PRESS RELEASE : 2019 PHILIPPINES-JAPAN FRIENDSHIP MONTH EVENTS / BAGUIO TANABATA FESTIVAL 10

２０１９年　日比友好月間イベント・バギオ七夕祭１０

プレス・リリース

Press release :

Please referto : Hidenobu Oguni, President JANL

and Ms. Gemma Estolas, Baguio Museum

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BAGUIOCITY – The “2019 Philippine-Japan Friendship Month” or “Baguio Tanabata Festival 10” opens in Baguio on July 13, Saturday,with the theme “Silence for 250 years,the Hidden Christians of Japan.”

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Now on its 10^th year of celebration, Tanabata is also known as the “star festival” and means night ofthe seventh. The festival is Inspired by an old Chinese “star legend” of Orihime (a weaving princess) and Prince Hikoboshi (a cow herder). Legend says that the lovers were separated by Tentei(the Sky King) across the milky way (Amanogawa) because they failed to meet their responsibilities after marriage. The origin of the legend dates back 2000 years ago.

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Tanabata is a Japanese tradition where people write their wishes on Tanzaku papers(colorful, small strips of paper) and hang them on bamboo branches outside their houses. This will also be done during the opening of the exhibits at the Baguio Museum.

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This year’s celebration of the 10^th year of the festival will come with a special gift to the people of Baguio from Amakusa City, Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan, considered the World heritage, Hidden Christian site, which inspired the theme. The gift of Tensho Embassy is a “15-16^th Century European Renaissance Music Concert.” The “Friends of Collegio” Ensemble will be using the restored musical instruments of the medieval period.

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Two FREE concerts will be held: On July 21, 2019 (Sunday) at 1:00 p.m. it will be at the St. Louis University CCA, Baguio City. On July 23, 2019 (Tuesday) at 6:00 p.m. the concert will be at the San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila.

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The Tanabata Festival in Baguio was institutionalized by Baguio City Ordinance No. 66, on July 23, 2012 sponsored by Councilor Lourdes Tabanda. The event is celebrated and organized annually by the Japanese Association in Northern Luzon (JANL), the City of Baguio, the Filipino-Japanese Foundation of Northern Luzon(Abong), and the Baguio Museum as the official venue of the exhibits. Sponsoring the events are the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, the JEC Fund Osaka, the Japan Foundation Manila, Japanese Association Manila, Nagasaki Prefectural Government, Sasebo City, Minami Shimabara City and also Amakusa City of Kumamoto Prefecture.

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The three month long schedule of activities include FREE workshops on July 13 (Saturday)and July 20 (Sat) at the Abong Hall in Bukaneg Street. The day starts at 9:00 a.m. with the Tanabata Seven Ornaments making workshop and continues at 1:00 p.m. with the Nagasaki Ohura Church papercraft making workshop.

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On July 21 (Sunday) at 9:00 a.m. – the Ceremony of thePhilippines-Japan Friendship Day will be held at the Japanese Garden along Governor Pack Road. At 1:00 p.m. is the FREE the Special Concert of Renaissance European Music by the Friends of Collegio Ensemble from Amakusa City, Kumamoto,Japan with venue at the SLU CCA theater.

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On July 23 (Tuesday) at 6:00 p.m. another FREE Concert of Renaissance European Music will again be held by the Friends of Collegio Ensemble at the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila.

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On August 4, 2019 (Sunday) at the Baguio Museum, Gov. Pack Road, three exhibits will be opened simultaneously at 2:00 p.m.namely: 1.) the Poster Exhibit of World Heritage of Nagasaki and Amakusa, 2.)History of Philippines and Japan in the 17^th Century and 3.) the Hidden Christians and Tanabata Festival 10.

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On August 17 and 18 (Saturday and Sunday)the COSPLAY Tanabata 7 – Harajuku Parade will be held at the Newtown Plaza Event Center.

From the middle of September to the middle of October the Japanese Film Festival will be held at the different participating universities: the Saint Louis University, the University of the Cordilleras, the University of Baguio, the University of the Philippines and the Benguet State University.

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On October 18-20 Cosplay SAISHŨ: Shogun Renaissance by Maila Alog of Wilvy Shows Entertainment Productions and Carolina's Dress Shop featuring Cosplay Academia by Robin Balisi will be held full of exciting surprises and entertainment.

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Other participating organizations supporting the Tanabata Festival 10 are: Bag-iw Art Society, UP Baguio Society of Visual Arts, CurTEAnah Events, Lubong Baguio Inc, Amida Software Asia, Mihiro Kensetsu Kogyo Corporation, Friendship Tours and Resorts Corporation, Chaya Japanese Cuisine (CHAYA), Sakura Terrace Japanese Restaurant, Porta International Education ConsultingInc, the Blue Files Language & Training Center, Cosplay SAISHŨ and the BaguioCosplay Community.

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For more information, please contact Hidenobu Oguni, President of the JANL and overall coordinator of the Tanabata 10 ; Arnel Cabanisas – Executive Director of Filipino-Japanese Foundation of Northern Luzon, Inc(ABONG), Gemma Estolas, Museum Assistant Curator, Baguio Museum.

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ご支援をいただいている皆々様に感謝を申し上げます：

Sponsored, supported, cooperated and organized by:

City of Baguio　バギオ市

Embassy of Japan,Manila　日本国大使館

The Japan World Exposition 1970Commemorative Fund日本万国博覧会記念基金

Japan Foundation, Manila　国際交流基金

Hidden Christian Sites in the NagasakiRegion 長崎県世界遺産課

Hidden Christian Site in Sakitsu,Amakusa City, Kumamoto 熊本県天草市

Filipino-JapaneseFoundation of NorthernLuzon　北ルソン比日基金

JapaneseAssociation in Northern Luzon　北ルソン日本人会

The Japanese Association, Manila, Inc. マニラ日本人会

Baguio Museum　バギオ博物館

San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila 聖アグスティン教会

St. LouisUniversity　セントルイス大学　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

University ofBaguio　バギオ大学

Univercity of theCordilleras　コーディリエラ大学

University of the Philippines,Baguio　フィリピン大学・バギオ校

Benguet StateUniversity　ベンゲット州国立大学

Baguio City National High School バギオ市ナショナル・ハイスクール　　　　　　　　

Mihiro Kensetsu Kogyo Corporation 三裕建設工業株式会社

Amida SoftwareAsia　アミダ・ソフトウエア・アジア

Friendship Tours and Resorts Corporationフレンドシップ・ツアーズ

Chaya JapaneseCuisine　CHAYA日本料理店

Sakura TerrasJapanese Restaurant　サクラ・テラス日本料理店

The Blue FilesLanguage and Training Center　ザ・ブルー・ファイルズ

Porta International Education ConsultingInc.　ポルタ国際教育コンサルティング　　　　　

Lubong Baguio Inc. ルボン・バギオ

UPB Society for Visual Arts　フィリピン大学ＳＶＡ

Bag-iw Art Society　　バグィウ・アート・ソサイアティ

CurTEAnah Events　カーティーナー・イベント　　

Cosplay Academia コスプレ・アカデミア

WILVY Shows Entertaiment Production　

ウイルビー・ショーズ・エンターテインメント・プロダクション