Association Touhou
Društvo Touhou | |
 Official logo of Association Touhou | |
| Formation | 2010 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Denis Paradiž Sebastjan Javoršek |
| Type | Non-profit organization Public Interest Association |
| Legal status | Active |
| Purpose | Asian music and culture promotion |
| Headquarters | Kotnikova ulica 5, 1000 Ljubljana |
| Location | |
Region | Europe |
| Services | Concert organization, cultural events, photography, videography |
| Fields | Music promotion, cultural exchange |
Membership | 9 permanent members, 27 volunteers |
President | Denis Paradiž |
Vice President | Teo Rozina |
Key people |
|
Parent organization | Ministry of Culture (Slovenia) |
| Subsidiaries | Beyond The Sensor Mikarin Records |
| Affiliations | Rockline.si (sister association) Svilna Pot |
Volunteers | 27 |
| Website | www |
| Registration number: 4018460000 Tax number: 15499570 | |
Association Touhou (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.) is a Slovenian non-profit organization and public interest association established in 2010, specializing in promoting Asian music and culture in Europe. Since its founding, the association has organized over 200 concerts featuring Asian music artists across the continent and has expanded into cultural events, media production, and photography services.[1][2]
History
Foundation and early years (2010–2011)
Association Touhou was founded in 2010 by Denis Paradiž and Sebastjan Javoršek with the goal of promoting Japanese and Asian music culture in Central and Eastern Europe. Prior to the official establishment of the association, the founders had been organizing Asian music concerts since 2002, bringing acts such as DJ Krush, Melt-Banana, and Miyavi to venues in Budapest, Vienna, and other European cities.
The association held its first official event in April 2010, organizing a Visual kei concert featuring the Japanese band LM.C at Club 202 in Budapest, Hungary.[3]
The association's first concert in Slovenia took place on April 15, 2011, featuring the Visual kei band Orochi at Gala Hala in Ljubljana.[4][5]
Tokyo Dekadance
On May 6, 2011, Association Touhou organized Tokyo Dekadance at Kino Šiška in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The event attracted over 500 attendees, marking the association's first large-scale concert and establishing its presence in the Slovenian cultural scene.[6][7][8][9]
Humanitarian efforts (2011)
Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Association Touhou organized fundraising efforts to support relief operations in Japan. In collaboration with the Japanese Embassy in Slovenia, the association raised €17,000 within five days, which was transferred to Japanese relief organizations through diplomatic channels.[10]
Expansion and recognition (2013–2019)
Royal visit coordination
In June 2013, Association Touhou served as the official photographer and videographer for the state visit of Prince and Princess Akishino of Japan to Slovenia. The association also assisted in organizing aspects of the royal visit, which included tours of Ljubljana, Bled, and Postojna Cave.[11][12]
Leadership changes
In 2014, Admir Komić joined the association and has served as Denis Paradiž's right-hand man, playing a crucial role in operations and event management.
In 2015, Sebastjan Javoršek stepped down as Vice President and was succeeded by Darko Majcenović. Majcenović resigned in 2018 and was replaced by Teo Rozina, who has served as Vice President from 2018 to the present. Denis Paradiž has remained President of the association since its founding.
Beyond The Sensor
In 2015, Association Touhou established Beyond The Sensor, a specialized media production branch focused on providing professional photography and videography services for concerts and cultural events. Admir Komić serves as Vice President of Beyond The Sensor. The branch has documented performances by major international artists including Sum 41, The Offspring, Alestorm, Parkway Drive, My Chemical Romance, Electric Callboy, David Hasselhoff, and FLOW. The branch has also worked at major festivals including Area 53 in Leoben, Austria.[13][14]
Touhou TV
In 2015, Association Touhou launched Touhou TV, a web-based television program featuring news-style reporting on Japanese and Asian culture, music, and events. The program was presented by Gregor Lešnik and featured interviews with prominent Asian music artists.[15][16]
A notable feature of the series was an interview with the Japanese band Girugamesh conducted on May 25, 2016, at Club 202 in Budapest, Hungary. This interview is recognized as the band's final interview before their disbandment later that year. The series also featured interviews with Crossfaith, Coldrain, and other prominent Asian rock acts.
Azijski Kulinarični Dan
Starting in 2015, Association Touhou created and organized Azijski Kulinarični Dan (Asian Culinary Day), recognized as Slovenia's first street food festival dedicated to Asian cuisine. The event was held at Lake Zbilje in collaboration with TD Zbilje (Zbilje Tourist Association) and received support from the Embassy of Japan in Slovenia and the Japan Foundation.[17][18]
The festival featured Japanese cuisine including sushi and yakitori, as well as Chinese, Indian, and Thai food. A representative from the Japanese Embassy, Counselor Hiroshi Abe, attended the inaugural event and addressed attendees about Japanese culinary culture. The festival has continued annually and has featured sponsorship from Svilna Pot, a Slovenian distributor of Japanese food products, since 2017.
