For the ones who haven’t heard about it before, JPT is the first Japan related festival that took place in my city (Cluj Napoca). I’ve had the honor to be their official blogger, so I tried even harder than usual to capture the festival’s beauty. I hope you’ll enjoy!

Pentru cei care aud prima data de JPT, acesta este primul festival de cultura Japoneza din Cluj Napoca si probabil cel mai mare festival de cultura straina care a avut loc in pitorescul nostru oras. Am avut onoarea de a participa in cadrul festivalului ca blogger oficial, ceea ce m-a motivat sa dau tot ce pot in a captura frumusetea acestuia.

I’d like to begin this post by showing off the festival’s posters which are absolutely beautiful. They’d been all over the city and it was a joy passing by and being reminded of what’s to come.

As dori sa incep acest post prin a va arata afisele festivalului. M-a marcat originalitatea designului si simteam un fior de bucurie cand treceam pe langa ele, reaminteau de festivalul ce avea sa vina.

The festival took place at Casa de Cultura a Studentilor (where most important events take place) and at Bastionului Croitorilor (more about it in part II!). In this post I will show and relate what happened at Casa de Cultura, focusing on modern Japanese culture.

Festivalul a avut loc la Casa de Cultura a Studentilor si Bastionul Croitorilor. In acest post voi vorbi (scrie) despre activitatile legate de cultura Japoneza moderna, desfasurate la Casa de cultura.

La intrare am fost intampinati de o trupa de cosplay venita din Ungaria (majoritatea fiind din Star Wars, au fost absolut geniali), dar si de cosplayeri locali entuziasti. Am fost placut surprinsa de numarul mare al acestora si de calitatea costumelor lor. Mi-ar fi placut si mie sa fac cosplay dar din pacate nu am avut timp sa imi fac un costum.

At the entry we were greeted both by foreign (a group came from Hungary who did mainly Star Wars related cosplay, they were awesome!) and local enthusiastic cosplayers. I have to admit I was taken aback by the big number of local cosplayers and how nice their costumes were, I honestly didn’t expect that. I would’ve liked to cosplay myself, but unfortunately I ran out of time.

Out of all cosplayers, the elf-lady was my favourite. She was cute, knew her poses and funny too! On the second festival day she came as a cat!

Dintre toti cei care au facut cosplay, elfa a fost preferata mea! A fost draguta si amuzanta si poza perfect. In cea de-a doua zi a festivalului a “jucat” o pisica!

The main hall was surrounded by booths where you could buy a large variety of Japanese goods such as manga, figurines, origami dolls and accessories.

Sala Mare era inconjurata de “tarabe” de unde se puteau cumpara produse japoneze precum manga, figurine, figurine origami si accesorii.

These origami figures were my favourite. I wish I would have had more money with me so I could’ve bought one

Aceste figurine origami mi-au placut cel mai mult, din pacate nu am avut destui bani pentru a lua una cu mine acasa

More cute stuff to buy~

Fortunately we didn’t starve, nor did we need to walk 100 miles to find a decent lunch because the local Japanese Retaurant, Nobori, brought food to the festival! The prices were reasonable too, so everyone could dare taste sushi or eat some ramen.

Din fericire nu am fost nevoiti sa rabdam foame, nici sa umblam aiurea prin Cluj pana sa gasim un pranz decent deoarece cei de la Restaurantul Japonez Nobori au venit la festival! Acestia au expus un meniu care a constat din sushi si ramen, mancare avand un pret accesibil pentru cei care nu au mai avut ocazia sa incerce bucataria japoneza, fie datorita lipsei de oportunitati sau a fricii de regret.

The Menu: 

On the first floor you could find the gaming area. Everything from card games to DDR and there were contests with amazing prizes too!

La primul etaj era zona de gaming. Totul de la jocuri de carti pana la DDR, iar vizitatorii puteau participa de asemenea la concursuri cu premii suprinzatoare.

At the end of the gaming room a drawing contest took place. I was stunned by the outcome, just look how beautiful most of the drawings are!

In capatul salii de board games a avut loc un concurs de desen a carui rezultate au fost minunate, uitati-va cat de reusite sunt!

This picture means a lot to me, I find the way the traditional Japanese dancer watches the kids dance on modern beats very interesting, as if he was acknowledging the gap between the generations.

Aceasta poza inseamna mult pentru mine, nu pentru ca ar fi cine stie ce opera de arta, ci pentru momentul surprins. Gasesc modul in care dansatorul traditional priveste tinerii dansand pe ritmuri moderne foarte interesant, ca si cum ar constientizea din nou prapastia dintre generatii.

On the last floors one could find all kind of workshops: digital drawing, light graffiti, origami are only some of them. Unfortunately I had to keep going from one location to another so I couldn’t take part in any of them.

La ultimele etaje se gaseau worshopurile: desen digital, light graffiti si origami fiind doar cateva dintre ele. Din pacate a trebuit sa ma tot plimb printre locatii si nu am apucat sa ma inscriu la niciunul.

Saving the best for last, the main hall! Here we had cosplay contests, Saiki (Japanese talent shows), Anime projections, AMV contests and concerts!

Lasand ce e mai bun pe final, sala de spectacol! Aici s-au tinut concursul de cosplay, Saiki (talent-show japonez), proiectii anime, concursuri de AMV si concerte!

~Cosplay lineup~

~Saiki~

~AMV~

~Jewelia~

~Trupa OM~

Stay tuned for part II ! Thank you for reading!

Fiti pe faza pentru partea a doua! Multumesc pentru atentie!