A traditional cultural exchange between children from Chuncheon and Hofu — a port city on the Seto Inland Sea coast of Yamaguchi Prefecture, between Japan's Honshu and Kyushu islands — drew warm applause from adults of both countries.
A Chuncheon delegation took part in the 29th Hofu Children's Culture Festival, held Sunday at Mitomo Salvia Hall in Hofu.
The festival is one of Hofu's signature cultural events, placing children at the center of performance and presentation while bringing together local residents and sister-city troupes to share their cultures.
This year's event featured children's performance groups from Chuncheon and Hofu, which have maintained a friendship for 35 years, as well as from Akitakata, one of Hofu's domestic sister cities.
Representing Chuncheon were the Cheongeum Children's Arts Troupe, made up of students from Geumsan Elementary School, and Chumchuda Youth Company, a dance group drawn from local students.
The Cheongeum Children's Arts Troupe performed a seated samulnori set — featuring kkwaenggwari, janggu, buk and jing — conveying the energy and dynamism of Korean traditional music.
Chumchuda Youth Company showcased the graceful lines and traditional sensibility of Korean dance through a fan dance performed in colorful hanbok.
Hofu's children's troupe presented the city's own traditional arts, while the Yachiyo Children's Kagura Troupe from Akitakata took the stage on behalf of Hofu's domestic sister city. Children from all three cities watched one another's performances, deepening their understanding of each region's traditions and culture.
Alongside the performances, a gift exchange ceremony marked the 35th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Chuncheon and Hofu. Children's representatives from both cities exchanged commemorative gifts directly, symbolizing the passing of the two cities' friendship into the hands of the next generation.
Chuncheon presented a work titled "Spring in Chuncheon" by artist Lee Jong-bong, depicting the spring scenery along Gongji Stream. The piece carried a message of gratitude for 35 years of friendship and a wish for the warm bond between the two cities to endure for generations to come.
Chuncheon Mayor Yuk Dong-han said, "Today, you children are the stars of the stage. I hope that experiencing and learning about each other's different cultures becomes a precious opportunity for you to make new friends and encounter a wider world." He added that he hoped the friends made in Hofu on Sunday would one day meet again in Chuncheon.
Chuncheon and Hofu resumed official exchanges last year and have since continued activities focused on the next generation, including the children's culture festival and the Chuncheon International Children's Drawing Exchange. The city plans to identify concrete exchange projects to ensure that reciprocal visits between children and youth of both cities continue beyond one-off events.
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