This is the first of the international festivals in Yoyogi Park that we went to this year (2011). I had briefly mentioned about these festivals in my Yoyogi Park post, which is where the festivals are held. This weekend, on the side of Yoyogi Park with the National Gymnasium, the park fills with the tents of Indonesian food, drinks, goods and culture. For this weekend, the area looks more like a market in Indonesia than any place in Tokyo. The sights, sounds and especially the smells that reach far away compel everyone that comes in contact with it to dive right in.
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| A map of Indonesia and its neighbors in Southeast Asia. [1] |
Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic country with over 17,500 islands, of which 6,000 are inhabited. It is the 4th (China, India, and the U.S. are 1, 2 and 3 respectively) most populous country with an estimated 248 million people and the world's largest Muslim population. Indonesia was first colonized by the Dutch in the early 17th century and would remain under their control until Japan colonized it from 1942-1945. After the war, Indonesia declared independence, but would have to fight the Netherlands for this independence and need UN intervention for mediation to be finally granted independence in 1949. This would be followed by years of authoritarian rule, that has only recently, since 1999 seen a democratization of the country. [2]
Indonesia is also notable for its volcanic activity, with the most volcanoes of any country in the world. It currently has 76 that are at least historically active. The country also has a large amount of natural resources, which was the source of other countries wanting to colonize it, as well as an important part of its current economy. Throughout its history, Indonesia's agriculture was the most important aspect of its economy, but in recent years, industry has become the largest part of its economy and very recently, the service sector provides the most jobs in the country. Its capital is the city of Jakarta with over 9 million people, but Indonesia is more well known for its diversity as many different groups of people make up the many islands that make up Indonesia. [3] This and its history of colonization has created a wide variety of cultural influences that still can be seen today.
Each of the international festivals are set up in the same way. This area of the park gets filled by tents, with the ones on the outside making a border and the ones on the inside forming rows. Some of these tents sell goods from that place, mainly clothing and typical souvenirs, but also food products that are common from the country. Other tents are set up for the different groups and organizations that are of or working with that country, but are here in Japan. This area of the park also has a stage / bandshell where the country's music and cultural performances are on display. So each festival looks like a market from that country transported to Yoyogi Koen for the weekend and also looks like a cultural and information fair. The best parts of these festivals by far is the huge amount of that country's food and drink specialties for sale.
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| Some of the food stalls at the Indonesia Festival competing for customers with fancy banners and delicious food. |
Many of that country's food restaurants in Tokyo come to the festival to sell their specialties and advertise their restaurant through the selling of their food at the festival. Most of the festival is filled with a bazaar for a feast with the sights and smells of great food from that country tricks everyone passing by with the amount, variety and how delicious it all looks to go and buy everything if it were even possible. We didn't even know about the festival and weren't planning on going, but once we saw it, we had to take a look (and get some things to eat and drink of course). This is also why we did less at this festival than at some others we knew and prepared for.
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| We got some sticks of Satay Ayam, or the national dish of Indonesia, comprising of chicken covered with peanut oil. |
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| Also had to try some mango beer. It's made by mixing half beer with half mango juice. It was tasty, especially in the heat and humidity of summer in Tokyo. Does it get to count as healthy now too? |
Our first of the Yoyogi Park International Festivals this year was a great surprise, as we just happened to be walking by while the Indonesia Festival was happening. After having just a small taste of this festival due to our unpreparedness, we made sure to look up when the other festivals were happening so we could go and fully enjoy them. I'd fully recommend if you're coming to Tokyo for a while during the summer-early fall that it would be worth seeing which place's festival is at Yoyogi Park and stopping by.
References:
1. "Maps of Southeast Asia," Maps of Thailand,
http://www.maps-thailand.com/map-southeast-asia.php.
2. CIA, "East & Southeast Asia: Indonesia," The World Factbook,
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/id.html.
3. Ibid.
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