Nakatosa , Japan × Trinidad &Tobago host town commemorative culture exchange event
A Nakatosa, Kochi ,Japan and Trinidad & Tobago host town commemorative culture exchange event with steel pan was held on 8/28 in Nakatosa town. A steelpan band called UTT Pan Phenix from the University of Trinidad & Tobago, consisting of 4 selected students and a teacher, was invited to Japan for this culture exchange. The event was held at Nakatosa's iconic and venerable Kure Hachimang shrine with over 400 people in attendance. Local yosakoi team Nakatosamon wore costumes designed with Trinidad & Tobago's national flag colors and performed a welcome dance, which was then followed by a performance by Ono Migenryu Kids Japanese Drum group to showcase Japanese style percussion. Then, Nakatosa elementary school kids danced and performed Paprika using small steel pans that they hand made especially for this occasion. Some kids commented that it was difficult to make the steelpans from scratch and perform but it was great fun in the end! Special guests UTT Pan Phoenix wonderfully performed their home country music soca and Japanese songs such as Koisuru Fortune Cookie, etc which captivated the audience. For the finale, UTT Pan Phoenix played a steelpan arranged version of Yosakoi Seicho dance and danced along together with local residents in the shrine. It was a great step for the exchange. In the social gathering UTT Pan Phoenix members enjoyed a Tosa style welcome which included a Shibaten dance and Chrysanthemum flowers as well as Kochi's drinking culture. The leader Mia commented we got excited by how much the audience enjoyed. We had a great time and would love to come back!. She added that she was eager for the next opportunity to enjoying such international culture exchange.