(Note from the Executive Secretariat) Please allow us to showcase this essay, produced under the newly forming KCC Internship program, with special thanks to the Consulate General of India in Osaka-Kobe (website:  https://www.indconosaka.org,) not only for bringing together the Kansai community for a wonderful “International Yoga Day” event, but for also cooperating to develop the next generation of Kansai-area youth with this PR/Communications opportunity! Also special thanks to Ms. Natsu Kubota for her terrific work and the young professionals at UNISC Kansai.

The next International Yoga Day is on 24 June 2018 in Kobe City.

We are looking forward to seeing you all there!

Essay on 2017 International Day Of Yoga Event held in Kyoto in 2017

Based on the personal experience of Ms. Natsu Kubota, Intern with Kansai Consular Corps (KCC)

In the early morning hours of 18 June 2017, more than 1000 residents from throughout the Kansai region, as well as tourists and students such as myself, assembled in front of Heian Jingu Shrine, which was built in 1895 for 1100th anniversary of the establishment of Heian-kyo, ancient capital of Japan. Regardless of age, gender and nationality, these people gathered in Kyoto to experience traditional Indian culture together. And in one moment, under the iconic red gate (torii) of the shrine, I felt Kansai was united with the world by Yoga. It was “International Yoga Day” – a celebration designated by the United Nations in 2014 after Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, proposed the significance of Yoga and the contribution it could make to the world. Yoga originated in India as a way of recognizing the health of both body and mind through mediation.

The Kansai celebration was held in Kyoto with the support and guidance of the Indian Consulate of Osaka-Kobe. As an intern for the Kansai Consular Corps, I joined the event with several of my university classmates to learn more about India and Indian culture.

Following the main outdoor yoga event in the morning was a day-long series of activities that included yoga lessons, Indian dance and music performances and traditional arts and crafts, as food stalls featuring Indian cuisine. At Yoga Live area, people who wanted to learn Yoga were able to take Yoga lessons. There were 5 spaces and a total of 25 lessons were offered, ensuring ample opportunity for all guests. Every class had a unique feature. For example, I was impressed to see yoga lessons for persons with disabilities, medical yoga, and a lesson called “yoga and religion”. There was even a lesson that explored the relationship between Yoga and love. Meanwhile, the event was filled with Yoga and Indian cultural contents. I expected to see Indian art and cultural offerings, but what surprised me were the Kyoto offerings from local shops. Some sold beautiful sweets such as cookies and muffins, others showed Bonsai (“bonsai” literally means “planted in a container” and is a traditional art invented in ancient China and adapted to Japan).  The fusion of Indian and Japanese culture made me feel the close connection between the two countries.

As I walked around, enjoying the event, I also spoke with many other visitors, eager to see how they were enjoying the experience. I could feel the energy among the participants. “The yoga instructor spoke in Japanese as well as English so that guests who are not good at Japanese could enjoy the lesson, too”, a woman from Australia said. International Yoga Day (IYD) is held all over the world, but IYD in Kansai was globalized as well as localized.

I was so excited about my experience at the International Yoga Day that I felt I wanted to learn more about the event. How did the Consulate have the idea to hold IYD? How did they coordinate this event? What is their main purpose, etc.? In order to learn more, I contacted the Indian Consulate and requested a meeting and more information.

I arrived at the Indian Consulate with 3 UNISC colleagues and the Vice Consul welcomed us. At first, I asked some questions for IYD. When I said “why did they choose the venue of Heian shrine?” she answered “We wanted to select a place that has heritage value. Our goal is to promote places that are regarded as special within Japanese culture at the same time as we promote our own culture.”

“Yoga was one of the exercises I did to lose weight”, said Sara, a UNISC colleague.  She used to take Yoga class in her high school and realized that she experienced psychological benefits in addition to physically ones.

After we students expressed our thoughts about Yoga, the Vice Consul told us that Yoga has now become an international practice, making it possible to be open to various definitions and styles of Yoga. Yet, despite these variations, having one standard of Yoga is also important in order to preserve the original heritage and quality of yoga.  I thought this balance between traditional and new interpretations was interesting.

