'Miracle Island: Sri Lanka - Wonder of Asia':

Sri Lanka's beauty in the Land of the Rising Sun

The Sri Lankan embassy in Tokyo, Japan will organise the Ninth Sri Lanka Festival on September 8 and 9 in Tokyo.

Speaking at a press conference in this regard, Ambassador Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda highlighted the cordial relations between Japan and Sri Lanka, the importance of this year since it marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the assistance and cooperation extended by the Japanese government, the cultural and religious affinity of the two countries, the promotion of tourism from Japan to Sri Lanka and the manner in which the two countries assisted each other at critical and crucial times of its history.

This is the ninth consecutive year the embassy will be hosting the festival. This year, the theme of the festival is 'Miracle Island: Sri Lanka - Wonder of Asia'.

The primary objectives of the Sri Lanka Festival are to promote and project Sri Lanka, in all culture, trade, commercial and particularly in tourism aspects, and to enhance and augment the image of the country, among others.

The Sri Lanka Festival attracts over 120,000 visitors including Japanese, Sri Lankans and other nationalities.

The Sri Lanka Festival will portray and showcase Sri Lankan cultural activities, products and services of Sri Lanka, places and destinations of interest for tourists in Sri Lanka and newly emerged economic and commercial opportunities and vistas as well as the future potential and promise of the country, among others.

The Sri Lanka Festival is organised by the embassy along with the cooperation and assistance of Sri Lankan and Japanese entrepreneurs, corporates and well-wishers.

It is envisaged that nearly 100 stalls and booths serving Sri Lankan food, and displaying of precious gems and costume jewelry, herbal and ayurvedic products, cosmetics, brass and silver ornaments and wood carvings, ceramics, diverse varieties of Sri Lankan tea from different regions of the country, a variety of pure Sri Lankan spices, and Sri Lankan garments including that of hand woven textiles and batik, as well as a raffle draw which would include four return air tickets to Sri Lanka, among others.

The two-day Sri Lankan Festival will include a number of activities and cultural shows including that of Channa - Upuli dance performance and Sri Lankan songs by Bathiya and Santhush among others.