What's On - Archive

The Takarazuka Revue Company, one of the largest theatre groups in Japan, features an all-female cast that specialises in either a “male role” or a “female role” in the musicals, stage dramas and dance revues. Showcasing a wide range of genres, it has attracted a mass audience of mostly female followers, resulting in tickets sales reaching fever pitch levels. But what is the role of Takarazuka in the world of Japanese theatre and what does it signify?

This special event commemorating the 100^th anniversary of Takarazuka provides an opportunity to cultivate a cross-cultural understanding of the theatre company through discussion. Beginning with a brief talk by Dr Nobuko Anan, a lecturer in Japanese studies at Birkbeck, University of London, regarding the history and characteristics of Takarazuka, she will be joined by Noriko Tosaka (aka Ai Otohara) and Machiko Nakano (aka Reo Kazami), two distinguished former Takarazuka performers, as well as Jano Williams, co-director of the documentary Dream Girls (1994). Tosaka and Nakano will reflect on their past experiences inside the exclusive, fiercely competitive company whose practices have remained largely unchanged for a century. As arguably one the first filmmakers outside of Japan to capture the elite world of Takarazuka, Williams, a British filmmaker, will speak about their motives for making their insightful film, and what they observed through the camera behind the scenes of the dazzling revue.

Following the discussion, the former Takarazuka performers will take part in a short demonstration illustrating the distinct form of male and female characterisations that the company is so well known for.

This event will extend beyond a simple overview of Takarazuka and together, the speakers, each with their own perspectives, will delve into the impact of Takarazuka, issues associated with Takarazuka, including gender, as well as the societal norms that have created this spectacular scene.

Date:	27 June 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking:

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

Beyond Words: Understanding Japanese Society Through Literature and Translation

Date: Friday 23 January 6pm - 7.30pm GMT

Venue: Lecture Theatre 2, Sir Bob Burgess Building, University of Leicester, Freemen's Common, LE2 7TF*

Online Streaming Available via Zoom

Are you someone with a general interest in Japanese culture and society? Or are you a sixth form student or current university student, either studying Japanese language or with an interest in learning more about Japan? Why not come and listen to our next lecture as part of our seminar series: 'Exploring the World of Japanese Studies'!

Our third talk, Beyond Words: Understanding Japanese Society Through Literature and Translation, is hosted by the University of Leicester.

Talk Description

In recent years, Japanese literature has been gaining attention in the UK. Reading literature offers much more than the enjoyment of a story; it provides a window into the social and cultural values that shape it. This session explores how literary works help us understand Japanese society and the wider world, and how we can make sense of Japanese literature's recent growth in popularity. We will also consider what happens when such works are translated from Japanese into English: how is the cultural context of the original text conveyed, adapted, or transformed in the process? For example, we will consider how onomatopoeic expressions used commonly in Japanese can be translated to be understood worldwide.

To discuss these questions, we will bring together a literary scholar, a specialist in translation studies, and a professional translator working between Japanese and English.

*Arriving by car: There is a paid car park available for visitors.

Paid car park: The Freemen's multi-storey car park is the closest parking space to the Sir Bob Burgess building. Access to the car park is on Putney Road (please see the map above). The cost for 3 to 6 hours will be £2.50, payable by card (no cash). THIS CAR PARK IS ACCESSIBLE FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS.

About the Speakers

Dr Michael Tsang is Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies and Programme Director for BA Japanese Studies at Birkbeck, University of London. His research focuses on world literature, postcolonial literature, and popular culture with an emphasis on East Asia. He has published widely in journals and edited volumes, including Murakami Haruki and Our Years of Pilgrimage (co-edited with Gitte Marianne Hansen: Routledge, 2021). He is also a creative writer and has published tanka poetry in English.

Professor Nana Sato-Rossberg is a leading scholar in the field with expertise in Japan and East Asia. She is currently Chair of the Centre for Translation Studies at SOAS, and the programme convener for the BA Translation pathway and MA Translation and Intercultural Studies. She is also an Executive Council member of the International Association of Translation and Intercultural Studies and the co-founder of the East Asian Translation Studies conference series (since 2014). She is author of thre monographs and five co-edited books, including Translation and Translation Studies in the Japanese Context (co-edited with Judy Wakabayashi, Bloomsbury, 2012) and 「翻訳と文学 (Translation and Literature)」(ed. Misuzu, 2021).

Ms Joanna Dare is University Librarian at De Montfort University in Leicester. Alongside her work as a university librarian, Joanna Dare is active as an emerging literary translator and Coordinator of the East Midlands Regional Group of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. She studied Japanese at the University of Sheffield, and Translation Studies at Portsmouth University. She currently studies Japanese through the Languages at Leicester programme at the University of Leicester. In 2020, she won second prize in the 4th Japanese Literature Publishing Project International Translation Competition, followed by first place in the Institute of Translation and Interpreting Japanese Network Translation Competition in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

This event is free to attend, but registration is essential for online and in-person attendees.

For IN-PERSON attendance, click here.

For ONLINE attendance, click here.

Organised by

The Japan Foundation

With support from

University of Leicester

Date:

23 January 2026

Meet the Authors: SHIBASAKI Tomoka and Polly Barton

In celebration of Japanese literature in the UK, join us this March for this rare talk event with multiple award-winning author SHIBASAKI Tomoka and renowned Japanese literary translator Polly Barton. Fluently changing subject between third-person and first-person, SHIBASAKI’s first English-translated book, Spring Garden, is a poetic but foreboding narrative of Taro and his neighbour, NISHI, who holds an obsessive interest towards the old house next door.

In this special talk, Tomoka and Polly will discuss the dazzling novels Spring Garden and the newly translated A Hundred Years and a Day.

'A master class in novel writing… Tomoka Shibasaki rightly won the Akutagawa Prize in 2014 for this sublime novella of dislocation and regret, and Polly Barton’s light, understated translation does it immense justice' - Japan Times

SHIBASAKI Tomoka

SHIBASAKI Tomoka is a Japanese novelist. Her debut novel Kyō no dekigoto (A Day on the Planet) was adapted into a film by YUKISADA Isao in 2004. Her 2007 novel Sono machi no ima wa (That Town, Today) received multiple awards including the Geijutsu Sensho Newcomers Prize. In 2010, her novel Netemo sametemo (Whether Asleep or Awake) received the Noma Literary New Face Prize; the book was subsequently adapted for the screen by HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke as Asako I & II and screened at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

In 2014, SHIBASAKI won the Akutagawa Award for Spring Garden, translated into English by Polly Barton and published by Pushkin Press. Her 2023 novel Tsuzuki to hajimari (Continuing and Beginning) received the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Art Encouragement Prize and the Tanizaki Junichiro Prize. Her 2018 work A Hundred Years and a Day was translated into English by Polly Barton and published by Stone Bridge Press in 2025. Her latest novel is Kaerenai tantei (The Detective Who Couldn't Go Home), published in 2025.

Polly Barton

Polly Barton is a writer and Japanese literary translator. Her translations include A Hundred Years and a Day and Spring Garden by SHIBASAKI Tomoka, Butter by YUZUKI Asako, Hunchback by ICHIKAWA Saou, Where the Wild Ladies Are by MATSUDA Aoko, and Mild Vertigo by KANAI Mieko. She is the author of Fifty Sounds, Porn: An Oral History. Her debut novel What Am I, A Deer? comes out in April.

Date:	8 March 2026 from 2.00pm
Venue:	LONDON on 8 March, 14:00~, at Foyles Charing Cross Road Click here for details

Talk series presented by the Japan Foundation together with Foyles, the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture.

Meet the Authors: YAGISAWA Satoshi and YAGI Emi

YAGI Emi Photo: © ABE Mayumi

Japanese literature has never been so popular in the UK!

Following the successful talk tour by YUZUKI Asako and TSUJIMURA Mizuki, the Japan Foundation is delighted to present two authors from Japan whom you should watch out for: YAGISAWA Satoshi, the author of the worldwide best-selling novel Days at the Morisaki Bookshop and its sequel, as well as our previous guest YAGI Emi (Diary of a Void) whose new book When the Museum is Closed is now available in English.

Although the two authors have different writing styles and storylines, both sincerely face and examine in their books the lives of women in a complex modern world and their journeys of coping with relatable personal issues.

They will talk about their own books in London and Manchester.

YAGISAWA Satoshi

Debuted in 2010 with Morisaki Shoten no hibi (Days at the Morisaki Bookshop), which was adapted into a hit film and followed up with a sequel publication. His Morisaki Bookshop series has since been translated worldwide, become an international bestseller and was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. His other works include the Junkissa Torunka (Torunka Cafe) series. His hobbies include playing the guitar and he loves coffee and cats.

YAGI Emi

Born in Nagano in 1988, is the award-winning author of Diary of a Void and When the Museum is Closed. Her work has been translated into 25 languages and acclaimed internationally. Her first novel, Diary of a Void, won the Osamu Dazai Prize. She lives in Tokyo and is an editor at a leading women’s magazine.

Date:	13 March 2026 - 14 March 2026
Venue:	LONDON on 13 March, 19:00~, at Foyles Charing Cross Road, Click here for details MANCHESTER on 14 March, 19:00~, as part of Manchester Literature Festival at Manchester Central Library Click here for details

Talk series presented by the Japan Foundation together with Foyles, Manchester Literature Festival, the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Japan Publishing Industry Foundation for Culture.

Online Roundtable Discussion - True Self in Film from Japan and Beyond

Do we really know who we are and who others are? This is the main theme for the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2026. Because of the complex nature of our minds and emotions, many filmmakers have employed the theme through various forms and narratives. Arguably, examples can be seen in KUROSAWA Akira’s Rashomon and our screening last year of Ichiko by TODA Akihiro, to name only a few. Recently, advanced technologies, widespread social networking services, as well as greater gender diversity, seem to bring fascinating new stories of self-images.

In this wrap-up online talk, we have invited experts who have long-standing careers in the film industries of Japan and the UK, to explore the theme of the true self by illustrating some concrete examples of their choices. Together, they will discuss the narratives, voices, and approaches of filmmakers to this theme by examining the course of film in the past and future.

This online talk is free to attend, but booking is essential.
Click here to book your place on Eventbrite.

Date:	26 March 2026 from 1.00pm
Venue:	Online via Zoom

Japanese Taster for Schools Training Session – September 2024

The Japanese Taster for Schools (JTS) Programme exists to create links between schools and Japanese-speaking volunteers. JTS volunteers carry out school visits across the UK to introduce students at any level to the Japanese language by carrying out fun and informative taster sessions. The JTS programme is a fantastic opportunity to use your Japanese to gain practical experience volunteering in your local community.

To empower and encourage volunteers, we will be holding an online training session on 9^th September 2024. We will provide information about the JTS programme and there will be a talk given by an experienced teacher of Japanese, Ms Clare Kuroishi. There will also be a chance to ask us questions, speak to other volunteers, and a fun quiz that will test your Japanese language volunteer knowledge!

This event is open to everyone – including those who are not yet registered as volunteers. We hope that existing volunteers can use this event as a chance to hone their skills and to be inspired, and that new members can get an idea about the programme.

Find out more about the JTS Programme here

General Information

Date/Time: 9^th September 2024 (Monday), 17:30-18:30 (BST)
Venue: Online (Zoom software)
Cost: Free (booking essential)
Maximum number of participants: 20
Spoken language: English

You can take part whether you are already registered as a volunteer or are interesting in registering as a volunteer. JTS volunteers can have any level of Japanese, from beginner to fluency.

Experienced teachers of Japanese are very welcome to attend, but will be treated as lower priority applicants if the event reaches maximum capacity.

Event Schedule

17:30 – 17:35: Intro / Explanation of the JTS programme
17:35 – 17:50: Guest speaker talk – Ms Clare Kuroishi (Tips for teaching Japanese numbers as part of a one-off taster session)
17:50 – 18:10: Group activity (quiz)
18:10 – 18:25: Q&A, networking and discussion
18:25 – 18:30: Close

Speaker: Ms Clare Kuroishi (Teacher of Japanese)

Topic: Tips for teaching Japanese numbers to beginners

Biography: “I first went to Japan 34 years ago and have been teaching Japanese on and off for the past 26 years. Originally, I taught adults, then moved into GCSE, IB & A Level at grammar and independent schools. However, I have spent the last 10 years teaching in a Primary school & marking the Edexcel GCSE. I prefer to teach through experiences where possible as I believe it helps form the connections that aid retention.”

Click here to fill out an application form to attend

NB: There is NO application deadline but applications will close if the maximum number of participants is exceeded.

Date:	9 September 2024 from 5.30pm - 6.30pm
Venue:	Online event

マドリード日本文化センター第18回日本語教育オンライン研修（欧州拠点共催）:「文章産出を支える辞書とは？―文脈の見える例文作成を考える―

*Please note that information about this seminar is only available in Japanese.

【研修本編】

日時： 2026年1月23日（金）10時〜12時（中央ヨーロッパ時間）

※お住まいの国との時差にご注意ください！

【研修アフタートーク】

日時： 2026年1月30日（金）10時～11時（中央ヨーロッパ時間)

※アフタートークの申し込みは、1月23日研修本編にてお知らせいたします。

【講師】鈴木智美先生（東京外国語大学,国際日本学研究院,教授）

講師プロフィール:

https://www.tufs.ac.jp/research/researcher/people/suzuki_tomomi.html https://www.tufs.ac.jp/ts/personal/SUZUKI_Tomomi/

【講師からのメッセージ】
学習者が文章を産出する際に役に立つツールとは、どのようなものでしょうか。

AI 翻訳の精度が高まっている現在でも、私たちが自分の考えを目標言語で書いたり推敲したりするためには、やはり辞書が重要な役割を果たします。

特に、該当項目の説明だけでなく、使い方を具体的に示す良い例文が豊富な辞書は、学習者にとって大きな助けとなります。しかし、この「例文」は、母語話者であれば誰でも容易に作れるわけではなく、言語学的・言語教育学的観点からの検討が欠かせません。

本研修では、まず、学習者の誤用分析から始まり、学習者の辞書使用に関する実態調査を経て、各種ツール開発に利用可能な質の高い例文バンク（例文データベース）の構築へと進められてきた一連の調査・実践の流れを紹介します。そして、皆さんとともに、質の良い例文を作成するための方法について、具体的に考えていきたいと思います。

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共催： 国際交流基金欧州拠点（ロンドン日本文化センター、ケルン日本文化会館、パリ日本文化会館、ローマ日本文化会館）

形式： オンライン（ZOOM）

対象： 欧州在住の日本語教師を優先します

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お申込み：　こちらから　

※締め切り：　2026年1月14日(水)

お問合せ：国際交流基金マドリード日本文化センター　nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp

Date:	23 January 2026 from 10.00am - 12.00pm
Venue:	Online

Japanese Clubs from Scratch Project: - Call for Participating Schools for the Online Training Programme FY 2024-2025-

Is your school interested in starting a Japanese Club?

Sign up now to receive a Japanese Club package (including teacher training) so your school can be ready to run a Japanese Club in near future!

Applications from more than one teacher from the same school are very welcome as it will provide you with opportunities to use what you learn through the course!

What we provide (free of charge):

1. Teaching materials: “Kon-Kon! Konnichiwa Japanese Club”

Material set about Japanese culture and language
The materials consist of 10 topics for 30-60 minute club activities (KS 2-4) (*Examples of topics covered: Greetings, Self-introduction, Food, Numbers, Festivals, Manga etc.)

2. Online teacher training course
- 12 x 1-hour online sessions
* Please see the training schedule below.

3. Support and advice for teachers running the Japanese Club

The teaching material and the training programme are designed for teachers who don’t have any experience of running Japanese clubs or Japanese language knowledge.

Details

Aims of the online training programme:

to learn how to use the set of materials.
to learn basic knowledge of Japan and the Japanese language.
to build a network of teachers who are interested in language and cultural education.

Eligibility:

primary or secondary schools that are interested in starting Japanese clubs.
schools that currently don’t have a Japanese programme as a part of curriculum.
schools that have a teacher who is available to attend the training programme and run a club at school.

* No prior experience in Japanese language learning and running a Japanese Club is required.

* Applications from more than one teacher from the same school are very welcome.

* In case of a high number of applicants, those who have no or limited experience in Japanese will be prioritised.

Benefits:

to be able to learn how to run a Japanese Club for at least 1 term (10 to 12 sessions).
to be able to learn how to use the materials.
to be able to gain basic knowledge of Japan and the Japanese language.
to be able to expand your network.

Training Schedule:

* Participants are expected to attend all the sessions below:

Every Monday (excluding half-term and holidays) starting from 7 October, 4 pm to 5 pm. Please refer to the schedule below for precise dates.
In total of 12 sessions of 1h/week classes.

October: 7, 14

November: 4, 11, 18, 25

December: 9

January: 13, 20, 27

February: 3, 10

Venue: Online

Medium of language: English

Fee: Free

Number of participants: around 10 teachers

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Application:

Please click here to fill out the application form

*Please ask your head teacher or other senior teachers acting on behalf of the head teachers at your school for permission before applying.

Application deadline:

3rd October 2024 at 4pm

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Enquiries: Language Team, The Japan Foundation, London

events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (English/Japanese)

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FAQ:

Q: I am interested in working at a school but currently am not teaching at any school. Can I apply?

A: This course is designed mainly for teachers who are already employed by a school. You can apply but please note that school-employed teachers will be prioritised in the event of a high number of applicants.

Q: Can a teacher who is a native speaker of Japanese apply to this course?

A: Japanese native speakers with no experience of teaching Japanese can apply. For those experienced teachers of Japanese, we are going to provide another opportunity in future to introduce the set of materials over a shorter period of time.

Q: Can I get support while running a Japanese club after the training?

A: Yes, you can contact us if you have any concerns.

Q: Can I apply although we are not certain we can run a Japanese club this September?

A: Yes, as long as you and your school have an active intention to start a Japanese club in the future. You don't necessarily have to start the club before finishing the course.

Date:	7 October 2024 - 10 February 2025
Venue:	Online event

ハイブリッドセミナー「ヨーロッパの日本語教師のための、日本国内の日本語教育基礎講座」

ハイブリッドセミナー

「ヨーロッパの日本語教師のための、日本国内の日本語教育基礎講座 」

主催：パリ日本文化会館主催　　　共催：ロンドン日本文化センター＆ローマ日本文化会館

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【日程】
2026年2月27日（金）
10:00-12:00 ハイブリッドセミナー（パリ時間　オンラインZoom　対面会場：パリ日本文化会館）
12:00-13:00 アフタートーク（対面のみ・会場：パリ日本文化会館　限定15名）

【講師紹介・メッセージ】
神吉宇一（かみよしういち）（武蔵野大学グローバル学部教授、武蔵野大学学外学修推進センター長 ）
専門は日本語教育政策、地域日本語教育。社会人の始まりは小学校教員、その後、さまざまな職を経て2013年から大学教員に。元日本語教育学会副会長、元文化審議会国語分科会委員、その他国や自治体の委員等多数の実績あり。主な著書・訳書『ことばの教育と平和』（2023年明石書店）、『日本語学習は本当に必要か』（2024年明石書店）、『一歩進んだ日本語教育概論』（2024年大阪大学出版会）、『よい教育研究とはなにか』（ガートビースタ著 2024年明石書店）。『現代日本語教育ハンドブック』（2025年大修館書店）。2021年度日本語教育学会学会賞、2021年度日本語教育学会学会活動貢献賞。

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【セミナー内容】

現在、日本は特定技能ビザや育成就労制度などで外国人就労者の受け入れを進めており、文化庁が「日本語教育の参照枠」を策定、文科省が認定日本語教育機関制度を定め、登録日本語教員制度が開始するなど、大きな岐路に立っています。ヨーロッパの日本語教師にとっては、現在のところ直接的な影響はありませんが、グローバル化が進み、オンラインで授業を行うことができるようになっている今、いずれはその影響を受けると考えられます。本セミナーでは、日本の日本語教育政策にも深く関わってきた武蔵野大学の神吉宇一氏を講師として迎え、日本の現在の日本語教育の動向を解説していただき、今後のヨーロッパの日本語教育への影響を考えます。

【言語】日本語

【形式】ハイブリッド　ZOOM＆体面

【費用】無料

【お申し込み締め切り】　2026年2月25日（水）

【お申込み】こちらから

【主催】国際交流基金パリ日本文化会館

【共催】国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター・ローマ日本文化会館

【セミナーに関するお問い合わせ先】kenshu@mcjp.fr

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チラシのダウンロードはこちらから

Date:	27 February 2026 from 10.00am - 1.00pm
Venue:	Online event
Download 20260227ヨーロッパの日本語教師のための

Special screening with director Q&A - Totto-chan the Movie: The Little Girl at the Window (2023, dir. YAKUWA Shinnosuke)

We've added an extra screening to our bumper day in Cambridge this November, and this time, it's accompanied by a director Q&A session! Join us, together with director YAKUWA Shinnosuke, for a very special screening of Totto-chan the Movie: The Little Girl at the Window (2023).