Before my visit to the Consulate, I viewed yoga as a physical exercise, especially for women, and the image of “Western-style” Yoga was very strong in my mind. However, I learned that Yoga is originally more about controlling your body by controlling your mind through breathing.

We were informed about the Common Yoga Protocol designed by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India (GOI).According to yoga protocol, Yoga is defined “a spiritual discipline based on an extremely subtle science which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body.” Unlike Yoga in Western cultures, which practices dynamic Yoga posture, original Yoga was more static. To breathe deeply and calm down for a couple of minutes every day whether in office, school or at home, does not require any warming up or special clothing to do yoga.

I knew that Yoga is also registerd with UNESCO as in intangible world heritage. India is promoting Yoga by holding events to mark the special Day. International Yoga Day was celebrated in Kyoto-Kansai,  it was simultaneously celebrated during the week of 21 June by approximately 180 Indian Embassies/Posts including the Indian Consulate in Osaka-Kobe around the world.

GOI’s Ministry of AYUSH, Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) published a booklet prepared in consultation with leading Yoga experts and heads of the eminent Yoga Institutions of India called ‘COMMON YOGA PROTOCOL’  and is available at the link http://www.mea.gov.in/images/pdf/common-yoga-protocol.pdf. The information provided in this Yoga protocol is intended to create general awareness among people and community to get harmony & peace through Yoga.

In recognition of a huge demand for Yoga experts at national and international level and with a desire to spread India’s traditional knowledge worldwide,  Ministry of AYUSH along with Quality Council of India (QCI) launched two Schemes in June 2015 with a robust system of evaluation and certification of ‘Yoga Professionals’  and ‘Yoga Schools’ based on international best practices, to enhance their credibility and for marketing and popularising Yoga globally.   We were also informed of the link http://yogacertification.qci.org.in/. Many Indian Universities now also offer a Master and Doctorate Degree in Yoga

Many people are familiar with Yoga throughout the world , but I suspect that it is still mostly known by its “western” variations. The reason International Yoga day is attractive to many people and obviously successful due to the coordinators’ flexible and tolerant attitude, as I witnessed in the event and in my interviews with participants. There is an international stream where people prefer tradition and sustainability living with nature.

Anyway, from now on, I would like to practice Yoga following protocol!

—————————————  * *  *  ————————————–

With the coming of spring (and an unexpectedly early, but still beautiful, cherry blossom season in the Kansai region) the Kansai Consular Corps experienced a number of changes to its membership.

The Kansai Consular Corps wishes to extend a warm welcome to Mr. Oh Tai-kyu, newly arrived Consul-General of the Republic of Korea in Osaka. We hope you will enjoy your time in Kansai.

The Kansai Consular Corps also wishes to bid farewell, and express our heartfelt gratitude, to the following members:

1. Mr. Ha Ta-Yun, former Consul-General of the Republic of Korea in Osaka

2. Mr. Hideki Yokomizu, Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan (retired)

3. Mr. Akio Tsujii, Honorary Consul of Spain (retired)

The Kansai Consular Corps is honored to welcome our newest members:

Mr. Vu Tuan Hai, Consul-General, Consulate General of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Osaka and Mr. Luigi Diodati, Consul-General, Consulate General of Italy in Osaka.

We hope you enjoy your time in the beautiful and welcoming region of Kansai, and we look forward to many fruitful exchanges with you in the future.

(The Kansai Consular Corps Members Directory has been updated to reflect these changes, so please be sure to download the most recent version.)

Last week, the Executive Committee of the Kansai Consular Corps released a statement announcing the appointment of our new Dean. The announcement can be downloaded here: KCC Announcement – New Dean 9-17

For your convenience, the text also follows below:

“The Executive Committee of the Kansai Consular Corps (“KCC”) has the great pleasure to announce that after the departure of Mr. Roderick Wols, former Dean of the Kansai Consular Corps and Consul-General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Osaka-Kobe, the new Dean was selected and shall herewith be officially announced.

