The two month-long CONTEMPO: Macau Japan Spring Festival kicked-off yesterday, with the festival making its debut and is set to be hosted annually during the spring.
The festival, which is on until March 30, is set to feature a series of events and festivities such as the Hyotei Michelin 3-star Kaiseki Dining in Hiro at The Venetian Macao, the Karen na Ivory – Kyoto concert at The Venetian Theatre, and Art Japan @ Macau.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at The Londoner Macao, which saw several guests including Kyoto Prefecture of Japan Representative Takashi Suzuki, Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, and Sands China Ltd. Executive Vice Chairman Wilfred Wong Ying-wai.
Among those who delivered speeches, Suzuki noted: “We would like to use this event as an opportunity to promote further understanding of the appeal of Japanese culture, including Kyoto’s traditional crafts, and to enhance communication of Japanese culture, such as Kyoto’s gourmet food and entertainment, and to actively promote cultural, culinary, and tourist exchanges with Macau.”
Senna Fernandes added in her speech that “MGTO is actively expanding incoming tourism from international markets, and we believe that the ‘Macau Japan Spring Festival’ will promote exchanges between the tourism industries of Japan and Macau”
Meanwhile, in his speech, Wong said: “We are pleased to provide Sands’ various facilities to present a wide range of exciting and refreshing performing arts, fine dining, visual arts and other diversified programmes to complement the development of Macau as the ‘Creative City of Gastronomy’ and the ‘Performing Arts Capital’.
The ceremony was followed by the opening concert, CONTEMPO Vol.1 by Takane no Nadeshiko, a ten-member all-girls Japanese idol group formed in 2022. Prior to the evening’s performance, a statement provided after the event noted that the girl group had visited attractions in Taipa.
Meanwhile, the CONTEMPO X gallery UG Exhibition also kicked off at Sands Gallery on the same day, the statement said, showcasing contemporary Japanese artwork throughout the event period.
Japanese all-girl group Takane no Nadeshiko delivers a performance at The Londoner Theatre yesterday. – Photo: Rui Pastorin