Totto-chan (ONO Liliana) is an energetic young girl, filled with enthusiasm for the world around her. However, her overwhelming vitality is viewed negatively by her school, which expels her, and Totto-chan is instead enrolled at Tomoe School, an institution founded by headmaster KOBAYASHI Sosaku (YAKUSHO Koji). KOBAYASHI's values differ strongly from those of Totto-chan's previous school: he is a firm believer in the importance of children's independence, and in their freedom to act as they wish and express themselves in their own ways. It is at his school that Totto-chan truly begins to flourish, but in the background, the shadow of impending hardship looms: war is on the horizon.

To book your ticket,
click here to visit the Panorama Journal website.

Date:	16 November 2024 from 11.30am
Venue:	Frankopan Hall, West Court, Jesus College, Cambridge, CB5 8BL

Price: £5-10 per person

Presented by the Japan Foundation.
In collaboration with Scotland Loves Anime; All the Anime; Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature; and Jesus College, University of Cambridge.

JF/BAJS PhD Workshop 2025 - Career Development in Japanese Studies

Date: Friday 21 February, 2025

Venue: The University of Edinburgh

If you are Ph.D. student whose research focuses on Japan, why not attend the Japan Foundation/British Association for Japanese Studies Ph.D. Workshop 2025!

This year, our workshop will be held at The University of Edinburgh, with the theme 'Career Development in Japanese Studies'.

Student attendees will be divided into groups and will spend their morning sharing their research with one another in short presentations, before receiving specialist feedback from peers and the experienced academics assigned to the group!

This is an opportunity to gain experience in presenting your work, no matter what stage of your research you are in. Whether you want to develop your ideas at the start of your research project, or if you want to practice presenting your completed findings, the morning session will be of huge benefit! It is also a fantastic opportunity to learn more about your peers' research, and current developments in postgraduate research in the field.

During the afternoon session, funding organisations will present on their programmes and opportunities to help postgraduate speeches.

Then, there will be a keynote speech on the theme of career development, delivered by an established academic. The day will end with a chance to grill the assembled panel of academics on their wide-ranging experiences and expertise, followed by a drinks reception!

As ever, the workshop will also include breaks to allow attendees to network with one another and the lecturers in between sessions.

It is always an inspiring and enlightening event, and we look forward to seeing many of you there!

Student Submissions:

As an essential part of the workshop, attendees will be asked to present their research in small groups. Further information about this will be provided after the registration deadline. However, if you have any questions about this, please email Mara Patessio at BAJS, mp78@soas.ac.uk.

Financial Support:

Travel Grant: JF will offer a partial travel grant for student participants. Once an initial 30 GBP is covered, JF will provide up to 110 GBP maximum for public transportation to the event. For any questions, please contact Iona Vos LO_JapaneseStudies@jpf.go.jp.

Hotel Grant: As many attendees will be travelling to Edinburgh from further away locations, BAJS has generously decided to offer a two-night hotel grant, of maximum 90 GBP a night per attendee. This maximum amount is based on absolute necessity. BAJS would be very grateful if students could still cooperate, by seeking budget/cheaper accommodation, or organising shared accommodation with other attendees, to try and avoid reaching the maximum amount. For any questions about the hotel grant, please contact Mara Patessio mp78@soas.ac.uk.

Please note:

Attendance to this event is limited to 40 students, on a first come, first served basis. As the number of participants is limited, please only register if you know you can attend, and email Iona Vos at LO_JapaneseStudies@jpf.go.jp if you have registered but need to cancel your place.

Ph.D. students will be prioritised. MA students will join a waitlist, with MA places being confirmed after the deadline has passed.

Deadline for registration for this event has now passed.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Iona Vos at LO_JapaneseStudies@jpf.go.jp.

Date:	21 February 2025
Venue:	The University of Edinburgh

国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター日本語教育セミナー: 制作者から学ぶパターン・ランゲージ

国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター日本語教育セミナー

制作者から学ぶパターン・ランゲージ

― 継承語およびその他実践へのツールとしての活用の可能性―

■ご案内

　日本語教師や教育関係者の中で、パターン・ランゲージに注目している方は少なからずいらっしゃると思います。パターン・ランゲージとは、その分野の先人たちの暗黙知や経験知をパターンとして集め言語化したもので、日本語教育の各分野の実践においても大変有用なツールになると考えられます。国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センターが今年２月に英国日本語教育学会と共催で行ったパターン・ランゲージを題材にしたセミナーも大変好評でした。

　そこで今回は実際にパターン・ランゲージのカードの制作者を講師にお招きして、実際のカードの作成プロセスや活用方法などについて学びます。パターン・ランゲージやその作成に興味がある方は大歓迎です。また、パターン・ランゲージはともすると情報交換の機会が乏しくなりがちな継承語教育分野とも相性がよいと考えておりますので、継承語教育に関わってらっしゃる方も同じく大歓迎です。もちろん、今回初めてパターン・ランゲージについて聞いたという方も大歓迎です。

　みなさまのお申し込みを心よりお待ちしております。

Among Japanese language teachers and education professionals, there are undoubtedly many who are paying attention to pattern language. A pattern language describes a collection of solutions to problems, all of which have been sourced from experienced people and based on their pre-existing knowledge and experience. These collections of solutions are created to tackle problems impacting a single broader topic such as “heritage language”. Pattern languages are considered a highly useful tool for practice across various areas of Japanese language education.

　This time, we are delighted to welcome a creator of pattern language cards as our instructor. We will learn about the actual card creation process and methods for utilising these cards. Those interested in pattern language and its creation are most welcome to attend. Furthermore, we believe pattern language is well-suited to the field of heritage language education, where opportunities for information exchange can sometimes be lacking. Therefore, those involved in heritage language education are especially encouraged to attend as well. Naturally, those hearing about pattern language for the first time are also most welcome.

　We look forward to receiving your applications.

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■概要

日　時: 2025年11月30日（日）　10:00~12:00（英国時間）
テーマ: 制作者から学ぶパターン・ランゲージ

― 継承語およびその他実践へのツールとしての活用の可能性―

講　師: 花王株式会社　経営企画部門　コンシューマーインテリジェンス室　マネジャー　伊藤公江氏

対　象: 英国・欧州の日本語教師および日本語教育関係者

（上記の方を優先しますが、その他の地域の方の参加も可能です）

実施形態: オンライン（Zoom）
使用言語: 日本語
参加費: 無料
お申込み方法: こちらのフォームからご登録ください。

お申込み締め切り: 2025年11月25日（火） 12:00（英国時間）

※定員に達し次第、受付を終了します。

主　催: 国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター

共　催: 国際交流基金パリ日本文化会館

■セミナー内容

本セミナーでは、パターン・ランゲージ『日々の世界のつくりかた』を作成された花王株式会社の制作担当者の方を講師としてお招きし、パターン・ランゲージの作成プロセスを中心にお話を聞きます。『日々の世界のつくりかた』の作成の際に、経験則をどのように集め、結果をどのように分類し、カードの枚数をどう決定し、タイトルや表現をどう選んだのかなどについて制作担当者から具体的なお話を聞く貴重な機会です。加えて、作成後の実際の活用事例などにも触れていただき、Break Out Roomではパターン・ランゲージカードを実際に使いながら、グループ活動を行います。

今回はパターン・ランゲージ『日々の世界のつくりかた』を事例とします。『日々の世界のつくりかた』（2016）は花王株式会社　生活者研究センターが慶應義塾大学総合政策学部　井庭崇研究室との共同研究プロジェクトとして制作したパターン・ランゲージカードで、自分らしく子育てしながら働くためのヒントが34のことばにまとめられています。無料公開されておりダウンロード可能です。

【日々の世界のつくりかた】

https://www.kao.co.jp/content/dam/sites/kao/www-kao-co-jp/lifei/report/pdf/hibino-sekaino-tsukurikata.pdf

※事前課題：セミナーに参加される方は、あらかじめこのカードに目を通しておいてください。

■講師プロフィール: 伊藤公江（いとう・きみえ）

花王株式会社　経営企画部門　コンシューマーインテリジェンス室　マネジャー

外資系調査会社を経て、2005年に花王株式会社に入社。家事や子育て、働き方など幅広いテーマでライフスタイル研究を担当。

生活者研究の知見をパターン・ランゲージにまとめた「日々の世界のつくりかた」や「家族のためのスタイル・ランゲージ」のプロジェクトメンバーとして発足当初から継続的に関わり続けてきた。現在は、研究の視野をタテ・ヨコの両面で広げ、生活者の「今とこれから」をグローバル視点で捉え、より良い未来を作るためのヒントを関係者と共に考えるための情報と共有手段（ワークショップ等）の開発に注力している。

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イベントチラシのダウンロードはこちら

お問合せ / Enquires: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp

Date:	30 November 2025 from 10.00am - 12.00pm
Venue:	Online
Download 2025_1130_制作者から学ぶパターン・ランゲージJPちらし

BATJ-JF Co-Organised Seminar / Mastering “CEFR” and the “Framework for Japanese Language Education” / - Beyond the Can-Do List -

BATJ-JF共催　日本語教育セミナー

「CEFR」と「日本語教育の参照枠」を主体的に使いこなす

- Can do リストを超えて考える日本語教育-

（English below)

本セミナーは、英国日本語教育学会と国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センターが共催で実施するものです。毎年、共催セミナーでは、参加者の教育実践の現場や学習者がどのようなものであれ、汎用性の高いテーマを取り上げ、その分野の最前線の講師の先生をお招きして、新鮮で魅力的な学びの機会を提供しております。

今回は、長年、文化審議会国語分科会等の審議会委員として、その知識とご経験を日本語教育施策の立案に反映させ、「日本語教育の参照枠」やCan doリストに基づくカリキュラム開発にも深くかかわっていらっしゃる学習院大学教授の金田智子先生をお迎えします。金田先生はその功績が認められ令和６年度文化庁長官表彰を受賞されました。25年8月のキールでの英国日本語教育学会大会にもご参加されましたので、現地でお会いになった方も多いのではないでしょうか。

2001年に「CEFR（ヨーロッパ言語共通参照枠）」が発表され、2010年には国際交流基金から「JF日本語教育スタンダード」が、また2021年には文化庁から「日本語教育の参照枠」が発表されました。今回のセミナーでは「CEFR」や「参照枠」の理念を理解し、背景にある行動中心主義、Can-doに結び付いた日本語教育の課題などについて考えます。

多くのみなさまのお申し込みを心よりお待ちしております。

概　要

日　時： 2026年 2月8日（日）　10:00～12:00（英国時間）
テーマ：「CEFR」と「日本語教育の参照枠」を主体的に使いこなす

-Can doリストを超えて考える日本語教育-

講　師：金田智子先生（学習院大学文学部日本語日本文学科教授）
対　象：英国・欧州の教育機関の現職日本語教師および日本語教育専攻の大学院生

　　　　　　（上記の方を主たる対象としていますが、その他の地域の方の参加も可能です。）

定　員： 80名
実施形態：オンライン（Zoom会議システムを使用）　使用言語：日本語
参加費詳細とお申込み方法：こちらをご覧ください。（申請開始は12月23日から）
お申込み締め切り： 2026年2月3日（火） 12:00（英国時間）　※定員になり次第、締め切ります。

※参加ご希望の方はこちらの「セミナー前調査票」のご記入もお願いします。

主　催：英国日本語教育学会、国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター

セミナー内容概要：（講師より）

ヨーロッパを中心に広く共有されてきた CEFR（ヨーロッパ言語共通参照枠） は、言語教育の共通基盤として国や言語を越えて大きな影響力を持ってきました。日本においても、2021年10月に文化審議会国語分科会より『日本語教育の参照枠』（以下「参照枠」）が公表され、CEFRの理念を踏まえた日本語教育の枠組みが示され、日本における日本語教育・学習に大きな影響を与えています。

現在、日本では A1、B2 といったCEFRや参照枠による能力レベルと、在留資格や大学入学資格などとの関連付けが進み、多くの日本語教育機関では「参照枠」の背景にある行動中心アプローチや Can doなどの受容を求められ、「参照枠」に基づいた教育課程をいかに編成するかが最重要課題となっています。

本セミナーでは、CEFR および参照枠の主要概念に対する理解を深めつつ、枠組みや Can do リストを、教育者自身が主体となって用いるということがどういうことかを考えます。外国語／第二言語としての日本語教育において、何を判断軸として授業やカリキュラムを設計していくべきなのか、日本語教育は何を大切にしたらいいのか、どうあるべきかについて、参加者のみなさんと共に、改めて検討する機会としたいと考えています。

講師プロフィール：金田智子（かねだともこ）

学習院大学文学部日本語日本文学科教授

Ed.M in TESOL (Teachers College)

文化外国語専門学校、Earlham College（米国）、

広島大学留学生センター、国立国語研究所を経て、現職

専門は日本語教育、教師教育。研究テーマは、授業分析の手法を用いた教師教育、教師の成長、地域における日本語教育。国立国語研究所在職時より、「生活のための日本語」に関する調査研究を行い、2013年からは大学院生らと共に在住外国人を対象とした日本語教室での実践に取り組んでいる。また、2011年から2020年まで、文化審議会国語分科会委員として、地域日本語教育、日本語教育人材の養成・研修、日本語教員の資格日本語能力の評価等について審議に携わる。2022年から３年間、文化庁／文部科学省による「『日本語教育の参照枠』を活用した教育モデル開発・普及事業」（日本語教育学会受託）に取り組み、生活Can doを基にしたモデルカリキュラムを開発した。

【関連する出版物・論文】

1.「学習につながる自己評価―「生活のための日本語」教育の可能性―」単著，『「評価」を持って街に出よう：「教えたこと・学んだことの評価」という発想を超えて』（宇佐美洋編著），2016年，くろしお出版．

2.『新・日本語教育を学ぶ：なぜ、なにを、どう教えるか』共著，2020年，三修社．

3.「生活のための日本語を学ぶカリキュラムのこれから―「日本語教育の参照枠」を生かす―」単著，『日本語学』44巻，3号，2025年，明治書院．

This seminar is co-organised by the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language and The Japan Foundation, London. Each year we choose a universal topic that is relevant to all participants regardless of their teaching institution or their students. We invite a lecturer who is a leader in that field to provide a novel and interesting learning opportunity for all participants.

This time, we will welcome Professor Tomoko Kaneda of Gakushuin University. Professor Kaneda’s wealth of knowledge and experience from her many years of work as a committee member of the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Japanese Language Policy and Education Section is reflected in Japanese language education policy planning. She is deeply involved in the development of a curriculum based on the “Framework for Japanese Language Education” and “Can-Do Lists”.

In 2024 Professor Kaneda was awarded a commendation from the Agency for Cultural Affairs in recognition of her many achievements. We are sure a lot of you met her when she participated in the BATJ Annual Conference in Keele in August 2025. In 2001 the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) was announced, with the Japan Foundation’s The JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education following in 2010 and the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Framework for Japanese Language Education in 2021. Through this seminar, you will revisit the principles of CEFR and these frameworks, and consider the action-oriented approach behind them, as well as challenges of Japanese-language education tied to Can-Do.

We hope to receive many applications!

Details

Date/Time: 8th February 2026, 10:00 – 12:00 (GMT)
Theme: Mastering “CEFR” and the “Framework for Japanese Language Education”

– Beyond the Can-Do List –

Lecturer: Professor Tomoko Kaneda (Faculty of Letters, Department of Japanese Language and Literature, Gakushuin University)
Intended audience: Japanese language teachers working at educational institutions in the United Kingdom and Europe or post-graduate students specialising in Japanese language education. (We also welcome participation from people who do not fit into either category).
Max. number of participants: 80
Location: Online (Zoom meeting software).
Language used: Japanese
Participation fees and information on how to apply: Please click here. *( 23rd December～).
Application deadline: 3rd February 2026 (Tuesday), 12:00 (GMT).

Applications will close early if the maximum number of participants is reached.

If you wish to apply, please fill out the following: “Pre-Seminar Questionnaire”: here

Organisers: The British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language and The Japan Foundation, London.

(For detailed information on seminar content and the speaker, please see the Japanese description above).

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Event Flyer: Japanese / English

Date:	8 February 2026 from 10.00am - 12.00pm
Venue:	Online
Download 2026_BATJ-JF共催セミナー_金田智子先生案内文_JP
Download 2026_BATJ-JF共催セミナー_金田智子先生案内文Eng

Roundtable discussion - Japanese Fashion on Film, Film as Fabric

The Japan Foundation is proud to partner with London Metropolitan University's Centre for Creative Arts, Cultures & Engagement (CREATURE) as they present this insightful roundtable discussion exploring the intersection of film and fabric within a Japanese context.

Moderated by Professor Wessie Ling, Rachal Bradley, Dr Nicolas Cambridge, Dr Nathalie Khan, and Professor NARUMI Hiroshi will examine the connections and exchanges between the textile history of northwest England and the Japanese avant-garde fashion of Yohji YAMAMOTO, KAWAKUBO Rei, and Issey MIYAKE, seeking to understand fashion on film as a broader register of cultural exchange and to investigate how subcultures emerge.

The discussion is centred around the ongoing work of Rachal Bradley's feature-length non-fiction film, FOLD襞, which is scheduled for national and international distribution in late 2025. The film takes an anthropological look at these iconic Japanese avant-garde fashion designers, and explores how their work resonates beyond Japan, particularly in the northwest of England.

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential.
Click here to book your place on Eventbrite.

Date:	26 February 2025 from 6.00pm - 7.30pm
Venue:	The Wash Houses (CCG-02), 16 Goulston Street, London, E1 7TP

The 21st Japanese Speech Contest for University Students - Finals Day / 第21回大学生のための日本語スピーチ・コンテスト決勝大会

We are delighted to announce that the 21^st Japanese Speech Contest for University Students Finals Day will be held on Saturday 7^th March 2026 at King's College London.

The contest is co-organised by the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) and The Japan Foundation, London. It has been held annually since 2006, in order to give university students learning Japanese in the UK and Ireland a chance to demonstrate their Japanese speaking skills.

On the Finals Day, finalists will give their speeches and presentations, entirely in Japanese, to an audience consisting of members of the public, fellow students, teachers, families, key figures from the UK-Japan community and a panel of judges. In this year’s speeches and presentations, finalists will talk about various themes, including genjitsu tōhi (escapism), ichi-go- ichi-e (a Japanese idiom which translates to “once in a life time”), and social diversity.

Come along and listen to what university students studying Japanese in the UK and Ireland have to say. Everyone is welcome! This event is free to attend, but prior registration is required. The registration deadline is Wednesday, 4th March 2026 at 1pm.

Title: The 21^st Japanese Speech Contest for University Students, Finals Day

Date & Time: Saturday, 7^th March 2026 1pm – 6pm (TBC)

* The hall is located inside the university building. As there are no vending machines or cafes within the building we would recommend bringing your own bottle of water or drinks if necessary.

Venue: the Auditorium at Bush House, King’s College London (Strand Campus, 30 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BG)

* Please note that the venue is different to previous years. The auditorium is in a different building than the recent venue.

Maximum capacity: 150 people (spaces are limited, so early booking is recommended)

Fee: Free to attend but prior booking is required.

Language: Speeches and presentations will be given in Japanese. Speech summaries and abstracts of presentations will be made available in English.

Deadline for Registration: Wednesday, 4^th March 2026 at 1pm (GMT)

Download the event poster

Book here

If you would like to know more about this year’s speeches and presentations, please download the speech and presentation abstracts below.

Enquiries: speechcontest@jpf.go.jp

Organisers: The British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) and The Japan Foundation, London

This event is supported by (in alphabetical order): British Association for Japanese Studies (BAJS), Central Japan Railway Company, Clearspring, Eikoku News Digest Ltd, E’quipe Japan, Ltd., The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Japan Airlines, Japan Association in the UK, Japan Centre, JP BOOKS, NIHON SHOKKEN HOLDINGS CO.,LTD, Nikkei Europe Limited, Ningyocho IMAHAN, Regions, Ricoh UK Limited

Date:	18 December 2025 - 7 March 2026
Download 21st Speech Contest Finals Day Poster
Download Speech Summaries & Presentation Abstracts
Download 21st Speech Contest Finals Day Programme

Play readings in Oxford and London - "Women Who Want To Tidy Up" written by NAGAI Ai

Three childhood friends now find themselves in their 50s. When one of them stops answering the phone after a break-up with her boyfriend, the others decide to pay a visit to her apartment. Upon their arrival, they discover the place is full to the brim with clutter, and in a comically escalating (yet ultimately fruitless) attempt to create order from this chaos, they lay bare the messes that have been building up within their own lives...

Featuring a new translation, these readings of leading female playwright NAGAI Ai's ambitious best-seller Women Who Want To Tidy Up mark the first ever British takes on this laugh-out-loud script, exploring relationships, hoarding, aging, menopause, and many more issues most women will relate to at some point in their lives.

Directed by Ria Parry, each of these readings in Oxford and London will also be followed by a post-performance talk with NAGAI Ai herself!