His name, position and background are as follows:

Mr. Rafael Aparicio Cedeno, Consul-General of the Republic of Panama in Kobe

His background: Consul-General Aparicio, age 33, has served in his current post

since 2014. His area of jurisdiction includes Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu.

He is an Industrial Engineer who specialized in International Trade and Logistics

and also has a background in maritime-port affairs.

Additionally, we kindly ask you to take notice that the Executive Committee of the Kansai Consular Corps is complete again and consisting of the following members:

Dean:            Mr. Rafael Aparicio Cedeno, Consul-General of the Republic of Panama in Kobe

Vice-Dean:   Mr. Dieter Sommerhalder, Honorary Consul-General of Switzerland in Osaka

Ms. Aya Tsuda, acting on behalf of Vice-Dean Ushio Tsuda, Honorary Consul of Canada

Executive Secretariat: Ms. Angela Troianos

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you very much for your support in the past and we look forward to a good cooperation also in years ahead.

Sincerely yours,

THE KANSAI CONSULAR CORPS

Executive Committee

Greetings from the Kansai Consular Corps office in Sannomiya, Kobe!

I hope this post finds you well.

Please note that the Members Directory of the Kansai Consular Corps has been updated to reflect three new additions to our KCC this past summer.

The Kansai Consular Corps would also like to avail itself of the opportunity to formally welcome our newest members who arrived in August:

Ms. Karen Kelley, Consul-General, US Consulate General in Osaka-Kobe

Mr. Munin Paniswasd, Consul-General, Royal Thai Consulate in Osaka

Mr. Gerard Michels, Consul-General, Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Osaka-Kobe

We hope you will enjoy your service in the Kansai region and all that the area has to offer.

Please find below an invitation for members and friends of the Kansai Consular Corps, including the Kansai community at large. This opportunity comes from our colleagues in the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Osaka.

I’m really excited about this exhibit, and hope to see you there!

日本語は下にあります。

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We would like to express our thanks for your patronage.

Since the establishment of the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Osaka in December 2009, it has been committed to the promotion, in the Kansai Region, of friendship and interchange as well as the sharing of support activities between Japan and the Republic of Kazakhstan.

As part of our efforts, we will hold a photography exhibition to highlight and promote the splendor of the Republic of Kazakhstan. On August 29 during the exhibition period is the United Nations International Day against Nuclear Tests. The Republic of Kazakhstan initiated the U.N. resolution to commemorate the closure of its nuclear test site constructed by the former Soviet Union. The exhibition will display photographs that illustrate Kazakhstan’s initiatives for world peace in commemoration of the International Day against Nuclear Tests, as well as its magnificent nature, abundant natural resources, and modernization.

Expo 2017, an international exposition, is also taking place from June to September 2017 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The expo’s theme is “Future Energy.” The Japan Pavilion is showcasing Japan’s cutting-edge energy technologies and initiatives. It is also conducting a campaign for Osaka’s bidding for Expo 2025 and showing photos of its campaign.

We look forward to your visit at the exhibition.

1. Event: 7th Republic of Kazakhstan Photography Exhibition in Osaka

Hosted by: Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Osaka

Supported by: Toshiba Corporation

2. Period: August 28 (Mon.) ̶̶̶̶ September 1 (Fri.), 2017

9:00 am to 5:00 pm

3. Place: Meeting lounge

Kansai Branch Office of Toshiba Corporation,

27th floor of the Umeda Hankyu Building

Address: 8-1 Kakuda-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi

(27th floor of the Umeda Hankyu Building Office Tower)

4. Showpieces:

(1) Panels and photos showing outline of Kazakhstan, purposes and background of the International Day against Nuclear Tests, magnificent nature, abundant natural resources and attractive townscapes

(2) Photos showing Expo 2017 in Astana and its Japan Pavilion

(3) Fork art of Kazakhstan

5. Note: You do not need to sign up in advance to enter an exhibition. When you come,

please hand over your business card at the reception or put it into a box at the lounge.

