The Japanese community of Colchester is holding a very special event to express its gratitude to the town for the citizens’ generosity and support following the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Soon after the quake and tsunami struck Japan’s Tohoku region on 11 March 2011, a group of local artists conducted a 12-hour marathon fund-raising concert in Colchester.  It was one of the first such events in the country and succeeded in raising £4,000.

The support of the local people greatly moved Japanese expats in and around the town.  In response to this, they have been hosting the ‘WA’ project, a 'thank you' event, since 24 August at Slack Space in Colchester. It will run until 10 September.

WA features a powerful photographic exhibition, A Beacon of Rebirth, portraying the resilience of the tsunami victims in the process of reconstruction. These photographs have been the inspiration for the victims and sympathisers in Japan and WA brings the spirit behind them to Colchester.  This is the first time for them to be exhibited in the UK.

The project will also include a Matsuri (Summer Festival) day on 3 September.  There will be plenty of opportunities for visitors to experience various aspects of Japanese culture, including taiko drumming, sushi tasting, Japanese tea ceremony, trying on traditional kimono and much more.

The opening reception was held on the evening of Wednesday 24 August with 100 guests in attendance, including Mr Akira Imamura, Minister and Consul-General, Embassy of Japan, and the Mayor of Colchester.

ESSEX WA PROJECT