Asian influences

On the occasion of the Chinese New Year, the mayor of Christchurch is organizing a lantern festival. A kind of Chinese folk festival, with all kinds of stalls, a large stage with colorful programs, and of course, a variety of food stalls. This year is the Year of the Rooster and according to Chinese prophecy, those who were born in the Year of the Rooster (1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017) can expect a year full of challenges, but they can be overcome with confidence. In general, roosters are very confident, work hard, and like to be the center of attention (Let's just leave it at that ;)).

A few weeks later, the 'Japanese Day' takes place. Similar to the Chinese festival, it is a colorful event with many food stalls, a good entertainment program, but also informal stands on the topic of Japan. We attended a small origami course where we made a frog that can jump. I realized that I lack the patience and finesse for that :D

In addition, you could attend a tea ceremony, have your name written in Japanese characters, or listen to the sounds of Japanese music. Our highlight was a Sumo wrestling tournament, which took place in the middle of the square. Young and old, professional or amateur, could sign up in advance and participate in the tournament.