Zagreb and Mostar
Croatian Dragon Society in Zagreb, with Yoko Nishii on the right, Nina Knez next to her with her brother David.
Awaiting the start of the film shot by Nina’s and David’s father Mr. Nikola Knez (Texas, USA),
dealing with Franciscan Dragutin Sokol, Croatian priest, composer, and martyr.
Yoko Nishii, and Nikola Knez of the Croatian Film Institute, Texas, USA
| Yoko Nishii is a great connoisseur of Croatia. She is fluent in Croatian language, and had more than sixty soloist concerts throughout Croatia and in parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). In 2025, she had five soloist concerts: in Mostar (BiH), Vinkovci, Županja, Labin, and Sisak. Among other things, she was a guest of the Croatian Dragon Society in Zagreb. In Mostar, her concert was organized by dr. fra Andrija Nikić, the president of the Napredak (Advancement) Society and of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts of BiH, within the international conference dedicated to marking 1100 years since the appearence of the earliest known Croatian Kingdom established in the year 925, i.e., near the beginning of the tenth century. |
Yoko Nishii in Zagreb at Staroslavenski Institut, the leading scientific center in the world
for the study of the Glagolitic Culture, including the amazing Croatian Glagolitic Culture
Yoko Nishii in a popular pub “Pod starim krovovima” (Under the Old Roofs),
in the Upper Town of Croatia’s capital Zagreb
Anita Martinac, Yoko Nishii and Mirna Lipovac. View to the city of Mostar.
View to the city of Mostar: Yoko Nishii and Darko Žubrinić.
Many thanks to Mrs. Anita Martinac for taking us to this beautiful place.
The Graveyard of Peace, in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), between Mostar and Široki Brijeg.
Mirna Lipovac, Yoko Nishii, and Darko Žubrinić, before the grave of dr. fra Leo Petrović,
assassinated in 1945 (place unknown). Photo by Anita Martinac.
Bosnian Queen Katarina Kotromanić surrounded by Yoko Nishii, Mirna Lipovac, and Darko Žubrinić
Yoko Nishii announcing her concert in the Stjepan Kosača Croatian Cultural Center in Mostar
Yoko Nishii sending a greeting to all the readers of the CROWN on the occasion
of the Statehood Day (30th May) of the Republic of Croatia.
Yoko Nishii’s concert in Mostar on 25th May 2025, in the Herceg Stjepan Kosača Croatian Cultural Center,
organized on the occasion of 1100th anniversary of Croatian Kingdom (925-2025)
Dr fra Andrija Nikić handed over to Yoko Nishii an interesting gift – a book of poetry by
Croatian poet Antun Branko Šimić (1898-1925), translated into as many as 18 languages, including Japanese!
A moment later, Yoko was asked by fra Andrija to read aloud some of the verses printed in Japanese, which she did.
Translated from Croatian into Japanese by Ikoku Yamamoto:
Translated from Croatian into English by Branko Ružić.
Pjesnici (Poets), the original Croatian verses by Antun Branko Šimić
Antun Branko Šimić: Metamorphosis of Voices, Matrix croatica (Matica hrvatska) Grude, 2025.
Translated into 18 languages!
Proud Yoko Nishii with the poetry book by Antun Branko Šimić in her hands
Dr fra Andrija Nikić, president of the Napredak Society and
of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Mostar
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Županja, Vinkovci, Vukovar
The town of Strizivojna, not far from Osijek in the NE of Croatia.
A local tamburitza band is entertaining the guests.
Strizivojna
Strizivojna
Yoko Nishii’s concert in Vinkovci, in the hall of the Matirx croatica (Matica hrvatska), 28th May 2025.
Yoko Nishii in Našice, in front of the renovated Pejačević Castle, in which Dora Pejačević,
distinguished Croatian woman-composer, was living.
Swans swimming in the Bosut river in Vinkovci. Photo by Yoko Nishii.
Yoko Nishii’s concert on 25th May 2025 in the city of Županja, situated in Srijem on the NE of Croatia,
not far from the rivers of Sava and Danube.
Yoko Nishii on the top of the Eltz Palace in Vukovar, with a very nice view on the Danube river.
Yoko Nishii in the Antun Bauer Gallery in Vukovar, in the City Museum (just by the Eltz Palace).
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Labin (in Istrian peninsula) and Sisak
Labin, beautiful town in Istrian peninsula in Croatia
Yoko Nishii in Labin
Yoko Nishii with Melita Lasek Satterwhite, director of
the Artistic School of Matko Brajša Rašan in Labin
Yoko Nishii in Sisak, 17th June 2025
Yoko Nishii in Sisak
Yoko Nishii and Tihomir Babić, president to
HGK (Hrvatska gospodarska komora) in Sisak
Yoko Nishii and Marko Jurakić, dean of the VIMAL Veleučilište
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Sisak 2
Yoko Nishii with Tomislav Dubravac of the Forestry Institute in Jastrebarsko,
Croatia, and a memeber of the Academy Sciences and Arts in Sarajevo, BiH.
Yoko Nishii and Lidija Ljubičić, a lecturer of flute in the Music school “Fran Lhotka” in Sisak
Please, go to the next page below.
Čigoč, a village of storks
Čigoč, the village of storks. (All the photos by Yoko Nishii.)
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Oroslavje, birthplace of Josip Joe Mikulec, globetrotter
Viktor Šimunić, the Mayor of Oroslavje, Yoko Nishii, and Marijan Ožanić,
carefully examining the pages referring to Joe Mikulec’s sojourn in Japan in 1911 and 1912.
In front of very interesting pages written by Josip Mikulec, describing his sojourn in Japan in 1911 and 1912.
In Japan, he delivered lectures (in Japanese!) at several colleges and universities.
Yoko Nishii, Japanese pianist fluent in Croatian, and Viktor Šimunić, Mayor of the City of Oroslavje
A part of the Vraniczany Park of Oroslavje, with the monument of Josip Mikulec.
Behind it is the City Library of Oroslavje.
By the monument of Josip Mikulec, born in Oroslavje in 1878, died in Genova, Italy, in 1933.
Carved in 2024 by Mrs. Adna Bakija, Zagreb (originally from Sarajevo, BiH).
Josip Mikulec, The Globe Trotter, with his terrific Book in 1929, weighing 26 kg.
Nenad Bach visited the City Library of Oroslavje on 15th November 2024:
Joža (i.e., Josip, or Joe), you are the sign-post to
all of us to who the path (TAO!) is the home.
Yoko Nishii, the first Japanese visitor of Oroslavje,
signing in an impressive book kept in the City Library.
Dedications to Josip Joe Mikulec, Croatian globe-trotter
signed by Yoko Nishii (in Japanese), Darko Žubrinić (in Croatian Glagolitic Script), and by Marijan Ožanić (in Latin Script)
Many thanks to Mr. Viktor Šimunić, Mayor of the City of Oroslavje, for his hospitality.
As we can see from the preceding pages, Yoko Nishii had 64 soloist concerts throughout Croatia,
in as many as 27 Croatian cities and towns!
in as many as 27 Croatian cities and towns!
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