- Oxford -
The North Wall
Tuesday 11 March, 14:00
FREE but booking required
Click here to book

- London -
Arcola Theatre
Friday 14 March, 14:00
£3 per person
SOLD OUT - returns only!
Click for more details

Date:	11 March 2025 - 14 March 2025
Venue:	The North Wall, Oxford (11 March) Arcola Theatre, London (14 March)

マドリード日本文化センター発第17回日本語教育オンライン研修: AIと共に学ぶ作文教育：自律性と協働性をつなぐ視点

AIと共に学ぶ作文教育：自律性と協働性をつなぐ視点

*Please note that information about this seminar is only available in Japanese.

【研修本編】

日時： 2025年11月14日（金）10時～12時（中央ヨーロッパ時間)

　※この時期は夏時間が終了しています。お住まいの国との時差にご注意ください！

【研修アフタートーク】

日時： 2025年11月28日（金）10時～11時（中央ヨーロッパ時間)

※アフタートークの申し込みは研修本編にてお知らせいたします。

講師：李在鎬(りじぇほ) 先生（早稲田大学大学院, 日本語教育研究科, 教授）

講師プロフィール：https://researchmap.jp/jhlee/

主な著書：

『AIで言語教育は終わるのか?: 深まる外国語の教え方と学び方』（共著, くろしお出版, 25年5月）
『社会の中のことば』（シリーズ〈ことばの認知科学〉, 朝倉書店, 24年10月）

　※第７章「ことばのコーパス分析」を執筆

『日本語学習は本当に必要か』（編: 村田晶子・神吉宇一, 明石書店, 24年2月）

　※第12章「テクノロジーは日本語学習をなくすのか」を執筆

『データ科学×日本語教育』（ひつじ書房, 21年11月）

講師からのメッセージ：
　第二言語としての作文教育は、これまでプロセス・アプローチやジャンル・アプローチを中心に発展してまいりましたが、近年は生成AIの登場により、大きな転換点を迎えております。AIは学習者に即時的なフィードバックや多様な表現例を提示し、語彙の拡充や文章構成の習得を支援してくれます。その一方で、過度な依存によって自律的な学習の機会が失われてしまうというリスクも抱えています。
　本講演では、まず第二言語ライティング研究の理論的枠組みを整理し、その中にAI活用を位置づけてご紹介いたします。次に、学習者の作文を評価する活動を通して、「書く力」とは何かという問題を考えてまいります。また、生成AIを用いた実際のシステムも体験していただきながら、AI活用の可能性と課題について皆さまと一緒に考えていきたいと思います。最後に、AIを排除するのではなく「共作者」や「コーチ」として取り入れる視点から、今後の作文教育における教師の役割や教育デザインの可能性を展望いたします。

共催：国際交流基金欧州拠点（ロンドン日本文化センター、ケルン日本文化会館、パリ日本文化会館、ローマ日本文化会館、ブダペスト日本文化センター）
形式：オンライン（ZOOM）
対象：欧州在住の日本語教師を優先しますが、他地域からもご参加できます

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お申込み：　こちらから　

※締め切り：　2025年11月2日(日)

お問合せ：　国際交流基金マドリード日本文化センター　nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp

みなさまのお申込みをお待ちしております！

Date:	14 November 2025
Venue:	Online Event

Refresher Course - Spring 2026

Do you think your Japanese level is getting rusty? Why not study Japanese online to brush up your Japanese level?

This course is for non-native-speaker-level Japanese teachers who currently teach Japanese in secondary and/or primary schools. You can improve not only your Japanese level but also your teaching skills. Moreover you can build a network among other Japanese teachers. Trainee teachers are also welcome to join. School teachers who are not currently teaching Japanese but wish to do so are also welcome. For more information, see below.

Eligibility (any one or more of the following):

Non-native-speaker-level Japanese teachers who teach or wish to teach at secondary and/or primary schools, including teaching extra-curricular activities such as school clubs.
PGCE students wo are aiming to become Japanese teachers.
SCITT trainees/candidates.

Suitable Japanese Level:

JLPT N2 or CEFR B2* (if you cannot assess your own level, please contact us.)

*This is an advanced course. The intermediate course will be held from April. Please wait for a future announcement.

Schedule:

This course consists of Online Sessions and a face-to-face Final Day event. The online sessions will be held on Mondays on the dates below, followed by the Final Day event, which will be held for all level native-speaking and non-native-speaking Japanese teachers together.

Online sessions

Time: 18:00-19:30 (90 min x 4 lessons)
Date: Monday 26th January, 9th February, 2nd March and 16th March.

In-Person Final Day Event (TBC)

On a Saturday in late June or in early July, London Venue, 11:00-15:00.
Workshops in person, commendation ceremony and lunch reception.
More detailed information will be given later. Teachers of all Japanese levels are welcome. Applications for the Final Day event will open closer to the date.

N.B. The course will take place online, but on the final day of the course we would like to hold a special face-to-face session, with special speakers, and there will be a commendation ceremony. The Japan Foundation, London will provide lunch and cover your travel expense partly for the participants of the online sessions*.

* All participants are asked to pay up to £10 of their travel expenses out of their own pocket (no reimbursement). The rest of their travel expenses will be reimbursed by The Japan Foundation, London for amounts up to £100.00. If you need to travel the day before and stay overnight the night before the Final Day event, please consult us in advance.

Course fee: Free (including all handouts)

Registration Deadline: 18th January 2026

Languages used: Japanese (All handouts will be given during the lesson.)

This course may count as 10 hours of CPD (TBC)

Course Objectives: To be able to teach A-level or IB B-standard/higher level confidently

Course Content:

Week 1 (online): Introduction, Review of A-level specification
Week 2 (online): Review of Grammar and Kanji
Week 3 (online): Review of Grammar and Kanji
Week 4 (online): Review of Grammar and Kanji
Final Day (face-to-face) : Workshop and resource sharing

To register, please click here

Further Enquiries: Ms Hiroko Tanaka

Hiroko_Tanaka001@jpf.go.jp

Date:

26 January 2026 - 11 July 2026

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2026

The #JFTFP26 official programme is now live!

Dates: Friday 6 February to Tuesday 31 March 2026

Venue: Cinemas nationwide

Get your tickets for the UK’s biggest Japanese film festival, the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme, starting in February!

From one of the most talked-about social dramas by TAKASHI Miike, Sham, to The Hotel of My Dream, a light comedy based on the novel by the YUZUKI Asako (Butter), our diverse programme offers something for everyone.

We have even invited three filmmakers from Japan to visit various cities – do not miss our exclusive Q&A sessions!

Are you ready?

Directors Q&A Sessions:

IIZUKA Kasho

(Director, Blue Boy Trial)

12 Feb: HOME, Manchester

13 Feb: Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London

14 Feb: Chapter, Cardiff

YOSHIDA Daihachi

(Director, Teki Cometh)

14 Feb: Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London

15 Feb: QUAD, Derby

16 Feb: Showroom, Sheffield

17 Feb: The Ultimate Picture Palace (UPP), Oxford

KAI Sayaka

(Director, Adabana)

25 Feb: Storyhouse, Chester

26 Feb: Riverside Studios, London

27 Feb: Queen’s Film Theatre (QFT), Belfast

3 Mar: Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds

View our full exciting line-up at our official website:

https://www.jpf-film.org.uk/

Date:

6 February 2026 - 31 March 2026

Online roundtable discussion - "Action!": Dealing with Social Issues in Cinematic Narratives

Justice (along with the closely-aligned concept of fairness) is one of the fundamental rights of the human being. Sadly though, history and current affairs prove that this right is not always available to all, causing unresolved issues in society. Many creators have expressed themselves through the arts in response to these issues, and cinema is no exception. In Japan KORE-EDA Hirokazu stormed the world with his breath-taking social film Nobody Knows, but, as seen in the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2025 (JFTFP25), he was not the last or even the first to bring social voices into films.

But what is it that inspires filmmakers to explore the concepts of criminal, social and moral justice in their cinematic narratives, and can films contribute to a public refocusing on the problems citizens might have long turned a blind eye to?

Reflecting the theme of the JFTFP25, Am I Right? Justice, Justification and Judgement, and focusing on non-documentary films, a panel of six film professionals from Japan and the UK will discuss how cinema now and then corresponds to the world we live in, while contemplating the role of cinema in changing society.

This online talk is free to attend, but booking is essential.
Click here to book your place on Eventbrite.

Date:	26 March 2025 from 1.00pm
Venue:	Online via Zoom

War and Peace: How ‘Grave of the Fireflies’ Speaks to Japanese Literature, Art, History, and International Relations

Date: Tuesday 4 November, 6pm – 7.30pm GMT

Venue: Council Chamber*, University of East Anglia

*Search ‘Council House’ on https://www.uea.ac.uk/about/campus-map

Online Streaming Available via Zoom

Are you someone with a general interest in Japanese culture and society? Or are you a sixth form student or current university student, either studying Japanese language or with an interest in learning more about Japan? Why not come and listen to our next lecture as part of our new seminar series: Exploring the World of Japanese Studies!

Our second lecture, War and Peace: How ‘Grave of the Fireflies’ Speaks to Japanese Literature, Art, History, and International Relations, is hosted by the University of East Anglia. This talk will feature contributions from Dr Ra Mason (Sasakawa Associate Professor); Dr Sherzod Muminov (Associate Professor in Japanese History); Dr Hannah Osborne (Lecturer in Japanese Literature); Dr Eriko Tomizawa-Kay (Associate Professor in Japanese Art History & Director of the Centre for Japanese Studies) and Dr Nadine Willems (Associate Professor in Japanese History).

Talk Description: This event takes inspiration from Studio Ghibli’s renowned film Grave of the Fireflies, a powerful story of war and loss. We will begin with a screening of the film’s trailer, using it as a starting point for an open discussion with both the panel and audience. Each speaker will then give a short presentation (around 10 minutes) from their area of expertise, followed by interactive discussion and questions from the audience.

The talks will explore themes such as the intersections of art and war, the ethics of representing wartime experiences through film and literature, Japan’s anti-nuclear movement, the dynamics of modern Japan–China relations, and the role of nationalism in twentieth-century Japan. Taken together, these perspectives invite us to reflect on how the themes depicted in Grave of the Fireflies connect to broader questions of memory, ethics, politics, and international relations.

Note: As with past events, video clips and trailers will be shown during the live session but may be omitted from any online recordings.

This event is free to attend but registration is essential! To register, click below or scan the QR code!

For IN-PERSON attendance, click here

Or scan:

For ONLINE attendance, click here

Or scan:

Organised by

The Japan Foundation London

With support from

The University of East Anglia and The Centre for Japanese Studies

About the Speakers

	Dr Ra Mason (Sasakawa Associate Professor, School of Politics, Philosophy and Area Studies) is an internationally recognised specialist in the international relations of the Indo-Pacific, with a specific focus on Japan. His work draws on theories of risk, security and social construction to understand the complex relations between regional alliances, states and non-state actors. He is also interested in wider questions about global politics and conflict.
	Dr Sherzod Muminov (Associate Professor in Japanese History) is a multilingual historian working with sources in Japanese and Russian, and is also fluent in Turkish. His primary research is in modern Japanese and East Asian History, Japanese-Soviet/Russian relations, the Cold War in East Asia, the post-WWII, post-imperial migrations in East Asia, and the international and transnational history of the Soviet system of forced labour camps for prisoners-of-war.
	Dr Hannah Osborne (Lecturer in Japanese Literature) is Japan Foundation Lecturer in Japanese Literature at the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing and the Centre for Japanese Studies at the University of East Anglia. She completed her doctoral thesis, Gender, Love and Text in the Early Writings of Kanai Mieko at the University of Leeds in 2015. Her research interests include: intersections between text, illustration and the avant-garde arts; gender and the body; and women's writing and translation in modern Japanese literature.
	Dr Eriko Tomizawa-Kay (Sainsbury Institute Associate Professor in Japanese Art History and Director of the Centre for Japanese Studies at the University of East Anglia)’s research focuses on modern and contemporary Japanese art, with particular emphasis on nihonga and Okinawan visual culture. She explores their roles in identity, diplomacy, and memory, and her curatorial projects highlight collaboration with artists, museums, and communities. She received her PhD from SOAS, University of London, and has previously held positions as Art History Fellow at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Fellow at the Sainsbury Institute, Toyota Visiting Professor at the University of Michigan, and Visiting Research Associate at the Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts.
	Dr Nadine Willems (Associate Professor in Japanese History) is an intellectual and cultural historian of modern Japan, whose research interests include historical geography, early 20th century agrarian movements, the anarchist critique of modernisation in a transnational perspective, and the literature of dissent. She is currently engaged in a project that examines the personal accounts and visual records produced by rank-and-file soldiers who participated in Japan’s military intervention in Siberia between 1918 and 1922. She obtained her PhD from Oxford University.

Date:

4 November 2025

'Online Career Information Event for Potential Japanese Language Educators: School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) Programme

Are you planning your post-graduation career path? Are you interested in teaching Japanese in secondary schools in England? Would you like to get the teaching qualification to realise that ambition? If so, don’t miss this great opportunity!

The Japan Foundation, London and the National Modern Languages SCITT will be holding a career information event aimed at potential applicants for the National Modern Languages SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training). This is a national scheme approved by the government’s Department for Education. It is designed to train successful applicants to become Early Career Teachers by obtaining a QTS (Qualified Teacher Status).

On this information day, there will be a presentation about useful information concerning how to find a job in the education sector by Japan Foundation staff, followed by a speech given by Mr Keith Faulkner from the NML SCITT about School-Centred Initial Teacher Training, where he will explain how to apply for this programme.

----- What is NML SCITT? -----

The National Modern Languages SCITT (The NML SCITT) is the only national single-subject provider to specialise solely in the teaching of modern languages. The NML SCITT programme is a great opportunity for those who are looking to gain QTS together with a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) qualification. The PGCE programme is offered in conjunction with Sheffield Hallam University, and comes with credits towards an eventual possible Masters-level qualification. Subject to financial factors, degree classification and residential qualification, trainees accepted on the programme may receive a substantial bursary while training; this is currently £25,000 (subject to annual change). The training year consists of practical training in school placements, supported by University- and centre-based academic tuition.

The NML SCITT has introduced a new pathway for training Japanese language teachers.; There is an expectation that trainees can offer Japanese alongside either French, German or Spanish in order to better find a placement, and to ensure that there is a possibility of qualifying for the bursary. The NML SCITT is proud to add Japanese to the programme portfolio. The Japan Foundation, London may also offer financial support to assist NML SCITT trainees (a maximum of £2,000). Please note that this financial support is not guaranteed.

------------------------------

Date:

18:00-19:00 on Thursday 6th November
13:00-14:00 on Friday 7th November

*The same session will take place twice.

To apply, please click here:

https://forms.office.com/r/LgX6usYRaU

Participation fee: Free (registration in advance is required.)
Registration deadline: 4th November
Languages used: English.
Online (ZOOM meeting)

Date:	6 November 2025 - 7 November 2025
Venue:	Online

JaLaChamp 2026 – Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK

Applications for JaLaChamp 2026 are now open!

JaLaChamp, or Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK, is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese. There are two categories - the Speech Category, where students give a speech on a theme of their choice, and the Video Category where students are asked to create an original video based on a set theme either by individual or part of a group.

We want to encourage students to share with us their thoughts and viewpoints, as well as show us their creativity in full and have fun challenging themselves by entering this contest and using their Japanese!

The speech category is aimed for secondary school students who study Japanese as a foreign language, while the video category is open to all primary and secondary school students including those who have lived in Japan and who speak Japanese at home.

The theme for the video category of JaLaChamp 2026 is 私わたし(たち)のおすすめのサンドイッチ ”My/Our Favourite Sandwiches”. You can let us know about your favourite sandwiches, ingredients and recipes or create a video based on a sandwich you think would be a popular item if it were sold in supermarket or bakeries. It can be something else, such as onigiri, sushi rolls, wraps and hamburgers.

From 2026, all videos created by students in the video category will be made available on the Japan Foundation London’s website, allowing your work to have a wider audience!

The Finals Day is scheduled to be held on Saturday, 20^th June 2026, in London. For JaLaChamp 2026, the Finals Day will be divided into two sessions: the morning session for Primary School Video Category finalists and the afternoon session for Secondary School Speech and Video Category finalists, with both sessions to be held on the same day.

For more details, please see the application guidelines below.

Download Guidelines for Primary School Students (English)/Guidelines for Secondary School Students (English)

Download Guidelines for Primary School Students (Japanese)/Guidelines for Secondary School Students (Japanese)

Download the Consent Form for the Video Category

Application Forms and deadlines

- Speech Category Application Form (Apply by Tuesday, 3rd March 2026 at 15:00)

- Video Category Application Form (Apply by Tuesday, 10th March 2026 at 15:00)

Download the JaLaChamp 2026 poster

Date:	16 October 2025 - 10 March 2026
Download JaLaChamp 2026 Poster
Download Guideline_EN_2026_Primary
Download Guideline_EN_2026_Secondary
Download Guideline_JP_2026_Primary
Download Guideline_JP_2026_Secondary
Download JaLaChamp2026_Consent Form Video Category

JaLaChamp 2025 | Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK – Finals Day

The Finals Day of the Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK (JaLaChamp) will be held on Saturday 10^th May 2025, at the Hall of Japan House London.

JaLaChamp is a contest for primary and secondary students studying Japanese in the United Kingdom, and this is the third time for the contest to be held. It consists of two categories: a speech category and a video category. On finals day, speech category finalists will give speeches in front of a large audience consists of the panel of judges, teachers, fellow students and their families, on a variety of topics, entirely in Japanese. After speeches, there will be a premiere for short videos created by video category finalists using Japanese (there will be English subtitles). There will be an award ceremony for both Speech and Video categories at the end of the day.

This year, we will welcome Ms Mara Yamauchi, a former elite athlete and diplomat who worked for the Foreign Office, including at the British Embassy in Tokyo, and also achieved sixth place in the 2008 Beijing Olympics women’s marathon, to give a special talk for the event.

We would like to welcome friends and families of finalists, school members as well as young children who study or are interested in studying Japanese to attend finals day. The event is free but prior registration is required for security purposes. We would appreciate everyone except finalists to book a seat in advance.

Title: Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK 2025, Finals Day

Date & Time: Saturday, 10^th May 2025 1pm – 4.30pm (TBC)

Event Schedule (TBC):

13:00-13:50 Opening and Speech Category finals

Short break

14:00-14:35 Video Category Secondary School Division 1 & 2 Finals

Short break

14:45-14:55 Video Category Primary Division Finals

14:55-15:40 Special Talk and finalist programme

Short break

15:50-16:30 Award Ceremony

Venue: The Hall of Japan House London (101-111 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA)

Language: Speeches will be given in Japanese but speech summaries will be made available in English. Student videos have English subtitles.

Please note that finalists should be registered via their teachers of Japanese (Link below is for non-finalists only). If your schedule has changed and you are unable to attend, we would appreciate it if you could cancel the seat by emailing us at speechcontest@jpf.go.jp, as spaces are limited. Young participants under the age of 18 need to be accompanied by an adult. Non-finalist registration will start in early to mid-April.

Book here

Enquiries: speechcontest@jpf.go.jp

Organiser: The Japan Foundation, London

This event is generously supported by (in alphabetical order): Calbee Group (UK) Ltd., E’quipe Japan, Ltd., The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Japan Centre, The Japan Society, JP BOOKS, Lingualift, Mizkan Euro Ltd., Pentel (Stationery) Ltd., Ricoh UK Limited

This event is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese in the United Kingdom. The aim is to encourage the students to use their Japanese and present one’s thoughts, views, ideas and messages.

Date:	10 May 2025
Download JaLaChamp2025 Programme

*Applications Open* Japanese Studies Grant Programmes 2026-27

Applications are now open for our head office grants: the Japan Foundation Japanese Studies Fellowship Program for Ph.D. candidates and researchers, the Grant Program for Japanese Studies Projects, and the Program for Specialists in Cultural and Academic Fields.

Applications for Fellowships in collaboration with other institutions are also open: JF-CIJS-EAJS Fellowship programme for Ph.D. candidates in Europe, the JF-GJS Fellowship Program for post-doctoral researchers, and the JF-Nichibunken Fellowship Program for post-doctoral researchers.

Details on each programme and application information follows below.

Japanese Studies Fellowship Programme

This program provides preeminent foreign scholars and researchers in the field of Japanese studies with opportunities to conduct research in Japan, with the aim of supporting them and promoting Japanese studies overseas. Experts in the fields of natural science, medical science, and engineering are excluded.

There are three subcategories as follows.

1. Scholars and Researchers (Long Term) (4 - 12 months)

For scholars and researchers who have a Ph.D. degree or equivalent professional experience at the time of application and are conducting research related to Japan (comparative research included) in the humanities and social sciences, whose projects require them to travel to Japan to carry out research over a long period of time. A named affiliate in Japan is also required at the time of application.

2. Scholars and Researchers (Short-term) (21 days - 89 days)

For scholars and researchers who have a Ph.D. degree or equivalent professional experience at the time of application are conducting research related to Japan (comparative research included) in the humanities and social sciences, whose projects require them to travel to Japan to carry out research, gather materials, etc., intensively over a short period of time. A named affiliate in Japan is also required at the time of application.

