A number of cultural events to promote the Japanese culture will take place in Chisinau this week in connection with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Moldova and Japan, IPN reports.

As of March 14, a selection of 35 wooden engravings will be exhibited at the National Museum of Arts of Moldova. The color xilo-gravings date from the XVIII-XX centuries and present Japanese society of the Edo and Meiji periods.

The woodblock printings bring in the forefront one of the most loved and spread themes in the ukiyo-e, bijin-ga genre – pictures of beautiful women. The oldest work “Woman playing with a kitten” dates from 1710. The exhibition “Bijin-ga in ukiyo-e engraving” forms part of the heritage of the National Museum of Arts. This will be opened in a working regime, without inauguration.

On March 17-18, the Embassy of Japan in Chisinau stages the Japanese Film Festival.

The festival is opened at 6pm on March 17. The opening ceremony will be succeeded by the projection of the picture “South Pole Chief”.

In the second part of the day, since 11am, there will be screened the animated cartoons “Chibi Maruko Chan”, “Calligraphist girls”, at 1:30pm, and the film “South Pole Chief”, at 3:30pm.

The screenings will take place at the Odeon Cinema. Entrance is free of charge.