Sincerely yours,

Eiji Kanefuji

Secretariat of the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Osaka

在大阪カザフスタン共和国名誉領事館は２００９年１２月の開設以来、関西地域における日本とカザフスタン共和国の親善、交流促進、支援活動を行っております。

その活動の一環として、カザフスタン共和国の魅力を紹介する写真展を以下にて実施致します。期間中の８月２９日は国連が制定した「核実験に反対する国際デー」にあたり、これはカザフスタン共和国が旧ソ連時代に作られた核実験施設を閉鎖した日を記念日として提唱したものであります。この国際デーに合わせて同国の平和への取り組みを皆様に広くお伝えするとともに、雄大な自然や豊かな資源、近代化が進んでいる街並み等を写真パネルでご紹介致します。

また、今年６月から９月まで同国首都のアスタナで「未来のエネルギー」というテーマで国際博覧会（万博）を開催しており、日本館ではエネルギーに対する日本の高い技術力や取り組み、２０２５年の大阪万博誘致に向けたＰＲも行っており、この写真もご紹介致します。

是非とも多くの皆様にお越し頂きますようご案内申し上げます。

記

• 催し名　　：「カザフスタン共和国　第７回紹介写真展」

主催：在大阪カザフスタン共和国名誉領事館

後援：（株）東芝

２．開催日時　　：２０１７年８月２８日（月）～９月１日（金） ５日間

９時～１７時

３．開催場所　　：株式会社東芝　関西支社内　梅田阪急ビル２７階　商談スペース内

住所：大阪市北区角田町８－１(梅田阪急ビルオフィスタワー２７階)

４．展示内容　　：①「国家概要」「核実験に反対する国際デーの主旨・背景等」

「雄大な自然、豊かな資源、魅力ある街並み等」のパネル・写真

②アスタナ万博や日本館の紹介写真

③カザフスタン共和国民芸品の展示

５．ご連絡事項　：事前のご登録は必要ありませんが、お手数ですが、ご来場、ご見学頂いた方々におかれましては、お名刺を受付でお渡し頂くか、会場内のお名刺入れケースに入れて頂くようお願い致します。

敬具

在大阪カザフスタン共和国名誉領事館 事務局　兼藤、稲垣

On 5 July 2017 the Kansai Consular Forum hosted the 25th Kansai Tour. More than 30 Consuls and trade officials, including members of the Kansai Consular Corps, participated in the tour.

The overarching purpose of the Kansai Tour is to showcase tourism destinations, businesses and economic development partnerships in selected areas of the Kansai region. The tours are coordinated several times per year by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and other organizations that constitute the Consular Forum. This time, the theme was “Excellent technologies of Kansai-based companies that can support society in lesser-known fields.” KCC members were provided with an opportunity to gain insight into noteworthy Kansai industries they might not be otherwise acquainted with. The following facilities were highlighted:

The image is iconic – a gorgeous, red brick building constructed in the Neo-Renaissance architectural style, picturesquely sitting along the river near Osaka City Hall. In English, it is called “Osaka City Central Public Hall.” Yet, few know the history of this 100+ year old building, or about the many world-famous personalities that have performed and lectured here (including Einstein and Helen Keller). An excerpt from the facility’s website tells us:

Below is an original article about the history of this culturally significant building, written specifically for the members of the Kansai Consular Corps and our readers, by author and local historian Mr. Jun-ya Nakano. The article features an interview with the current Director of the facility, Mr. Nakai.

*Website contributions and guest postings by Kansai Consular Corps members and related organizations are welcome. Articles may be written in English, Japanese, or in bilingual format. Subject matter must be relevant to the KCC and its mission and will be subject to approval by the Executive Committee. Please contact the Executive Secretariat at ryojidan0818@yahoo.co.jp for further information.

