'Visit Laos Year 2012' exhibition booth showcasing photos of tourist destinations in Laos were being displayed at the Japan Festival which was held at the Vientiane National Culture Centre off Samsenthai Road,opposite the National Museum.The two day event was held on the 11-12th November 2011 and officiated by the Deputy Prime Minister of Laos,Dr Thongloun.
Photographs of Wat Xieng Tong, Buddha Caves overlooking the Mekong River in Pak Ou both near Luang Prabang UNESCO World heritage,Phra That Luang in Vientiane,Plains of Jars in Phonsavan the capital of XiengKouang Province were among some of the highlights.
Appended below were some of the festivals and events in year 2012; February 7: Wat Phou Festival in Champasak,Southern Laos.
February 7: Sikhottabong Festival in Khammouan about 8km from Takhek,a border town crossing to Nakhon Pathom in Thailand Isaan region.
February 17-19: Elephant Festival in Sayabouly,southern Laos March : Boun Pha Vet celebrated nationwide
April 13 -15: Lao New Year "Boun Pi Mai" colourful parade. May : Rocket Festival "Boun Bangfai" at Vientiane Phoun Huong District and nationwide.
July 3: "Boun Khao Pansa"( Buddhist Lent) Vientiane and nationwide.
August 16: "Boun Khao Padabdin" (Rice ceremony) and Boat Racing festival in Luang Prabang.
September 30 and October 1: "Boun Awk Phansa"(end of Buddhist Lent) and Boat Racing Festival in Vientiane,Champasak and Savannakhet.
October 29: That Luang Festival in Vientiane capital. End October: Handicraft Festival at the International Trade Exhibition and Convention Centre (ITECC)
November 28: That Inhang Festival in Savannakhet.
December : Hmong New Year in Vientiane,Xieng Khouang and Luang Prabang.
Travel brochures in languages such as Thai,English,Japanese,Korean,Chinese,German and Bahasa Indonesia were available free for distribution.
Special destination to Southern Laos cities like Pakse,Champasak,Savannakhet,Khammouane and Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands) were also introduced.
The 31st ASEAN Tourism Forum will be held in Manado,Republic Indonesia between January 8-15,2012 and Laos will be hosting the 32nd ASEAN Tourism Forum in year 2013.
Promoting Laos handicraft made by the local ethnic communities.
The Khmu people of Vieng Phoukha in Luang Nam Tha province are experts in making handicraft products using the bamboo and rattan.
Luang Namtha is a popular ecotourism destination of Laos with a very large area of forests conservation.
Many group of hilltribes can be seen in the area especially if one were to join the many boat tours along Nam Tha River and see the fascinating sceneries along the way as well as observing the lifestyle of the people.
The Nam Tha River flows out via Houay Xai town and another five minutes boat ferry across the Mekong River will land one in Chiang Khong,a town in northeast Thailand.
From Chiang Khong,local buses go to Chiangmai or Chiangrai in Northern Thailand.
Vientiane Japan Festival was organized by Japan Festival Committe which comprised of the Embassy of Japan in Laos,JICA office,Association of Japanese residents,Japan Foundation,NGOs and many others icluding the Ministry of Information,Culture and Tourism Laos.
The main sponsor is Lao Toyota.
The logo is quite significant and meaningful as the two hands putting together is the Lao greetings 'Sabaidee' and can also be 'kopchai'(thank you). Red circle symbolizes Japan national flag. The left hand is a 'J' for Japan while the right hand has a 'L' graphic denoting Laos Peoples Democratic Republic.
Also in the joint tourism promotion is "Visit to Beautiful Japan". The Land of the Rising Sun also has endless discovery.
Mount Fuji,Hakone,Kamkura,Nikko,Niigata the largest prefecture on Japan's west coast,scenic Kanagawa,Chubu region UNESCO World Heritage site and experience the four seasons of Japan.
The Japanese have also started the Lao-Sakura Japan Learning Centre at Unit 4,5th Floor,ANZ Vientiane Commercial Building.
This will be the sister school of Tokyo International High School. It will be opened in January 2012 to provide opportunity for Lao students to study in Japan.
Free plant sapling of the eucalyptus tree were also being given to visitors.
Eucalyptus tree were most commonly found in Australia and the company Oji Lao Plantation Forest Company Limited(LFFL) is planting it between Vientiane to Taku region in the south with view for commercial purpose in the extraction of pulp for the paper industry.
Established on 23rd February 2005 but was founded on 15th february 1999 with a capital paid up of USD54,079,728.
Among the largest shareholders of LFFL were: Oji Paper Co Ltd, Sato Corporation, Marumas Co Ltd, A-one Co Ltd,Kausai pulp and Paper Co Ltd,Honda Trading company, Dalichi Paper Industry Corporation,Nishizaki-Kanui Hanbai Co Ltd, Senshikai Co Ltd, U-Can Incorporated,Fellssimo Corp, Bellura Co Ltd, Mitsui O.S.K.line Ltd, Slurisha Inc and Recmi Co Ltd.
Meanwhile Oji was founded on 1st August 1873 and established in 1st August 1949 with a company paid-up of USD1.16 billion. It is world ranking number five in the paper and pulp manufacturing industry.
