Photo/Illutration A calligraphy artist stands next to her work while musicians play traditional stringed instruments at a festival in Seoul on Oct. 12. (Daisuke Shimizu)

SEOUL—About 67,000 visitors took in traditional and modern culture from South Korea and Japan in an exchange festival here marking the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations.

The attractions on Oct. 12 included musical performances, food booths and cosplayers from the two nations.

The first such festival was held in Seoul in 2005 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of normalized ties. A similar annual event has been held in Tokyo since 2009.

On Oct. 12, a Japanese calligraphy artist wrote the kanji characters for “yujo” (friendship) on a stage while musicians plucked the “koto” and “gayageum,” similar rectangular stringed instruments.

Organizations and individuals from the two nations also performed traditional dance and modern popular music.

Visitors could experience tea ceremonies and flower arrangement sessions and try on traditional attire from the two nations.

Various booths sold popular food items, such as sushi and fried chicken.

A 13-year-old junior high school student who lives in a Seoul suburb with her South Korean father and Japanese mother, tried on a Japanese kimono.

She said it was the first time she wore a kimono since the “shichi-go-san” festival, which is celebrated for Japanese children when they are 3, 5 and 7 years old.

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