Creating Memories with Japanese-Inspired Original Merchandise at the Opera Festival in Lithuania

08/02/2024　Corporate Activities, Digital Printing

At the XXIII International Festival Operetta at Kaunas Castle 2024, held on July 5 and 6, Roland DG and local joint venture DG DIMENSE set up a booth on the first day, when Madame Butterfly was performed, to sell original merchandise. These items, featuring Japanese designs inspired by the opera, were created in-house and received great acclaim from the Lithuanian attendees. We also had support from local volunteer staff including Japanese students, contributing to the festival’s lively atmosphere. All proceeds from the merchandise sales will be donated to activities for children with cancer in Lithuania through DG DIMENSE.
Details of the music festival
Details of our sponsorship

Local students bring energy to the booth

We were assisted by two Japanese exchange students and three local students fluent in Japanese who were gathered through a call from the Embassy of Japan in Lithuania. During the setup in the afternoon, they used their skills to cut and paste posters onto cardboard panels and attach banners to the tent. The students and employees wore traditional Japanese happi coats as they engaged in sales.

Sales began smoothly right after the setup, and the booth started to get crowded around 6 PM, just before the opera performance at 8 PM. Some visitors were interested in the happi coats and took commemorative photos. Flyers were distributed around the booth to attract more visitors, and many people came with the flyers to purchase the merchandise. During the opera’s intermission and after the performance, there was a crowd in front of the booth, showing great interest in the merchandise and Japanese culture.
The students sold the merchandise while engaging in conversations in Lithuanian and English, providing an opportunity for local interaction.

• 

  Students who assisted with booth operations

• 

  The busy and crowded booth

• 

  Students distributed flyers to promote products.

• 

  Families checked out the merchandise.

Three Japanese students helped create the posters and flyers for the booth, incorporating their youthful perspectives and local knowledge into translations, designs, and pricing considerations. The posters and flyers featured deep red colors inspired by the festival’s logo and Kaunas Castle that clearly communicated details about the merchandise, our group, and the purpose of the donations to the attendees.

We received feedback from participating students:

Poster and flyer creation and sales participation: Chisato Takahashi (Mykolas Romeris University, until June)
“This was a valuable experience, as I was able to participate in creating posters and flyers and selling at the booth along with other students. Through this event, I felt that the bonds between Lithuania and Japan deepened further by mutually conveying the charms of both countries. I am also grateful for the detail-oriented support from Roland DG, which allowed us to maximize our efforts.”

Poster and flyer creation and sales participation: Nagisa Osera (Vytautas Magnus University)
“As a Japanese person and a student with study abroad experience in Lithuania, participating in the music festival in Kaunas, which involves many countries, was extremely valuable. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to be involved in this event. Thank you very much.”

Poster and flyer creation participation: Sachie Morioka (Mykolas Romeris University, until June)
“I am very grateful to have been able to help connect my beloved Japan and Lithuania. I will cherish this valuable experience and continue to find ways to help both countries learn more about each other.”

• 

  Posters and flyers designed by students

• 

  Booth decorated with student-created posters

Japanese design praised by Lithuanians

The merchandise was designed and produced by our employees. The opera Madame Butterfly, set in Nagasaki, Japan, inspired the design, incorporating brush calligraphy popular in Lithuania. Visitors to the booth showed great interest in the exotic designs while holding the products.

• 

  Decorated tote bags and bottles

• 

  Students serving customers

The merchandise was produced in May at the Miyakoda office of Roland DG headquarters in Hamamatsu. The prints on the tote bags were made using the VersaSTUDIO BY-20 desktop DTF (Direct-to-film) printer, which allows for vibrant and intricate color reproduction. The designs were printed on a special film and transferred onto the tote bags using a heat press machine. Each bag was carefully pressed individually.

The stainless-steel bottles were printed on directly using the VersaOBJECT MO-240 benchtop UV flatbed printer, equipped with a rotary printing unit to rotate the bottles during printing. This allowed for simultaneous printing of three bottles. The UV printing is durable and resistant to washing.

• 

  Printing on transfer film with BY-20

• 

  Printing directly on bottles while rotating

A venue for Japan-Lithuania exchange

Roland DG group’s purpose, “To Empower Creativity and Excitement Worldwide,” inspired us to enliven the music festival by selling original merchandise. By utilizing the technology and resources of Roland DG and DG DIMENSE, we aimed to create lasting memories of the festival through these products. Additionally, by involving local students, we contributed to the exchange between Japan and Lithuania. We extend our gratitude to everyone who assisted us.

• 

  Visitors and students took commemorative photos.

• 

  Ambassador Tetsu Ozaki from the Embassy of Japan in Lithuania also purchased our merchandise.