Japan Fortnight in Occitania ended yesterday

The third edition of the Quinzaine du Japon en Occitanie (QJO) has just ended. The closing ceremony took place yesterday evening at the premises of La Cité in Toulouse, where the public was able to attend a kendo and koto demonstration, as well as a concert by internationally renowned pianist Ayame Ishise. Supported by the Yujo association (friendship in Japanese), in partnership with the Japanese Embassy in France, the Occitanie Region, and the Groupe Dépêche Foundation, with the collaboration of the Consulate General of Japan in Marseille, the QJO took place this year ever greater success. No less than 384 events were organized in around forty towns, and even villages, in the 13 departments of the region.

Events mainly focused this time on education, the economy, sport and of course Japanese culture. Discovery of Morita Yoshimitsu's cinema at Les Abattoirs, kimono exhibition in Gard, martial arts, concerts, butō dance-theatre show, visit to the Horiba company in Carcassonne, are among the major events of this 3rd edition. Without forgetting some strong moments, such as the opening ceremony at the Fabre Museum in Montpellier in the presence of the Japanese ambassador and Colette Soulages, wife of the Ruthenian painter, the meetings with the novelist Amélie Nothomb in Carcassonne and Perpignan, or even the conference on manga at the premises of La Dépêche in Toulouse, where Marie-France Marchand-Baylet, president of the La Dépêche Group Foundation, received the drawings as a gift of three students from the International Manga School.

“We did not imagine such enthusiasm, and I would like to thank all the volunteers who made this success possible. We do this for young people, especially those who do not have the chance to travel, we bring the world to them. When we know other cultures, we know each other better,” declared the president of the Foundation.