It’s that time of year again when Jamaican culture overtakes Yoyogi Park in Tokyo Japan for one day. I made posts about the festival in 2007 and last year but some visitors expressed via comments that they wished I would post about the festival this year BEFORE it happened, so that’s what I am doing now.
Attractions at this years festival include a Jamaica travel exhibition, a Jamaica photography exhibition, art festival including live painting, a stage show and a sound system pumping out Bob Marley music and other reggae songs all day. Flyer after the jump.
Will anyone reading this in Tokyo be able to attend? I’d really love it if I could see a few pictures. Billy? Neil? Zurui? Prometheus? Any of you guys going?
[jamaica]
Nuff respect Japan !! Enjoy the Jamaican cultural day!! One love !!
Thanks for the heads-up! I’ll try to make it and bring back some photos.
wOoT! David you the man, looking forward to the pictures!
You should try and get sponsorship to go yourself – take your own photos, perhaps the Japanese community in Jamaica could start up a Jamaipanese fund! Improve country relations ! how’s the first day of fuel tax going for you?
that would be great, trouble is I have no idea where to start and with the economic situation now thats highly unlikely
I’m gonna be there, the One Love Jamaica Festival, to exhibit my art works. I will send you photos wid nuff vibes, zeeeen.
thanks Rico!
looking forward to your pictures as well!
I am happy to participate the party
one love for every one!
I went to one of these a few years ago. I didnt go this year or last year because I dont understand how it can be a “One Love Jamaica” festival when none of the local Jamaican owned businesses or entertainers are involved. I’m happy the Japanese have enough interest in Jamaica for this thing to go on and hope it gets some return for the investment by the Jamaican Board of Tourism which puts up some (or all?) of the costs, but it just seems very strange to me that all the stage time is filled with Japanese performers and all the vendor booths are Japanese as well.
@Chris Israel. The festival is not funded by the Jamaica tourist board nor the embassy. It is a private festival(neither JTB nor the embassy fronts any of the costs) and they have gotten the go ahead/support from the embassy since it is promoting the culture. It started a few years ago and with each passing year, more and more Jamaicans have been performing on the main stage. From Jamaican DJs to singers and dancers.
There are a number of booths/stalls run by local Jamaicans selling jerk chicken, brown stew chicken and a variety of other things. The embassy and the JTB both have booths as well with the embassy booth providing entertainment; teaching patois, hair braiding, selling Jamaican products.
Stop by next year Chris, hopefully you’ll be pleasantly surprised
If thats true why are no Jamaicans listed on the flyer or the website as events or vendors? Why do some of my Jamaican friends here tell me that they are told they are not welcome to participate?