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The Star
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Make a ‘Connection' with George Town Festival
Stamp rally: Fun showing the six different stamps, each featuring unique designs, which visitors to selected events can collect for a chance to win a prize. — KT GOH/The Star GEORGE TOWN: The city will be transformed into a vibrant stage when the George Town Festival (GTF) returns for its 16th edition. So do plan your holiday to Penang for next month as from Aug 2 to 10, GTF 2025 – with the theme 'Connection' – will feature 50 programmes exploring the powerful relationships between the arts, the city and the human experience. These range from music to dance, theatre, photography, visual arts and more. About 80% of the programmes will be offered for free in line with the festival's aim of making the arts accessible to all. GTF director Jack Wong said 32 programmes were homegrown and reflected Malaysia's rich artistic diversity. Of this, 22 are Penang-based. The other 18 are international presentations and include bold new works. He said only seven events would be ticketed, priced between RM40 and RM100. 'GTF 2025 will also have a series of workshops and talks which offer deeper insights into the creative process and give visitors opportunities to engage with the artistes and their works. 'Whether you're a newcomer or long-time follower, you will have a week of unforgettable experiences.' Festivities kick-off with the 'After Dusk' opening weekend on Aug 2 and 3 at the Esplanade, which is expected to draw over 100,000 visitors. The iconic Town Hall will come alive with colours and patterns in a projection mapping showcase while live performances by various local and international acts will start from 5pm. Other highlights include a contemporary performance inspired by the state's natural landscapes called 'Waris', and a tribute exhibition to late cartoonist Azmi Hussin titled 'Living the Tanjong Life'. There will be a 'Symbiosis: Crab Chronicle' which offers a crab's view of Penang's shifting coastlines through augmented reality/virtual reality experiences, as well as 'Between Departures' which turns an actual city bus into an intimate musical stage journeying through George Town. Further cultural exchange is promoted through the 'A Night in Spain' classical music concert in partnership with the Spanish Embassy in Malaysia, as well as the 'Totsu-totsu dance – Like Art, Like Care' dance workshop and performance with Japan's Cultural Affairs Agency. Visitors to six selected events can collect six stamps under the 'Stamp Rally' by local artist Elsie Fun and stand a chance of winning a prize. State tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said GTF had grown into one of the region's most vibrant platforms for artistic expression since its inception in 2010. 'What began as a local initiative has expanded into a leading space for creativity and ideas in South-East Asia. 'This year's theme reflects our hope to further build bridges between peoples, ideas and stories through diverse artistic experiences.' For tickets/details, visit or follow @georgetownfestival on social media.
Yomiuri Shimbun
13-07-2025
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan Heritage Marks 10 Years; What Has It Achieved So Far, What Challenges Lie Ahead?
It has been 10 years since the Cultural Affairs Agency established the Japan Heritage system, under which the agency designates 'stories' that convey Japanese culture and traditions through the historical charm and characteristics of regions. The number of designated stories has exceeded 100, though a story has been removed from the list due to changes in the program. What has it achieved so far and what challenges lie ahead?'Japan Heritage has become an important pillar of the city's policies, and it has also led to the revitalization of the city,' said a Hachioji city government official in charge of promoting local Japan Heritage. The city's story, 'Mt. Takao: Mountain of Spirits — Mulberry City spun with people's prayers,' was the only story in Tokyo that was designated in fiscal 2020. The story recounts the construction of a mountain castle built during the Warring States period (1493-1573), the flourishing of sericulture and silk weaving in the area and the worship of Mt. Takao. The official said the project has had a significant effect in promoting tourism to Mt. Takao and fostering children's love for their local community. 