Foyle O-Bon Festival Brochure 2019

Saturday 18th - Saturday 25th May 2019

a Japanese festival of taiko & light

What is Obon?

Obon is a Japanese summer festival celebration from the Buddhist tradition during which people believe their ancestors return to spend time with them on earth. It is celebrated in many ways in different areas of Japan and is a joyous and happy time. It is very family-centred. Generally people leave the cities, pack up the trains and return home to gather with family and pay respects to their ancestors.

There are many rituals associated with Obon, from visiting the houses of relatives to pay respects, to having bon odori dance festivals with taiko drumming, food and the toro nagashi lantern floating that takes place at the end of Obon to symbolise the return of the spirits to their world.

Who are we?

O-Bon on the Foyle is a charity organisation set up in 2014 by a group of taiko drum enthusiasts and local Japanese people. We use Taiko, Japanese dance, Manga art and our Obon festival as forces for good to improve social engagement, mental health and wellbeing and to create positive cross-community and intercultural interactions here in Northern Ireland.

Our work crosses all cultural divides, breaking down barriers with its sheer magic.

Irasshaimase and Welcome to Foyle O-Bon For the first time, our festival will run for a whole week. We have workshops and events happening all across the city from Saturday 18th May which will culminate in our annual showcase festival in the Playtrail on Saturday 25th May. At the heart of O-Bon we celebrate family, community, taiko drumming, dance and food. The whole festival is a colourful feast of rhythm and lights.

Saturday 18th May 10am-12noon 12pm-3pm Felt Doll Making Workshop Foyle O-Bon Festival Fundraiser FTDC Hub, Shipquay St Foyleside Shopping Centre Join local doll maker and author Team O-Bon will be at Foyleside Louise Kelly to make a felt Kokeshi Shopping Centre 12-3pm. doll. Kids will learn basic hand sewing Come along and enjoy some origami, techniques and work with felt, cotton arts & crafts and dedicate a lantern to and lots of colour. For ages 6+ your family. There will also be Booking essential a Japanese dance performance by £10 per person Yukari Norris and Yoriko Marshall. www.wegottickets.com

Sunday 19th May 11am-12noon Tea Ceremony Grounds of the Beech Hill Hotel Our local tea expert Hiromi Takahashi will create a beautiful moment of calm with a traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

Booking essential £5 per person www.wegottickets.com

1pm-3pm Japanese Vegan Food Workshop Wakahana Japanese Cuisine, Muff Waka McNally will bring you through the steps of making shojin vegan dashi (stock) and create some dishes using that stock. £15 per person Book directly with Waka 07857034286

Monday 20th May 11am-12noon 1pm-2pm 6pm doors open Tote Bag & Sticker Origami Card Making Shin Godzilla Making Workshop Workshop Nerve Centre Cinema Fab:Social Shantallow Katsu Umetsu from Shin Godzilla ( 12A) Book your spot early to Ibuki Taiko will work with is a 2016 Japanese make a gorgeous tote bag the Diamond Diners to cult kaiju film. and Foyle OBon sticker create a beautiful Thanks to Manga UK with the brilliant people at card with origami.

Film begins 6.30pm Fab Lab Shantallow Closed session for sharp!

Booking essential Diamond Centre Senior Tickets limited ÂŁ5 per person Citizens Group ÂŁ5 per person www.wegottickets.com www.wegottickets.com

Tuesday 21st May 10am-12noon Bon Odori School Workshop Carrick Model PS, Carrickfergus Yoriko and Michiru from Hannari Club Dance will teach a group of P5s about Obon and bring everyone together to dance a simple bon odori traditional festival dance.

Closed event for school pupils

4.30pm-6.30pm Manga Art Exhibit Void Gallery Join the students from our manga workshops along with their teacher, manga artist Mark Valdemar as they display their work.

Free Open to the public

Wednesday 22nd May 2pm-4pm Haiku & Tanka Poetry Workshop Bluebell Arts Project Gasyard Centre Poet Frank Rafferty will be hosting a workshop in the beautiful art of Japanese poetry.

