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네이버 공유 카카오 공유 트위터 공유 페이스북 공유

Original ‘Korean Wave’ Re-created in Osaka

The Shitennoji Wasso Festival, which is highlighted by a parade to honor the ancient visitors who came across the sea from the Korean Peninsula to transmit its cultural influences to Japan, was staged at Naniwanomiya Palace Park, Osaka (November 7, 2010). The festival featured a variety of spectacular events, including the parade, as well as performances, exhibitions, and an event to introduce Korean food.



Festival Background
The Shitennoji Wasso Festival, which has established itself as a popular cultural event in the Osaka area, re-s historical scenes of the envoys from the Korean Peninsula who visited Japan in ancient times. Its name is derived from the Korean word wasso, which means “has come.” Shitennoji, the first Buddhist temple built in Japan by architects from Baekje, one of Korea’s kingdoms during the ancient Three Kingdoms period, was where the foreign envoys would be greeted. In addition, visitors from Baekje are known to have spent time at Naniwanomiya Palace.
The renowned scholar Wangin of Baekje, who introduced the “Analects of Confucius” and the “Thousand Character Classic” to Japan in the 4th century, taught the Japanese people how to read and write, thereby laying a foundation for scholarship and social morality. He also transmitted Korean crafts, which led to the development of Asuka culture, in which the Japanese people take great pride. Moreover, the skilled potters, tilers, weavers, and artisans who accompanied Wangin contributed much to the advancement of Japanese civilization. And of note, architectural specialists from Baekje were retained by Prince Shotoku for the construction of Shitennoji Temple.
The Shitennoji Wasso Festival is an autonomous local event that started in 1990 after ethnic Korean residents in Japan joined hands with various Japanese businesses to present an accurate portrayal of ancient history, in an effort to promote closer friendship between the peoples of Korea and Japan through the re-creation of scenes of bilateral cultural exchange between the two countries in ancient times. For each festival, more than 1,000 resident and student volunteers participate in the reenactment of the arrival of Korean delegations, who introduced Korea’s civilization and cultural influences to Japan, which left a significant impact on the Japanese people.
The participants naturally acquire a familiarity with Korean culture by playing traditional Korean instruments or learning about Korean music and dance.



Shitennoji Wasso Festival
Opening Performance: To mark its 20th anniversary this year, the festival presented Drum Cat, a Korean female percussion group, and the Five Musicians of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner (Geumdongdaehyangno Oaksa), a delegation of the Baekje Cultural Festival, for the opening event. Of particular note, the performance of the Five Musicians of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner was meant to commemorate the introduction of the ancient music of Baekje to Japan. The performance included three works of Baekje music, including “The Morning of the Fortress” and “Baekjeyeo! Hyangnoyeo!” that were played on five restored musical instruments (wanham, jeongjeok, baeso, geomungo, and buk), based on the decorative elements of the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner recovered in Buyeo.
Messages from Leaders of Korea and Japan: At the opening ceremony, Korean Ambassador to Japan Kwon Chul-hyun read a congratulatory message from President Lee Myung-bak, while Japanese Prime Minister Kan Naoto also sent a message of congratulations. In his message, President Lee noted: “I hope the Wasso Festival will lead to closer friendship and cooperation between Korea and Japan in the 21st century, as a festival to expand cultural and emotional common ground between our two peoples.” Prime Minister Kan’s message stated: “The Wasso Festival will grow in importance as an occasion to celebrate the bilateral exchange that began in ancient times and is being continued in the present and the future.

Parade of Delegations: The grand two-hour parade included re-d scenes of the ancient envoys from the Tamna, Gaya, Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, and Joseon eras. In an effort to show the process of cultural transmission from the Korea Peninsula to Japan, the parade participants reenacted the Korean envoys’ arrival in Osaka, the gateway to Japan, their procession to the guest house of Shitennoji Temple, under the guidance of Prince Shotoku, and exchange activities at the temple.Korean actress Kyun Mi-ri, who played the role of Court Lady Choe in the popular TV drama “Daejanggeum” (Jewel in the Palace), made a special appearance as part of the Joseon delegation scene, which elicited an enthusiastic response from the festival-goers.
The Hallyu (Korean Wave) trend took root in Japan with the TV melodrama “Winter Sonata,” followed by historical dramas such as “Daejanggeum,” “The Legend” (Taewangsasingi), and “Queen Seondeok,” and espionage thrillers like “Iris.” Recently, girl groups like the Girls’ Generation and Kara have reignited interest in the Korean Wave. Nevertheless, it was the scholar Wangin who opened the first chapter of Korea-Japan cultural exchange, for which he can be called the “father” of today’s Hallyu phenomenon. The Shitennoji Wasso Festival thus serves as an occasion to enhance understanding about how the original Korean Wave got underway some 1,400 years ago.
Both Koreans and Japanese are now living in a period when the annual exchange of people has reached the five-million mark. Expanding cultural and people-to-people exchanges while inheriting the wisdom and spirit of our ancestors, who engaged in frequent exchange in the past, will help to boost two-way friendship. The Shitennoji Wasso Festival is the only local festival in Japan that focuses on the cultural exchange between Korea and Japan. As such, this is a significant cultural and educational event that attracts the participation of a large number of young people. Accordingly, it is hoped that the Shitennoji Wasso Festival will continue to flourish, along with Korea-Japan cooperative relations.

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