'Our long-cherished wish has come true. The joint efforts of the public and private sectors have borne fruit,' said a city government official in Otaru, Hokkaido, in charge of promoting sightseeing. The city was designated as a Japan Heritage site in had already been attracting tourists before the designation, but the designation has helped boost the city further, allowing it to show the whole story of its development, decline and revival since the Meiji era (1868-1912) to visitors, including those whose purpose is to enjoy the local cuisine. Unlike conventional cultural property administration, which focuses on preserving cultural assets, the Japan Heritage system aims to revitalize local communities by utilizing tangible and intangible cultural properties. The Cultural Affairs Agency supports the efforts of designated regions with subsidies. In April 2015, the first 18 stories were designated, and by fiscal 2020, the total number of designated stories reached 104, which is around the 100 as initially planned. To maintain the system's brand value, the agency introduced a system of comprehensive evaluation and continued examination in fiscal 2021. This new system evaluates revitalization projects utilizing Japan Heritage sites after a certain period of time and also allows for revocation of the designation. The system also allows for a replacement based on a comparative evaluation, in which designated areas compete with approved candidate areas. While Otaru was newly designated under this system, seven cities and towns in Fukuoka and Saga prefectures were excluded from the designated regions for the first time and downgraded to a candidate region due to their regional story, 'The Western Capital of Ancient Japan — Exchange Hub with East Asia,' and their efforts to have tourists travel around the area being deemed insufficient. 'We heard disappointment from the residents. While the quality of the cultural assets that make up each story is completely different from one another, how can they uniformly evaluate all of them?' a related municipal government official said. Several other areas have also voiced their opinion that the new system has changed the character of Japan Heritage by placing more emphasis on economic aspects, such as the number of tourists who visit the area, in the evaluation processes. 'The purpose of the system, which is to revitalize regions by emphasizing cultural aspects, has not changed,' a Cultural Affairs Agency official said. However, a local government official from another designated region pointed out: 'The system is extremely strict compared to others in which very few certifications are canceled.' Nevertheless, Akira Matsuda, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo, who specializes in cultural resources studies and is familiar with the Japan Heritage system, gave the program a positive evaluation. 'At first, I was concerned that this system would only certify [and not produce results]. However, I think the system is working to maintain a sense of urgency [among local governments] and growing in a positive way,' he said. Whether the new system can maintain its viability depends on how many regions will apply for new designation in the future. However, according to the agency, there have been no new applications since fiscal 2022. An agency official said, 'Regions that were not designated previously may see Otaru's case and apply again.' However, the system may be reviewed if no applications are submitted. Another problem is that the system is not well-known to the public. In a survey conducted last year by the agency, only 35.4% of respondents said they were familiar with Japan Heritage and the designated cultural assets. Even now, 10 years after its establishment, it is often confused with World Heritage. Last year, the agency launched a project to have companies and other organizations that have formed partnerships to promote the attractiveness of Japan Heritage. In October, it launched a series of short videos that tell the stories of each designated area. 'Lack of recognition is the biggest challenge. If a cap is set on the number of designated regions, people outside of those regions will not be interested unless they can join the system, and interest may taper off,' Matsuda said.
Straits Times
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Short-story dispensers to appear around Japan to encourage people to read books
Multiple stories will be made available at each dispenser. PHOTO: ST FILE Short-story dispensers to appear around Japan to encourage people to read books TOKYO - Short-story dispensers set to be installed at train stations, tourist information centres, event venues and the like will make their debut in Japan as early as this summer. At the push of a button, short stories that can be read in a few minutes will be printed out on a long receipt-like strip of paper. Although the machines are called 'dispensers', the content is delivered free of charge. This service, to be launched as part of an initiative to revitalise Japan's characters and print culture, will be implemented by Tohan Corp, a leading book wholesaler, with the support of the Cultural Affairs Agency. The aim is to get people who usually do not read books to discover the joy of reading them. Launched by a French company, the machines, called short-story dispensers, have been installed at train stations, airports, hospitals and companies in Europe, the United States and elsewhere. In Japan, several dispensers are scheduled to be installed in various locations, starting in or around August. The development of Japan-version dispensers is also being considered. It is envisaged that the stories printed out will be the beginning or part of a story that takes place in the location where the dispenser is installed. Standing in the spot where a memorable scene was created will enable people to feel close to the world of the story. Another idea under consideration is an excerpt from a