Athens community members come together to celebrate Natsu Matsuri

A Natsu Matsuri summer festival occurred late last week in Athens’ public Japanese Park, in the Pangrati neighborhood. The event, which brought together Athenian locals, tourists, and Japanese people, is rooted in the Shinto tradition and is meant to honor the spirits of the people’s ancestors.  

Red lanterns hung from the trees, and food stalls lined the perimeter as traditional Japanese music played, creating an immersive experience in Japanese culture for all who attended the festivities.

The Municipality of Athens and the Japanese Embassy jointly organized the event. Both Japanese Ambassador to Greece Koichi Ito and Eleni Zontirou, Board President of the Sports and Youth Organization of the City of Athens stressed the importance of creating stronger bonds between the Greek and Japanese people. 

“We at the Municipality of Athens are strong advocates for creating more public spaces,” Zontirou told Kathimerini English Edition. “These spaces allow people from diverse backgrounds to share their food and culture, fostering personal connections. Reducing feelings of alienation and nurturing a sense of community is essential; it’s about seeing others as neighbors rather than strangers.” 

JTI Hellas, the Greek division of the Japanese Tobacco company, sponsored this year’s Natsu Matsuri. “This public-private partnership highlights the importance of joining forces. When we collaborate for the common good, the benefits go to the society because we have a shared vision,” explained Lili Zigoslu, the general manager of JTI Hellas, in her opening remarks. 

A highlight of the event was Chihoco Yanagi’s performance of traditional Japanese dances. For her final act, Yanagi invited the audience to join her in dancing the traditional Japanese summer festival dance, Bon Odori. She taught the audience the dance moves, and after a brief practice, the participants began dancing along with her. Food stalls were offering traditional Japanese delicacies such as yakisoba, mochi, and sake.

Ambassador Ito hopes he will be able to introduce more Greeks to the Japanese culture. It is important “to know something different from your own culture, community and people,” Ito told Kathimerini English Edition. “It may broaden your life, give you more enjoyment and meaning in your life. It can enrich your life,” Ito explained. 

The Natsu Matsuri is just the latest installment of this year’s cross-cultural exchange gatherings. Dubbing 2024 the year of culture and tourism between Japan and Greece, the two countries’ prime ministers, Fumio Kishida and Kyriakos Mitsotakis, have pledged to organize events which embrace one another’s cultures and create deeper bonds. 

Achilles Frangos is a summer intern at Kathimerini English Edition and a third-year college student at Columbia University.

Irene Anastasiadis is a summer intern at Kathimerini English Edition and a master’s student at Boston University.