The Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo supported an artist from West Java, Ardian Sumarwan in promoting and teaching Angklung to disabled in Japan. Report of the Indonesian Embassy Tokyo received in Jakarta on Monday (4/7) mentioned that an angklung artist from Bandung, Ardian Sumarwan taught how to play angklung for disabled people in front of 250 lecturers and students of music arts at Gifu University and Chubu University in Japan.

The unique method used by Ardian in teaching angklung got attention from Japanese music artists for its inclusive feature. The method enabled the disabled, especially the deaf to enjoy and play angklung. The special angklung playing method for the disabled was taught by Ardian using a lamp as an angklung number or tone to be played, which allows the deaf to follow the tone and play angklung.

Ardian Sumarwan also explained that his goal to Japan was to spread music learning methods for the disabled for music art teachers in Japan. He affirmed that his mission to Japan was also to introduce angklung to the people of Japan, especially for the students of music studies and disabled faculty at Gifu University and Chubu University. By establishing good relations between Indonesia and Japan through Gifu University and Chubu University, he hoped to realize a concert by the disabled students in Gifu Province. Later, he wants to spread angklung studies across all disabled schools in Japan.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Ambassador to Japan, Heri Akhmadi gave full support for the angklung promotion by Ardian Sumarwan. He said that inclusivity is an important element in the promotion of Indonesian arts and culture in Japan.