Culture Day 2025 - Sunday, June 22nd, 12:00 - 16:00
Come experience Japanese Culture at our lovely facilities in Vedbæk, Denmark.
Read about the program for this year's Japan Culture Day here:
Program
All of the workshops, shops and attractions will be open for you to join at any time from 12:00 - 16:00,
unless otherwise is written here or below each individual program section.
The following features of the program have a set time:
unless otherwise is written here or below each individual program section.
The following features of the program have a set time:
- The Japanese Tea Ceremonies, which require pre-registration (read more in the Tea Ceremony section below), start at:12:15, 13:15, 14:15 and 15:50
- The Kyudo performance, which starts at 13:30
- The Shotokan Karate performance, which starts at 14:00
- The Kendo performance, which starts at 15:00
For further details on all of the things you can experience on our Culture Day check the sections below!
Kendo
Once again we are thrilled that Kilikai Kendoklub will be performing their beautiful martial art at 15:00 in the front garden!
Kendo is a modern Japanese martial art based on Kenjutsu. Kenjutsu refers to the swordsmanship of the Samurai class, however Kendo uses Shinai (swords purely made of bamboo) instead. Kilikai Kendoklub welcomes everyone who desires to train Kendo, as their philosophy is centered around inclusivity. It is also under no circumstances required for you to buy any gear, when you start training at their dojo - it is completely up to you, if and when you wish to do so. Kilikai Kendoklub will be having a little information booth at the Culture Day, where you can see their gear, ask questions and get flyers to take home! So come and watch their performance and stop by their booth on June the 22nd! Kilikai Kendoklub website |
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Experience an authentic Japanese tea ceremony with ceremonial green matcha tea in the European Center's Japanese tea pavilion, "Bosei-tei".
The members of Byakudan no Kai will prepare an exquisite experience for you, where you'll first be guided through the garden outside the pavilion, and enter the world of zen. After this, you enter the world of ceremonial tea making in the pavilion, and get to taste both green matcha tea as well as a small wagashi - which is the word used for a traditional Japanese sweet treat. The following Tea Ceremonies will be held on the Culture Day:
How to register: All of our Tea Ceremonies have been fully booked. However, we have made a waiting-list in case anyone cancels their registration, which you can sign up for. To register for the waiting-list please write an e-mail with your name, and the number of persons you wish to register for the waiting-list, and send it to [email protected] |
Kyudo
Good news for all archery fans! You will yet again have the opportunity of experiencing a display of Kyudo - the Traditional Japanese Archery.
Kyudo is one of Japan's many budo, which often is translated as 'martial arts', but actually has a deeper meaning. Within budo, the -do refers to 'the way of something'. So the practice of making and serving tea for instance, is called chado - 'the way of tea', while kyudo means 'the way of the arrow'. Kyudo, as all other budo, aims to cultivate the self through its practice. This requires a presence and focus on the execution of the discipline, that leaves no room for unnecessary ruminations. The Danish Kyudo federation Kyudojo Seishinkan will perform this enchanting art form in our front yard at 13:30, so please be here by then in order to not miss it! After their performance it will be possible to talk with the members and hear about their activities. The Kyudo federation's website |
Japanese Calligraphy
As per tradition, this year Martin Chrestensen will again offer insights into the world of Japanese calligraphy in his workshop. Come and try out calligraphy for yourself, or admire the art created by Martin.
"Under mit udvekslingsophold på Dōshisha University i Kyoto fik jeg rig mulighed for at dygtiggøre mig i forskellige stilarter og som resultatet af min træning fik mestret mere end bare de basale teknikker. Min kunst er unik, personlig og hundrede procent med respekt for den traditionelle japanske filosofi bag denne kunstform." Martin's website |
Shotokan KarateAre you ready for some more martial arts? This year we will have some incredible performances done by members of Østerbro Shotokan Karate - and we can’t wait!
Shotokan Karate, as we know it today, is said to have originated in ancient China, where Zen Buddhist monks sought to improve their physical form by mimicking the movements of animals and nature. These Martial Art Forms later on found their way to Japan, and especially in Okinawa a lot of different variations of Karate were practiced and cultivated. Gichin Funakoshi, born in Okinawa, was the father of Shotokan Karate which became widely spread across Japan. In 1936 he built his own karate dojo in Tokyo with a sign saying Shoto-kan, which is how the name of the style came to be. If you wish to see a glimpse of this amazing Martial Arts Form, please come by on June 22nd. The Shotokan Karate performance will begin in the front yard at 14:00, so make sure to come and find a good spot to watch it! Østerbro Shotokan Karate's website |
Pokemons.dk
This year Pokemons.dk will both have a pop-up shop and a card game playing area at our Japan Culture Day!