3. Doctoral Candidates (4 - 12 months)

For doctoral candidates working in the field of Japanese Studies, the humanities and social sciences who are in the closing stages of their Ph.D. and who need to undertake fieldwork in Japan in order to complete their dissertation/thesis. A named affiliate in Japan is required at the time of application.

Grant Coverage:

Round-trip airfare (discount economy class - most direct and economical route)
Stipend and other allowances

Dates for FY 2026-2027 programme:

Applications available: Apply through our Online Application Portal. Details on the programme list on our Tokyo site.
Application Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 4am GMT (1pm JST) on Tuesday 2 December 2025
Notification of Results: By the end of April 2026
Project Duration: Research trips must commence between 20 June, 2026 and 20 March, 2027.

US citizens residing in the UK without UK permanent resident status should submit their applications on-line via the website of the Japan Foundation, New York.

For further information, please contact the Japan Foundation London The Japan Foundation, London (LO_JapaneseStudies@jpf.go.jp) or go to the programme list on our Tokyo site.

Please contact the Japan Foundation to discuss eligibility before applying.

Grant Programme for Japanese Studies Projects

This programme is designed to promote Japanese Studies overseas by providing grants to non-profit organisations such as higher education institutions and research institutions that are implementing Japanese Studies activities.

Eligible projects must fall into any of the following four categories:

Research or conference on Japan; study or training in Japan; or publications that promote and contribute to the development of Japanese studies;
Inviting scholars or researchers from Japan or other countries to deliver lectures on Japan;
Purchase of books and materials on Japanese studies;
Other relevant projects which would further promote and expand the horizon of Japanese studies.

*Projects in the field of natural sciences, commercial activities, arts and cultural activities, activities in support of specific doctrines or claims, and so forth are not eligible for this programme.

Grant Coverage:

Part of the following expenses:

Travel expenses (international airfares and other transportation expenses, daily allowances and accommodation fees)
Honoraria (for lecturers, collaborators, interpreters, etc.)
Meeting expenses (for preparing materials, venues, equipment, public relations, etc.);
Other direct expenses (for purchasing materials, etc.)

Dates for FY 2026-27 programme:

Applications available: Apply through our Online Application Portal. Details on the programme list on our Tokyo site.
Application Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 4am GMT (1pm Japan Standard Time) on Tuesday 2 December 2025.
Notification of Results: By end of April 2026.
Project Duration: Projects must be implemented and completed during FY 2026-25 (Between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027)

For further details on this programme and application forms either contact the Japan Foundation London The Japan Foundation, London (LO_JapaneseStudies@jpf.go.jp) or go to our Tokyo site.

Please contact the Japan Foundation to discuss eligibility before applying.

Programme for Specialists in Cultural and Academic Fields

This programme provides a six-month residential language course for specialists (researchers, postgraduate students, librarians, museum and art gallery curators, etc.) who need to improve their Japanese for academic or professional purposes. Courses take place at our Japanese-Language Institute in Kansai, Japan. Tuition, accommodation and meals are included in the programme but UK based applicants bear their own return travel expenses to Japan. The programme is open to those who are in a field of Japan-related humanities and social sciences, who are aged under 40, and who have a proficiency in Japanese, equivalent to or higher than level JLPT N4 (level 3 of the old JLPT).

Dates for FY 2026-27 programme:

Course Dates:

Course Dates: 6 month course, from early-October 2026 to late-March 2027
Applications available: on the programme list on our Tokyo site
Application Deadline: Apply through Online Application Portal by 4am GMT (1pm Japan Standard Time) on Tuesday 2 December 2025
Notification of Results: Late April 2026

For further details on this programme, please contact the Japan Foundation London The Japan Foundation, London (LO_JapaneseStudies@jpf.go.jp) or go to our Tokyo site.

Please contact the Japan Foundation to discuss eligibility before applying.

JF-CIJS-EAJS Fellowship Program

Tohoku University's Center for Integrated Japanese Studies (CIJS), in collaboration with the Japan Foundation (JF) and supported by the European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS) has announced a research fellowship programme that allows Ph.D. candidates who conduct research related to Japan in the humanities or social sciences, and feel the need to visit Japan to complete their doctoral research to do so at Tohoku University.

Dates and length of fellowship: The fellowship will last between 4 and 12 months, commencing between September 1, 2026 and March 1, 2027.

Application Deadline: Applicants must send their application paperwork to JF-CIJS-EAJS@jpf.go.jp before Friday 21 November, 2025 (Japan Standard Time).

Full eligibility details and application information can be found at:

https://cijs.oii.tohoku.ac.jp/en/news/detail---id-69.html

For any inquiries, please email: JF-CIJS-EAJS@jpf.go.jp.

2026 JF-GJS Fellowship Program

In order to promote Japanese Studies overseas, this programme, jointly organised by the Japan Foundation (JF) and the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia of the University of Tokyo (Tobunken), provides post-doctoral researchers in the field of Japanese Studies with opportunities to conduct research in Japan while belonging to Tobunken. The Fellows will also be expected to gain experience as project facilitators through operation and management work at various meetings or workshops, and to form and expand networks with people involved in international exchange.

Dates and length of fellowship: The fellowship will last between 6 and 24 months, commencing between September 1, 2026 and March 1, 2027.

Application Deadline: Applicants must send their application paperwork to JF-GJS@jpf.go.jp before Monday 1 December, 2025 (Japan Standard Time).

Full eligibility details and application information can be found at:

https://gas.ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/networking/2026-jf-gjs-fellowship/

For any inquiries, please email: JF-GJS@jpf.go.jp.

JF-Nichibunken Fellowship Program

This programme is jointly organised by the Japan Foundation and the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, National Institutes for the Humanities (Nichibunken). It provides post-doctoral researchers in the field of Japanese Studies with the opportunity to conduct research in Japan while belonging to Nichibunken. The Fellows will also be expected to gain experience as project facilitators through operation and management work at various meetings or workshops, and to form networks with people involved in international exchange.

Eligibility

Eligible research themes examine Japanese culture from an international, interdisciplinary, and comprehensive perspective in the fields of the humanities and the social sciences. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. at the time of application, and must have received the Ph.D. within 6 years as of April 1, 2026.

Grant Coverage

Round-trip airfare (discount economy class - most direct and economical route)
Stipend and other allowances

Dates for FY 2026-27 programme:

Applications available: Apply by filling out and sending the Application Form to JF-Nichibunken@jpf.go.jp. For full details and Application Form, click here.
Application Deadline: Monday, 1 December (JST)
Notification of Results: Applicants who pass the first screening will be invited for interview in January, 2026. Successful Fellows will be informed in April 2026.
Project Duration: Fellows will be invited to stay continuously in Japan for a period from over 6 months to a maximum of 24 months. Projects must commence between September 1, 2026 and March 1, 2027.

If you have any questions regarding the JF-Nichibunken Fellowship, please email JF-Nichibunken@jpf.go.jp .

Date:

21 November 2025 - 1 December 2025

Talk event - The Golden Age of Tea Ceremony: Rikyu, Oribe, Enshu

Originally, the Japanese tea ceremony (sado) was simply the practice of preparing and enjoying tea (chanoyu), but it evolved into a unique discipline that emphasised spiritual cultivation and aesthetic refinement. The form of chanoyu perfected by master Sen no Rikyu involved a small group of close acquaintances gathering in an intimate tea room to share food, sake, and tea while engaging in discussions about art and culture removed from worldly concerns. During the era of civil war, this practice aimed to rebuild human bonds that transcended social status.

In the 17th century, with the restoration of peace, samurai tea masters such as FURUTA Oribe and KOBORI Enshu brought significant changes and diversification to architecture, gardens, and tea utensils such as ceramics, and both the boldness and the refined elegance of their styles continue to be cherished by many today.

Together with the Japan Society, we are delighted to present a fascinating talk featuring KOZU Asao, a cultural historian specialising in the history of the tea ceremony, who will explore the evolution of chanoyu across three generations - Rikyu, Oribe, and Enshu - linked by a lineage of master and disciple.

This event is now fully booked; tickets are returns only.
Click here to join the waitlist on the Japan Society website.

Date:	16 June 2025 from 6.45pm
Venue:	The Swedenborg Society, 20-21 Bloomsbury Way (hall entrance on Barter St), London, WC1A 2TH

Co-organised with the Japan Society.

Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) December 2025

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a test for non-native speakers of Japanese which evaluates and certifies their Japanese-Language proficiency. The test takes place twice a year (July and December) in Japan and various locations around the world. Currently, it is the largest Japanese language test in the world, with approximately 1.72 million people worldwide having registered for the JLPT in 2024.

The next December JLPT will take place on Sunday, 7^th December 2025. Registration will start at each test centre from early/ mid-August.

The December exam will be held at three test sites in the UK: SOAS University of London, the University of Leicester and the University of Edinburgh. For application opening dates and registration details, please refer to each university’s website using the links below (Please note that the JLPT is very popular and registration at each test centre will close when the test centre has reached its maximum capacity.):

× Japan Research Centre, SOAS University of London SOAS Applications have now closed

× University of Leicester Applications at University of Leicester have now closed

× University of Edinburgh Applications at University of Edinburgh have now closed

Important Changes

1. Starting from 2025, examinees are not allowed to use mobile phones and other devices, including smartwatches and all camera and communication devices, until the end of the entire test, including during breaks. Examinees must turn OFF their devices until the test is completed. If the devices are turned ON during breaks, it will be considered misconduct and their test scores will be invalidated.

2. Starting in December 2025, the Exam Start Time will be earlier and registration will take place in the morning. Please check the new test schedule at your test centre’s website and make sure that you will be able to arrive on time to register.

3. CEFR Levels will be added as reference information in JLPT score reports starting from the December 2025 JLPT. For details, please check here.

For more information about the test, please visit JLPT website.

Ø Let’s Try Sample Questions!

Date:	7 July 2025 - 7 December 2025
Venue:	SOAS University of London, University of Leicester, University of Edinburgh

KABUKI KIMONO: Costumes of Bandō Tamasaburō V

Step into the world of Kabuki with six stunning kimonos worn by the legendary actor BANDO Tamasaburo V, known for his renowned onnagata roles (male actor who performs female roles). Experience the intricate artistry of these garments, highlighting a diverse range of complex textile techniques, encompassing weaving, dyeing, embroidery, and hand-painting. We are delighted to collaborate with the Ashmolean Museum.

Date: 14 December 2024 - 9 November 2025

Venue: The Ashmolean Museum

Click here for details

Date:

21 November 2023 - 8 December 2024

One Day Workshop and Networking Event for Primary/Secondary School Japanese Teachers

The Japan Foundation, London is holding a Refresher Course for Japanese teachers online over a few weeks from late June to mid-July. This is to help non-native-speaker-level Japanese teachers brush up their Japanese level and network with other Japanese teachers.

The in-person Final Day of the Refresher Course will be held in London and is open to all school teachers, even if they have not participated in the Refresher Course.

Why not join us in London for a chance to meet fellow teachers of Japanese, participate in workshops, and hear from expert speakers? The event is free, and lunch will also be provided.

You can find information on the Final Day event below:

Basic Information

Date: Saturday 19th July
Venue: The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, 13/14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle), London, NW1 4QP
Fee: Free
Languages Used: English with some Japanese
Application Deadline: 10th July 2025 (Thursday), 15:00

Link to Application Form

*Applications will close once the maximum number of participants has been reached.

Eligibility (Any one or more of the following)

Japanese teachers who teach at secondary and/or primary schools, including teaching extra-curricular activities such as school clubs.
PGCE students who are aiming to become Japanese teachers.
SCITT trainees/candidates

*Your application may not be accepted if it does not meet the eligibility criteria.

Schedule (TBC: Please note that this schedule is subject to change)

10:40　Venue opens
11:00　Opening
11:10　Session 1 (Seminar about GCSEs/A-Levels)
11:40　Break
11:50　Session 2 (Workshop about teaching methodology)
13:20　Break
13:30　Buffet lunch
15:00　End

Speakers

Ms Fiona Pryce at Pearson Edexcel

Fiona Pryce is a Senior Qualification Manager at Pearson Edexcel, with a portfolio of 16 GCSE and 15 A Level language qualifications. Fiona has extensive experience as an MFL teacher, teaching Spanish and German up to KS5 and French up to KS3. As a HOD she supported students taking additional language qualifications, including Japanese GCSE. She also ran a primary MFL business for 6 years. Fiona joined Pearson in 2022 and led on the development of the GCSE 2024 Spanish Edexcel and AQA course resources.

Ms Anne Rajakumar

Anne Rajakumar has been teaching Japanese for over thirty years, in both Australia and the UK. She is the author of the successful Australian primary-level workbooks, Yonde Kaite, and has a website and Youtube channel which hosts a wealth of material to support the GCSE, A-Level and International Baccalaureate Japanese programmes. Until giving up classroom teaching in 2020, Anne was the Head of Japanese at Hockerill Anglo-European College and since then she has focussed on teaching online. For the past fifteen years making online resources to support 'Flipped Learning' in the classroom has been a major focus of her work, and she has integrated the use of online resources into her teaching (Flipped Learning) to great effect.

Click here to register to attend

Date:	19 July 2025
Venue:	The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, 13/14 Cornwall Terrace (Outer Circle), London, NW1 4QP

The 21st Japanese Speech Contest for University Students

We are delighted to announce that the 21st Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is open for applications!

This contest gives students the chance to demonstrate their Japanese speaking skills and to make their voices heard in Japanese. Finalists will be invited to give their speeches and presentations at the Speech Contest Finals Day, which will be held at King’s College London on Saturday 7th March 2026.

There will be fantastic prizes to finalists.

:: Contest Aims

The main purpose of the event is to improve the speaking and presentation skills of students studying Japanese as a foreign language. Through this event, we hope to promote Japanese language learning at higher education level in the UK and Ireland.

:: Who can apply?

The contest is aimed at undergraduate students who are currently studying Japanese as a foreign language at a university in the UK or Ireland.

There are three different categories*:

*Please be advised that contestants are expected to choose appropriate topics according to the category to which they are applying.

1. Speech Category

Aim:

To discuss and/or argue a topic of your choice and offer opinions, suggestions and/or solutions.

Eligibility:

· Undergraduate students who are studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard C1 or C2* at a university in the UK or Ireland including, as an elective, optional or other university-based language course.

· Those who have less than a total of three years’ residence in Japan since the age of six.

* Five finalists will be selected.

Application Deadline: Monday 10th November 2025 (15:00 GMT)

2. Individual Presentation Category

Aim:

To explain your chosen topic and to convey your opinion or message using PowerPoint slides.

Eligibility:

· Undergraduate students who are studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard B1 or B2* at a university in the UK or Ireland.

· Those who have spent not more than 12 months in total in Japan.

* Five finalists will be selected.

Application Deadline: Monday 8th December 2025 (15:00 GMT)

3. Group Presentation Category

Aim:

To introduce a topic related to the U.K. or another country outside of Japan.

Eligibility:

· Undergraduate students who are studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard A1 or A2* at a university in the UK or Ireland.

· Groups of two to four students.

· Postgraduate students alongside undergraduate student(s).

* Five finalist groups will be selected.

Application Deadline: Monday 15^th December 2025 (15:00 GMT)

*Details of JF Standard can be found here: https://www.jfstandard.jpf.go.jp/pdf/web_whole_en.pdf

Please see the files below for the contest poster, FAQ, and application guidelines for each category. URL for online application form can be found in the Application Guidelines for each category.

Contest Poster

Frequently Asked Questions

Speech Category Application Guidelines

Individual Presentation Category Application Guidelines

Group Presentation Category Application Guidelines

See videos from previous University Speech Contest Finals Day here.

Please email speechcontest@jpf.go.jp if you have any questions.

Date:	1 September 2025 - 15 December 2025
Download 21st Speech Contest Application Poster
Download SpC21 Speech Category guidelines
Download SpC21 Indivi Presen Category guidelines
Download SpC21 Group Presen Category guidelines
Download SpC21 FAQ

Meet the Author: TSUJIMURA Mizuki's UK Tour

Photo: ©Naoto Otsubo/Kodansha Ltd.

We are delighted to be bringing one of Japan's bestselling authors, TSUJIMURA Mizuki (known for Lonely Castle in the Mirror) to the UK in October, in celebration of her newly English translated book Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon (『ツナグ』).

Much anticipated, award-winning novel: Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon, originally published in Japan in 2011, paints the world of Ayumi, who has the power to bring back the dead to meet the living for one last chance at closure. Each reunion Ayumi oversees reveals clues through which readers can uncover deeply emotional truths in this intensely moving, heart-warming novel.

These talks will provide a rare and limited opportunity to hear directly from TSUJIMURA, the author behind many prominent novels.

Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon (『ツナグ』) now available in English, is supported by the Japan Foundation's Support Program for Translation and Publication.

Praise for Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon:

'Recalls early Murakami. An enchanting read' - Financial Times

‘A beautifully written novel about hope and kindness’ - Big Issue

TSUJIMURA Mizuki

Born 29 February 1980. Debuted in 2004 after winning the 31st Mephisto Prize for A School Frozen in Time. Received the 32nd Yoshikawa Eiji Literary Prize for New Writers for Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon, along with the 147th Naoki Prize for Kagi no nai yume wo miru (A Dream Without a Key) and first place in the 15th Japan Booksellers' Award for Lonely Castle in the Mirror. Many of her works have been adapted for screen, and several of her works, including A School Frozen in Time, Lonely Castle in the Mirror, and Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon, have been published in translation, reaching readers around the world.

Date:	9 October 2025 - 12 October 2025
Venue:	LONDON on 9 October, 19:00~, at Foyles Charing Cross Road, Click here for details SHEFFIELD on 10 October, 18:00~, with Off the Shelf at the Millennium Gallery, Click here for details CHELTENHAM on 12 October 19:00~, for The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival at Pillar Room, Cheltenham Town Hall. Click here for details

Talk Event - OHTSUKA Yasuo: The Animator That Inspired a Generation

Top image photo credits: © OHTSUKA Yasuo

Numerous Japanese animators have laid the foundation for Japanese animation. Like MIYAZAKI Hayao, some of them even sparked a global sensation, helping to establish the reputation and high standards of Japanese anime as we know it today. However, the list of notable names is by no means exhaustive.

OHTSUKA Yasuo (1931 – 2021) is one such animator whose contributions deserve greater recognition. A leading figure in Japanese animation, OHTSUKA actively contributed to the field from the early 1950s. In the 1960s, he recognised the talents of TAKAHATA Isao and MIYAZAKI Hayao, enthusiastically nurturing them and collaborating on now world-famous works such as Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro.

As part of Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival, in which the Japan Foundation has been involved as a partner, KANOH Seiji, specially appointed professor at Tokyo Zokei University who has researched OHTSUKA and his achievements for 30 years, will discuss the significance of OHTSUKA’s work and ethos in this exclusive online talk, as well as the lasting impact he has had on anime fans and creators for generations to come.

About Professor KANOH Seiji

A Japanese film scholar, specially appointed professor at Tokyo Zokei University, and representative of the Institute of Isao Takahata & Hayao Miyazaki Films.

As a leading scholar of Japanese animation, Professor KANOH has served as a planning advisor and catalogue contributor for major exhibitions including “Isao Takahata Exhibition: His Legacy to Japanese Animation” (2019, Tokyo); “The Man Who Made Japanese Animation” (2025, Tokyo); and “Isao Takahata: Pioneer of Contemporary Animation, from the Post-War Era to Studio Ghibli” (2025, Paris).

His publications include “The Complete Works of Miyazaki Hayao” and “The People Who Built Japanese Animation: New Edition”.

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential.
Click here to book your place on Eventbrite.

Date:	25 November 2025 from 1.00pm
Venue:	Online via Zoom

This event is jointly presented by the Japan Foundation and Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival.

Japanese Language Taster Session Inspired by Pictograms: Iconic Japanese Designs

We are pleased to announce that we will be holding a free, in-person Japanese language taster session, inspired by the Japan House London exhibition "Pictograms: Iconic Japanese Designs". Enjoy learning about the Japanese language while experiencing the beauty of modern Japanese design at Japan House London's exhibition.

Date: 27th October 2025 (Monday)
Time (the same session will take place twice):
- First Session: 12:00 - 13:00
- Second Session: 14:00 - 15:00
Venue: The Hall at Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA

Session Information

Content: A beginner's Japanese lesson inspired by "Pictograms: Iconic Japanese Designs" (exhibition currently running at Japan House London)

Plus! Optional Free Gallery Tour! All participants in either of the taster sessions will have the opportunity to take part in a free 15-minute gallery tour of the Japan House London "Pictogram: Iconic Japanese Designs" exhibition. This tour will be led by a member of Japan House London staff and will take place after the taster session, in the same building. Don't miss out on this exciting chance!

