Chongqing Day 2019

Chongqing Day 2019 celebrations were held in Hiroshima International House on Saturday, October 26.

At the entrance of the venue, participants enjoyed an exhibition of chrysanthemum kindly donated by Chongqing and lovingly cared for at Hiroshima Botanical Garden. Inside the venue, there were exhibits displaying photographs of Chongqing’s cityscape and scenes of daily life, differences in food culture across China’s various regions, information about animal exchanges between Hiroshima and Chongqing, a look at washi-paper chigiri-e collage exchanges between our two cities, and much more. In addition, there were a number of interactive workshops where participants could try their hand at speaking Chinese, Chinese paper cutting, washi-paper chigiri-e collage, folding pop-up origami cranes, and Chinese tea, all of which stayed at full capacity as participants enjoyed the variety of experiences on offer.

Furthermore, there was an assortment of foods and beverages available for participants to try, including anninsu cookies, jujube-dates stuffed with walnuts, mahua, and chrysanthemum tea, leaving them intrigued by a relatively unknown food culture.

The opening ceremony, consisting of speeches from the chair of the executive committee and Deputy Mayor of Hiroshima, as well as a reading of a message from the mayor of Chongqing, was followed by an introduction to the cityscape and life in Chongqing by Hiroshima Messengers, who entertained the audience with quizzes throughout their fun and light-hearted presentation.

A tai chi demonstration was given by the Hiroshima Branch of the Sino-Japan Friendship Association on the Commemorative Stage, during which participants had the opportunity to learn the fundamentals and try some elegant and relaxed movements for themselves.

This was followed by a demonstration of the art of face changing by a traditional Chinese Sichuan opera performer; their skill and technique captivated the audience so much so that there were requests to see more and for there to be face changing demonstrations at the next Chongqing Day. The event ended with a raffle for goods and products contributed by the city of Chongqing.

Approximately 240 participants deepened their understanding of Chongqing and China while enjoying a wide variety of workshops and experiences.

Photos from Chongqing Day 2019