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As part of its commitment to promoting the Kingdom of Bahrain’s rich heritage on regional and international levels, the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities organised a series of events on Sunday titled “History and Culture of Bahrain,” in collaboration with the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. The events took place at the Institute’s headquarters in the Japanese capital, Tokyo, and were attended by His Excellency Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of the Authority, alongside a number of officials, academics, and cultural heritage experts from Bahrain and Japan.
On this occasion, His Excellency Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa stated: “We are delighted by this new opportunity to share Bahrain’s cultural heritage and history, which reflect its enduring global significance. These events complement our ongoing efforts related to Bahrain’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka.” He added: “We consider this initiative a new milestone in the journey of constructive cultural cooperation between Bahrain and Japan, and a testament to our shared vision for safeguarding the common heritage of humanity.” His Excellency further explained that the Authority seeks, through these events, to promote Bahrain’s civilisation using innovative scientific and interactive methods that strengthen the Kingdom’s presence on the global cultural map and open new avenues for academic collaboration with Japan.
The events included a symposium featuring several specialised sessions that explored key milestones in Bahrain’s ancient history. One session, presented by Japanese expert Masashi Abe, focused on the Dilmun civilisation and the burial mounds. This was followed by a session from Dr. Salman Al Mahari, Director-General of Archaeology at the Authority, who offered an archaeological perspective on Bahrain’s ancient history. Researcher Kiyohide Saito also shed light on burial traditions during the Tylos period. In a joint session featuring Bahraini and Japanese experts, participants discussed parallels between burial mounds in Bahrain and those found in Japan, in addition to exploring ways to foster community engagement in the exploration of such sites.
Alongside the sessions, the events offered a range of interactive experiences showcasing the latest in extended reality (XR) technologies, including virtual and augmented reality, as well as 3D modelling. Visitors were invited to embark on an immersive virtual journey inside a Tylos-period burial chamber in Maqaba, and take a virtual tour of a royal mound in A’ali believed to be the burial site of the last king of the Dilmun civilisation. Attendees also explored advanced digital documentation techniques such as 3D scanning, and took part in interactive displays of Dilmun seals and educational games using high-fidelity replicas of archaeological artefacts.
The interactive experiences were made possible through the contributions of a number of specialised Japanese institutions, including the Archaeological Institute of Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, the Komatsu University Research Centre for Next Generation Archaeological Studies, HoloLab Inc., the City of Hida, Sekibo Club, Nagoya University, Toppan Inc., Nikon Corporation, and Niantic Inc., in collaboration with the Survey Association. These contributions offered visitors a rich and engaging experience that seamlessly blended cultural heritage with modern technology.
It is worth noting that the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties and Kanazawa University, which led to the establishment of the Bahrain Centre for Gulf Archaeology and Cultural Heritage. The centre aims to document the cultural heritage of the Gulf region and to support research, training, and the exchange of expertise in archaeology and heritage management.
This cultural presence in Japan coincides with the Kingdom of Bahrain’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka through its national pavilion, “Connecting Seas,” with the Expo running until mid-October this year.