Lecturer: Aramaki-sensei
- Aramaki-sensei is a Japanese teacher with over a decade of experience guiding students to success especially in GCSE, A level, and JLPT exams. Friendly and passionate, they make learning both effective and enjoyable, while sharing a love of Japanese literature and culture. Their favourite character from The Tale of Genji is Oborozukiyo, admired for her elegance and cool.
Eligibility: This session is aimed at young people, such as sixth form students or university students (aged 16-22). It is for those who have never learned Japanese before or who are at a very beginner level. If you are worried about your eligibility, you can contact us: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp

Number of Participants: 30 people for each session

Click here to fill out an application form

Application Deadline: 24th October 2025, 23:59

Attendance is free but booking is essential.

Applications will close when this event has reached maximum capacity.

Download and print an event flyer

Please direct all enquiries to: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp

Date:	27 October 2025
Venue:	The Hall at Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA
Download JHL Pictogram Event Flyer 0

Special Screening: 'Drops of Heaven' (Cambridge)

Following the popular London screening this September, the Japan Foundation and Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature are pleased to bring Drops of Heaven to Cambridge this November! This captivating documentary features TATSUMI Yoshiko, Japan’s legendary culinary artist and writer of “Inochi no soup”, (the “soup of life”), a work devoted to using natural, nourishing ingredients.

Framed by the serene beauty of rural Japan, viewers can witness TATSUMI’s thoughtful approach to food and the rhythms of a slower, more connected life.

As conversations around sustainable living and nature-focused wellbeing continue to grow, this quietly powerful 2012 film feels more relevant than ever to our modern life.

Click here for details

Date:	15 November 2025 from 4.00pm
Venue:	West Court, Jesus College, University of Cambridge, 22 Jesus Lane, Cambridge CB5 8BQ

Tickets: £10 – £15

Special thanks to NISHIHARA Sakiko for help with materialising this screening.

Presented by Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature.

Co-presented with the Japan Foundation

The Sixth Online Get-Together

Calling all secondary school and language school teachers of Japanese! We will be holding a sixth Online Get-Together. This is a great opportunity to talk with your colleagues about your work in a relaxed, casual setting. We hope you can use this as a chance to talk about any issues you are facing in the classroom, exchange information on resources or exams, and more.

As well as group discussion sessions, Dr Chisato Ofune, Chief Language Advisor at the Japan Foundation London will be giving a talk on the theme of “What is ‘culture’? Should we teach it?”.

If you were asked what culture is, how would you answer? Can you explain it simply? In this session, we would like to think together with the participants about what culture is and what students can learn by studying culture.

About the speakers

Dr Chisato Ofune is Chief Japanese Language Advisor at The Japan Foundation London since September 2021. Before joining the U.K. Japan Foundation Office, she has been engaged in Japanese language education in Japan, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, and has been involved in the development of various textbooks for secondary school students and teacher education projects throughout her career.

Date:

26^th March 2024 (Tuesday), 17:00-18:30 (BST), 18:30-19:00
*18:30-19:00 (Participants are welcome to stay beyond the end of the seminar to ask questions, exchange exam information, network and so on.）

Schedule:

17:00- : Main presentation by Dr Ofune including some group work.

Group discussion and exchange information.

18:30-: Further group discussion (extended time)

To apply please click here

Participation fee: Free (Registration in advance is required.)
Registration Deadline: 19^th March
Languages used: Japanese (PowerPoint slides and resources will be shown in English.)

You can read some comments from participants of the previous Online Get-Togethers below:

It was really good to join in with fellow Japanese colleagues from around the country (and world!) and listen and see in Japanese how these colleagues created and use these resources.

I spent a hugely worthwhile time getting to talk with other teachers that I do not often get a chance to meet and exchange new information.

I have gotten a lot of ideas and tips from the speaker’s presentation. Thanks to the presentation I think I can improve my teaching skills to encourage my pupils to learn more!

Date:

26 March 2024 from 5.00pm - 7.00pm

Animator talk - OGAWA Iku: Stop-Motion in Motion

As part of the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival 2024, with which the Japan Foundation is proud to partner, animation director OGAWA Iku is joining us for a very special talk revealing the behind-the-scenes of stop-motion film-making. Giving exclusive insights into the direction and character creation processes of the animated works he has been involved in, such as HIDARI (screened at the 2024 Kotatsu Festival) and Netflix's Pokémon Concierge, OGAWA will discuss what it is like to work in the Japanese animation industry - don't miss this rare opportunity to discover its fascinating inner workings!

For the first time, this talk will be given with British Sign Language interpretation.

This online talk is free to attend, but booking is essential.
Click here to book your place on Eventbrite.

Date:	29 November 2024 from 1.00pm
Venue:	Online via Zoom

Talk presented by the Japan Foundation and Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival.

School-Centred Initial Teacher Training Information Day for Applicants - April 2024

Are you interested in teaching Japanese in secondary schools in England? Would you like to get the teaching qualification to realise that ambition? If so, please don’t miss this great opportunity!

The National Modern Languages SCITT and the Japan Foundation, London will be holding an information event aimed at potential applicants for the National Modern Languages SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training). This is a national scheme approved by the government’s Department for Education. It is designed to train successful applicants to become Early Career Teachers by obtaining a QTS.

The National Modern Languages SCITT (The NML SCITT) is unique, being the only national single-subject provider to specialise solely in the teaching of modern languages. The NML SCITT programme is a great opportunity for those who are looking to gain QTS together with the recognised standard qualification of Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The PGCE programme is offered in conjunction with Sheffield Hallam University, and comes with credits towards an eventual possible Masters-level qualification, should trainees take up the option to continue study in the future. Subject to financial, degree classification and residential qualification, participants accepted on the programme may receive a substantial bursary while training; this is currently £25,000, but please note that this is subject to annual change. The training year consists of an empowering combination of practical training in school placements, supported by University- and centre-based academic tuition.

The NML SCITT will introduce a new pathway for training Japanese language teachers as part of its programme; there will be an expectation in the first instance that Japanese will be offered alongside either French, German or Spanish in order to cater for schools’ existing curricular offers, and to ensure that there is a possibility of qualifying for the bursary. Whilst in the past the provider’s focus has mainly been on these nationally prevalent modern languages (French, German, and Spanish), Mandarin, Arabic, Russian and Italian have also featured in our trainees’ languages skill sets. The NML SCITT will be proud and pleased to add Japanese to the programme portfolio.

On this information day, Mr Keith Faulkner from the National Modern Languages SCITT will give a speech about SCITT, and explain how to apply for the NML SCITT. There will be a Q&A session.

Date: 17:00-17:45 on Tuesday 30th April

To apply, please click here.

Participation fee: Free (registration in advance is required.)
Registration deadline: 26th April
Languages used: English
Online (ZOOM meeting)

Date:	30 April 2024 from 5.00pm - 5.45pm
Venue:	Online event

Talk event - Tokyo Through Time: Hanga Prints in a Changing Capital with KOYAMA Shuko

When you think of Japanese woodblock print-making, you likely think of the 18th-and-19th-century greats: KITAGAWA Utamaro, KATSUSHIKA Hokusai, and UTAGAWA Hiroshige are all well-known around the world for their ukiyo-e works, but the art of woodblock printing continued to prosper well beyond their times. In fact, the artform thrived well into the more modern times of the 1920s and 1930s, evolving beyond ukiyo-e along the way, with a number of its artists using it to express their own unique takes on the liveliness of a newly-modernised Tokyo.

In this special talk event, KOYAMA Shuko, curator at the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Tokyo, will give an illustrated talk on hanga (woodblock print) works, with a particular focus on the 1920s and 1930s and the ways in which the artists of this time captured the changing city of Tokyo, while also comparing this more modern hanga to its ukiyo-e predecessors.

This event is organised in celebration of the opening of Tokyo, naissance d'une ville moderne (Tokyo, the Birth of a Modern City) at the Japan Foundation's Maison de la culture du Japon in Paris.

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential.
Click here to book your place on Eventbrite.

Date:	1 November 2024 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Hall, Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA

Organised by the Japan Foundation in collaboration with the Edo-Tokyo Museum.
Supported by Japan House London.

Online Seminar – Learners are people who ‘can do’/ 「学習者は『できる』人である！～CEFRが描くcan doと仲介からことばの教育をのぞいてみよう～」

The Japan Foundation offices (Madrid, Colon, London and Paris) will jointly hold an online teachers’ seminar on the topic ‘Learners are people who “can do”! : Take a Look into Language Education from the CEFR's “Can Do” and “Mediation” on 22nd November 2024 (Friday).

The theme, date and time of the seminar are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that information is only available in Japanese, as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: Learners are people who ‘can do’! : Let's Take a Look at Language Education through the CEFR's ‘Can Do’ and ‘Mediation’

Date/Time: 22nd November 2024 (Friday), 9:00-11:30 (GMT/UTC) / 10:00-12:30 (CET)

Application Deadline: 10th November 2024 (Sunday)

Online form

Enquiries:

The Japan Foundation, Madrid: nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / Spanish)

The Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

-------

このたびマドリード日本文化センターが中心となり、国際交流基金の欧州4拠点共催で2024年11月22日（金）にオンライン日本語教師研修会を開催する運びとなりました。

今回のテーマは【学習者は「できる」人である！～CEFRが描くcan doと仲介からことばの教育をのぞいてみよう～】　

講師に奥村三菜子先生をお呼びしての開催です！

多くの方にご参加いただけると幸いです。

テーマ：学習者は「できる」人である！

～CEFRが描くcan doと仲介からことばの教育をのぞいてみよう～

日時：2024年11月22日（金）9:00-11:30 （英国・アイルランド）/10:00-12:30（中央ヨーロッパ）

形式：オンライン（Zoom）

使用言語：日本語

対象：
・欧州在住の日本語教師を優先しますが、他地域からもご参加できます
・CEFRを使った実践やCan-doや「仲介」の実践にご関心がある方
・オンラインレッスンやプライベートレッスンをされている方も大歓迎！

講師：奥村三菜子先生（NPO法人YYJ・ゆるくてやさしい日本語のなかまたち、副理事）

申込：Online form　＊締切：11月10日（日）

チラシ

※ポスターの時刻は、スペイン・ポルトガル時刻で表示されています。英国、アイルランドからのご参加のみなさまは、ポルトガルと同じ時間帯です。どうぞ時差にご注意ください。

講師からのメッセージ：

「できない」を「できる」にすることだけが教育ではありません。「できる」を「もっとできる」にすることも教育です。学習者本人も忘れていた／気づいていなかった「できる」を学びの場で発掘するために、私たちには何ができるでしょう？　CEFRが描くcan doと仲介の考え方からそのヒントを探ってみませんか？

講師略歴：

NPO法人YYJ・ゆるくてやさしい日本語のなかまたち、副理事

1990年代から日本語教育に携わる。1999年に赴任したドイツでCEFRと出会い、以来、CEFRを参照した教育実践、ワークショップ、教師研修等を多数行う。現在は、2019年に仲間と設立したNPO法人で、日本語教師同士および日本語教育と隣接領域をつなぎ、共に支え合うことができる場づくりの活動を行っている。

　主な著書：

　『日本語教師のためのCEFR』（共編著，くろしお出版，2016）

　『CEFR-CVとことばの教育』（共著，くろしお出版，2024）

　『日本語を教えてみたいと思ったときに読む本』（共著，コスモピア，2022）

　＊NPO法人YYJホームページ：https://www.yyjnpo.com

問い合わせ先 :
国際交流基金マドリード日本文化センター　nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp

Date:	18 October 2024 - 22 November 2024
Download 1124 オンライン講演会_フライヤ2

Scotland tour: "Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey" produced by Vanishing Point and Kanagawa Arts Theatre

The Japan Foundation is proud to partner with theatre company Vanishing Point as their production of Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey, based on the surreal stories by MURAKAMI Haruki and co-produced by Kanagawa Arts Theatre, tours Scotland.

Mizuki is a young woman whose life, job, and husband all seem ordinary, until one day she forgets her name. Disturbed by deepening consequences, she seeks solace in makeshift counsellor Mrs SAKAKI, who leads the two on a journey of discovery through both the tunnels of Tokyo and the annals of SAKAKI's subconscious.
Bathing amidst the mountains of Japan, a traveller is shocked to discover a talking monkey tending the hot spring. Conversation ensues, and the monkey tells of how he learned ‘human language’, came to appreciate the music of Bruckner and Richard Strauss, and now teeters on the edge of a profound, alarming confession.

Featuring performers from Scotland and Japan, human and puppet monkeys, lurking shadows, stunning sound, and a distinctive visual language, Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey will draw you into the inimitable, dream-like domain of one of the world’s best-loved living authors.

Performed in English and Japanese, with full dialogue captioning built into the stage design.

Click here to book your tickets for performances at Tramway in Glasgow.

Click here to book your tickets for performances at Dundee Rep in Dundee.

Date:

22 February 2025 - 8 March 2025

Venues: Tramway, Glasgow (22 February - 1 March)
Venues: Dundee Rep, Dundee (6 - 8 March)

Talk event - Defining Japanese Fashion: From Meisen Kimono to Issey Miyake

Japan has fabricated a unique and distinctive fashion culture. In recent years, subcultures like Gothic Lolita ("Goth-loli") and avant-garde fashion designs, such as those by Comme des Garçons, have had a significant impact on global fashion. Why has Japan developed such a unique fashion culture? How is contemporary Japanese fashion connected to Japan's past?

In this talk, Professor NARUMI Hiroshi will explore the evolution of fashion in Japan during the country's 20th-century modernisation. Through key trends such as the Taisho-era Meisen kimono, the rise of the Modern Girl, the westernisation of Japanese clothing, and post-war youth fashion, he will discuss how Japanese fashion reflects the nation’s changing identity, offering a fresh perspective on the complex relationship between clothing and culture.

This event is now fully booked; tickets are returns only.
Click here to join the waitlist on the Japan Society website.

Date:	17 February 2025 from 6.45pm
Venue:	The Swedenborg Society, 20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St), London, WC1A 2TH

Co-organised with the Japan Society.

JaLaChamp 2024 | Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK – Finals Day!

(This event is now fully booked.)

We are delighted to announce that the Finals Day for the Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK (JaLaChamp) 2024 will take place on Saturday 11^th May 2024 at Japan House London.

JaLaChamp is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese, and consists of two categories: a speech category, and a video category where students are asked to create an original video. This is the second time that JaLaChamp will take place and once again we received many applications from all across the country.

On Finals Day, each speech category finalist will give a speech on a topic of their choice in front of an audience consists of the panel of judges, teachers, fellow students and their families. We will also be playing the videos of the video category finalists projected on a large screen in the Japan House London Hall! There will be special prizes for all finalists taking part.

Speeches and videos will be followed by a special talk by Dr Catherine Butler. Dr Butler is Reader in English Literature at Cardiff University, and her latest book, “British Children’s Literature in Japanese Culture: Wonderlands and Looking-Glasses”, published in 2023, looks into the relationship of the Japanese with British children’s literature. She has also published six novels for children and teenagers. She will talk about the fun of translating stories from a different cultural context and conveying messages. 　

Registration for this year’s JaLaChamp finals day has closed as the application have reached the maximum capacity. We are planning to upload recordings of the speeches and the applicants’ videos to our YouTube channel after Finals Day. Please follow this page and the News section of our website for further updates.

This event is generously supported by (in alphabetical order):

Date:	11 May 2024
Download JaLaChamp2024 Finals Day Programme

Artist talk - KAWAUCHI Rinko: Reflections on Past and Future

KAWAUCHI Rinko is one of Japan’s most prominent contemporary photographers. Her work is exhibited globally, including a 2006 solo exhibition at The Photographers’ Gallery in London, and is often described as poetic, offering an ethereal, dream-like perspective on the everyday world we inhabit without being constrained by any one particular theme.

In celebration of her new exhibition at Arnolfini in Bristol, Rinko Kawauchi: At the edge of the everyday world (supported by the Japan Foundation and opening on 19 October), KAWAUCHI will be visiting London to reflect on her works to date, focusing on the past 10 years. She will introduce the ethos behind them, along with the philosophies that drive her photographic practice, giving an exclusive insight into the enthralling images she produces.

KAWAUCHI Rinko

KAWAUCHI Rinko is an internationally-acclaimed photographer who has appeared in countless group exhibitions, including for the Deutsche Börse Photography Prize 2012 at The Photographers' Gallery in London and for the Brighton Photo Biennial 2010 'New Documents' in Brighton. She has published a multitude of photobooks, and has held solo exhibitions near-continuously since 1998, including a 2006 major solo exhibition at The Photographers’ Gallery. Her photography utilises even the smallest aspects of everyday life as a vessel by which to capture poetic reflections on themes of care, identity, sustainability, humanity, and nature, and has won her numerous awards and accolades, including an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Photographic Society in 2012 and an Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award in 2023.

This event is now fully booked.
Click here to join the waiting list on Eventbrite.

Date:	15 October 2024 from 7.00pm
Venue:	The Photographers' Gallery, 16-18 Ramillies Street, London, W1F 7LW

Presented by the Japan Foundation and The Photographers' Gallery.
In collaboration with Arnolfini.

Japanese Language Session Inspired by ‘Looks Delicious!’

Why not learn Japanese language alongside the exhibition of Japanese food replicas?

Calling all young learners who have never learnt Japanese before or those who are at a very beginner level!

Japan House London is currently holding an exhibition showcasing Japan’s food replicas. This bold exhibition bridges the worlds of Japanese food and culture. The Japan Foundation, London will be holding a Japanese Language session linked to this exhibition.

Date: Wednesday 30th October, 12:00-13:00 / 14:00-15:00

*The same session will be repeated twice.

Venue: The Hall at Japan House London,

101-111 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA

Session content: Basic Japanese expressions about Japanese meals and more!

Please note:

This session is aimed at young people, such as sixth form students or university students (aged 16-22)
For those who have never learnt Japanese before or those who are at a very beginner level.
The food samples at this session and the exhibition are not edible.
The session is followed by a free exhibition tour, led by Japan House staff. (Optional, approx. 15 min)

To register, please click here

Fee: Free (registration in advance is required.)

Registration deadline: Monday 21st October

The maximum number of participants is 30 people for each session.

Applications will close when this event has reached maximum capacity (30 participants)

Lecturer: Ms Masumi Jinda Everett

Organised by The Japan Foundation, London

Supported by Japan House London

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About the Lecturer

Masumi Jinda Everett has dedicated over 20 years to educating young minds, teaching Japanese at Harrow International School in Thailand, as well as at Bexley Grammar School in the UK. Her commitment to her students' development while teaching Japanese language and culture has been the cornerstones of her teaching philosophy. She has continued to inspire and guide students from various cultural backgrounds, enriching their understanding of Japanese language and culture.

Date:	30 October 2024
Venue:	The Hall at Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA

This session will be held twice on 30th October 2024:

First Session: 12:00-13:00

Second Session: 14:00-15:00

Double-bill screening - Kamome Diner (2005, dir. OGIGAMI Naoko) and Key of Life (2012, dir. UCHIDA Kenji)

We're returning to Cambridge for another special film screening event, and this time we're bringing not just one, but two films!

In collaboration with Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature and Jesus College, University of Cambridge, join us for FREE screenings of Kamome Diner (2005, dir. OGIGAMI Naoko) and Key of Life (2012, dir. UCHIDA Kenji).

These screenings are free to attend, but booking is essential.
Click here to book on the Panorama Journal website.

Screenings

Kamome Diner
dir. OGIGAMI Naoko, 2005, 102 min, English subtitles
Summer arrives in Helsinki, bringing with it the opening of a small Japanese eatery known as Kamome Diner. After a slow start, the shop gradually begins to grow in popularity, yet no-one ever orders the "soul food" rice balls made by its 38-year-old owner, Sachie (KOBAYASHI Satomi).
Screening at 14:30 GMT

Key of Life
dir. UCHIDA Kenji, 2012, 128 min, English subtitles
Failed actor SAKURAI (SAKAI Masato) visits a bathhouse to purify himself before ending it all. When wealthy fellow patron KONDO (KAGAWA Teruyuki) takes an amnesia-inducing fall, SAKURAI spots an opportunity to escape his current struggles and assumes KONDO's identity.
Screening at 17:00 GMT

Date:	16 November 2024
Venue:	Frankopan Hall, West Court, Jesus College, Cambridge, CB5 8BL

Presented by the Japan Foundation in collaboration with Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature and Jesus College, University of Cambridge.

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2025

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme is back for 2025!

From 7 February to 31 March, discover 26 diverse Japanese films at 33 cinemas in 32 cities, spotlighting cinematic ideas of justice, justification, and judgement against today's backdrop of ever-changing values and perspectives.
From cult classics to cutting-edge independent cinema and drama to comedy, there's something for everyone!

Find out what films are showing, and where, on our official website:

https://www.jpf-film.org.uk/

#JFTFP25

Date:

7 February 2025 - 31 March 2025

The Japan Foundation Awards 2024 Commemorative Lecture: How Japanese Arts and Cultures Can Make Us Happier

Date: Thursday 16 January, 6.30pm

Venue: Japan House London (Livestream available)

We are proud to announce that the Japan Foundation London will be welcoming Prof. Simon Kaner from the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures (SISJAC) to deliver a special talk on 'How Japanese Arts and Cultures Can Make Us Happier'. SISJAC were a recipient of the Japan Foundation Awards 2024 for their work in helping to promote Japanese Studies and Japanese arts and cultures.

