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An exceptional opportunity to experience the Czech Republic, often called as the heart of Europe, will come to Tokyo on Sept 28. The Czech Festival 2018 presents Czech culture, traditions and products typical for the Czech Republic.
During three days, all visitors have a unique opportunity to meet Czech traditions, listen to the dynamic Czech music, explore tourist places of interest, taste traditional Czech gourmets, including more than 5 types of beer and many sorts of wine. Or why not to buy typical products such as traditional cosmetics, books, wooden toys, sparkling jewelry and Bohemia Crystal or fashion gloves and blue print textiles.
The year 2018 marks the important anniversary – 100 years since establishing of independent Czechoslovakia. Because of that we have joined forces with Slovakia and will celebrate this anniversary together. That means you can also look forward to a demonstration of Slovakian folk dance or to the concert of Slovakian folk music instrument – the rarely heard fujara. Are you lost in the historical events? Check our interactive multimedia presentation in form of a touch panel, where you can find texts, videos and soundtracks explaining you the creation of Czechoslovakia or as Czechs call it the First Republic.
Listen to the folk and classical music
The Strážničan cimbalom band founded in 1986 in Strážnice, where even the famous Czech composer Leoš Janáček drew inspiration from for his masterpieces, will enchant you with the South-Moravian rhythms. Good wine, love and joy are at the heart of all their melodies. In addition, you will have a chance to enjoy masterpieces of Czech classical music played by various artists or folk music by Czech singer.
Learn about the Czech Republic from various angles
Do you know what the Czech language sounds like? Would you like to be able to order a beer in it? You can participate in our short language course and learn the most important basics of one of the most difficult languages in the world. Did you know that the country is very convenient to travel by train? Come listen to the seminar "Train journey in the Czech Republic" by Tobe Isao who is specialized in train travel. He just came back from his latest expedition. If you're not a fan of discovering the country by train, come to the presentation “The Czech Republic - From the perspective of a university student".
The charm of the country outside of the capital is reflected in: "Photogenic trips from Prague in summer & winter". A unique presentation carried out by Czech Goodwill Ambassadors 2018 will be introduced by a beer specialist.
Well-known translator of Czech literature, Tokyo University Prof Kenichi Abe will talk about Prague as a capital of arts in the 20th century. How to experience the Czech Republic through culture faraway here will be addressed by blogger Tomaki in his presentation: “Looking into the Czech Republic in Japan".
Enjoy a broad variety of workshops
The traditions and customs deeply rooted in South Moravia also arrived in Japan. You can see how we integrate traditional patterns into our modern life and create a folkloric bracelet in one of our workshops. If you are a fan of Czech jewelry, play with magical beads famous for centuries. We do not only hang the beads around our neck; you can also create your very own Christmas decorations.
Are you worried about your kids getting bored?
Try on traditional Moravian costumes, take a photo with them and if you are brave enough, get face paint decorations. Share your love for the Czech Republic and get a Czech present.
Have you ever visited and experienced the Czech Republic in the past? Share your memories with us. Bring objects related to the Czech Republic such as photos, tickets, a paper napkin, etc. and stick it into our book with your comments. Let’s create our very first Czech LOVE BOOK together. When leaving, do not forget to write down your messages and interests you tend to share on our map of the Czech Republic. Should you listen carefully during our presentations, it will be easy for you to respond to a quiz after each of them and win some of our prizes. Post your experience from the event with #czechfestival2018, and get a real Czech present. Those who share their thoughts with us through our questionnaire may get one too.
Date: Sept 28-30, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Venue: Harajuku Quest Hall 1-13-14 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
- External Link
- https://czechrepublic.jp/sneak-peak/czechfestival2018/
14 Comments
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Kačka Ichi Hanžlíková
That's true. I would use "Česko" when speaking Czech language but never say such a word as Czechia in English. It's awful.
Anyways, I'm happy to see there's a festival about our country. I love Japanese culture so much and it's nice to know they like ours. That reminds me of the visit of Czech language students from Japan with us – the students of Japanese – in České Budějovice. They all were charmed by our town and all of them had a keychain with Krteček. :D
Tereza Víchová
I'm from Czech Republic and use the term Czechia only in case that somebody doesn't know there's no Czechoslovakia anymore but two countries: Czechia and Slovakia. :)
Czech Republic, definitely.
Dranoel
The English name is still "the Czech Republic", and most Czechs (myself included) prefer to use it instead of "Czechia".
"Já bydlím v Česku" is the correct spelling.
"z Česka" is the correct form, "od Česku" doesn't make any sense.
That being said, "Česká republika" is actually used quite often. "Česko" is more colloquial, and wouldn't probably be used in certain situations (like at school, for example).
ThonTaddeo
I am really interested in Czech history and the language, and love the architecture of Prague, but have only ever been to Slovakia. I would love to go to this festival! Not a lot of Japanese people know about the Czech Republic compared to the western European countries; it would be nice to change that.
Burning Bush, if you're on a Mac, you can type a haček easily on the international keyboard by pressing option-V and then the letter. It even works for the little hačeks that look like apostrophes. Let's see if this displays correctly: čtvrť
Not sure what you do on Windows though!
Stuart Hoskins
Burning Bush
Various Czech governments have been trying to promote the name “Czechia” for decades (English teachers – I was one – were ordered to teach this in the mid-1990s [we ignored this]), one of the (ridiculous) reasons being that anything with “republic” in its name sounds rather like a backward country, with hints of Communism.
However, despite your arguments, it is (unregulated) English that dictates what a country will be called in English; this is not something that can be imposed by a foreign government. Czechia sounds awful and so English speakers have an aversion to it (plus it is more readily confusable with Chechnya than you might imagine).
Furthermore, not even the presidential office (https://www.hrad.cz/en) and the cabinet office (https://www.vlada.cz/en/urad-vlady/) use Czechia, despite all the fanfare – they simply acknowledge that “Czechia” has been registered for UN purposes, but otherwise hasn’t caught on.
Nevertheless, now that Google has adopted “Czechia”, it may gain some traction. As for your claims regarding Cechy (Bohemia) and Cesko, there is no way on this godly earth you can historically equate them to “Czechia”.
Paul Privara
Being born in Moravia, Ostrava (now living in Canada) I very pleased the Japanese get this presentation of the Heart of Europe culture!
When young and growing up in Moravia my father always would talk about Japan, the technology, the culture. Unfortunately under the Soviet Bloc the hope of visiting Japan, at least for an ordinary citizen, seemed an impossible dream so Japan remained this mysterious place of advancement on the other side of the Euro-Asian continent!
Thank-fully this has changed! This exhibit sounds great! I do urge the Japanese to attend the tradition 'cymbal' music performance of Southern Moravia!
And to the compatriots above trying to say "from Czech Republic" ... would you simply not say "Ja jsem z čech!"