The Embassy of Japan in Turkmenistan held a Japanese doll exhibition at the Turkmen Museum of Fine Arts in Ashgabat in collaboration with the Japan Foundation. This is the fourth exhibition in Turkmenistan under this framework, and this time we exhibit Japanese dolls that are deeply rooted in Japanese culture and history.
The opening ceremony was held at the Turkmen Museum of Fine Arts today, February 26th, and will be exhibited until Wednesday, March 10th. We hope that local students studying Japanese and many Ashgabat citizens will come into contact with Japanese culture.
This exhibition features 67 dolls representing the historical depth and wide range of modeling of Japanese dolls and their culture, which have evolved in Japanese history and folklore through four sections such as “Sekku-ningyo” (dolls to pray for children’s growth) used for seasonal celebrations, “Ningyo as Fine Art” for admiring dolls made using different techniques and styles, “Ningyo as Folk Art”, which focuses on the distinctive dolls of each region and simple beauty, and “Spread of Ningyo Culture”, which covers variety of dolls.
Speech of Ambassador Yamamoto at opening ceremony of exhibition
Dear Director of the Museum of Fine Arts of Turkmenistan Mr. ORAZOV, ladies and gentlemen,
My name is YAMAMOTO. I arrived in Turkmenistan as the Ambassador of Japan in October last year. First of all, let me express a great thanks for attending the Japanese Japanese Exhibition Opening Ceremony dolls.
I am very glad that in such a difficult situation related to the global pandemic COVID-19 we can hold an exhibition of Japanese dolls here, which are traditional Japanese culture. Taking this opportunity, I would like thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture Turkmenistan, as well as the management and staff of the museum, for their assistance in holding this cultural event.
Until today, our Embassy has held various activities for dissemination of Japanese culture in Turkmenistan, such as familiarization with Japanese cuisine, Japanese film festival, Ikebana demonstration, Tea house ceremony and kimono. Turkmenistan will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year independence, and next year will be an important year for our countries due to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Turkmenistan. In such important moments, we intend even more foster cultural exchanges that foster mutual understanding between the peoples of Japan and Turkmenistan.
67 ningyo – Japanese dolls are exhibited at this exhibition and after four section, you can get acquainted with the historical depth and a wide range of modeling Japanese dolls and their culture that developed in Japanese history and folklore. The first is the section “Ningyo for Prayer for the Growth of Children” used for seasonal celebrations, the second is the section “Ningyo as fine arts “for admiring dolls that were made with using different techniques and styles, the third is the section “Ningyo as folk art “, which focuses on characteristic dolls each region and simple beauty and, the fourth – the section “Distribution ningyo culture ”, which encompasses a variety of dolls. Just the third of March in Japan, girls’ day is celebrated with Hina Ningyo dolls. You can see them in the first section.
This exhibition will be held from today to March 9, so we would be grateful if you could tell your relatives and friends, thus as many people as possible visited here.
In conclusion, I would like to express the hope that through our event your interest in Japanese culture and tradition is even greater rise and deepen.
Thanks for attention. /// nCa, 1 March 2021 (in cooperation with Embassy of Japan in Turkmenistan)