Open to the public.

Free Workshop Places limited obononthefoyle@gmail.com

6pm-7.30pm Japanese Food Demonstration Out NorthWest at The Rainbow Project Katsu Umetsu from Ibuki Taiko will work with the young people from Out NorthWest to learn how to make norimaki sushi rolls.

Closed event for Out NorthWest Participants

7.30pm-9.30pm Haiku & Poetry Evening CowBog, Waterloo Street Join us for an evening of beautiful words, including Haiku readings from writer Kerri Ni Dochartaigh and readings from Junko Okura’s book ‘Sayonara’.

Corkage for BYO £3 donation Refreshments available

Thursday 23rd May 10.30am-12noon Claudy School Workshop St Colmcille’s PS, Claudy Members of world-famous San Jose Taiko will deliver a school assembly show about taiko drumming, They will bring their magic to students from Cumber Claudy and St Colmcille’s Primary schools who learn taiko drumming throughout the year with Ibuki Taiko.

Closed event for school pupils

6pm-8pm San Jose Taiko Bon Odori Workshop The Playtrail Amphitheatre Members of world-famous San Jose Taiko will teach us two of their signature Bon Odori dances.

Come along, have some fun and learn with us!

Free event No booking necessary

Friday 24th May 10am-12noon ACT Project at The Playtrail The Playtrail, Racecourse Road San Jose Taiko members will facilitate a workshop with ACT Project at the Playtrail. ACT works with young people with disabilities ages 16-23 years old and is a social inclusion project focusing on enhancing skills to help young people deal with the challenges they face in life and to increase their social skills and independence.

Closed session for ACT Project Participants

Saturday 25th May Festival Finale 5pm-10pm @ The Playtrail

Come to The Playtrail for an evening of Japanese culture and fun!

The night will end with a beautiful lantern ceremony in the grounds.

Tickets: www.wegottickets.com ÂŁ5 Adults ÂŁ3 Children Free Under 5s

Remember!

This is an outdoor evening event.

Wrap up warm!

Festival Finale Highlights! food stalls origami arts & crafts live interactive characters kimono try-on sessions festival shop

food demonstrations games raffles bon odori taiko drum tasters calligraphy

Tickets: Adults ÂŁ5, Child ÂŁ3, Under 5s Free *booking fee applicable to all

Monday 20th May Movie Night!

Festival Stage Featuring San Jose Taiko Hannari Club Ibuki Taiko & Friends Dragon’s Lair Letterkenny Ju jitsu Brady Academy of Music

Ojika Kendo YuJo Taiko Create Dance Fireworks DDTA Irodori Taiko Performance Reading of ‘Sayonara’

Many of the performers are participants of our year round cultural outreach programme

As part of Foyle Film Festival

Since 1973, San Jose Taiko (SJT) has endeavored to create a contemporary musical style while respecting taiko’s Japanese roots. SJT performances are fully choreographed, theatrically lit extravaganzas, bridging many styles while still resonating with the Asian soul in America.

A world-class ensemble, performing extensively both nationally and internationally, reaching more than 75,000 audience members each year.

Foyle O-Bon are delighted to welcome San Jose Taiko to our festival.

Kindly Supported by Arts Council of Northern Ireland Project Lottery Fund.

Movie Night! @ The Nerve Centre Monday 20th May 6.30pm Tickets: ÂŁ5 Limited availability www.wegottickets.com Cosplay encouraged... ... you might even win a raffle prize

A god incarnate. A city doomed

Thank you to all our Funders!

And our supporters too!

Festival highlights at a glance...

Sat 18 Sun 19 Mon 20 Tue 21 Wed 22 Thu 23 Fri 24 Sat 25 Tickets available from: www.wegottickets.com The Playtrail, Racecourse Road The Diamond Centre, Claudy

For more information: www.japanesefestivalireland.com Photography: gavconnolly.com

Design by: houseofmel.com