songs, performed by young Nikkei
- 4:20 p.m. — Talks and demonstrations of Judo and Aikido
- 5:50 p.m. — Ryukyukoku Matsuridaiko: drums and choreography
- 6:00 p.m. — Kachashi, a participatory Okinawan dance
Espacio Bouchard ⚠️ Limited capacity — pick up tickets at the counters
- 4:00 p.m. — Japanese painting workshop with Cristina Ishikawa
- 5:00 p.m. — Origami Workshop, with instructor Noemí Nohara
Auditorium 411
- 3:00 p.m. — Urasenke: Tea ceremony
- 4:00 p.m. — Demonstration: The Art of Wearing a Kimono
Auditorium 413
- 3:00 p.m. — Talk and demonstration: History of Okinawan classical music, with Nomura Ryu
- 4:10 p.m. — Talk: Introduction to the musical culture of Okinawa, with Hugo Eiguchi
Terrace of the National Auditorium
- 5:00 p.m. — Introduction to dance and music
- 5:10 p.m. — Opening concerts: dance and music from different schools
- 5:20 p.m. — Yotsudake
- 5:30 p.m. — Namidano Hanabutai — Burzaco Japanese Association
- 5:40 p.m. — Kitano Yomekko — Florencio Varela Japanese Association
📅Saturday, March 21, and Sunday, March 22, starting at 3 p.m.
📍Palacio Libertad, Sarmiento 151