fine piece of literature written by a great author who has some connection with the locations. The number of stories will be increased one by one, with poems, such as the Japanese haiku, and even newly published works to be added to the list in future. Multiple stories will be made available at each dispenser. As the content printed out will be chosen at random, people can enjoy an unexpected encounter with a story. The scheme is also an attempt to encourage people to read the rest of the story in an actual book. This initiative has recently been selected as a new project implemented by the Cultural Affairs Agency to revitalise Japan's print culture, to which end the agency is supporting collaborations among book stores, literary museums and local governments. The agency will provide approximately 6.5 million yen (S$57,330) in support. As the relevant expenses are to be borne by local municipalities and the companies that install the dispensers, the service is to be offered free of charge. Why take the trouble to install dispensers with stories printed on paper at a time when many stories can be read for free just by searching on a smartphone? Mr Koichi Saito, manager in charge of new businesses at Tohan, said: 'We believe that holding a story that comes out by coincidence and reading it at that particular location will create a different value for readers. We want to increase the points of contact between people and books.' THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yomiuri Shimbun
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Short Story Dispensers to Appear Around Japan; Creating Unexpected Encounters with Stories
Short story dispensers set to be installed at train stations, tourist information centers, event venues and the like will make their debut in Japan as early as this summer. At the push of a button, short stories that can be read in a few minutes will be printed out on a long receipt-like srip of paper. Although the machines are called 'dispensers,' the content is delivered free of charge. This service, to be launched as part of an initiative to revitalize Japan's characters and print culture, will be implemented by Tohan Corp., a leading book wholesaler, with the support of the Cultural Affairs Agency. The aim is to get people who usually do not read books to discover the joy of reading them. Launched by a French company, the machines, called short story dispensers, have been installed at train stations, airports, hospitals and companies in Europe, the United States and elsewhere. In Japan, several dispensers are scheduled to be installed in various locations, starting in or around August. The development of Japan-version dispensers is also being considered. It is envisaged that the stories printed out will be the beginning or part of a story that takes place in the location where the dispenser is installed. Standing in the spot where a memorable scene was created will enable people to feel close to the world of the story. Another idea under consideration is an excerpt from a fine piece of literature written by a great author who has some connection with the locations. The number of stories will be increased one by one, with poems, haiku and even newly published works to be added to the list in future. Multiple stories will be made available at each dispenser. As the content printed out will be chosen at random, people can enjoy an unexpected encounter with a story. The scheme is also an attempt to encourage people to read the rest of the story in an actual book. This initiative has recently been selected as a new project implemented by the Cultural Affairs Agency to revitalize Japan's print culture, to which end the agency is supporting collaborations among bookstores, literary museums and local governments. The agency will provide approximately ¥6.5 million in support. As the relevant expenses are to be borne by local municipalities and the companies that install the dispensers, the service is to be offered free of charge. Why take the trouble to install dispensers with stories printed on paper at a time when many stories can be read for free just by searching on a smartphone? Koichi Saito, manager in charge of new businesses at Tohan, said: 'We believe that holding a story that comes out by coincidence and reading it at that particular location will create a different value for readers. We want to increase the points of contact between people and books.'
Yomiuri Shimbun
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Over 260 Japanese National Treasures Featured at Special Exhibitions in Osaka, Nara, Kyoto Held to Coincide with Expo 2025
