Courtesy of Cabinet Office
Guests view Wajima lacquerware crafts at the Kyoto State Guest House on Friday.
Courtesy of Cabinet Office
Mushakoji Senke tea ceremony is held in the Kyoto State Guest House on Friday.

A kickoff event for JAPAN SUI COLLECTION, a government project to promote regional products overseas, was held at the Kyoto State Guest House on Friday and Saturday.

Many guests, including ambassadors based in Tokyo and affluent individuals from abroad, were invited to the event to experience the beauty of Japan.

About 60 meticulously selected traditional crafts from across Japan were displayed at the venue, including Wajima lacquerware, Kutani ware porcelain and Hakata dolls.

A fashion show by designer JUNKO KOSHINO themed on Japanese traditions as well as a kyogen comic theater performance were presented at the event, allowing guests to appreciate the depth of traditional culture. They also savored cuisine prepared with carefully selected ingredients such as Oma brand tuna and Yamagata wagyu beef.

“We want to uncover shining regional products from across Japan and spread them worldwide,” Cabinet Secretariat Councillor Masaya Kitao said at Friday’s opening ceremony. 

The event will also be held in Europe in February.

AloJapan.com