Natsumatsuri 2025 - Sommerfest des Japanischen Kulturinstituts

In the organizer's words:

Sunshine, breeze bells, colorful patterned summer kimonos and a cool tea - in other words, a Japanese summer. The perfect time of year to go out and spend time with friends.

As every year in July, the Japanese Cultural Institute Cologne invites you to celebrate on a warm summer's day. This year, on July 19, 2025, we are hosting our summer party and look forward to welcoming many visitors!

Come together with your family, friends or acquaintances and experience the atmosphere of a Japanese summer festival, a Natsumatsuri, as it is called in Japan.

At the same time, we look forward to introducing you to our company and its various areas of activity.

Program (subject to change)

In the hall

11:15
Film screening
The Genealogy of Sake
一献の系譜Ikkon no keifu
Director: ISHII Kaori
103 min, 2015, OmeU

13:30
Lecture
Sake & (Hi)Stories
by sake samurai Yoshiko Ueno-Müller

The Japanese national drink sake has a history of around 2000 years and reflects the landscape, culture and history of the region. However, the story is made up of individual personal stories of the owners of the old family business or master brewers involved in sake production. The author of the award-winning book "SAKE - Mythos. Craft. Pleasure." Yoshiko Ueno-Müller presents some of the stories from the book.

14:30
Performance
Yosakoi dance group
轟 Todoroki Yosakoi

In front of the institute

15:30
To conclude: joint obon dance with 轟 Todoroki Yosakoi

In the institute

Japanese courses | Conference room (upper floor)
11:30 - 12:00 Welcome and getting to know each other
12:30 - 13:00 Japanese writing
14:30 - 15:10 Do you speak onomatopoeia? (from approx. level A2)

Reading | Conference room (upper floor)
13:30
Book reading for children (in German)
Summer in the Tempelgasse by KASHIWABA Sachiko
*Please register at the information desk

Kamishibai paper theater | Library (upper floor)
11:30 - 12:00 | 12:30 - 13:00
Paper theater performance for children (in German)

Calligraphy courses (max. 22 pers.) | Room 1 (upper floor)
11:30 | 12:30 | 14:00 | 15:00
*Registration required for all calligraphy courses at the information stand.
Registration opens 30 minutes before the start of each course.

Information and sales booths

• Anime House
• German-Japanese Society e.V. Cologne
• DoKomi
• Cologne Kendama & Kendama Frankfurt
• JAL
• JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization)
• Toyota

Continuous offer

• Japanese games(yôyô and flummi fishing)
• Kendama
• Japanese chess Shôgi
• Origami
• Photo corner
• Exhibition "World Heritage in Japan"
• Quiz
• Library

Dining

• Gyôza-don, Karaage-don (Dontak)
• Kakigôri ice cream(DoKomi)
• Japanese bread (Bakery My Heart / DoKomi)
• Japanese cakes & pastries (Café Cerisier)

Partners

Anime House, Café Cerisier, Cologne Kendama & Kendama Frankfurt, Deutsch-Japanische Gesellschaft e.V. Köln, Deutsch-Japanischer Verein Yawara Lippstadt e.V., Dokomi, Dontak, JAL, JNTO, Origami-Gruppe Köln, Shogi Deutschland e.V., 轟 Todoroki Yosakoi, Toyota Deutschland, Ueno Gourmet

Filming and photography during the event
We would like to point out that photos and films will be taken during this event. These may be published on our website, on social media channels and in the regional press in connection with reporting on the event in order to inform the public about this event. The recordings are stored offline and online and can therefore also be accessed outside Europe. If you do not wish to be photographed or do not agree to the publication of the photos taken, please let one of our employees know.

Price information:

Admission free