OSAKA — With the occasion of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, art galleries and museums throughout the Kansai region held special exhibitions, displaying Japan's finest pieces and putting new spins on them, with three museums in Osaka, Nara and Kyoto recently exhibiting national treasures. More than 260 national treasures, or about 30% of all the national treasures in the country excluding structures, were displayed, providing a rare opportunity to view a large number of masterpieces. 135 national treasures in OsakaThe largest number of national treasures — 135 items — were displayed at the National Treasures of Japan exhibition at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibition featured treasures that are representative of Japanese art history and mentioned in school textbooks, such as 'Deep Vessel with Flame-Style Pottery' from the Jomon period, which was excavated in Tokamachi, Niigata Prefecture, and the seated Ganjin Wajo statue, a masterpiece sculpture of the highly ranked monk owned by Toshodaiji temple in Nara. The paintings of birds and flowers on fusuma room partitions by Kano Eitoku, a painter of the Azuchi-Momoyama period (late 16th century), were ink wash paintings and part of a series of paintings at Jukoin temple in Kyoto. Eitoku used ink lines of varying sizes to depict a huge old plum tree twisting and turning, creating a spring scene full of life on the four fusuma partitions displayed at the museum. A variety of treasures, including writings and swords, were exhibited with national treasures that have been repaired with financial assistance from the Tsumugu Project, a joint undertaking by the Cultural Affairs Agency, Imperial Household Agency and The Yomiuri Shimbun. They included 'Bound Fan Papers with the 'Lotus Sutra'' from Shitennoji temple in Osaka, which depicts the lives of nobles and commoners and is a copy of the Lotus Sutra, and the 'Fugen Bosatsu (Samantabhadra)' owned by the Tokyo National Museum, a work considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Buddhist painting. The Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts reopened in March after undergoing a major renovation, in which work was done to lower the display stands and reduce reflections on the glass cases. 'We have taken great care to make the works easier to view,' said museum director Sakae Naito. The exhibition didn't have a specific theme; instead, it was meant to provide visitors with an opportunity to enjoy the richness of Japanese art more freely in a better environment. Eitoku's masterpiece 'Chinese Lions,' which is owned by the Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan, and the dogu figurine known as 'Jomon Venus' excavated in Chino, Nagano Prefecture, were displayed. Ogata Korin's masterpiece 'Irises' of the Nezu Museum in Tokyo was also exhibited. Nara exhibition on Buddhist, Shinto art The Nara National Museum in Nara, which specializes in Buddhist art, held an exhibition titled 'Oh! Kokuho: Resplendent Treasures of Devotion and Heritage,' focusing on Buddhist and Shinto art. The exhibition, held to celebrate the museum's 130th anniversary, featured about 140 artworks, including 112 national treasures. Exhibits included 'Standing Kannon Bosatsu (Sk. Avalokitesvara; also known as Kudara Kannon)' from Horyuji temple in Nara Prefecture, which was created during the Asuka period (592-710) and is one of Japan's earliest wooden sculptures, and 'Seated Dainichi Nyorai' by Unkei, which is owned by Enjoji temple in Nara. Buddhist statues mainly from the Kansai region and those as far as from Tokyo and Hiroshima Prefecture were also displayed. The dignified expression and posture of the finely sculpted 'Seated Bosatsu with One Leg Pendant' from Hobodai-in Gantokuji temple in Kyoto created a tense atmosphere. The exhibition also displayed 'Seven-Pronged Sword' of Isonokami Jingu shrine in Nara Prefecture, an iron sword from the Kofun period with six branch blades, as well as Buddhist paintings and sumi ink writings, allowing visitors to trace how different religions gained acceptance by people and how they have changed. 'Seated Bodhisattva with One Leg Pendant' from Chuguji temple in Nara Prefecture and other artworks were also exhibited. The Yomiuri Shimbun'Standing Kannon Bosatsu (Sk. Avalokiteshvara; also known as Kudara Kannon),' owned by Horyuji temple in Nara Prefecture, exhibited at the Nara National Museum in NaraThe Yomiuri Shimbun'Seated Bosatsu with One Leg Pendant,' owned by Hobodai-in Gantokuji temple in Kyoto, exhibited at the Nara National Museum in NaraKyoto exhibition on cultural exchange The Kyoto National Museum's special exhibition 'Japan, an Artistic Melting Pot' shed light on cross-cultural exchanges and Japanese art. The exhibition traced this history with about 200 artworks, including 19 national treasures and 53 important cultural properties. Among them was 'Wind God and Thunder God Screens' by Tawaraya Sotatsu, a national treasure owned by Kenninji temple in Kyoto. World expositions can be viewed as an example of cross-cultural exchange. The Meiji government compiled the first Western-style history of Japanese art, consisting of works it wanted to show to the world, to coincide with Japan's participation in the Expo 1900 Paris. This exhibition displayed some of the works listed in the book, including the dotaku bell-shaped bronze, an important cultural property that was excavated in Yasu, Shiga Prefecture. Exhibits also included the ukiyo-e woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai 'Under the Wave off Kanagawa' from the series 'Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,' which is also popular in the West, as well as Buddhist statues, landscape drawings, paintings of flowers and birds, which indicate Japan's exchanges with East Asia, and ceramics.
