According to a press release from KBRI Tokyo received in Jakarta on Friday, the Balinese cultural festival showcased traditional Balinese musical instruments such as jegog and gamelan, alongside traditional dances such as Legong and Kecak, which were the main attractions throughout the five-day event.
Charge d'Affaires ad Interim (KUAI) of KBRI Tokyo, Maria Renata Hutagalung, expressed her gratitude for the festival as an important platform to promote Balinese arts to the Japanese public.
"The arts and cultural collaboration reminds us of the transformative power of cultural exchange that transcends borders and deepens mutual understanding," Maria, represented by Muhammad Al Aula, Coordinator of the Socio-Cultural Information Function at KBRI Tokyo, stated.
He remarked that the festival highlights the richness of Indonesian culture, focusing on Balinese culture, and showcases the beauty of Indonesian music, dance, and storytelling traditions, serving as a bridge of friendship between Indonesia and Japan.
"The Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo is ready to support every event held. Hopefully, this festival will continue to be held as a symbol of cultural harmony and inspire closer collaboration between the two nations," he remarked.
Meanwhile, Akira Yajima, Executive Director of the Geinoh Yamashirogumi Kecak Festival Executive Committee, explained that the festival features a combination of Balinese Kecak dance with gamelan music and other performing arts to create a unique cultural experience.
He explained that Geinoh Yamashirogumi was founded in 1974, a time when Japan was deeply fascinated by modern Western civilization, leading to rural traditions and festivals being increasingly considered outdated. He launched the Kecak festival in 1976.
"The festival was born as a form of resistance to that trend. This year's theme is 'A Festive Space Where Living Brains Outshine AI.' Brain activity through manifested and invisible signals is the true essence of the Kecak Dance," Yajima elaborated.
"Sound and rhythm, overlapping sounds, collective choreography—all of this is guided by unspoken perceptions," he revealed.
An estimated 100 Japanese performed the Legong and Kecak dances, including gamelan and jegog musicians.
KBRI Tokyo reported that over 500 visitors enjoyed the Balinese dance performance, accompanied by dynamic, lively, captivating, and beautiful Balinese gamelan music.
The Balinese atmosphere was palpable as visitors entered the courtyard of the Mitsui Building in Shinjuku, where the festival took place.
The Indonesian Embassy described the surroundings—from the archway as the backdrop, the entrance to the performance, the endek cloth, or traditional Balinese fabric, and the traditional umbrellas—as vividly evoking a distinctly Balinese ambiance.
The ambient lighting and spotlights further enhance the magical atmosphere created during the performances.
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Reporter: Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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