Culture Day 2025 - Sunday, June 22nd, 12:00 - 16:00
Thanks to all our guests, volunteers and contributors for an amazing Japan Culture Day this year. Below you can see the program we had for our Japan Culture Day. We hope to see you again next year for another beautiful Japan Culture Day!
To see and try the Quizzes we had for our Culture Day please click here. To see the answers for the Quizzes please click here.
To see and try the Quizzes we had for our Culture Day please click here. To see the answers for the Quizzes please click 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 in the Front Garden
- The Shotokan Karate performance, which starts at 14:00 in the Front Garden
- The Kendo performance, which starts at 15:00 in the Front Garden
- The Namahage Meet & Greet, which starts at 14:30 and 15:20 in the Back Garden
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:
All of our Tea Ceremonies have been fully booked. |
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 garden 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, Martin Chrestensen will again this year 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? Experience an incredible performance done by members of Østerbro Shotokan Karate, at this year's Japan Culture Day!
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 garden 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 website |
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 |
Restaurant BanzaiAmazing news! Freshly made onigiri (rice triangles) and kakigori (shaved ice) will be sold at our Japan Culture Day on Sunday by the wonderful Restaurant Banzai!
Here’s a little info about onigiri and kakigori: Onigiri is a traditional Japanese snack made out of cooked short grained rice, which is hand-pressed into a shape that is easy to handle and eat with your hands - usually in the form of a rounded triangle. Traditionally it is also wrapped in nori (seaweed), and contains sour or salty fillings such as umeboshi (pickled plum), salted salmon, katsuobushi (smoked and fermented skipjack tuna) or fish roe. It started as a way to preserve leftovers, but nowadays it has become mainstream with a myriad of variations in styles, fillings and toppings. Kakigori is a Japanese shaved ice dessert flavoured with syrup, and is perfectly cooling for summer! It is traditionally made using a hand cranked machine to spin a block of ice over a shaving blade. The ice itself is flavorless and made of frozen water, however the syrup on top gives it flavor. Popular flavors include strawberry, cherry, lemon, green tea, grape, melon, "blue hawaii", sweet plum, and colorless syrup. You’ll be able to purchase both of these wonderful summer snacks at Banzai’s pop-up shop on Sunday, so absolutely come by to try these! Restaurant Banzai’s website |
Kimono Klub Danmark
Kimono Klub Danmark will enchant our Culture Day with the magic of Japanese summer! How so? At Japanese summer festivals, the custom is that people wear 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 jinbei 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 their members. Klub Kimono Danmark's Facebook |
Waku Waku
We are excited to announce that Waku Waku will join our Japan Culture Day this Sunday!
They’ll have a pop-up shop, where you’ll be able to purchase from their wonderful selection of Japanese goods, which includes: cold fresh beverages, delicious and fun snacks to eat, various kitchen utensils, selected books, as well as dry goods such as ceremonial matcha, rice, furikake, curry, noodles and soups. With the dry goods you’ll be able to make your own authentic Japanese meals at home for you and your loved ones to enjoy. Basically, they sell all the stuff needed to be transported to Japan through your senses - especially the smell and taste senses. So make sure to come by their pop-up shop on Sunday to fulfill all your longings for drinks and snacks from Japan! Waku Waku has also been so kind as to sponsor our Japan Quiz with great prizes, so remember to join the Japan Quiz for a chance to win these! Waku Waku’s website |
J-fashion CornerCalling all Harajuku-lovers! A fun J-fashion Corner will be open for you to come visit on our Japan Culture Day on Sunday!
Here you’ll be able to both see, feel, try, purchase, learn and ask about Japanese Street Fashion. Besides looking pretty and stylish, our specialists will also gladly share their knowledge about all of the subcultural fashion styles and trends in Japan. So don’t hesitate to ask for a rundown. For children, and childlike-souls, they will be offering makeovers! Yes, you heard right - makeovers - and not just any makeover, it’ll be a fun Decora Fashion Makeover! As a full outfit, hair and makeup makeover would take too much time for each individual, for the Culture Day, they’ll offer a makeover for your face only. With sparkling rhinestones, colorful drawings and stickers, they will magically turn you into the most joyous and fashionable Decora of the day! They’ll of course listen to any requests you have regarding the look, and you can check in any time with a mirror, and make adjustments as you wish. If you’re unsure about the look, and want them to take charge and be creative, this is also completely possible. Just say the word, and they’ll do the trick! The J-fashion Corner will be operated by the two lovely fashionistas, who can be found on Instagram here: @Lolomus_ortega @Anni_nougat We hope you'll come by for some fun and fashion on Sunday! |
Kitsune Cosplay GuildKitsune Cosplay Guild will be there at our Japan Culture Day on Sunday!
