ROME -- “To celebrate the 150^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Japan we have organised several events over the following days: we are particularly happy to welcome those present and the participants to this important convention on the father of the Macrobiotic diet and philosophy, who is important around the world,” stated the Japanese Ambassador Kazuyoshi Umemoto at the first commemorative day for “Georges Ohsawa-Yukikazu Sakurazawa (1893-1966). A life dedicated to teaching and the search for freedom.”

 The event took place at the Japanese Institute of Culture on Via Gramsci.  In front of a huge audience, the founding father of Macrobiotics was discussed, who popularised ancient Chinese theories such as acupuncture, physiognomy and Judo in the West. After his death, 50 years ago, several schools dedicated to macrobiotics were founded in the name of Georges Ohsawa, but it is thanks to the technical developments and the work of Mario Pianesi, president of UPM (Un Punto Macrobiotico) that the validity of the five macrobiotic diets was scientifically demonstrated.

 It was after this that the biggest macrobiotic institution, which boasts 100 posts across Italy and the world, was born. The talk also covered other macrobiotic disciples besides Mario Pianesi: Yukinori Muramoto, who had been a student of the school’s founder and was a master of the old practices; Takaaki Sekiguchi, the merited professor of Tokyo University Masachika Sudou; and the widely-respected professor of Endocrinology at Sapienza Francesco Fallucca.

 In the front row, next to Ambassador Umemoto, sat the Japanese Ambassador to the Holy See Teruaki Nagasaki and Naomi Takasu, the director of the Japanese Institute of Culture in Rome. The event was organised by Takasu, who has also scheduled a number of other initiatives amongst which a conference on Feb. 26 on “Women in search of a man to win over in ancient Japan.”

 Among other inter-cultural initiatives organised are two musical events for the Austrian Culture Forum on Feb. 25, and a three day cooking show in Belgrade, Serbia, led by students from Capri Island.  The Italian ambassador to Serbia will partake in the programme.

ch-ft