go-en’s 3rd Anniversary Matsuri: Totally Sugoi!
Go-en celebrated their 3rd year with kendama, karaoke, kimonos and, of course, ramen – 50% off ramen!
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HIGH AND MIGHTY. An authentric Kodomo no Hi suit of armor displayed in the window together with other Japanese pride, welcomes the customers during the special occasion.
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It was two days of superb and non-stop contests, celebration, and dining as Go-en commemorated their 2015 anniversary on May 9 and 10 at go-en The Japanese Ramen Shoppe in Quezon City. The festivity had different awesome games and activities and offered their best-selling ramen at 50% off.
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GOENKENDAMA. Nothing beats kendama while listening to J-Rock music.
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The event had Japanese games like Yoyo Tsuri and Kingyo Sukui on the first floor and an arts and crafts corner on the second floor of the shop where customers can view and buy cute Japanese merchandise, a photo booth where friends and families cosplayed their favorite anime character or wear glamorous kimonos, a Gundam display (which were also for sale) and free manga illustrations from Rui-chan, a manga sketch artist. The rest of the shop’s area looked like a real kendama store where customers came back on Monday to look for kendama.
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NOT EVEN THIS PHOTO CAN ENTRAP HIS VOICE. He sings his heart out during the karaoke night with live accompaniment.
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They had a real Kodomo no Hi suit of armor displayed in the window with a write-up explaining a little background of its history: Handed down from father to son for three generations, this particular suit of armor is a scale representation of the traditional armor used by the samurai. The style, materials, and construction can be seen on full-sized armor found in museums across Japan. Because of the efforts of go-en, to share not only real Japanese food but also a slice of Japanese culture with the Philippines, this armor was given to the owners to display at the shop on special occasions.
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FIRST IN LINE for the free manga illustrations done by Rui-chan.
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The karaoke and kendama contests were held on a small stage inside the restaurant and also had live musicians who performed and also played for the karaoke. The kendama contests had 3 levels; beginner, intermediate and an open class where anyone could join but with combinations of intermediate and advanced tricks. They gave away over 20,000P worth of prizes, mainly kendama, kendama-related goods, and free ramen coupons.
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HOW TO BE KAWAII. V-sign, check! Bun hairstyle, check! Kimono, check! Smile to the camera cheese!
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The two-day celebration was definitely a blast for lots of families and group of friends. Not only did they taste Japanese cuisines but also experienced Japanese culture, tradition, and fun!
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Article by Karj Lucena
Photo from Go-en’s Facebook page
