MAHARAGAMA, Sri Lanka — Thousands of people attended the Japanese Bon Odori Festival 2026 in Maharagama on Saturday, celebrating Japanese culture through traditional dance, music, food, and cultural exhibitions.
The event, held at the National Youth Services Council (NYSC), was attended by Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs, Dinidu Saman Hennayake, Japan's Chargé d'Affaires ad interim, Kamoshida Naoaki, and other Sri Lankan and Japanese officials.
The festival featured Bon Odori dances, traditional Japanese taiko drumming, Japanese folk and pop performances, karate demonstrations, and cultural presentations by students from the Japanese School in Colombo, the Lanka Nippon BizTech Institute, and the NYSC, alongside performances by Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and Sri Lankan artists.
Visitors also sampled Japanese cuisine from several restaurants and explored cultural exhibits showcasing origami, Japanese language, and educational exchanges.
Organizers said the annual festival aims to strengthen cultural ties and people-to-people exchanges between Japan and Sri Lanka, reflecting the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