At their booth you’ll be able to talk with lovely members of Kitsune Cosplay Guild and learn so much more about cosplay, and what the cosplay communities are like in Denmark. Cosplay-costumes, artifacts , accessories, and tools will also be on display for you to see and hear about, as they’ll gladly tell you about the entire process of making a cosplay from scratch. Kitsune Cosplay Guild is a guild for 15+ year-olds which aims to cultivate and promote the cosplay communities in Copenhagen. Even though their guild is for 15+ aged persons, anyone of any age is of course welcome at their booth! If you’re under 15 and you wish to join some cosplay communities, they can easily recommend other places to look for, while you’re patiently waiting to be old enough to join the Kitsune Cosplay Guild. Please remember to ask politely beforehand if you wish to take a picture either of, or together with, any of the cosplayers at the booth! This way everyone will feel much more at ease and be able to have double the fun with it. So, no matter if you’re clueless about cosplay, but just curious, or if you’re a diehard cosplayer with lots of experience, come visit their booth and explore this amazing world of characters, costumes, craftsmanship and creativity! Kitsune Cosplay Guild’s Facebook |
Namahage
This year, you can experience one of Northern Japan’s most striking traditions — the Namahage! Come meet Andreas Danielsen, the first foreigner to be a “licensed” Namahage, explain the mythology, customs, and significance of this “New Years Demon”, and have a chance to get up close and personal with a Namahage.
Andreas will be manning a small corner with information about Namahage, as well as actual Namahage costumes for you to see. At 14:30 and 15:30 you will be able to meet and greet two Namahage in the Back Garden, as they will do a little demonstration for you, and be available for pictures afterwards! So make sure to be ready at those times to experience these striking demons! |
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 Haiku format. So come and bring your artistic muse along, to create beautiful poetry! There is a program to make various poems throughout the day. However, you will of course still be able to join at any time during the Culture Day, as the workshops is constantly running and open for new guests. The program is: 12:00 - Introduction to haiku (can be repeated any time if requested) 13:00 - Write a poem inspired by experiences at the Culture Days 14:00 - Join in for 'forest bathing' nearby and write a poem afterwards 15:00 - Write a poem inspired by "the Summer Solstice" or "Skt. Hans" Haiku Danmark's website |
Gallery JapanStop by Gallery Japan’s pop-up shop on our Culture Day!
A great Japanese friend of ours has a small shop in Lyngby called Gallery Japan, which sells a lot of various Japanese goods - both new and vintage. On Sunday, you will be able to purchase many of these goods, as it will open up as a pop-up shop at our Center. Amongst the different Japanese goods, there will be ceramics and porcelain, lacquerware, various kitchen items, tea ceremony items, art pieces, clothes and shawl made in Japanese silk as well as kimono and obi belts. So if you’re interested in authentic Japanese goods, make sure to stop by the pop-up-shop and have a look at these! |
Mapio
Mapio will have a pop-up shop at our Japan Culture Day again this year! Mapio 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 |
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 |
Japan Quizzes for all guests
The Quizzes are back! Just like last year, it will be possible to participate in fun Quizzes about Japan at our Culture Day. There are going to be two quizzes this time around: one for Children and one for Adults!
We will be handing out the Quizzes on paper at the Quiz Booth on the Japan Culture Day, as well as pens to write your answers with. During the event, you can think of your answers, and circle out what you think is correct. Before the event closes at 16:00, make sure to return your answers on paper by the Quiz Booth. After the Culture Day we’ll have a look at all of your answers, and see who had the most correct answers. Between those with the most correct answers, we will randomly select two winners for each Quiz - in other words: two winners for the Children's Quiz and two winners for the Adult Quiz. Within the next two weeks after the Culture Day, we will contact the winners, so we can make sure that you receive your prize! The prizes are sponsored by Pokemons.dk and Waku Waku. After the Culture Day, we will also be posting the correct answers to all the Quiz Questions for all of you to see here on our website and on our Facebook. See you at the Quiz Booth on Sunday! |
Creative Children's 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 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. Furthermore, there are going to be pens, colored pencils and markers for them to draw with on both blank papers, as well as papers with sketches of manga characters. There are also going to be papers suited for coloring, with fun and cute characters, such as Pokémon, Totoro, Magical Girls and more! So please bring your children to this area for them to enjoy some cozy creativity with each other! |