"The 24th Tokyo St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2016"
Outline Announcement
~Sub theme: "未来-Imagining the Future" ~
INJ (Irish Network Japan) is pleased to inform you the outline of the 24thTokyo St. Patrick's Day Parade 2016 in Harajuku-Omotesando, Tokyo.
This 2016
marks 5 years later in Japan as the Great Japan East Earthquake, and the
centenary of The Easter Rising in Ireland as the turning point for Irish
freedom, being marked as a great important year for bilateral countries. While
we have faced the different years and hardships, we have learned a lot of
experiences and lessons by overcoming these, what we wish to share with one
another as the benchmark to “imagine the future.” With
this in mind, the 24th St. Patrick’s parade in Tokyo will work to
focus on the future as the sub theme of “Imagining
the Future.”
On the same day, “I love Ireland
Festival 2016” will be taken place in The
Yoyogi Park, Tokyo. This event will invite children on stage as “Thanks a
million! Ambassador”, who were provided a home stay program in Ireland on the
“S.O.K (Support Our Kids)” project for assisting children from the affected
areas of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
(NOTE: The outline of "I Love Ireland Festival 2016" and 2016 parade grand marshal to be announced to you separately.)
As the biggest Irish event held in Asia, INJ Tokyo attracted more than 1,500 participants and 50,000 visitors with our St. Patrick’s Day parade last year. We hope all of you have fun and opportunities to discover more about Ireland through this event.
Last of all, we would like to thank and ask all the participants, affiliates, sponsors and relevant news media for their continuous support for our St. Patrick’s Day parade in Tokyo 2016.
Schedule for the 24th Tokyo St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Date: March 20, 2016(Sun)
Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pm
The biggest Irish event in Asia that attracts more than 1,500 participants and 50,000 visitors!! This is going to be the 24th annual spring event in Omotesando, Harajuku.
Place:
Parade starts at 1:00 pm at Omotesando Hills and lasts about 2 hours
Course of the parade:
Walk toward Route 246 from Omotesando Hills and make a U-turn at the Omotesando intersection. Change routes and walk along Omotesando Street and make a U- turn at Meijidori then walk to Jingumae elementary school.
Host:
TOKYO Parade Planning Committee, Irish Network Japan
Sponsorship:
Embassy of Ireland, Shibuya Ward
Collaboration:
Harajuku Omotesando Keyakikai, Shibuya Ward Office, Meiji-jingu, Jingumae Elementary School, Tokyo Design College School, American Military Band of Japan, Tokyo Pipe Band, Daito Bunka University Band, Sensyu University Cheering Party, Greenbird etc.
Expected number of participants: 1500
Expected number of visitors: 50,000
(according to the record of the number in 2015)
NOTE: If there are any changes in this schedule, we will inform you through our website (www.inj.or.jp) or each INJ Tokyo SNS.
Media Contact / For further inquiries :
Toru Tazura (INJ Tokyo PR)
injtokyo@gmail.com
☆ Bits of Knowledge about St. Patrick’s Parade ☆
Q. Who is St. Patrick?
St. Patrick is an Irish saint. March 17 is the anniversary of his death and called St. Patrick’s Day. It is a national holiday in Ireland.
Q. What is the three- leaf clover which is also used as the trademark of INJ?
This is called a shamrock (Kiirotsumekusa in Japanese) and the national flower of Ireland. It is said St. Patrick used shamrocks to explain the Trinity (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) and spread Christianity in the country.
Q. What is Irish Network Japan (INJ)?
INJ is the organizer of St. Patrick’s Parade all over Japan. It is an NPO founded by the Irish in Japan and the Japanese who love Ireland in 1987. It organizes Irish events throughout the year for friendly relations and cultural exchanges between Ireland and Japan.
