On October 18, Reiwa 7 (2025), the "Dutch Oine Hana Matsuri" (Dutch Oine Flower Festival) was held throughout the Omotecho Shopping Street area in Kita-ku, Okayama City, organized by the Okayama-Netherlands Association.
This event was planned with the aim of promoting exchange between Okayama and the Netherlands, stemming from their deep historical ties, such as Kusumoto Ine, daughter of Siebold, a Dutch trading post physician during the Edo period, residing in Shitamachi (Omotecho, Kita-ku, Okayama City) for six years, and Dutch engineers contributing to flood control in the lower Asahi River basin and the development of Kojima Bay during the Meiji period.
Ine is said to have studied medicine in Okayama and become the first Japanese female obstetrician.
At the Hana Matsuri, RSK Sanyo Broadcasting announcers dressed up as Siebold and Ine, and a kimono parade began.
The "Kojima Obi" team also participated in the parade, all wearing "Kojima Obi" sashes, in memory of Ine's era and in respect for those engaged in Okayama's textile industry.
The new female announcers also paraded, wearing "Kojima Obi" sashes.
The parade was broadcast on radio and in TV news.
Cameramen hurried ahead to cover the event.
Along the way, tulip bulbs were distributed to shoppers, and the shopping street was filled with a festive mood throughout.
Kojima Obi's theme: "Let's tie wings on backs around the world."
The word "wings" evokes images of
freedom, liberation, independence, leap, ascent, evolution,
and other images that bring smiles.
The theme is based on the wish that by tying wings on backs around the world,
more wings will lead to
more smiles.
Approximately 50 people, including local officials, paraded through the shopping street, promoting the connection between Okayama and the Netherlands.
You can see the sashes worn by the new RSK female announcers and the Kojima Obi team in this parade here.
