Shojin Ryori (cuisine) is a form of traditional temple cooking that started in Japan with the introduction of Buddhism in the 6^th century. It uses only vegetables, but is very different from ‘conventional vegetarian food in many ways, particularly in the process and spirit of its creation.

In this illustrated talk, Toshio Tanahashi will explain the meaning of this very special cuisine including its development in a contemporary context. Having trained at the Gesshinji Temple in Japan, a nunnery famous for its excellent shojin way of cooking, he is currently renowned for the creation of a new style within this tradition. He will also speak about his devotion to vegetables, demonstrating how the simplest ingredients can be transformed into an exquisite tasting as well as visually impressive dish.

This informative event will provide an exceptional opportunity to share Tanahashi’s supreme culinary ability, exploring the fundamental relationship between food, body and mind.

The Japan Foundation will be running a stand at this year's Language Show. Come and visit us to find out more about teaching and learning Japanese in the UK.

There will also be the opportunity to take part in a free Japanese language taster session on Friday 15th October from 3:45pm to 4:15pm.

Come and visit us to discover how Japan could play a part in your future!

This 8-week online course is for teachers with a basic level of Japanese who would like to build up their language skills. Through the course, you will develop a basic working knowledge of Japanese grammatical structures and build up your confidence and skills in using Japanese effectively in your classroom.

The course is provided by the Japan Foundation Sydney, and is now open to teachers in the UK for the first time, following a successful trial.

Feedback from trial participants:

“I have really enjoyed it, the course content is useful as covers all areas of the Japanese language i.e. speaking, listening, reading, writing – lots of writing practice which is a challenge but good practice!”

“I really really like the Production task, especially as you get some prompt feedback from the Language Advisor. Brilliant!”

The course will run from 18^th October to 12^th December 2010. Applications will open on 1st October. Please note there is a fee for this course (approx. £56 - £95 depending on the stage).

Live in Translation celebrates the unique relationship Japanese artist Tatsumi Orimoto has developed with the mediums of translation which allow audiences to become participants in his artworks. These exhibitions feature video, performance and photographic works from Orimoto’s archive such as Pull to Ear, Bread Man and Walking in a Street While Wearing a Carton Box on my Feet and span from 1972 to the present. An early pioneer of what was to become known as relational aesthetics, Orimoto uses the camera as a way of taking art into the public realm, inviting the public to become essential actors in new artworks.

One of the highlights of this year’s Edinburgh Art Festival is Japanese stone sculptor, Atsuo Okamoto’s first ever UK solo exhibition Faraway Mountain. Okamoto’s work will be shown in the Corn Exchange Gallery, with additional large sculptures from the artist’s Forest series in Gayfield Square Gardens at the top of Leith Walk, in the heart of the City Centre. Atsuo Okamoto works in granite, he is prolific in Japan and has held many major solo exhibitions in some of the most prestigious museums and galleries in Tokyo. 

2010 marks 65 years since the Atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This exhibition features 65 portraits of Hibakusha, a Japanese word translated literally to mean “bomb affected people”. Each painting will be accompanied by a detailed description of each subject’s haunting recollection of exactly how they came to survive and be found after the bombing.

Following the Japan Foundation’s event in London on 8^th and 9^th September, there will be an event in Belfast a few days later exploring how the Asian experience can inform practice in Northern Ireland and what common and diverse experiences can be shared across international borders.

This seminar will feature presentations by visiting producers and academics in the field of theatre for young audiences in Japan followed by an open discussion.

The Panel will include:

Ali FitzGibbon – Chair, Director Young at Art/Belfast Children’s Festival

Mr. Hisashi Shimoyama, Theatre Producer/Artistic Director of the Kijimuna Festival, Okinawa

Dr. Takeshi Takao, Associate Professor of Theatre/Drama Education National University of Japan, Researcher, Improvisation Facilitator

Dr Yuriko Kobayashi, Tokyo City University

Ikon presents a survey of woodblock prints by 18^th century Japanese artist Kitagawa Utamaro from the collection of the British Museum. Co-curated by British contemporary artist Julian Opie and Timothy Clark (Head of the Japanese Section, British Museum), the exhibition mainly features images of women, in particular the courtesans of Yoshiwara, the regulated brothel district in Edo (Tokyo).

Scotland Loves Anime features and eclectic selection of Japanese animation at venues in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. The season’s line-up includes the UK premieres of Badlands Rumble and One Piece Strong World, as well as the Scottish premieres of Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva and Summer Wars. Scotland Loves Anime also includes some special guest appearances and other supporting events.

Japanese sake, which has been produced for more than 4,000 years, is currently enjoying a resurgence both in Japan and abroad. For the first time ever in London, more than 30 master brewers from all over Japan will showcase over 200 of their best sakes, shochu (spirits) and liqueurs. They will also be talking about the history of sake and how they make their own varieties. This event is for anyone who wants to discover Japanese sake and would like to know more about the modern versions of this staple drink.