At their card game playing area, tables will be ready for both complete beginners and experienced players! There will also be free card decks to borrow, if you don't have your own yet, but still wish to learn how to play with them. Experts in the game will be there to play with you and assist you. At their shop, everything from individual cards for collectors and players to affordable packs of cards for children and adults alike, will be available. So if you have a budding interest in the trading card game they have everything you need. Pokemons.dk will also be sponsoring some of our quizzes with amazing prizes, so remember to try those out as well! Pokemons.dk's webiste |
IO - Japanese teaExciting update! Matcha latte art will adorn our Culture Day this year! IO will once again have a pop-up store where they'll be selling delicious freshly brewed tea, and this time around they will also be serving matcha latte with cute and beautiful artwork on it!
The matcha latte will of course be based on organic and high quality matcha powder which IO gets directly from local farmers in Japan. The same will apply to all of their freshly brewed teas, since they specialize in organic and naturally farmed Japanese tea sourced directly from the farmers. This means that they can secure a very high quality of tea cultivated without the use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers. IO also focuses on small-scale tea productions and they make sure that the tea producers are being paid a fair price for their work. At their pop-ups shop you’ll be able to choose between their wide variety of teas, which includes Sencha, Hôjicha, Koucha, Gyukuro, and last but not least their Shincha tea, which has just been harvested this May! It will also be possible for you to buy their dry tea products, so that you can make it and enjoy it at home yourselves! So, make sure to stop by IO on June 22nd! IO's website |
Onigiri (TBC)More info will come soon.
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Kimono Klub Danmark
What is the picture of Japanese summer? There might be many different answers to that - but we would argue summer festivals, and the people attending wearing yukata and jinbei. A yukata is a summer variation of the Japanese kimono, and a jinbei is the male counterpart of such attire.
On the Culture Day, you'll have the chance of becoming this picture of Japanese summer - as Klub Kimono Danmark will have a booth where you can try on yukatas and even borrow one to wear during the event. On top of this, the club will be selling imported kimonos and other beautifully handmade accessories fit for the season crafted by the members. Klub Kimono Danmark's Facebook |
Waku Waku
More info will come soon.
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J-fashion CornerMore info will come shortly!
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Kitsune Cosplay GuildMore info will come shortly!
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Namahage (TBC)More info will come shortly!
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Haiku Workshop
Great news for all lovers of poetry! The amazing team from Haiku Danmark of Dansk Forfatter Forening (DFF) will once again host a workshop for all of you interested in trying out the art of Haiku.
Haiku is an ancient Japanese poetic form with strict rules around the amount of syllables and lines it uses. This is to enhance the beauty of minimalism and precision, which is known to be an essential part of Classical Japanese expression in both Culture and Art. In the workshop you will be able to dive deeper into this artform with guidance from specialists, and have a try at writing your own poem. This can be done in any language as long as you follow the original rules of the Haiku format. So come by the workshop and bring your artistic muse along, to create beautiful poetry! Haiku Danmark's website |
Dansk-Japansk Selskab
We are very happy to announce that Dansk - Japansk Selskab (The Danish - Japanese Association) will be coming to our Culture Day!
The Association will have a booth, from where they will sell refreshments along with providing information about the many events and programs they set up for their many members. So if you should feel thirsty for information about their organization and how to join, or thirsty for something to drink, make sure to stop by their booth! The Danish - Japanese Association's website |
Asger Røjle
We are happy to announce that the Experienced journalist and author Asger Røjle will once again be present at our Culture Day on June 22nd!
Through his many decades as a correspondent to many Danish news agencies, it would not be an overstatement to say that Asger Røjle is among Denmark’s leading Japan-experts in the field of journalism. Besides his storied career as a journalist, Asger Røjle has authored and co-authored many books. Asger has written in many genres; anything from the popular Danish travel guide “Turen går til” series, to factbooks, the history of Geishas and much more! So, if you are interested in Japan or Japanese culture, be sure to stop by Asger Røjle’s booth, where you can buy his delightful books, or have a chat with an expert on many Japan-related subjects. Asger Røjle's Website |
Gallery JapanMore info will come shortly!
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Mapio
Mapio.dk is an online store, which specializes in selling carefully selected high quality handcrafted items directly imported from Japan. Amongst these items are various types of ceramics, such as bowls, cups and platters, as well as chopsticks and other kitchen utensils. Mapio also offers a selection of different Imabari towels made of Japanese cotton and woven with a very specific technique, giving them a very soft and absorbing texture.
If you wish to see these handcrafted high quality Japanese goods in person, then stop by Mapios shop on June 22nd! Mapio's website |
Japan Quizzes for all guests
More info will come soon.
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Creative Childrens Area
As always there will be a cozy area, where children can unleash their creativity through playing fun games together, making puzzles and drawing to their heart's content!
They will also be able to explore the traditional Japanese paper folding technique known as origami, whereby they can create a plethora of different sculptures of any imaginable thing. The frogs and the cranes are especially popular. So please bring your children to this area for them to enjoy some cozy creativity with each other! |
If you wish to participate in the Japan Culture Day with a performance, workshop or booth, or if you have any other suggestions or wish to contribute in any way, please send us an e-mail to [email protected]!