Talk Description:

Artistic and cultural activity is intrinsic to being human. Engaging with such activity, whether visiting a museum, gallery or heritage site, attending or taking part in a performance, or creating one’s own works, improves our well-being. Taking examples from a range of recent projects undertaken by the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures at venues including Stonehenge, the British Museum and an old shoe factory in Norwich, this talk will explore how engaging with Japanese arts and cultures makes us happier. It will also consider how we can best exploit the Digital Revolution to bring what the Chief Executive of Arts Council England, Darren Henley, describes as the ‘Arts Dividend’ to new global audiences.

About the Speaker:

Professor Simon Kaner, MA (Cantab.) PhD, FSA, is Executive Director of the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, where he is also the Head of the Centre for Archaeology and Heritage. He is Founding Director of the Centre for Japanese Studies at the University of East Anglia. He has curated a number of exhibitions, including at the British Museum, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge and the Sainsbury Centre in Norwich. His current research projects include Global Perspectives on British Archaeology and The Shinano-Chikuma River Project: investigating the historic environments of Japanese longest river drainage. In 2011 he was awarded the 10th Miyasaki Eiichi Togariishi Jomon Prize.

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential. Click here to register to attend in person.

If you are unable to attend in person, this talk will also be livestreamed.

To register for the livestream, click here.

This event is taking place in partnership with SISJAC and Japan House London.

If you have any questions about this event, please email LO_JapaneseStudies@jpf.go.jp.

To learn more about the Japan Foundation Awards and its past recipients, click here.

Date:	16 January 2025
Venue:	Japan House London 101-111 Kensington High St, London, W8 5SA

Japan Foundation Madrid 16th Japanese Language Education Online Seminar Announcement

Five Japan Foundation offices in Europe are co-hosting an online seminar.

The keyword for this seminar is: ‘Engagement’!

Professor Suzuki Akiyoshi from Nagasaki University Graduate School will give a presentation entitled ‘“Numaru” Foreign Language Lessons – Design, Tips and Tricks’.

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Theme: “Numaru” Foreign Language Lessons – Design, Tips and Tricks

Date and Time: Friday 21st February 2025, 10am – 12pm CET (Spanish Time)

Lecturer: Professor Suzuki Akiyoshi, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Global Humanities and Social Sciences

Co-organisers: Japan Foundation Europe offices (Japan Foundation London, Japan Foundation Cologne, Japan Foundation Paris, Japan Foundation Budapest)

Format: Online (ZOOM)

The seminar is intended for Japanese teachers residing in Europe, although those from other regions are welcome!

Download the event flyer

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Message from the lecturer:

Instead of telling yourself “Just do it!” for motivation, finding meaning and immersing yourself through ‘engagement’ is gaining traction. What are the essentials when stimulating engagement and ensuring long-term and short-term engagement?

Let’s reflect together about the key points of engagement and classroom strategies, and how to implement them in foreign language lessons.

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Application: Register here! (Deadline: Sunday 9th February 2025)

Enquiries: The Japan Foundation, Madrid: nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp

We look forward to receiving everyone’s applications!

Date:	21 February 2025 from 10.00am - 12.00pm
Venue:	Online Event
Download 16回オンライン研修_フライヤ

Talk event - MORIIZUMI Takehito: Manga, Literature, and OBAYASHI

MORIIZUMI Takehito is a Japanese manga artist and an illustrator by profession. Having debuted in 2010 with Mary in the Forest, his representative manga works include Serie and Asleep, a post-apocalyptic science fiction tale. His unique technique of drawing initially with just water, then by dropping ink onto the paper and using toothpicks and chopsticks, among other unconventional tools, to fill in the details not only distinguishes him from other manga artists, but also allows him to create very poetic expressions of his highly intellectual story lines.

His professional activities are also characterised by his passionate involvement in literature: he has provided illustrations for Japanese literature publications and produced graphic adaptations of a variety of novels by esteemed authors including Franz Kafka, George Orwell, and MURAKAMI Haruki. Owing to his deep knowledge of and great interest in literature, he was once described by Japanese media as “a manga artist who is more of a literary figure than a novelist”.

In this special talk, MORIIZUMI will showcase his career and his works, explaining his unique creative process as well as the ethos behind his creations. As the son-in-law of late film director OBAYASHI Nobuhiko, and having once worked very closely with him, MORIIZUMI will also touch upon his personal relationship with OBAYASHI.

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential.
Click here to book your place on Eventbrite.

Date:	7 August 2025 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Hall, Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA

Supported by Japan House London.

Kobanashi - Introductory Hands-on Workshop for Teachers

I want to try out some new activities.
I wonder if there are any activities that are fun for learners and beneficial for learning Japanese.
Are there any activities that make the most of each learner’s’ uniqueness?
Learning Japanese for exams is boring.
I am always looking for ideas to incorporate Japanese culture into lessons.

If any of these apply to you, why not take part in the ‘Kobanashi Introductory Hands-on Workshop for Teachers’?

‘Kobanashi’ is style of Japanese sitting comedy, performed as a prelude to rakugo. ‘Kobanashi’ stories are short, and of course fun, so it is a good activity even for learners at a beginner level. You might feel that it could maybe be difficult for teachers who are not native Japanese speakers, but this is not the case.

In this workshop, we will listen to stories of Japanese language education practices where ‘Kobanashi’ has been adopted, experience performing ‘Kobanashi’, then, will have time for reflecting on our own Japanese language teaching practices until now and think about what we will pursue in the future.

Lastly, you can hear some exciting news from the Japan Foundation, London!

We are looking forward to your application!

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Theme: Kobanashi Introductory Hands-on Workshop for Teachers
Date: 9^th June 2024, Sunday, 10:00 to 12:00 (BST/ UTC+1) / 11:00 to 13:00 (CEST)
Venue: Online (Zoom meeting)
Participation fee: Free
Spoken languages: Japanese and English

* Simple and easy Japanese will be used. (A2+ to B1 level of JF Standard / CEFR)

* Slides will be bilingual, in English and Japanese.

Target audience: Japanese language educators who are based in the United Kingdom and Europe

* Those with NO experience of Japanese teaching practice incorporating ‘Kobanashi’ are also very welcome.

*Those with an interest in Japanese language education who are not currently teaching (including students) are very welcome to attend.

*In the event that we receive many applications, applicants living in the UK or Ireland will be prioritised.

Maximum number of participants: 60
Facilitators (Alphabetical order):

BRAND Nayuta

KAMURA MIRTO Aya

KAWASHIMA Makiko
OFUNE Chisato

TAKAGI Michiko

　　＊Advisor:HATASA Kazumi

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Application form: https://forms.office.com/r/u1Gb0KbXn4

　 *Application deadline: 3^rd June 2024, Monday, BST/UTC+1 16:00, CEST 17:00

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Contact: The Japan Foundation, London Language Team: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (English & Japanese)

Date:

9 June 2024 from 10.00am - 12.00pm

The 20th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students

We are delighted to announce that the 20th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is open for applications!

This contest gives students the chance to demonstrate their Japanese speaking skills, and to make their voices heard in Japanese. Finalists will be invited to give their speeches and presentations at the speech contest finals which will be held at King’s College London on Saturday 1st March 2025.

There will be fantastic prizes to finalists.

:: Contest Aims

:: Who can apply?

The contest is aimed at undergraduate students who are currently studying Japanese as a foreign language at a university in the UK or Ireland.

There are three different categories*:

*Please be advised that contestants are expected to choose appropriate topics according to the category to which they are applying. Please read the aims of each category carefully as they have been modified since 2023.

1. Speech Category

Aim:

To discuss and/or argue a topic of your choice and offer opinions, suggestions and/or solutions.

Eligibility:

· Those who have less than a total of three years’ residence in Japan since the age of six.

* Five finalists will be selected.

Application Deadline: Monday 4th November 2024 (15:00 GMT)

2. Individual Presentation Category

Aim:

To explain your chosen topic and to convey your opinion or message using PowerPoint slides.

Eligibility:

· Undergraduate students who are studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard B1 or B2* at a university in the UK or Ireland.

· Those who have spent not more than 12 months in total in Japan.

* Five finalists will be selected.

Application Deadline: Monday 2nd December 2024 (15:00 GMT)

3. Group Presentation Category

Aim:

to introduce a topic related to the U.K. or another country outside of Japan.

Eligibility:

· Undergraduate students who are studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard A1 or A2* at a university in the UK or Ireland.

· Groups of two to four students.

· Postgraduate students alongside undergraduate student(s).

* Five finalist groups will be selected.

Application Deadline: Monday 9^th December 2024 (15:00 GMT)

*Details of JF Standard can be found here: https://www.jfstandard.jpf.go.jp/pdf/web_whole_en.pdf

Please see the files below for the contest poster, application guidelines for each category, and FAQ. URL for online application form can be found in the Application Guidelines for each category.

Contest Poster

Speech Category Application Guidelines

Individual Presentation Category Application Guidelines

Group Presentation Category Application Guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions

See videos from previous University Speech Contest Finals Day here.

Please email speechcontest@jpf.go.jp if you have any questions.

Date:	2 September 2024 - 9 December 2024
Download 20th Speech Contest Application Poster
Download SpC20 Speech Category guidelines
Download SpC20 Indivi Presen Category guidelines
Download SpC20 Group Presen Category guidelines
Download SpC20 FAQ

The 7th Online Get-Together

Calling all secondary school and language school teachers of Japanese! We will be holding a seventh Online Get-Together. This is a great opportunity to talk with your colleagues about your work in a relaxed, casual setting. We hope you can use this as a chance to talk about any issues you are facing in the classroom, exchange information on resources or exams, and more.

The theme this time is:

Cultivating Speaking Skills: Effective Teaching Methods to Improve Students’ Speech - Discussing GCSE Speaking and Sample Videos -

Foreign language learners must interact with people for various purposes and in various circumstances, and so it is necessary that they have effective communication skills. But how do we increase the speaking skills of learners? How can we teach to improve their speech?

During this Konshinkai, we will discuss GCSE speaking exams by watching sample videos. We will also talk together about how to improve learners’ speech skills, in order to deepen our understanding of “cultivating speaking skills”, while discussing effective teaching methods and actual practice. We will also try to conduct a roleplay of speaking exams.

About the speakers

Mrs Ikuyo Miyamura

Ikuyo currently teaches Japanese at Wycombe Abbey and In Toto Ed, with 20 years of experience in language instruction for both young and adult learners in Japan and the UK. Her expertise also includes roles as an educational coordinator, research associate, and director and examiner for language certification exams. Her mission is to create spaces where individuals can build confidence and joy through learning.

Ms Rihae Yuh

Rihae has been teaching in Bristol since 1997 in a variety of settings, teaching at the University of Bristol, the University of the West of England, the City of Bristol College and Clifton College before founding YU Japanese Language School, offering evening course to adult learners, and organised with Ms Yuko Hasegawa. Currently, Rihae is teaching Japanese children at the Japanese School in Wales, based in Cardiff, while also giving language instruction to pupils at GCSE and A-Level at Badminton School.

Mr Alan Greaves

Alan Greaves spoke no Japanese when he arrived on Iki island on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme in 1992. He loved Nagasaki prefecture and stayed for 5 years. After working for Honda using his new-found Japanese language skills, he returned to teaching in U.K. schools from 2008 and has been at Charters Comprehensive in Ascot since 2020. He has inspired a love of Japanese culture and language through extra-curricular clubs and courses, days out to Japanese events such as Club Taishikan & Japan Matsuri, and most recently helped organise a school trip to Japan in 2024.

Date:

21st February 2025 (Friday), 15:30 - 17:30 (GMT), 17:30 - 18:00*
*17:30 - 18:00 (Participants are welcome to stay beyond the end of the seminar to ask questions, exchange exam information, network and so on.)

To apply, please click here:

https://forms.office.com/r/sagpY94waz

Participation fee: Free (registration in advance is required.)

Registration Deadline: 16th February

Languages used: English/Japanese (PowerPoint slides and resources will be shown in English.)

You can read some comments from participants of the previous Online Get-Togethers below:

It was really good to join in with fellow Japanese colleagues from around the country (and world!) and listen and see in Japanese how these colleagues created and use these resources.
I spent a hugely worthwhile time getting to talk with other teachers that I do not often get a chance to meet and exchange new information.
I have gotten a lot of ideas and tips from the speaker’s presentation. Thanks to the presentation I think I can improve my teaching skills to encourage my pupils to learn more!

Date:	21 February 2025 from 3.30pm - 5.30pm
Venue:	Online Event

Special screenings - Beyond Anime: Independent Animation from Japan

In partnership with The Garden Cinema, we're excited to bring you a rare opportunity to see some of the best independent Japanese animation in recent years on the big screen, featuring an introduction from programme curator Alex Dudok de Wit!

Anime is a global phenomenon. But there is much more to Japanese animation than the franchises and studio productions that get the lion’s share of attention. Filmmakers working independently, sometimes almost alone, are creating some of the wildest, most beautiful animation out there, as they experiment with artistic techniques and ways of telling stories.

Clay waves that speak poetry, pointillist landscapes bursting with colour, a candid documentary about periods, an absurdist conspiracy thriller about small people with hats: the short films in this programme, all made by Japanese directors in the past 12 years, cover a dizzying range of styles and narratives.

Tickets for Tuesday 8 July are now sold out.
To book your ticket for Wednesday 9 July,
click here to visit The Garden Cinema website.

Date:	8 July 2025 - 9 July 2025
Venue:	The Garden Cinema, 39-41 Parker Street, London, WC2B 5PQ

Screening times:
Tuesday 8 July: 20:00 [SOLD OUT]
Wednesday 9 July: 18:15

Price: £14 per person

In partnership with The Garden Cinema.

Refresher Course - Summer 2025

Do you think your Japanese level is getting rusty? Why not study Japanese online to brush up your Japanese level?

This course is for non-native-speaker-level Japanese teachers who currently teach Japanese in secondary and/or primary schools. You can improve not only your Japanese level but also your teaching skills. Moreover you can build a network among other Japanese teachers. Trainee teachers are also welcome to join. For more information, see below.

Schedule:

This course consists of Online Sessions and a Final Day event. The online sessions will be run in two different groups, followed by the Final Day event, which will be held for both groups together.

Please select the group with dates that are suitable for you:

Online sessions

Group 1: Monday Group (online):

18:00-19:30 (90 min x 3 lessons)
30th June, 7th, 14th July

Group 2: Mon/Wed Group (online):

13:10-13:55 (45 min x 6 lessons)
30th June, 2nd, 7th, 9th, 14th 16th July

Final Day: Saturday 19th July at London Venue, 11:00-15:00 (TBC)

Workshops in person and lunch reception.
More detailed information will be given later.

N.B. The course will take place online, but on the final day of the course we would like to hold a special face-to-face session, with special speakers as detailed below, and there will be a Commendation Ceremony. The Japan Foundation, London will provide lunch and cover your travel expense partly.

Eligibility (any one or more of the following):

Non-native-speaker-level Japanese teachers who teach at secondary and/or primat schools, including teaching extra-curricular activities such as school clubs.
PGCE students who are aiming to become Japanese teachers.
SCITT trainees/candidates

Suitable Japanese Level: JLPT N3 or CEFR B1 (if you cannot assess your own level, please contact us)

Course fee: Free (including all handouts)

Registration Deadline: Tuesday 24th June 2025

Languages used: English/Japanese (All handouts will be given during the lesson.)

This course may count as 9.5 hours of CPD (TBC)

Course Content:

Week 1 (online): Introduction, Review of GCSE higher specification
Week 2 (online): Review of Grammar and Kanji
Week 3 (online): Review of Grammar and Kanji
Final Day (face-to-face) : Workshop

Course Objectives:

To be able to teach GCSE higher tier confidently

About the Speakers at the Final Day Event

Ms Fiona Pryce at Pearson Edexcel

Ms Anne Rajakumar

Anne Rajakumar has been teaching Japanese for over thirty years, in both Australia and the UK. She is the author of the successful Australian primary-level workbooks, Yonde Kaite, and has a website and Youtube channel which hosts a wealth of material to support the GCSE , A-Level and International Baccalaureate Japanese programmes. Until giving up classroom teaching in 2020, Anne was the Head of Japanese at Hockerill Anglo-European College and since then she has focussed on teaching online. For the past fifteen years making online resources to support 'Flipped Learning' in the classroom has been a major focus of her work, and she has integrated the use of online resources into her teaching (Flipped Learning) to great effect.

To register, please click here:

https://forms.office.com/r/NW1CEFY3ma

Further Enquiries: Ms Hiroko Tanaka:

Hiroko_Tanaka001@jpf.go.jp

Date:	30 June 2025 - 19 July 2025
Venue:	Online Course In-Person Final Day Event

*Looking for Volunteers* UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2024

Are you interested in Japanese culture, or currently learning Japanese? Do you want to help pre-university students shape their future studies and careers?

The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge is looking for volunteers to assist during this year's summer school for pre-university students from the UK and Japan, to help the participants to make the most out of their experience.

Volunteer roles:

- Join and facilitate group discussion during the UCL Grand Challenge Workshop on Tuesday 30th JUly

- Encourage Japanese high school students to communicate in English as much as possible

- Support the staff (catering, guide to venues and the toilet)

Dates and Venues:

- Rikkyo School in England: Saturday 27th July

- University of Cambridge: Sunday 28th & Monday 29th July

- UCL (University College London): Tuesday 30th - Satuday 3rd August

*Volunteers may join us from one day to the whole programme between Saturday 30th July and Saturday 3rd August

Times:

9am to 6pm (BST) *Times may vary depending on the day (may finish slightly earlier or later)

What is provided:

Reasonable travel costs will be reimbursed, and lulnch will be provided

Eligibility:

Over 18 years old, who can travel to the location(s)

If you are interested in volunteering, please email ujyc@japanatuk.com

To find out more about the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge, visit the official website: ucl-japan-youth-challenge.com

To download the information flyer for volunteers, click here.

Date:	27 July 2024 - 3 August 2024
Venue:	Rikkyo School in England Cambridge University University College London (UCL)
Download UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2024 volunteer flyer 20230627v1

Special screenings with director Q&A - The Works of ENDO Maiko

The Japan Foundation is proud to partner with the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) in Glasgow and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London for athese special screening events featuring director ENDO Maiko, including an In Focus series at ICA.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to witness ENDO's profound, thought-provoking experimental films, accompanied by a pair of Q&A sessions with the director herself - see below for more details and to get your tickets.

Screenings

Kuichisan
dir. ENDO Maiko, 2011, 76 min, English subtitles
Screening from a 35mm print and presented in a mixture of colour and monochrome, Kuichisan paints a striking, dreamlike picture of a boy's (played by ISHIHARA Raizo) wanderings through an Okinawan town.
Screening at:
Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow
Tuesday 15 October 2024, 19:30 (with director Q&A)
Concluded - click for more details

Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Tuesday 22 October 2024, 18:30 (with director Q&A)
Concluded - click for more details

Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Saturday 26 October 2024, 12:45
Click to book

Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Sunday 27 October 2024, 13:45
Click to book

Technology
dir. ENDO Maiko, 2016, 73 min, English subtitles
Filmed in Iceland and India, Technology tells the surreal story of the search for a sacred flower and a child from the moon (Bobbi Salvör Menuez) drawn towards the dangerous business of dealing its seeds.
Screening at:
Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Saturday 26 October 2024, 14:40
Click to book

Jizai
dir. ENDO Maiko, 2024, 14 min, English subtitles
Based on the real-life INAMI JIZAI BODY PROJECT, Jizai playfully explores what is needed for AI to challenge the limits of human capabilities, and how senses and emotions can interact with robotics.
Screening at:
Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Sunday 27 October 2024, 18:00 (followed by Tokyo Telepath 2020)
Click to book

Tokyo Telepath 2020
dir. ENDO Maiko, 2020, 49 min, English subtitles
The year is 2018, and preparations for the Olympics are hiding a programme that will digitise Tokyo's inhabitants and control their minds. Meanwhile, two telepathic girls (Natsuko, Luka) receive a special task.
Screening at:
Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Sunday 27 October 2024, 18:00 (preceded by Jizai)
Click to book

Date:

15 October 2024 - 27 October 2024

Organised by the Centre for Contemporary Arts and the Institute of Contemporary Arts.
In partnership with the Japan Foundation.

The 20th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students - Finals Day / 第20回大学生のための日本語スピーチ・コンテスト　決勝大会

We are delighted to announce that the Finals Day of the 20^th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students will take place on Saturday 1^st March 2025 at Great Hall, King's College London. This contest has been held annually since 2006, and this year is the contest’s 20th anniversary.

On the Finals Day, finalists will give their speeches and presentations in Japanese to an audience consisting of members of the public, fellow students, teachers, families, key figures from the UK-Japan community and a panel of judges.

Join us and listen to what university students studying Japanese in the UK and Ireland have to say. Everyone is welcome!

Finalists will speak on a wide variety of topics, including but not limited to: the challenges and future of teaching English as a common language used by diverse speakers, Japan's new graduate recruitment system, and Japanese whaling.

