Konichiwa, Düsseldorf! - Four places and opportunities to experience Japan

|

Konichiwa, Düsseldorf! - Four places and opportunities to experience Japan

From tea ceremonies and color carp to one of the biggest folk festivals

As many sights as Düsseldorf has to offer: A visit to the city without a detour to Little Tokyo just doesn't seem complete. The neighborhood not far from the main train station stands out as both special and accessible, where many Japanese not only work in every conceivable industry, but also spend their free time. Do the same in Japan's German capital or discover one of the other opportunities to experience the country's special features in the open air, just one day a year or even for free.

Japan Day 

When strangers and acquaintances alike embrace to gaze at the sky together on the Rhine promenade. When previously unfamiliar flavors suddenly become favorites. When access to previously seemingly unattainable social life is possible - then it's probably Japan Day in Düsseldorf again! The spectacle attracts around 600,000 visitors to the state capital every year. And many look forward to it as if it were their own birthday. On one day in May, the program includes concerts, lectures, tastings and, of course, the legendary fireworks display. In concrete terms, this means that hundreds of thousands of women, men and children euphorically stock up on new manga drawings as wall decorations for their living rooms, fall in love with cuddly toys in the typical "kawai" look, i.e. with a particularly cute appearance, and devour more sushi rolls and ramen plates than ever before. Characters can be learned as well as the correct movements of Japanese martial arts or how to fold origami figures. It's not surprising that one or two visitors shed tears of joy at all the highlights! Incidentally, there is double reason to be happy in 2023: Not only is the day itself worth celebrating, but also the fact that Japanese, Germans and people from all over the world will be celebrating it for the 20th time. 

Little Tokyo

In Little Tokyo, you will find a neighborhood like no other, which even has street names with Japanese characters. The probability that someone who has been there once will come back again and again is - let's say - 98 percent. The area around Immermannstraße seems so diverse and enticing every time. What can't you get enough of? The supermarkets that send you on a mystery tour when you wonder what's actually waiting in the original bags, boxes and bottles? Of the restaurants and bars that bring Japanese cuisine to Germany with the greatest possible consideration for authenticity, so that they can offer it down to the smallest detail of taste? Of the bookshops that stock mangas that are actually not available anywhere in Europe except here? Be prepared to try something completely foreign, be it in cultural or culinary terms. But above all, don't be put off by the long queues in front of so many restaurants. They are, of course, a testament to the popularity of Little Tokyo, this kaleidoscope of possibilities.

Japan House in Niederkassel 

When you think of Japan, does one of the typical, traditional tea ceremonies spring to mind? Then head to Niederkassel! At Eko-Haus, the "House of Japanese Culture" (Brüggener Weg 6), you can take part in one. The ritual lasts 60 minutes (often several hours in Japan itself), so you can easily achieve the maximum possible deep relaxation. It's quite possible that afterwards you won't even know what diaries, emails and business trips are actually for. The Japan House also offers courses on topics such as the teachings of Buddhism, calligraphy, koto (zither music) and language courses. The fact that Japanese is considered one of the most difficult languages in the world will surely motivate you all the more, right? Guided tours also give you an insight into the beautifully designed temple garden, which will once again help you to find a certain inner peace, as one blade of grass grows so perfectly next to the next. Incidentally, Niederkassel is home to most of the Japanese who call Düsseldorf their home. A temporary home, to put it correctly, as many of them move back home when they get older at the latest. But, a little joke, only to visit their relatives in Düsseldorf regularly, of course. 

Japanese garden in Nordpark

If, for some unknown reason, the tea ceremony has not yet given you the rest you need to relax, try the "Garden of Reflection". This is the title of the 5,000 square meter Japanese-style section of the Nordpark in Stockum. Since the 1970s, pine trees and fan maples have been growing here, which look even more magical in the light of the stone lanterns than they already do due to their special cloud-shaped trimming. In the pond, sometimes gigantic-looking colorful carp that seem to be half a meter long vie for the attention of the always numerous visitors. In spring, however, they have to share the interest: When "Hamami", or cherry blossom, is in full bloom, thousands snap the trees as if they were world stars. Incidentally, many of them come in disguise, as the park area is a popular meeting place for cosplayers. After many hours of work, they transform themselves into their favorite video game/manga/anime or film heroes with make-up and self-made costumes. And so everyone finds their own way to express their great Japan-Düsseldorf love.

This article is funded by REACT-EU.

Pictures: Düsseldorf Tourism

Want to stay up to date with what's going on in Düsseldorf? Then subscribe to our newsletter!