\n<\/p>\n
He poses for photographs with passers-by, smiles constantly and naturally stands out from the crowd.<\/p>\n
But people become even more surprised when he tells them, \u201cKalats\u00e9vo ellinika\u201d \u2014 a Pontian expression meaning \u201cI speak Greek.\u201d<\/p>\n
He is not a member of the official Japanese delegation, nor an ambassador or representative visiting Thessaloniki as Japan takes centre stage as the honoured country at this year\u2019s TIF.<\/p>\n
He is Fukuda Kosuke, a Japanese university professor and international relations specialist who has come to Thessaloniki as a guest of the Pontian cultural association \u201cOi Mithrioi\u201d of Kalamaria.<\/p>\n
He has also brought a group of fellow Japanese who have learned Pontian dances and will perform Kotsari, Serenitsa, Tik and other traditional dances at a municipal event on Saturday afternoon, as well as at two additional appearances.<\/p>\n
From academic research to a love of Pontian culture<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Kosuke first came to Thessaloniki several years ago to pursue his academic research.<\/p>\n Over time, however, his interest in Greece developed into a deep affection for the country. He also discovered and fell in love with Pontian cuisine, music, dance and culture, while his contact with the Kalamaria association marked the beginning of a unique relationship.<\/p>\n \u201cHe used to come to our association, became a member and later an honorary member. He would come and dance Pontian dances, both himself and his wife,\u201d association president and dance instructor Panagiotis Kirmanidis told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA).<\/p>\n Their relationship eventually extended beyond Greece.<\/p>\n \u201cWe managed to hold a seminar in Japan during COVID, in 2022. Three of us went to Japan, and then they invited us back in 2024, during the Year of Tourism and Culture,\u201d Kirmanidis said.<\/p>\n A Pontian connection in Japan<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Kosuke has developed such a strong connection with Pontian culture that his hometown of Okayama now has its own association.<\/p>\n \u201cIn our city, Okayama, we also have an association, and all of us know at least some words in Pontian,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n When the invitation came to travel to Greece and perform Pontian dances during Japan\u2019s participation as TIF\u2019s honoured country, he did not hesitate.<\/p>\n The Japanese group arrived in Thessaloniki on Friday afternoon, ready to share a culture that they first encountered thousands of kilometres from the Pontus.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they invited us, because Japan is the honoured country, I couldn\u2019t wait to come to Thessaloniki,\u201d the Japanese professor said.<\/p>\n Culture that crosses borders<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Kosuke\u2019s story offers a striking example of how cultural connections can develop far beyond national borders.<\/p>\n What began with an academic visit to Thessaloniki evolved into a personal passion for Greece and Pontian culture, eventually creating a cultural bridge between Thessaloniki and Okayama.<\/p>\n Language, music, food and dance have brought together people separated by thousands of kilometres \u2014 from Japan to Greece and from Okayama to the Pontian community.<\/p>\n The Japanese group will continue presenting its Pontian repertoire next week, with performances scheduled for Wednesday at the Toumba Cultural Centre and Thursday at Pavilion 13 of TIF.<\/p>\n For Kosuke and his fellow dancers, the journey from Japan to Thessaloniki is more than a visit. It is another chapter in an unusual friendship built through culture, music and dance.<\/p>\n