THIS week witnessed a Japanese invasion of Dublin, if only on the cultural front. Although admittedly resident in Paris for more than 20 years painter Aki Kuroda, whose work went on show at the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery on Wednesday evening, was born in Kyoto. Attractive though Mr Kuroda's pictures are, the most colourful art exhibited was that worn by Mary Williams. Her knitted hat also has an impeccable aesthetic pedigree; Mrs Williams bought it at Gainsborough's home in Sudbury, Cambridgeshire.
Wednesday's reception could easily have been described as a diplomatic incident given the preponderance of ambassadors present. Among these was Japan's Takanori Kazuhara who'd already put in an appearance the previous night at the United Art Club, where Caucasians seemed decidedly in the minority. Tuesday's party celebrated the publication in both English and Japanese of poet Desmond Egan's new collection. Pope Cranes. According to Mr Kazuhara, the timing of this release was perfect because in his home country there's a long tradition dating back to the 18th century of reading poetry to mark the new year - the ambassador had recently been at just such an occasion in the Japanese imperial household. Irish guests listening to this included Baroda Stud's Susan McKeon, Boyne Valley Food's Malachy McCloskey, and TDs Sile de Valera and Sean Power.
Much given to having his poems translated into foreign languages (his next is due to appear in Czech in two months time), Desmond Egan was poet in residence at Osaka university 10 years ago when he wrote the first pieces included in his latest collection. Many of the poems take the form of haikus, the Japanese form that employs 17 syllables in a five/seven/five formation. So it's worth recording of Tuesday night's party:
Tony Roche was there,
Tipped to succeed Gus Martinn,
In UCD's chair.