2022 marks 70th anniversary of establishment of Pak-Japan diplomatic relations
Zubair Qureshi
The popular Japanese dolls travelling exhibition ‘Ningyo: Art and Beauty of Japanese Dolls’ was jointly inaugurated by Ambassador of Japan Wada Mitsuhiro and Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs MNA Andleeb Abbas.
The event was held to mark and unveil the 70th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Pakistan.
The Embassy of Japan in Pakistan and the Japan Foundation in cooperation with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts organized the superb collection of Japanese dolls exhibition.
The exhibition presents a comprehensive introduction to Japanese doll culture, from Katashiro and Amagatsu, which are considered to be the archetypes of dolls in Japan, to local dolls that reflect the climate and anecdotes from across the country, to dress up dolls that are beloved in Japan today as doll toys, and scale figures that are highly regarded around the world.
In the exhibition, a total of 67 carefully selected dolls divided under four sections “Ningyo to pray for children’s growth,” “Ningyo as fine art,” “Ningyo as folk art,” and “Spread of Ningyo culture” have been displayed exhibiting the diversity of the Japanese dolls.
Japanese dolls traditionally known as “Ningyo” (which means human shape in Japanese) are a unique cultural symbol because of their rich history and association with the Japanese way of life.
They reflect the customs of Japan and the aspirations of its people, possess distinctive regional attributes, and over the centuries have developed in many diverse forms.
Ambassador Wada, while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the exhibition said that dolls have been an important part of the Japanese culture for centuries and they reflect the history of Japan from prehistoric to modern times.
As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Pakistan, the dolls exhibition is a delightful occasion for the Pakistani friends to learn more about the Japanese dolls culture.
The purpose of showing this exhibition is to give the visitors a close glimpse of the versatility and individuality of the traditional and cultural life of Japanese people, said the Ambassador.
The exhibition will remain open for public viewing till 25th of January 2022.
