Speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of Persian Carpet Fair in Tokyo, Kenshiro said that he first saw Iran in 1973 when he participated in World Wrestling Championship as a wrestler in Tehran.
He recounted that he also went to Iran to take part in Asian games, where he got familiar with Iran’s culture by visiting an exhibition held besides the competition.
Kenshiro pointed to the similarities between Iranian carpet and Japanese Kimono, as well as Japanese Samurai spirit and Iran’s Pahlavani ritual as the commonalities between Iran and Japan.
He said that he has read an Iranian book translated into Japanese and was impressed by the tragedy of Rostam and Sohrab.
The Japanese academic athlete added that he visits Zoorkhaneh whenever he travels to Iran and eagerly waits for the performance of Zoorkhaneh rituals in Iranian Embassy in Tokyo.
Iran’s Ambassador in Japan Rahmani Movahhed said that Iran-Japan relations date back to 1,000 years ago and they have also had near 100 years of diplomatic relations and handwoven rugs have had a special position in this regard.
Tokyo Paralympic 2020 games began in Tokyo today. 62 Iranian athletes participate in the competitions in Judo, canoeing, Taekwondo, wheelchair basketball, biking, sitting volleyball, track and field, shooting, archery, and power weightlifting.
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