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中央公会堂――1911年に株式仲買人の岩本栄之助が大阪市に100万円の寄付を申し出て建設が開始された建物です。かつてクライスラーのコンサートが開催された会場でもありますが、開館100周年を前に先人の思いと建物の意味といった「過去」と、現在をどのように結びつけるのか…そういった思いについて、現館長の中井雅博氏（サントリーパブリシティーサービス株式会社）にインタビューをしました。

■　公会堂としてはどのように岩本栄之助のことを伝えようとされておられるのでしょうか？

中井：岩本栄之助はアメリカ視察の際にカーネギーホールを見て、その寄付文化に心打たれ、日本にもこういうホールが必要だという思いを抱いたといわれています。その結果私財をなげうって建設をした…という独特の「経緯」をもった建造物であることは事実です。一方で大阪は「旦那のまち」でもありますから、私財をなげうって公共のために役立つことをするという精神は、古くから根付いている場所でもありました。ですから岩本栄之助の偉大さでもありつつ、彼を育んだ大阪の精神の在り方、その両方が生み出したのがこの建物なのだと感じています。

大阪の昔からの商人がもつ公共心というのは、簡単に言えば「社員」と「社会」の両方のためにという発想で、多くは創業の段階からそれを謳っているようですね。近江商人の「三方よし」とも通じているのだと思いますが。人間は一人で生きていけませんし、事業をするにもどこかで人の世話になっている…大成された方はこのことを誰よりも強く感じておられるのではないでしょうか。そしてその恩に報いたいという思いが、寄贈へと繋がっていったのではないかと思います。

■　この建物の中で岩本栄之助の精神をもっとも強く感じる場所はどこになるのでしょうか。

中井：個人的な見解ではありますが1Ｆの大集会室ではないかと。ここは市民が集う・憩うということを目的とした場所であり、文化を発信したり、受け止めたり…交流の中でお互いを高める「場」そのものなので。名前もそのコンセプトを顕著に語っていると思っています。公会堂は「公に会する」。ホールはすべて大集会室、中集会室、小集会室と、「集い、会う」ですからね。

集うことがお互いを高めることになるという考えが、現代的であるかどうかはそれこそ管理をしてゆく我々の課題でもあるのですが、そうあってこその建物だと考えておりますので、是非とも開館当初の思いを継承してゆきたいですね。またそういった集いを提供し、サポートしてゆくことがシビックプライドの醸成につながる…これは私の信念でもあります。

この建物の設置者である大阪市としては、ここの活動を通してにぎわいを創出し、他府県、あるいは世界に広く大阪の都市魅力を発信してほしいという意図を持っておられるようですが、都市魅力もにぎわいも、結局は都市のブランド力を上げることなんだと思います。「大阪に住みたい」「大阪に憧れる」「大阪に誇りを感じる」…そんなシビックプライドが醸成されれば、大阪ワースト記録の数も減るでしょうし。ある時、この建物を訪れた人が「大阪に来るのは初めてでしたが、こんな建物があったのですね。私、大阪が好きになりました」と言って下さったことがあるんです。この建物には人をそんな思いにさせる何かがあるのだと思います。シビックプライドを築くうえでも、大変重要な「要素」の一つだといえるのではないでしょうか。

■　その理想へと向かう上で、越えなければいけない「壁」というのはあるのでしょうか。

中井：大阪人にはどういう訳か戯謔的(ぎぎゃくてき)なところがあるように思います。心の奥底では高いプライドを持ちながらも、照れ隠しのようにちょっとおどけた感じで大阪のことを説明しますよね。それで大阪のイメージというのは全国的にもステレオタイプのものになってしまいがちですが…それが大阪人の中に徐々に「真実」として浸透しつつあるところが怖いなと思います。

そこでこの建物が出来ることは何か…見学に来る学童や若者は、皆一歩建物の中に入るだけで「わぁ！」と声をあげます。美しさに感動してくれている…この経験が一番効果的で、「これも大阪なのだ」ということを持って帰ってくれる。こういったことの積み重ねが徐々に変革を与えてゆくのでしょう。「壁」というなら、徐々に乗り越えることの作業と忍耐というところでしょうか。

