On the 22nd – 23rd June 2019, The Japanese Festival (Matsuri) Ennichisai was held in Blok M (little Tokyo) and was a huge success.
The festival attracts up to 300,000 visitors each year and has been one of the top events on the tourism calendar of Jakarta. The whole area was covered with Chochin (Japanese lanterns) and had approximately 200 booths offering Japanese culture, food and beverages, an educational area, a Sage area, and an area for sponsors among others.
Daisei Takeya, President Director of Daisei Group, said after the success of the 10th year of Ennichisai, in the following years Ennichisai might need to move to another part of Jakarta to accommodate ballooning visitor numbers.
“Blok M itself is already a commercial area, it might disturb the businesses and locals around here,” the owner of the famous authentic Ramen 38 Sanpachi and Daitokyo Sakaba in Jakarta said. In addition to managing the latest location, next year will also clash with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
He guaranteed that celebratory atmosphere Ennichisai is known for, will not change from what visitors have always experienced, even though the area may be different. He also assured that he will continue to present Ennichisai and greet local Indonesians, especially people of Jakarta, who always join in this festival each year.
“Planning for a huge festival such as Ennichisai takes a minimum of 6 months; preparing sponsors and media channels, getting the support of the Japanese Embassy, while I still manage to work normally as a Director of my company,” said Daisei.
The Ennichisai Festival has already received many donations from Japanese expatriates who have settled in Indonesia, such as most of the major Japanese companies in Jakarta, yet Daisei-san is also looking forward to more collaboration with Jakarta Administration and more of the Board of Tourism Organisations support.
“Ennichisai will be held again, but certainly may be not in Blok M. Ennichisai will be better and bigger. Please come again to support us. Thank you.”
Image: Nawala Karsa