'I Love Ireland' festival in Yoyogi Park

Though Ireland is a relatively small country, Irish people all over the world, including Japan, proudly celebrate their national holiday, St Patrick’s Day on or around March 17 each year.

In Japan, March 16 will see a brand new festival called “I Love Ireland 2014” in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park, held by the Ireland Japan Chamber of Commerce and supported by several Ireland-related organisations. The purpose is to create an all-day celebration of “Ireland Day” in Tokyo in collaboration with the St Patrick’s Day Parade, which has been turning Omotesando shamrock green for the past 22 years.

The festival will showcase Ireland to those who are not familiar with it, and bring together all the diverse cultural aspects including Irish music, dance, sports and food. Irish pubs Dubliners and the Cluracan will of course provide Guinness beer, for which Ireland is quite famous in Japan, while GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) and CCE (Irish Music Association) will hold clinics for both adults and children to teach simple Irish sports and dance.

Trinity Irish Dance, a popular Irish dance company founded in the U.S., and TEADA, an Irish trad music band, will be performing on the main stage at Yoyogi Park.

The main stage will be closed during the parade in which more than 1,000 people are expected to take part.