HAPPY AFRICAN FESTIVAL 2023

This festival aims to deliver a richer cultural exchange between Japanese and Africans… For the 3e edition of the festival, find a way to bring more and more peoples together  not only between Togo and Japan but Africa and Asia.

Through the bright and powerful energy of African and  Asian culture , this festival will increase the smiles of  Hyogo people living in the community, enrich their lives, and strengthen the connections between people by making them feel anew the connection between people. The aim was to deepen understanding of different cultures and coexist together through cultural exchange.For the previous edition the festival always happened at R3-Rokken ;Happy House and Art theater Dance box Kobe to make it more open where everyone  without  distinction of social  position can be able to attend and enjoy..Even before the event will begin, the preparations will  be make to involve the residents of Hyogo,Shin-Nagata, Kobe,so that  adults and children will be  enthusiastic about the rhythm of taiko drums and African melodies. It will be a period in which the culture of Africa and the atmosphere of traditional Japanese festivals fused together. It will be an event that fully demonstrates the solidarity of the Hyogo prefecture and  Shin-Nagata,Kobe  city and the high inclusiveness of accepting diversity. Through this event, not only local residents but also visitors from outside the area and international artists will be  able to recognize the charm of Kobe, Shin-Nagata city  once again, especially after these 3 years of life affected by the covid-19.

Program details:

The Event will be happening in three  different places in 3 days from 4,18,19 November 2023.

• HAPPY HOUSE ROKKEN

• R3 ROKKEN

• DANCE BOX KOBE

• -4 November 2023 (  Happy house and r3 rokken)

We will exhibit and sell African food and miscellaneous goods. Groups including Africans who are active mainly in Kobe will open a store to give visitors a taste of African food culture and colorful African food.You can actually see and experience fashion goods made locally.

*We plan to set up a booth where you can try on fashion accessories and take photos. Also there will be projections and lectures about African style of life and history.That day will be the opening day of the festival and there will be parades on the street of shin-Nagata to greet and thank people for helping organize the event.A local famous dance and music company name GinGanGon wil special guest for the festival opening.

•  18 November 2023(contemporary program Dance box kobe )

As African Artists l believe there is no limit in Arts reason for the first time this year we add a contemporary dance program.as contemporary choreographer and living here in Japan l see the difference between African contemporary dance and Asian contemporary dance.So it really important to me build bridge who can connect the two continents in another different ways and also satisfy the Kobe people who’ve interested in contemporary dance and make Kobe and shin-nagat community discover the type of Art who is full of emotion and passion also expressions.

For this program, two  African contemporary Artists were invited to perform their work ,from two different countries :Uganda and Togo. In ways of cultural exchanges ,the festival is producing Japanese contemporary artists as well.believing that the contemporary program will be full of energy,There will be an open drink bar to the audience to refresh their mind and happiness.

• 19 November 2023(Dance box Kobe traditional program)

This 3e days will be the General one and the Performance program will be resumed by African  and Asian traditional  dance and music  performance,producing artists living in Japan  where  People of all ages can enjoy the lovely rhythm and bright music dance.we will produce 5 companies Artists from:

Togo, Guinea,Burkina Faso,Corea and of course One japanese wadaiko team.

There will be a similar program but more bigger who is based on an open  Market.

We will exhibit and sell African food and miscellaneous goods.Africans who are active mainly in Kobe will open a store to give visitors a taste of African food ,culture and colorful African fabrics .Audiences can also  actually see and experience fashion goods made locally.All day will be species with African atmosphere.

The Arts For All as dance company worked and keeping working on progress of cultural exchange and expanding relationship between communities .Since 2015 in Africa,the company has organized workshops based on “African traditional dance learning.Community  dance exchange workshop in 2017 at Senegal and now basing in Japan from 2018 Arts For All didn't change is vision and organized his event named African contemporary night at Dance box kobe.Same year, he started performing with the elderly at Happy House RoKken.2019 for  1st time organized “ Happy African Festival” at happy house rokken.At the event the group performed Togo traditional dance,cooked traditional food and drink.The group have experienced  joining another  event in Japan like “stay home projet” by kobe city who consist of making dance videos at home to support people affected by the covid-19 in 2020. Also 2021 participated to “Artist View “by dance box kobe who was to give opportunity to artist to keep creating their Arts.In November same year organized for the 2nd edition Happy African Festival producing different African traditional group from GUINEA,Burkina Faso and Togo team.This years from 4,18 and 19 November 2023  will be the 3e edition  of Happy African Festival.The particularity of this year program will be not only African group who will perform but Korean and Japanese Wadaiko group as well , and the most important is not that the group is the only one doing this Event but all Nagata people support the project and helping making this festival bigger and bigger.