Japanese ambassador bids farewell to Iranians through music

Japanese ambassador bids farewell to Iranians through music

TEHRAN- Japan’s Ambassador to Iran Tamaki Tsukada bid farewell to the Iranian people at the end of his diplomatic mission in Tehran by taking up his flute and performing pieces from the musical world of acclaimed Japanese filmmaker and animator Hayao Miyazaki.

The farewell performance was held at the traditional Grand Heritage Rashidieh Hotel in Tehran and was announced by the Embassy of Japan in Iran on Thursday, October 1.

Tsukada, who is an amateur flutist, performed alongside the Iranian Istgah Orchestra in a program featuring music associated with Miyazaki’s films. Miyazaki, one of Japan’s most internationally recognized filmmakers and animators, is known for works including “My Neighbor Totoro”, “Spirited Away” and “Howl’s Moving Castle".

The performance came as Tsukada prepares to leave Iran after serving as Japan’s ambassador since December 2023. He had already formally announced the conclusion of his mission during a farewell meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran on September 8.

Music has been a notable part of Tsukada’s cultural engagement in Iran. In August, as Iran and Japan approached the centenary of their diplomatic relations, he appeared as a flute soloist with the Istgah Orchestra to perform the iconic theme from the Japanese television series “Oshin”.

The project also featured themes from “Hanako and Anne” and “Kita no Kuni kara” (“From the Northern Country”), presenting familiar elements of Japanese television music to an Iranian audience. The “Oshin” theme, in particular, recalled one of the most enduring shared cultural memories between the two countries. The series was broadcast in more than 60 countries and became especially popular in Iran.

The ambassador’s musical activities extended beyond introducing Japanese works. During his tenure, he took part in a number of cultural and artistic programs in Iran, including a December 2025 event at Tehran’s Museum of Contemporary Art marking the release of two previously unpublished albums from the late Iranian vocalist Mohammad Reza Shajarian’s final live concert. He also met Shajarian’s children, Homayoun and Afsaneh, during the event.

Tsukada’s tenure coincided with preparations for the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Iran and Japan. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1926, and cultural exchanges have remained an important component of their bilateral ties.

In his official message upon assuming his post, Tsukada highlighted the long history of cultural exchanges between Iran and Japan, noting that the two civilizations had been connected through the ancient Silk Road. He also pointed to cultural interaction as an important element of bilateral relations.

The ambassador’s farewell performance thus brought together several elements of his tenure in Iran — music, cultural exchange and direct engagement with the Iranian public — with the flute serving as an unconventional but familiar farewell message at the close of his diplomatic assignment.

SAB/

source: tehrantimes.com