Consul-General Naito visited Broome from August 23 to 26 for the 54th Shinju Matsuri

• Prior to 1970, the Shinju Matsuri was held by the local Broome Japanese community as a festival during “Obon” season to welcome their ancestors’ spirits. Over time, the festival came to represent the multicultural community of Broome, bringing many visitors to Broome to participate in it. This year the festival included various events over a two-week period from August 17 to September 1. (Consul-General Naito’s remarks at the Floating Lantern Matsuri can be found here.)

 

• Perth based Japanese drumming group ‘Taiko On’ participated in this year’s festival, and there were performances of Japanese drumming, Japanese bamboo flute, and Kendo during the festival. The interactive sessions involving crowd members and the sunset Floating Lantern events were very well received by the local people of Broome.

 

• Following on from last year’s resumption, exchange between Broome Shire and its Sister City, Taiji Town in Wakayama Prefecture has continued. In April a group including 12 students from St Mary’s College and Shire President Mitchell, visited Taiji Town for his first official visit representing the Shire of Broome since Covid. This was reciprocated in August when a group of students from Taiji visited Broome. Consul-General Naito heard from President Mitchell, during a courtesy call, of how they had been warmly welcomed in Taiji Town and that the trip had served to remind them of the historic connection with Japan. He also spoke of the warm reception given to the group when it visited in August (You can see more about the exchange activities with St Mary’s College here).

 

• While in Broome, Consul-General Naito joined with the Japanese community to clean the Japanese Cemetery and to lay a wreath there. He also did a radio interview while in Broome, where he discussed this special historic relationship between Broome and Japan, and highlighted the current bilateral relationship between Japan and Australia, giving the listeners a greater sense of closeness to Japan. .

 
(Note) There has been a Japanese community in Broome since around 1890 when pearl divers began migrating to Broome to work in the pearling industry. The Japanese community at one point reached over 2000 in number, overcoming many difficulties, serving and building up the region, while building a bridge between the two countries. All the while, providing important inspiration for the development of the Japanese community in Western Australia and building the friendly relations that followed.