Stall promoting Japanese green tea.
Tea drinking has been an Asian culture for centuries.Like the Chinese,the Japanese also called it 'Cha'.
The birthplace of Japanese tea is at Uji Region in Kyoto,Japan where the highest grade 'Sencha' were planted and processed.
Sohen Nagatani was the pioneer who invented today's Japanese green tea processing method.His home was a thatched house similar to those we see along the countryside in Laos.
Drinking of tea can boost the body immune system,increase metabollic rate and alertness.
Kumamoto Lao Friendship Asscociation. is a Non Governmental Organisation.
The city of Kumamoto is in Kyushu Island,Japan.
Japanese food delight the 'sushi' is the most popular stall as visitors would like to try the 'Makisushi' and the takeaway pack 'Korokke' .
I love the 'Temaki' which is a sushi roll formed in the shape of a cone. Free taste of Japanese wine 'Sake',noodles and sweets were also given.
Mekong-Daiko Drummers made a stunning performance with their thunderous drum beat.
'Taiko' is the name for Japanese drum and Daiko sounds quite alike. During the early days,Taiko drums were specifically for religious ceremonies,meditation,in battlefield support but today it's for dance,temple festivals and theatre.
The master of Japanese drummer is the late Daihachi Oguchi, who led the spread of the art of "taiko" drumming to the United States and throughout Japan,who died in a road accident at the age of 84.
Late in the evening at about 6:00pm was the Budokan Karate-do Martial Art demonstration jointly by the Lao-Nippon Budokan Centre.
The Lao-Japan Budokan Center is just beside the Anou National Stadium and was built by Kanto Construction Company with Sanpo International Corporation of Japan at a cost of USD6.5 million just in time for the November 2009,25th Southeast Asian Games.
At this evening event,kids showed their Budokan training skills followed by a Lao Budokan-karate-do lady fighter overpowering a male exponent.
The Aikido Club also demonstrated their ninja styled fight. Japanese martial arts include Karate, Aikido, Juijutsu, Judo, and Kendo.
Karate(means empty handed) originated from Okinawa,Japan was the most popular.
Aikido is a self defesive martial art.
Juijutsu(gentle art)is based on several joint locks and throwing techniques of the body to attack enemies. It is very effective method of defense against an armed opponent.
Kendo is fencing martial art require verbal phsycological counter attack art.
Judo is an unarmed physical counter attack art.
As the sun set in the horizon,the musical and Lao Rock Concert began.
It was a night of partying at an open air stage ground beside the Vientiane National Cultural center. It started off with a small group of spectators dancing when the first musical harp performed by Miss Yuki Maegaki playing "The Charms of Sukiyaki" once populared by The Blue Diamonds singers.
The 'Lao Morlum' group made the crowds giggled when the Madame singer poke some cheeky jokes as she sang along.The dancing crowds have now swelled.
Lao teenage girls in the Miss "Yukata" contest.
The 'kimono' or 'yukata' is a casual summer silk clothing in Japan ususlly worn during Bon-Odori Festival.
Bon-Odori Festival tradition was originated when the farmers thanked the Rice Paddock God for the good summer crops.
Winner of Miss Yukata of Laos,second from right and second runners up contestant number fifteen.Third runners up not in photo was wearing the pastel blue silk 'yukata'.
Local spectators on stage joining in some question and answer session with freebies like T-shirt,hampers and the most priced gifts of the night is a free buffet luncheon at the Lao Plaza Hotel in Vientiane.
Those who failed to answer will have to pull the ear with one hand and the other hand will point to the ground and then twist the body around. Hmm,what a great fun!
A pair of Lao girls and Hmong couples in their traditional outfit dancing to the rhythm of the drum music.
Lao girls wear the 'sarong' with the vest and 'sari'. Hmong boy wears long pants held at the waist by embroidered band and his partner wears a plaited skirt and has a headgear.
The only foreigner joining the crowd dancing at the Japan Festival night.
Vientiane's local national school primary school students were fast in catching up the Japanese dance.
The students have just started their first school term in the first week of September. Their school uniforms were also in the Lao traditional outfit.
The final session of the Japanese cultural dance before the start of all Lao karaoke and hip hop rock concert were participants with black hood dancing.
Earlier there was a flea market with mostly Laotian visitors snapping up whatever available and all collections will be donated to the earthquake tsunami victims which happened on Friday,11 March 2011 in Miyako in Tohuku Iwate Prefecture around the Sendai area near Honshu Island.
Cheers to the Laotian people in their generosity in such time of difficulties faced by the Japanese victims.
Japan Embassy in Laos is at Sisangvone Road, Vientiane which is just near Sisangvone market and a short distance to Phra That Luang Stupa.
Contact phone number is : 021-414400, 021-414401, 021-414402, 021-414403 FAX: 021-414406 Working Hours: 08:30 - 12:00, 13:30 - 17:45.
The Japanese Ambassador is Miss Junko Yokota who also participated on the ground with the Laotian people working hand in hand together.
Thonhkang Primary School students from Sisattanak district in Vientiane were on stage dancing the 'lamvong'
