- Tohoku & Tokyo's Traditional Festivals Reproduced, Popular Local Personality Sabrina Sato Rahal Appears on Stage -

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government held TOKYO DAY at JAPAN HOUSE in Rio de Janeiro, the Federative Republic of Brazil, on Friday, August 19. Under the catchphrase, "& TOKYO," a tourism seminar and other programs were held to introduce Tokyo's attractions to Brazilians and encourage them to visit Japan.

During the event, Tokyo and the Tohoku region's traditional performing arts were performed. The Tokyo side showed the traditional art of "Edo Tobi Kiyari" (steeplejack's chant) , which is from Edo culture in the 17th-19th centuries. The Tohoku region in northeastern Japan staged the "Onikenbai" folkdance (Iwate Prefecture) and the "Iwaki Jangara Nenbutsu Odori" folkdance (Fukushima Prefecture), which are local performing arts performed to purify the land and as a requiem for the souls of the dead.

To enhance the recognition of Tokyo as a tourist destination, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's TV commercial was shown and various tourist attractions in the Japanese capital were introduced to the audience under the theme, "Food, Water and Culture." Sabrina Sato Rahal and Kendi Yamai, popular local personalities -as well as an official of the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB) and Marcel Iyeiri, an expert at travel agency KNT Co., Ltd., were present at the program. Through the program, the Metropolitan Government introduced Tokyo's tourist attractions that local people were unfamiliar with, and demonstrated that Tokyo and Tohoku have recovered from the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, thereby expressing gratitude to countless people in the world who have sent encouraging messages and assistance to disaster victims.

After introduction of the "& Tokyo" concept, by a Tokyo Metropolitan Government official,each guest briefly talked about Tokyo's attractions.

Sabrina said, "I've visited various countries in the world, but when I visited Tokyo, I felt as if I were reborn. Tokyo people are cheerful, kind and always smiling. There are many things that Brazilians should learn from Tokyo people."

TOKYO DAY closed with a message by the TCVB official: "I think Tokyo is really far away for you, but if you visit Tokyo, it will certainly be an impressive trip. Please be sure to come to Tokyo."