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Namahage in Slovenia!

Panoramic Travel in corporation with the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Japan, Tokyo, announces the participation of the traditional Japanese masks Namahage at the 52nd Kurentovanje festival, the biggest and the most prominent cultural and ethnographical event in Slovenia with an international reputation.

The Namahage masks will be represented at 1st intercontinental Ethno -Fest exhibition on 11th February 2012, in honour of the project European Capital of Culture 2012, which will meet the traditional carnival masks and costumes from all continents. The Namahage is the name of the strange deity resembling a demon, known as oni and is derived from the belief that a deity bringing good fortune makes a visit to the village from elsewhere in the New Year. In New Year's Eve, a group of youths disguised as a rather grotesque deity called Namahage, wearing large masks, straw raincoats and waist-bands, holding wooden knives and pails, go around visiting the houses at night and dancing along. 

In addition to that you can also find some similarities with the Slovenian traditional mask Kurent. Visit Ptuj and check the similarities on your own. You will be surprised.

At Panoramic Travel, we decided for coordination and efforts in bringing Japanese Traditional customs and tradition to Slovenia, due to awareness of the importance of cultural knowledge and diversity, which also increases the visibility of Slovenian culture events and consequently increases the reputation of Slovenia, as an interesting tourist destination for Japanese travellers.

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