The Ambassador to Japan and his entourage visited Shijo Karasuma Hall!!

On Monday, September 14th, a group of ambassadors from various countries visited the Nishijin Textile Asagi Museum, Shijo Karasuma Branch, as part of a "Kyoto Cultural Experience Tour" organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
They are from Ecuador, Angola, Senegal, Cyprus, Paraguay, Panama, Mali, Lent, Romania, Australia, and Argentina.

First, we will hear a greeting from Kizaemon Tsukamoto, director of the Nishijin Textile Asagi Museum.

And now, an introduction to the Tsukaki Group.
Next, we will have a PowerPoint presentation about Nishijin-ori, a traditional Japanese textile industry with a history spanning 1200 years.

After that, we visited the Asagi Art Museum.



Everyone here was also looking at it intently and with great interest. They seemed particularly fascinated by the reverse side of the textiles.
In the dimly lit room with the Nishijin-ori textile installation, they looked at it with curiosity.
I was asked, "Why is it shining so brightly?"
In the museum shop, despite the short visit, a customer purchased a framed Nishijin-ori print of Katsushika Hokusai's "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" featuring Mount Fuji. Hokusai is indeed popular!

Finally, as a craft activity, everyone enjoyed making miniature framed artwork using Nishijin-ori textiles, and then we all took a commemorative photo together.

I imagine some of you may have seen Nishijin-ori textiles for the first time during your visit.
If you feel that it is a beautiful textile, that would make us happiest.

We would be delighted if you would choose Nishijin-ori, a traditional Japanese craft, as a memento of your trip or as a souvenir to take back to your home country.

I am pleased that through Nishijin weaving, we were able to introduce the charm of Japanese culture and craftsmanship to people overseas, and that we were able to contribute, even in a small way, to international exchange.