ジェネレーションによって大阪のとらえ方は全て違うと思います。戦争経験者、団塊の世代、そのジュニア、更にその後…それぞれの背景となるライフスタイルも考え方も、モノ、人、街との接し方も全部異なると思うんです。ただ、古くから残る建物の使命というのは、そういった背景がどれほど変化しても、全てのジェネレーションの心の中にその建物が存在しているということなんだと思います。多様性の中の「個」であり、「個」ゆえの多様性…そういったものがこのような建築物の存在意義なんだといえるでしょう。

■　市民に広くという思いと、建物の品位を守るという思い。時には相反することもあると思うのですが、そういった点についてはどのようにお考えでしょうか。

中井：それは建物の「風格」の問題だと思います。そしてその「風格」を形成するのはここで働くすべての人間の心と立ち居振る舞いだと思っています。平成30年に開館100年を迎えるわけですが「100年ブランド」に相応しい対応――これが生命線だと思っています。

そのサービス品質向上については常に意識的に「考動」しています。サントリーパブリシティーサービスには18か条の憲章があって、その原則をもとに、それにまつわる経験やエピソードと感想などを述べ合うという機会を定期的に設けています。表面的なマニュアルというものであればすぐに消えてしまうものだと思うのですが、理念を実際のケースに照らし合わせ、そこで感じたことを共有していくことで一つの「主体」に育てていく。そういう努力がこの建物に対して我々の出来る敬意の払い方なのではないかと考えています。

とはいえどこまでそれが出来るのかは…。それだけこの建物に込められた意義や思いというのは大きいのだと思います。一言で言えば大大阪時代のブライドですね。偉大な大阪の一時代を背景として、ここでヘレンケラー、ガガーリン、アインシュタインなどが講演をしたわけでしょう。多くのオペラも公演されてもいます。そんな輝き――消えやすいものですが、それを遺産としてではなく、今も息づくものとしていかに継承してゆくのか…日々精進ですね。

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<<Notice from the Executive Secretariat>>

Link: http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/p_pd/dpr/page25_000895.html

Hope to see you there.

It has certainly been a busy past few weeks for the Kansai Consular Corps and our colleagues in local government throughout the region. Indeed, the various prefectures of Kansai were a flurry of activity for the entire months of May and June as KCC Consulates and Honorary Consulates hosted several large-scale festivals and celebrations of national holidays, all of which contribute greatly to the vitality and richness of the cultural offerings for the people of Kansai.

How much , you may wonder? One noteworthy example is the annual Thai Culture Festival in Osaka, organized by the Royal Thai Consulate. It is reported that over 180,000 local Japanese residents participated in this recent two-day event. Featuring sports, dance, music performances, as well as booths showcasing Thai regional cuisine, this event has achieved much to promote exchange between Thailand and Kansai. Another example of meaningful person-to-person cultural exchange is the recent International Yoga Day event held in Kyoto with the support of the Consulate General of India Osaka-Kobe, in which a crowd of more than 1,300 people assembled to practice yoga underneath the sunshine and a beautiful torii gate before Heian Shrine.

It isn’t possible to present all of the recent activities, but here are some highlights below. Daily updates from the Kansai Consular Corps appear on the KCC Twitter Account. Our handle is: @kansaiconsuls

Indonesian Jewelry Exhibition (Consulate General of Indonesia)

(Details at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website:https://goo.gl/A9fH7o )

Thai Festival 2017 at Osaka Castle (Royal Thai Consulate General)

(Link to the Consulate with more details: http://www.thaiconsulate.jp/en/topics_detail2/id=370)

International Yoga Day (Consulate General of India)

(For more details, please see https://www.yogadaykansai.com/ and future activities at https://indconosaka.org/event.php?id=77)

National Holiday Reception (Consulate General of Russia)

Philippines National Holiday Reception (Consulate General of Philippines)

150th Anniversary Celebration of Canada (Honorary Consulate General of Canada)

Independence Day Celebration of USA (Consulate General of the US in Osaka-Kobe)

(Official photos at the Consulate’s facebook page:https://goo.gl/7h7Ugd)