This event is free to attend but prior booking via Eventbrite is required.

Title: The 20^th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students, Finals Day

Date & Time: Saturday, 1^st March 2025 1pm – 6pm (TBC)

Venue: Great Hall, King’s College London (Strand Campus, Strand, London WC2R 2LS)

Maximum capacity: 150 people (spaces are limited, so early booking is recommended)

Fee: Free to attend but prior booking is required.

Language: Speeches and presentations will be given in Japanese. Speech summaries and abstracts of presentations will be made available in English.

Deadline for Registration: Tuesday, 25^th February 2025 at 1pm (GMT)

Book here

Feel free to download the event poster. You can share it with people who may be interested.

Enquiries: speechcontest@jpf.go.jp

Organisers: The British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) and The Japan Foundation, London

This event is supported by (in alphabetical order): British Association for Japanese Studies (BAJS), Central Japan Railway Company, Clearspring, Connect Job, Eikoku News Digest Ltd, E’quipe Japan, Ltd., Globe-Trotter, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Japan Airlines, Japan Association in the UK, Japan Centre, JP BOOKS, Nikkei Europe Limited, Ningyocho IMAHAN, Regions, Ricoh UK Limited, Uniqlo Europe Ltd.

Date:	1 March 2025
Download 20th Speech Contest Finals Day Poster

Special concert - KAWAI Ikuko and HIBIKI duo

This July, we're delighted to bring you an enthralling one-off concert that blends KAWAI Ikuko's globally acclaimed, refined brand of classical violin performance with traditional Japanese accompaniment courtesy of shakuhachi player KOMINATO Akihisa and hand drum player MOCHIZUKI Satasuke.

Set against the awe-inspiring backdrop of London's majestic Actors' Church, the trio will perform a variety of pieces, including KAWAI's original compositions that have enchanted audiences the world over.

Make sure you don't miss this phenomenal fusion of Western classical and Japanese traditional music!

This concert is now fully booked; tickets are returns only.
Click here to join the waitlist on the Actors' Church website.

Date:	2 July 2025 from 7.30pm
Venue:	The Actors' Church (St Paul's Church), Bedford Street, London, WC2E 9ED

Supported by All Nippon Airways.
Special thanks to the Actors' Church (St Paul's Church).

Exploring the World of Japanese Studies - Ghibli in the Machine: AI Controversies and the Appropriation of Anime

Date: Friday 4 July, 5pm BST

Venue: Lecture Theatre 2, Fylde College, Lancaster University.

Livestreaming available via Zoom

Are you someone with a general interest in Japanese culture and society? Or are you a sixth form student or current university student, either studying Japanese language or with an interest in learning more about Japan? Why not come and listen to our first lecture as part of our new seminar series: Exploring the World of Japanese Studies!

Our first lecture, Ghibli in the Machine: AI Controversies and the Appropriation of Anime will be hosted by Lancaster University, with Dr Zoe Crombie, (Associate Lecturer in Film Studies, Lancaster University) and Prof. Rayna Denison (Professor of Film and Digital Arts and Head of Department for Film and Television at the University of Bristol).

Talk Description:

Earlier this year, ChatGPT released a new Photo to Anime filter that turns user images into not just "anime" images but Hayao Miyazaki-inspired images. Controversially this filter quickly became one of ChatGPT's most popular image generators, while also being roundly condemned for the theft of Studio Ghibli's animation art. In this talk, we discuss how AI is currently reshaping the anime industry in Japan, and impacting upon one of Japanese animation's best loved studios. We consider how Japanese Studies can help us to unpack and understand this pivotal moment in Japanese animation history.

The lecture will be one hour long, followed by a 15 minute Q&A Session with the two academics. Participants can enjoy asking questions about the lecture topic itself, or about research on Japan!

This talk is open to the general public, and sixth-formers and undergraduate students are especially encouraged to join.

Speaker Profiles:

A person smiling for a selfieDescription automatically generated Dr Zoe Crombie

Zoe Crombie is Associate Lecturer in Film Studies at the Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts, University of Lancaster. She is an early career academic currently working on a monograph about Studio Ghibli’s transnational reinterpretations of Western literature through the Trailblazers scheme.

Professor Rayna Denison

Rayna Denison is Professor of Film and Digital Arts at the University of Bristol where she teaches and does research into contemporary Japanese film and animation. Her books include Anime: A Critical Introduction and Studio Ghibli: An Industrial History along with edited collections like Princess Mononoke: Understanding Studio Ghibli's Monster Princess.

This event is free to attend but booking is essential for in-person and online attendees.

To register, scan the QR code or click the link!

https://forms.office.co m/r/i7VrJXAVDd

Organised by the Japan Foundation London with support from Lancaster University

Date:	4 July 2025
Venue:	Fylde College, Lancaster University. Livestreaming available via Zoom

Lecture and workshop - Beyond Tatami: Agriculture and Crafts in Oita

Oita Prefecture's Kunisaki Peninsula and its Usa area are deemed a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in recognition of their sustainable agricultural traditions, and are home to various local plants, including shiitake mushrooms and shichitoi (a type of tatami grass/soft rush). Shichitoi in particular is unique to the region and is revered for its superior sturdiness and durability; as such, this special plant is widely used for tatami-making, as well as other craftworks.

In this very special event, HAYASHI Hiroaki, President of the Kunisaki Peninsula Usa Area GIAHS Promotion Association, will begin by giving an overview of the importance of agriculture in the region, introducing some of the materials harvested there.

This will be followed by expert craftsperson IWAKIRI Chika demonstrating the making of enza (small, round cushions) using shichitoi, after which workshop ticketholders will have the unique opportunity to get hands-on with this special material as they make their very own miniature shimenawa (a type of traditional rope) and, time permitting, misanga (a type of good luck charm).

This event has limited availability – book now at the link below to secure your place.

Click here to book on the Panorama Journal website.
Please note that this event has a recommended minimum age of 10 years.

Date:	28 July 2024 from 2.00pm - 4.00pm
Venue:	Elena Hall, West Court, Jesus College, Cambridge, CB5 8BL

Price: £5-£20* per person - limited availability
*£5 to attend the lecture/demonstration and observe the workshop.
£20 to attend the lecture/demonstration and participate in the workshop.
NEW FAMILY/GROUP TICKET: £60 for four people to attend the lecture/demonstration and participate in the workshop.

Co-organised with Jesus College, University of Cambridge; Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature; and Oita Prefecture.
In collaboration with the ‘Spotlight on Local Japan’ project by Japan House London and the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).

JaLaChamp 2025 – Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK

Applications are now open for JaLaChamp 2025!

JaLaChamp, or Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK, is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese. There are two categories - the speech category, where students give a speech on a theme of their choice, and the video category where students are asked to create an original video either by individual or part of a group.

The world is changing very quickly. Technology is advancing, and nowadays if we have a computer or a smartphone we can send a message to anyone in the world. In a time like this, we should always consider the following questions: “What message do I want to convey and how?” Using the voice, the written word, visuals, design and more – there are many ways to express ourselves. It is important to be able to combine these different choices of expression to create a way of expressing ourselves that others can understand, empathise with or be persuaded by.

Students can choose the category/division they apply for according to their age and level of Japanese.

Application deadline for Speech Category: Tuesday, 4^th February 2025 at 15:00

Application deadline for Video Category: Tuesday, 4^th March 2025 at 15:00

JaLaChamp 2025’s video category themes are:

Primary School: わたし（たち）の好(す)きな場所(ばしょ) “My/Our Favourite Place”

Secondary School 1: 私(わたし)（たち）がやってみたいこと “Something I/We Want to Try”

Secondary School 2: 私(わたし)（たち）が過去(かこ)から学(まな)べること “What I/We Can Learn from the Past”

The Finals Day is scheduled to be held on Saturday, 10^th May 2025, in London.

For more information about each category and about eligibility, please see the application guidelines below:

Download English Guidelines/ Japanese Guidelines

Please click here for the Speech Category Application Form.

Please click here for the Video Category Application Form.

Download the JaLaChamp 2025 poster

Videos from JaLaChamp 2024 Finals Day

Date:	2 September 2024 - 4 March 2025
Download JaLaChamp2025_Application Guideline_EN
Download JaLaChamp2025_Application Guideline_JP
Download JaLaChamp 2025 Poster
Download JaLaChamp2025_Consent Form Video Category

Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival 2024

The Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival is back for 2024, and we're delighted to once again partner with the festival to bring you the very best in Japanese animation past and present!

This year's festival takes place in October, visiting Chapter in Cardiff from 5 to 6 October, and Aberystwyth Arts Centre in Aberystwyth from 25 to 27 October. With a trio of Welsh premieres in Cardiff, and films spanning genres from mecha to drama, there's something for everyone to enjoy!

Click here to book your tickets for screenings at Chapter.

Click here to book your tickets for screenings at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

Don't forget to check the Kotatsu website for more details!

Date:

5 October 2024 - 27 October 2024

Rakugo and Kobanashi – Enjoy Storytelling and Explore Japanese

We are excited to announce three upcoming Rakugo events taking place in Oxford and London (with some events streaming online, TBC). A master Rakugo performer will be travelling from Japan to perform, and there will also be Kobanashi performances from learners of Japanese all over the country and lectures from experts. Why not join us to discover a unique aspect of Japanese culture, gain new Japanese knowledge, and – most importantly – to laugh at some great stories.

These events are all free but advance booking is required.

There will be English translation provided for each performance, so everyone is welcome!

What is Rakugo? Rakugo is the traditional art of one-man storytelling in Japan. A single figure sits on stage and uses only his voice, a cloth and a fan to tell comedic or dramatic stories.
What is Kobanashi? A short and witty story that is told before the main Rakugo performance.

Download our event flyer!

Dates and Booking for Each Event

There will be three separate Rakugo events. Please refer to the following information on location and dates.

Different Rakugo stories will be performed on 8th November and 9th November in Oxford, so if you like, you can attend both events!

There will be a longer explanation about Rakugo and the culture of Rakugo as part of the events on the 9th November (Oxford) and 10th November (London).

Children are especially welcome to the events on the 9th November (Oxford) and 10th November (London)!

8th November 2024

Location: Oxford
Venue: Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies, University of Oxford
Time: 17:00 – 18:30
Online streaming available (TBC)
Schedule:

17:00 – Opening

Introduction and demonstration of Rakugo

Rakugo performance by Ryūtei Saryū

Q&A Session

18:30 – Closing

Followed by a short drink reception

Click here to book tickets!

Co-organised by The Japan Foundation, London and Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies, University of Oxford

9th November 2024

Location: Oxford
Venue: Holywell Music Room, Wadham College, University of Oxford
Time: 13:00 – 15:30
NO online streaming
Children welcome!
Schedule:

13:00 – Opening

Introduction and demonstration of Rakugo

Kobanashi performances by learners of Japanese

Rakugo performances by Ryūtei Saryū

Talk and Q&A Session

15:30 – Closing (TBC)

Click here to book tickets!

Organised by The Japan Foundation, London

Supported by Wadham College, University of Oxford

10th November 2024

Location: London
Venue: Regent’s University (London)
Time: 13:00 – 15:30
Online streaming available (TBC)
Children welcome!
Schedule:

13:00 – Opening

Introduction and demonstration of Rakugo

Kobanashi performances by learners of Japanese

Rakugo performances by Ryūtei Saryū

Talk and Q&A Session

15:30 – Closing (TBC)

Click here to book tickets!

Organised by The Japan Foundation, London

Challengers Wanted! Why not try performing Kobanashi?

All levels of Japanese ability welcome!

The 9th November (Oxford) and 10th November (London) events will feature Kobanashi performances by learners of Japanese. You will have the chance to perform your Kobanashi on our stage! Whether you are a teacher or learner, please contact us if you have an interest in performing your kobanashi.

Application deadline: 24th October 2024 (Thur)
The details and information on how to apply can be found here

Performer Profiles

Ryūtei Saryū – Rakugo Performer

Ryūtei Saryū (stage name) is a Rakugo Master from Chiba Prefecture. He became an apprentice of Yanagiya Sankyō and began performing Rakugo in 1993. He was promoted to Shin’Uchi Rakugo MasterStoryteller status in 2006. He is the recipient of awards, including the Hanagata Engei Taisho* for three consecutive years: 2009 (silver), 2010 (gold), 2011 (gold). He has performed Rakugo all over the world. Since 2013 he has been working as a part-time lecturer and became a visiting associate professor in 2024 at Tokyo Woman’s Christian University.

* Hanagata: flower; Engei: a Japanese traditional performing art; Taisho: award.

Kazumi Hatasa – Professor at the School of Languages and Culture, Purdue University

Kazumi Hatasa is a professor at the School of Languages and Cultures. He was Director of the School of Japanese at Middlebury College from 2004 to 2018. He has received the Foreign Minister’s Commendation in 2020. He has been working with professional performers to

incorporate Rakugo and Kobanashi into Japanese Language education.

Related Links (Coming Soon!)

Date:	8 November 2024 - 10 November 2024
Download Rakugo Kobanashi 2024 Event Flyer Small

Call for Applications: Japan Foundation London Grant Programme (Japanese Studies & Intellectual Exchange) 2025-2026

The second round of applications for the Japan Foundation London Grant Programme FY 2025-26 has opened!

Deadline: Friday 8 August 2025

For projects taking place between 1 September 2025 – 31 March 2026.

This programme is designed to provide grant assistance to projects (e.g. lectures, workshops, conferences) in any discipline of the humanities and social sciences that have a significant Japan element, or involve collaboration with Japanese researchers/practitioners.

Projects must take place in the UK to be eligible for support and applications can only be accepted from not-for-profit organisations in the UK.

Priority will be given to projects that fall under one or more of the following descriptions:

1. Projects that will bring together researchers/ practitioners from a variety of disciplines and sectors that are relevant to Japan

2. Projects organised by, and/or involving core participation by, early career researchers/ practitioners

3. Projects that will nurture diverse interests in Japan among future generations in the UK

Applications for preliminary project development will be considered as long as such projects include some of the above elements.

Grant coverage:

Only specific items such as travel expenses, honoraria, venue hire, printing/publicity costs etc. which are deemed to be essential in order to carry out the project.

Successful applicants may be granted up to £1500. As successful applicants will not necessarily be granted the full requested amount, applicants are strongly encouraged to secure additional funding from their own organisation and elsewhere.

Before contacting us, please read the full Application Instructions, containing further details about eligibility and the Application Process.

Application Deadline: Friday 8 August

Results will be notified by the end of August.

To read the Application Instructions PDF, click here.

If you have any questions, email Iona Vos at LO_JapaneseStudies@jpf.go.jp.

When you email us, please CC Natsumi_Abe@jpf.go.jp (Assistant Director for JF London and Manager of Japanese Studies Affairs) and Iona_Vos@jpf.go.jp (Assistant Programme Officer for Japanese Studies).

Date:	8 August 2025
Download 01_2025_Application_Instructions (2nd call)

Bring Japan to Your Classroom! - Touring Schools in Scotland -

Do your students have an interest in Japanese culture? Would you like to hold programmes for cross-cultural understanding at your school?

A professional team from the University of Edinburgh and the Japan Foundation, London can visit your school to deliver fun Japanese language and culture sessions for your students. Teachers who wish to host a visit are encouraged to apply! It is free to apply for sessions at your school.

Overview

(1) Period: Monday, 2 June, 2025 – Saturday, 7 June, 2025

*Please note that we are happy to hold sessions on Saturday.

(2) Location: Your school (different venue negotiable)

(3) Content: Japanese language and culture sessions lasting 45 to 90 minutes

*Mainly aimed at students who have never studied Japanese, but it is also alright if there are participating students who have studied Japanese before.

(4) Aims: This program aims to expand students' perspectives on other languages and cultures by offering them an opportunity to experience Japanese language and culture. This programme is for schools in Scotland, where there are fewer opportunities to experience Japanese culture.

(5) Costs: There are no costs for the schools. The program is free as your school will not need to cover honoraria or transportation costs for the session/s, or any other actual costs (for example, if origami paper is used in a session, the origami paper will be arranged and provided by the organisers).

(6) Organisers: University of Edinburgh and The Japan Foundation, London

- Application Deadline: 2nd May 2025 (Friday) - Application Deadline Extended!

- Apply: Application Form

- Inquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp

We look forward to receiving your applications!　　

Download the Flyer for More Information

Project Team

The University of Edinburgh and The Japan Foundation, London

Date:	2 June 2025 - 7 June 2025
Download Bring Japan to Your Classroom_Scotland_extended

Special Screening: 'Drops of Heaven'

We're proud to co-present with the Royal Society of Arts, a special screening of documentary Drops of Heaven.

Featuring TATSUMI Yoshiko, Japan’s legendary culinary artist and writer who is famous for “Inochi no soup”, (the “soup of life”) using natural and nutritious ingredients. Amidst stunning scenery of the Japanese landscape, viewers can witness TATSUMI’s philosophy on slow food and nurturing life.

Date:	24 September 2025
Venue:	The Royal Society of Arts, London

Click here for details

Lecture and demonstration - Sencha: Salon Culture and the Art of Infused Tea

Japan is renowned for its tea ceremonies. While the more well-known chado uses matcha tea powder, gatherings involving sencha use tea leaves. The origins of sencha, and the way in which the sencha is appreciated, are also unique in that they take place against a backdrop of intellectual gatherings known as "salons", occasions originating in the mid-Edo period that are used primarily to discuss arts and culture.

In this very special event, Sencha Master TSUKUDA Shio, successor to the Issa-an sencha tea school in Osaka, will give an illustrated talk about the history of sencha and the salon culture in which sencha played a key role, while also demonstrating the exquisite manner in which sencha is prepared and how it can be appreciated in daily life.

Participants will even be able to enjoy sencha prepared by TSUKUDA himself!

TSUKUDA Shio

Successor of the Issa-an sencha tea school, which inherits the salon culture of the bunjin (literary figures) of the Edo period.
At the G20 Osaka Summit 2019, he was in charge of the sencha tea gathering held as part of the Partners' Program.
He is also a member of the international research project ‘Creative collaborations: salons and networks in Kyoto and Osaka 1780–1880’ (led jointly by the British Museum and Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto), as well as a part-time lecturer at Kansai University.

This event has limited availability - book now to avoid disappointment.
Click here to book on the Panorama Journal website.

Date:	4 August 2024 from 1.30pm
Venue:	Elena Hall, West Court, Jesus College, Cambridge, CB5 8BL

Price: £10 per person (£7 concessions) - limited availability

In collaboration with Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature and Jesus College, University of Cambridge.
Special thanks to NISHIHARA Sakiko.

Lecture and demonstration - Carving a Character: The Hidden Craft of the Noh Mask with KITAZAWA Hideta

Noh theatre is a major traditional Japanese performing art, recognised as an Important Intangible Cultural Property by the Japanese government and as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Though characterised by the stylised movements and singing of its actors, it would not be complete without the unique, carefully-carved masks they wear as they perform. These allow Noh actors to control their character’s expression by making minute changes to the angle from which the audience sees their mask.

In this special one-off event, organised in celebration of the series of activities Tradition to Modernity: Understanding Noh Theatre from its Establishment 650 Years Ago to Contemporary Times taking place in August and September, KITAZAWA Hideta, master craftsperson and second-generation Noh mask-maker, will introduce the fascinating world of Noh masks, demonstrating the techniques used to make them while offering a rare chance to take a closer look at these wooden works of art. He will also present some of his more recent creations inspired by contemporary characters.

KITAZAWA Hideta

KITAZAWA Hideta is a wood sculptor and Noh mask maker based in Tokyo. He learned traditional wood carving of Buddhist and Shinto statuary from his father, KITAZAWA Ikkyo, and later studied Noh mask carving. He currently produces classical Noh and Kyogen masks and has been designated a master craftsman by the Tokyo Metropolitan government. KITAZAWA has also created numerous shinsaku - “new” - masks for foreign-language Noh productions, notably those of Theatre Nohgaku, as well as for other Noh-influenced plays. He has given workshops and demonstrations in Japan and internationally, and a book on his work entitled Noh and Kyogen Masks will be published by Prestel in September 2024.

This event has limited availability - book now to avoid disappointment.
Click here to book on the Panorama Journal website.

Date:	14 September 2024 from 2.00pm - 3.30pm
Venue:	Elena Hall, West Court, Jesus College, Cambridge, CB5 8BL

Price: £10 per person (£7 concessions) - limited availability

In collaboration with Between the Stones; Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature; and Jesus College, University of Cambridge.

Local Project Support Programme September 2024 Applications - Online Seminar and Q&A Session

You can find information on the programme as well as links to download an application form by clicking here

Are you considering applying for funding but aren’t sure about how to go about it? Do you have a project in mind but aren’t sure if it’s eligible? We would strongly recommend that you sign up to take part in our Online Seminar and Q&A session.

During this half-hour session, a member of our staff will talk participants through the application process, and then open the floor to questions and answers. We want to make sure the application process is as easy-to-understand as possible.

This session will be held twice on 18^th September 2024 (Wednesday)

1. First Session: 13:00 to 13:30

2. Second Session: 18:00 to 18:30

We will be using Zoom software. Once you have applied we will send you information on how to join the session.