Partnership with Rockline.si
In 2018, Association Touhou assumed technical operations for Rockline.si, the largest music webzine in the Balkans region. The partnership established the two organizations as sister associations, with Denis Paradiž serving as lead photographer, writer, system administrator, DevOps, and SecOps for Rockline.si, while Aleš Podbrežnik continues as Editor-in-Chief.[19]
Public Interest Status
In 2019, the Slovenian Ministry of Culture granted Association Touhou the designation of društvo v javnem interesu (public interest association), recognizing its contributions to cultural exchange and promotion of international arts in Slovenia.[2]
Mikarin Records
Association Touhou operates Mikarin Records, a record label dedicated to promoting Asian music artists in the European market. Admir Komić serves as Co-Head-Coordinator of the label alongside the association's leadership. Established to support the association's concert promotion activities, the label has signed 12 active artists as of 2025, focusing on helping Asian musicians reach European audiences.[20]
Concert history
Between 2002 and 2019, the founders and Association Touhou organized concerts across multiple European cities including Budapest, Vienna, Munich, Ljubljana, Maribor, and Graz. Notable artists and bands brought to Europe include:
- Visual kei acts: LM.C, Versailles, Dir En Grey, The Gazette, Miyavi, An Cafe, Girugamesh, heidi.
- J-rock bands: One Ok Rock, Coldrain, Crossfaith, Crystal Lake, Band-Maid
- Electronic and experimental: DJ Krush, Merzbow, Boris, Mono
- Other notable acts: Babymetal, Scandal, FLOW
The association initially focused exclusively on Asian music acts but expanded its scope after 2016 to include broader international music promotion, while maintaining its commitment to Asian cultural events when opportunities arise. The association has worked with prominent venues including Kino Šiška (Ljubljana), Gala Hala (Ljubljana), Orto Bar (Ljubljana), Gasometer (Vienna), and Wiener Stadthalle (Vienna).
Partnerships and affiliations
Association Touhou maintains ongoing partnerships with several organizations:
- Embassy of Japan in Slovenia – Cultural event support and collaboration
- Japan Foundation – Cultural exchange programs
- Svilna Pot – Japanese food distributor, main sponsor for culinary events since 2017
- Rockline.si – Sister association, technical operations partnership since 2018
- TD Zbilje – Tourism association, co-organizer of Azijski Kulinarični Dan
Organization structure
As of 2025, Association Touhou consists of 9 permanent members and 27 volunteers. The organization is led by:
- President: Denis Paradiž (2010–present)
- Vice President: Teo Rozina (2018–present)
- Key Personnel: Admir Komić (Right-hand to President, 2014–present; Vice President of Beyond The Sensor; Co-Head-Coordinator of Mikarin Records)
- Co-founder: Sebastjan Javoršek (Vice President 2010–2015)
- Former Vice President: Darko Majcenović (2015–2018)
The association is registered with the Slovenian government with registration number 4018460000 and tax number 15499570, and operates under the oversight of the Ministry of Culture of Slovenia as a public interest organization.
See also
- Visual kei
- J-rock
- Music of Japan
- Cool Japan
- Japanese cultural institutes
References
- ↑ "Društvo Touhou Official Website". Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Registration number: 4018460000". eENO - Register of Non-Governmental Organizations. AJPES. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "About Association Touhou - First Events". Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Orochi at Gala Hala Archive". Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Orochi Live in Ljubljana 2011". YouTube. April 21, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Tokyo Decadance - Bizarno Odsekani". Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Tokyo Decadance Event Coverage". Brajdo. May 18, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Japanese Parade of Eccentrics". 24ur. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Tu je tokijska dekadenca". Zurnal24. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "24ur.com žalna knjiga Društvo Touhou". Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Prince and Princess Akishino toured Ljubljana". Delo. June 27, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Japanese Prince and Princess Akishino to visit Postojna Cave and Bled". Siol. June 26, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Beyond The Sensor Instagram". Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Beyond The Sensor Official Website". Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Touhou TV - Episode 1". YouTube. April 15, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Touhou TV - Episode 2". YouTube. July 8, 2016. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Asian Culinary Day 2015". Embassy of Japan in Slovenia. August 23, 2015. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Asian Culinary Day in Zbilje". Gorenjski Glas. August 19, 2015. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Rockline.si Contact Information". Rockline.si. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ↑ "Mikarin Records Official Website". Retrieved November 2, 2025.
External links
- Official website
- Mikarin Records
- Beyond The Sensor
- Beyond The Sensor on Instagram
- Rockline.si (Slovenian Wikipedia article)
Category:Organizations established in 2010 Category:2010 establishments in Slovenia Category:Music organizations based in Slovenia Category:Slovenian culture Category:Concert promoters Category:Visual kei Category:Japanese music Category:Cultural organizations based in Slovenia Category:Non-profit organizations based in Slovenia Category:Japan–Slovenia relations Category:Organizations based in Ljubljana
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