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The second annual Sri Lanka Festival was held in the Yoyoji Park in Tokyo on October 15 and 16 2005. It attracted thousands of Japanese, non-Japanese and Sri Lankans living in and around Tokyo, and in other regions of Japan.

Nearly hundred thousand people visited the Festival through the two-day weekend.

The Festival provided the Japanese people with the rare opportunity of experiencing a taste of Sri Lanka right in the heart of Tokyo. The theme of this year's Festival was 'Sri Lanka Close to Nature', and all the attractions at the event reflected this theme.

The Festival was organised by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Tokyo in co-operation with Sri Lankan and Japanese organisations including Sri Lankan Airlines, the Sri Lanka Tourist Board, the Sri Lanka Tea Board, the Export Development Board and the Sri Lanka Business Council of Japan, and with the co-sponsorship of japanese state institutions including the Japanese Foreign Ministry, JICA JERTO, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Shibuya City Office. The Festival was sponsored by Japanese and Sri Lankan companies and NGOs.

The Festival was ceremoniously declared open on Saturday morning by Sri Lanka's Ambassador in Japan Ranjith Uyangoda along with Japanese Parliamentarian and former Chief Cabinet Minister Koichi Kato, Parliamentarian Humiaki Matsumoto, Japanese Government's Special Envoy on the Peace Process in Sri Lanka Ambassador Yasushi Akashi, and the Mayor of Shibuya city Toshitake Kuwahara.

57 Japanese and Sri Lankan companies participated in the Festival with 70 booths selling a range of Sri Lankan products. One of the highlights of the Festival was a cultural performance by the famous 'Channa Upuli' Foundation.

This Sri Lankan dances were interspersed with Japanese cultural performances including songs by Japan's celebrated singer Chikako Sawada and 'taiko' (Japanese drum). The Festival ended on October 16 with a grand finale of Sri Lankan songs and 'baila' played by a Sri Lankan band based in Tokyo.

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