UP Tomo-Kai, the University of the Philippines’ Philippines-Japan Friendship Club, is celebrating its 35th anniversary with Amakyō: Festival of Memories, a two-week event blending Filipino and Japanese cultural traditions.
Running through the second and third weeks of May at UP Diliman, the festival pays tribute to the organization’s legacy of friendship and cultural exchange. It follows last year’s Modorimichi: Pista sa Kalye and continues the tradition of merging Flores de Mayo and Kodomo no Hi.
The festivities opened with Pamana: A Tomo-Kai Heritage Exhibit on May 5–7 at Palma Hall, featuring curated displays of milestones, interactive panels, and a symbolic wish tree. On May 6–7, Hiraya: A Game Fest brought karaoke, board games, and video game showdowns to Rooms 421 and 417 of the Student Union Building, with an entrance fee of P20.
Buklod: An Interactive Exhibit, scheduled on May 13 at Alcantara Hall, offers hands-on cultural experiences, including kimono fitting, kanji calligraphy, origami, Filipino childhood games, and a Sōran Bushi dance workshop, also for P20.
The celebration culminates on May 16 with Halina: A Cultural Night at the UP Sunken Garden. Open to all and free of charge, the event will showcase musical performances, cosplayers, idol groups, and cultural acts. Highlights include appearances by Mart, Kahon Bear, Mju:z Kiss, AS☆FIRE, Hoshizora!, Kontra-GaPi, UP CIS Bunraku Ensemble, and Korean-Filipino artist Joshua Kim. Visitors can also enjoy a food fair, artist alley, and merchandise bazaar.
Supporters donating P50 and above are eligible to win a handcrafted mono-steel katana worth P9,000. Additional raffle prizes include anime and Tomo-Kai merchandise and sponsor discount vouchers.
UP Tomo-Kai invites students and the public to celebrate 35 years of cultural unity and shared traditions.
More event details, registration info, and raffle mechanics are available on UP Tomo-Kai’s official pages:
facebook.com/uptomokai
instagram.com/uptomokai