Attendance is free but booking is essential. If you would like to take part, please sign up 17^th September 2024 (Tue).

This seminar will be held in English but the presenter is a bilingual Japanese-English speaker. Please use Japanese at in this application form and at the Q&A if you would prefer.

Fill out the application form here

Date:	18 September 2024
Venue:	Online event

Exhibition - Life on Planet Earth by NOGUCHI Rika

We are proud to collaborate with the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation as they present Life on Planet Earth, photographer NOGUCHI Rika’s first UK solo exhibition since 2004.

Featuring both photographic and video works, the exhibition conveys a sense of wonder at being in the world from various perspectives: though NOGUCHI became known for the human figures her earlier works took up as their subjects, she has since broadened her practice to also explore the ways in which other creatures – birds, mammals, fish, and insects – experience our world. Humanity is not unaccounted for, however, with video works such as The Lucent Sea (2021/2023, commissioned by the Japan Foundation) and To the Night Planet (2015) investigating alienness and alienation among human beings.

Date:	9 October 2024 - 24 January 2025
Venue:	Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Gallery, London

Click here for details

Kobanashi Happyoukai 2024 – Kobanashi Performers Wanted for Kobanashi Performance Event!

If you love learning Japanese, funny stories and performing, then we have an exciting opportunity for you! We are looking for performers for the Kobanashi Happyoukai 2024!

Kobanashi is a style of Japanese sitting comedy, performed as a prelude to Rakugo (traditional Japanese one-man storytelling). Kobanashi performers tell short (often under a minute) humorous stories all while sitting “seiza” Japanese style.

We will be putting on Rakugo events in Oxford on Friday 8^th and Saturday 9^th November and in London on Sunday 10^th November, with a master performer travelling from Japan. As part of the Rakugo events, we will also have Kobanashi performance events. This is an amazing chance to perform in front of an audience and also get advice from a Japanese Rakugo master during the event rehearsal .

There is no age limit and you are not required to be a fluent Japanese speaker to take part! Kobanashi is a great way to learn Japanese so we encourage any and all Japanese learners to take part in this event! If you are a teacher, you can help guide your students through the world of Kobanashi using some useful websites, which we have linked below.

To find out more details, including eligibility, what sort of performances we are looking for, and information on travel expenses, check out our detailed guidelines:

Kobanashi Happyokai 2024 - Guidelines

Click here to fill out the application form – OXFORD 9^th November

Click here to fill out the application form – LONDON 10^th November

Application deadline: 24 October 2024 at 15:00 (BST/UTC+1)

Check out some useful websites with Kobanashi performances videos:

1. Kokusai Kobanashi Godo Happyoukai (KKGH)

2. Minna no Kobanashi Project

3. Kobanashi Performance Event in September 2021 (organised by JF London)

*All websites are in Japanese except for Link 3.

We will also soon hold a casual meet-up event (date TBC) for teachers. We hope it will help teachers who want to encourage their students to try Kobanashi and take part in the upcoming Kobanashi performance event.

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Event Dates/Times/Venues (save the date!)

	Oxford	London
Date	9 November 2024 (Saturday)	10 November 2024 (Sunday)
Time	13:00 – 16:00 (TBC) *Rehearsal 10:30-11:45 (TBC)	13:00 – 16:00 (TBC) *Rehearsal 10:30-11:45 (TBC)
Venue	Holywell Music Room, Wadham College, University of Oxford	Tuke Hall, Regent’s University
Contents	Kobanashi performances by Japanese learners and teachers, Rakugo performances, Explanation and Q&A by Rakugo master *English translation will be provided.

* A Rakugo event without Kobanashi performances will be held in the evening of Friday 8th November in Oxford as well.

*We will open applications for event spectators soon.

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We can’t wait to receive your Kobanashi performance applications!

If you have any enquiries, contact us (in English or Japanese) at events.japanese@jpf.go.jp

Date:	24 October 2024
Download Application Guidelines_Kobanashi Performance Event

Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) July 2025

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a test for non-native speakers of Japanese which evaluates and certifies their Japanese-Language proficiency. The test takes place twice a year (July and December) in Japan and various locations around the world. Currently, it is the largest Japanese language test in the world, with more than 1.48 million people worldwide having registered for the JLPT in 2023.

The next July JLPT will take place on Sunday, 6^th July 2025. Registration will start at each test centre from early/ mid-March.

Please check this page for any updates on UK test centres for the July 2025 JLPT. For application opening dates and registration details, please refer to each university’s website using the links below:

- Japan Research Centre, SOAS University of London SOAS Applications have now closed

- Universit y of Leicester Applications at University of Leicester have now closed

- King's Language Centre, King's College London (!New!) Applications at King's College London have now closed

Please note that the JLPT is very popular and registration at each test centre will close when the test centre has reached its maximum capacity.

For more information about the test, please visit JLPT website.

- Let’s Try Sample Questions!

Date:	6 July 2025
Venue:	SOAS University of London University of Leicester King's College London

Local Project Support Programme 2025 Spring Applications Now Open!

Institutions can apply for up to £2500 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education in the UK. Please see the attached documents at the bottom of this page for more detailed information.

We prioritise projects that fit into one of the four following categories:

Category 1 - Newly Introducing Japanese into the curriculum

Up to £2,500 for projects that promote the introduction of Japanese into the curriculum (or onto the main school timetable) at primary and secondary schools. This grant covers staff costs and the cost of Japanese language books. Projects may take place online or offline.

Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses

Up to £2,500 for projects that support GCSE or A-level courses. Particularly, if schools/organisations require support to ensure a large number of candidates are able to take formal qualifications in Japanese, they will be able to maintain their project by re-applying the following year. This means organisations will be able to apply for up to a total of £5,000 over two years. (Please note that we do not supplement the salary of teacher(s) already hired by the applying organisation.) Covers staff costs and costs of Japanese language books. Projects may take place online or offline.

Category 3 – New Japanese clubs

Up to £2,000 for organisations that newly introduce Japanese as an extracurricular activity or enrichment subject. In the case of schools, this is even if this is not within the school timetable. Covers staff cost, Japanese language book cost, some costs for items contributing to Japanese language learning, such as origami and calligraphy materials. Clubs may take place online or offline.

Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

Up to £2,500 for projects that strengthen connections between secondary institutions and institutions of higher education and create and/or strengthen networks among pupils, students, and teachers for the purpose of helping to promote Japanese language education in the UK. These projects can be aimed at both potential learners of Japanese and people who already are learning Japanese. This is a recently added category, so please contact us if you have any questions or would like to apply but are unsure as to whether your project is suitable. These projects may take place online or offline.

Application deadline: 15^th May 2025, 23:59 (Thursday)

General Information document

LPSP 2025-2026 Grant Flowchart

Grant Application Form (Spring 2025)

We would be grateful if you could read the General Information document and the Grant Flowchart document before submitting an application.

If you have any questions, please contact info.language@jpf.go.jp

Please also refer to the “General Information” document above for detailed answers to many frequently asked questions.

Date:	15 April 2025 - 15 May 2025
Download LPSP General Information Spring 2025-2026
Download LPSP Flowchart Spring 2025-2026
Download LPSP Application Form Spring 2025-2026

Hikidasu Nihongo Seminar - 全部見せます「ひきだすにほんご　Activate Your Japanese!」

The Japan Foundation offices in Europe will jointly an online teachers' seminar on the topic, ‘Hikidasu Nihongo - Activate Your Japanese!’ on 12th July 2025 (Saturday).

The details of the seminar, such as the theme, date and time, are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that information is only available in Japanese, as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: Zenbu Misemasu! "Hikidasu Nihongo Activate Your Japanese!"

Date/Time: 12th July 2025 (Saturday), 10:00 to 12:00 (CEST Central European Summertime), 9:00 to 11:00 (WEST Western European Summer Time)

Application Deadline: 8th July 2025 (Tuesday) 23:59

Online Form

Enquiries:

The Japan Foundation, Cologne: kurse@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / German)

The Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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日時：　　２０２５年　７月１２日（土）

中央ヨーロッパ夏時間（CEST）10:00-12:00／西ヨーロッパ夏時間（WEST）9:00-11:00

講師： 菊岡由夏（ケルン日本文化会館日本語教育アドバイザー）

※「ひきだすにほんご Activate Your Japanese!」の制作者です！

内容： 日本語教育コンテンツ「ひきだすにほんご Activate Your Japanese!」の 3 つのコーナーについて、開発の意図や実践的な活用方法をご紹介します。

※ブレイクアウトセッションも設定しますが、主に講師から情報提供をするタイプの研修です。

研修会は日本語で行われます。

申込期限：　７月８日（火）23:59

https://forms.office.com/r/WAwvffin6a

【問い合わせ】国際交流基金ケルン日本文化会館日本語チーム kurse@jpf.go.jp

事前課題

❖「ひきだすにほんご」を見たことがない方は、動画を各 3 本ずつ視聴してからご参加ください。

「スアン日本へ行く！」 https://www.hikidasu.jpf.go.jp/jp/corner/drama/

「気持ちが伝わるオノマトペ」https://www.hikidasu.jpf.go.jp/jp/corner/onomatopoeia/

「津々浦々日本のセンパイ」https://www.hikidasu.jpf.go.jp/jp/corner/senior/

➡「ひきだすにほんご」は 3 つのコーナー併せて 15 分で構成されています。3 本ずつ視聴すると 45 分かかります。

各コーナーで視聴する動画はご自由にご選択ください。すでに「ひきだすにほんご」のコーナーを複数視聴したことがある、授業で使用している方は改めて見ていただく必要はありません。

Date:	12 July 2025
Venue:	Online

Japanese Clubs from Scratch Project: - Call for Participating Schools for the Online Training Programme (Third Round), Autumn 2025 -

Is your school interested in starting a Japanese Club? Are your pupils or students interested in Japanese?

Sign up now to receive a Japanese Club package (including teacher training) so your school can be ready to run a Japanese Club in near future! It can happen through this project even though there are no teachers who have experience about Japan/Japanese!

Applications from more than one teacher from the same school are very welcome as it will provide you with opportunities to use what you learn through the course!

(The course starts on 20th October, the deadline for applications is 14th October, 17:00)

What we provide (free of charge):

(1) Teaching materials: “Kon-Kon! Konnichiwa Japanese Club”

Material set about Japanese culture and language
The materials consist of 10 topics for 30-60 minute club activities (KS 2-4)
- *Examples of topics covered: Greetings, Self-introduction, Food, Numbers, Festivals, Manga etc.

(2) Online teacher training course

10 x 1-hour online sessions
* Please see the training schedule below.

(3) Support and advice for teachers running the Japanese Club

The teaching materials and the training programme are designed for teachers who don’t have any experience of running Japanese clubs and/or don’t have any Japanese language knowledge.

Details

Aims of the online training programme:

To learn how to use the set of materials.
To learn basic knowledge of Japan and the Japanese language.
To build a network of teachers who are interested in language and cultural education.

Eligibility:

Primary or secondary schools that are interested in starting Japanese clubs.
Schools that currently don’t have a Japanese programme as a part of curriculum.
Schools that have a teacher who is available to attend the training programme and run a club at school.
- * No prior experience of Japanese language learning and/or running a Japanese Club is required.
- * Applications from more than one teacher from the same school are very welcome.
- * In case of a high number of applicants, those who have no or limited experience in Japanese will be prioritised.

Benefits:

to be able to learn how to run a Japanese Club for at least 1 term (10 to 12 sessions).
to be able to learn how to use the materials.
to be able to gain basic knowledge of Japan and the Japanese language.
to be able to expand your network.

Training Schedule:

* Participants are expected to attend all the sessions below:

If possible, we would like all participants to attend both additional Tuesday sessions as well as the Monday sessions. As on Monday’s sessions, these Tuesday sessions will cover useful topics from the Kon-Kon materials.

Every Monday (and two additional sessions on Tuesday), starting from 20th October, 16:00 to 17:00 (or 16:30 to 17:30). Please refer to the schedule below for precise dates.
In total 10 sessions of 1h classes

- October: 20th (Mon), 27th (Mon)
- November: 3rd (Mon), 10th (Mon), 11th (Tue), 17th (Mon), 24th (Mon)
- December: 1st (Mon), 2nd (Tue), 8th (Mon)

Venue: Online

Language Used: English

Fee: Free

Number of participants: around 10 teachers

Application Form

*Please ask your head teacher or other senior teachers acting on behalf of the head teachers at your school for permission before applying.

Application deadline: 14th October 2025 at 17:00

Enquiries: Language Team, The Japan Foundation, London, events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (English/Japanese)

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FAQ:

Q: I am interested in working at a school but currently am not teaching at any school. Can I apply?
- A: This course is designed mainly for teachers who are already employed by a school. You can apply but please note that school-employed teachers will be prioritised in the event of a high number of applicants.

Q: Can a teacher who is a native speaker of Japanese apply to this course?
- A: Japanese native speakers with no experience of teaching Japanese can apply. For those experienced teachers of Japanese, we are going to provide another opportunity in future to introduce the set of materials over a shorter period of time.

Q: Can I get support while running a Japanese club after the training?
- A: Yes, you can contact us if you have any concerns.

Q: Can I apply although we are not certain we can run a Japanese club this semester?
- A: Yes, as long as you and your school have an active intention to start a Japanese club in the future. You don't necessarily have to start the club before finishing the course.

Date:	20 October 2025 - 8 December 2025
Venue:	Online

Music Concert: Kimura & Ono with Kit Downes Betwixt Mortality & Immortality Surpassing Entities, Separate Entities

Embark on a Japan-UK musical odyssey as Kit Downes on piano harmonises with KIMURA Shunsuke on the shinobue (traverse bamboo flute) and ONO Etsuro on Tsugaru shamisen (three string banjo). In partnership with The Japan Foundation.

Date: 29 February 2024, 20:00 (Doors: 19:30)

Venue: Kings Place 2024

For more details, click here

This event will last approximately 2 hours, including an interval.

Date:

29 February 2024

Local Project Support Programme Spring 2025 Applications - Online Seminar and Q&A Session

You can find information on the programme as well as links to download an application form by clicking here

This session will be held twice on 1^st May 2025 (Thur)

1. First Session: 13:00 to 13:30

2. Second Session: 18:00 to 18:30

We will be using Zoom software. Once you have applied we will send you information on how to join the session.

Attendance is free but booking is essential. If you would like to take part, please sign up 29^th April (Tue).

This seminar will be held in English but the presenter is a bilingual Japanese-English speaker. Please use Japanese in this application form and at the Q&A if you would prefer.

Fill out the application form here

Date:	1 May 2025
Venue:	Online

Meet the Author: MURATA Sayaka's UK Tour

The Japan Foundation is delighted to take part in the UK tour of award winning Japanese author MURATA Sayaka, (best known to audiences outside of Japan for her best-selling novel Convenience Store Woman), for a series of enlightening talks on her novel Vanishing World, (『消滅世界』) now available in English. Vanishing World depicts a timeline in which sex between married couples is taboo, and children are born through artificial insemination. Known for her intriguing and off-beat writing style, MURATA's latest novel forces readers to examine the norms of the world around them, in this imagined dystopian reality.

Praise for Vanishing World:

Makes the ordinary world as we see it look strange again... Publishers will continue to seek out imitations of [Sayaka's] vision - but why bother, when the real thing is so good? - Financial Times

An eye-popping plot... It invites us to consider how reproductive gender equality could transform society, with chilling ramifications - New York Times

MURATA Sayaka

Whilst working at a convenience store herself, MURATA debuted Junyu, her first novel in 2003, for which she received the Gunzo Prize for New Writers. Despite her increasing fame as a writer, MURATA continued to work as a convenience store clerk until 2017, throughout which time she also received the Mishima Yukio Prize for Of Bones, Of Body Heat, Of Whitening City in 2013, and the prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 2016 for Convenience Store Woman, for which she was also named one of Vogue Japan's Women of the Year.

Date:

17 October 2025 - 22 October 2025

Venue:

CHELTENHAM on 17 October, 20:00~ at The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival,

Click here for details

MANCHESTER on 18 October, 19:00~ at the Manchester Literature Festival

Click here for details

EDINBURGH on 20 October, 19:00~ at Argonaut Books, Book Event

Click here for details

LONDON on 22 October, 19:30~ at London Literature Festival

Click here for details

Roundtable Discussion: What makes Japanese Cinema Memorable?

As part of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2024, and in view of its theme of Unforgettable: Memories, Times and Reflections in Japanese Cinema, this roundtable discussion reunites a panel of UK- and Japan-based experts in Japanese cinema from last year’s online talk series to reflect on Japanese films that embedded themselves in their minds, and to explore what makes Japanese cinema memorable.

Date: Friday 22 March, 13:00 (GMT)

Online Webinar hosted on Zoom

Click here to book your place

Date:

22 March 2024

Special screening - Mori, The Artist's Habitat (2017, dir. OKITA Shuichi)

Join us in Cambridge for a special FREE screening of Mori, The Artist's Habitat (2017, dir. OKITA Shuichi), in collaboration with Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature and Jesus College, University of Cambridge.

94-year-old painter KUMAGAI Morikazu (YAMAZAKI Tsutomu), also known as Mori, has hardly left his property for the last 30 years. Most of his day is spent tirelessly observing his garden and all the living things in it, which he renders into paintings every evening in a studio he calls the "school." While he goes about his business, his wife Hideko (KIKI Kirin) attends to a stream of visitors.
Mori and Hideko live peacefully, surrounded by the things they love, until one day, a group of developers decide to build a condominium next door, putting their small paradise under threat. If the condominium is built, it will block the sun, and the garden will become uninhabitable, so Mori and Hideko decide to take action to protect the garden they cherish...

Mori, The Artist's Habitat is a humorous depiction of a summer day in the life of an old couple who've been together 52 years, set in the more affable social atmosphere of the 1970s.

This screening is free to attend, but booking is essential.
Click here to book on the Panorama Journal website.

Date:	14 September 2024 from 4.30pm
Venue:	Elena Hall, West Court, Jesus College, Cambridge, CB5 8BL

Please note: this event takes place immediately after "Carving a Character: The Hidden Craft of the Noh Mask", but is open to all, including those not attending "Carving a Character: The Hidden Craft of the Noh Mask" beforehand. Simply book a free screening ticket at the Panorama Journal website linked above.
If you are attending "Carving a Character: The Hidden Craft of the Noh Mask" and would like to watch Mori, The Artist's Habitat afterwards, please make sure to also book a free screening ticket at the Panorama Journal website linked above.

In collaboration with Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature and Jesus College, University of Cambridge.

Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2024-2025 (Autumn) Applications Now Open

Autumn 2024 Applications Now OPEN!

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education in the UK. Please see the attached documents at the bottom of this page for more detailed information.

We prioritise projects that fit into one of the four following categories:

Category 1 - Newly Introducing Japanese into the curriculum

Up to £3,000 for projects that promote the introduction of Japanese into the curriculum (or onto the main school timetable) at primary and secondary schools. This grant covers staff costs and the cost of Japanese language books. Projects may take place online or offline.

Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses

Up to £3,000 for projects that support GCSE or A-level courses. Particularly, if schools/organisations require support to ensure a large number of candidates are able to take formal qualifications in Japanese, they will be able to maintain their project by re-applying the following year. This means organisations will be able to apply for up to a total of £6,000 over two years. (Please note that we do not supplement the salary of teacher(s) already hired by the applying organisation.) Covers staff costs and costs of Japanese language books. Projects may take place online or offline.

Category 3 – New Japanese clubs

Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

Up to £3,000 for projects that strengthen connections between secondary institutions and institutions of higher education and create and/or strengthen networks among pupils, students, and teachers for the purpose of helping to promote Japanese language education in the UK. These projects can be aimed at both potential learners of Japanese and people who already are learning Japanese. This is a recently added category, so please contact us if you have any questions or would like to apply but are unsure as to whether your project is suitable. These projects may take place online or offline.

Application deadline: 2^nd October 2024, 23:59 (Wednesday)

General Information document

LPSP 2024-2025 Grant Flowchart

Grant Application Form (September 2024)

We would be grateful if you could read the General Information document and the Grant Flowchart document before submitting an application.

If you have any questions, please contact info.language@jpf.go.jp

Please also refer to the “General Information” document above for detailed answers to many frequently asked questions.

Date:	3 September 2024 - 2 October 2024
Download LPSP Application Form Autumn 2024-2025
Download LPSP Flowchart Autumn 2024-2025
Download LPSP General Information Autumn 2024-2025

Junko Takekawa at The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival 2024

We are thrilled to announce that our Senior Arts Programme Officer, Junko Takekawa, will be speaking at The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival as part of its free programme.

Join Junko, along with journalist and editor Sarah Shaffi, to learn more about some Japanese literature worth reading.
No ticket is required - just turn up!

Date:	5 October 2024 from 12.30pm - 1.00pm
Venue:	The Huddle, The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, Cheltenham

Click here for details

Talk event - Capturing Beauty and Power in Structure: ISHIMOTO Yasuhiro with ASAKURA Mei

ISHIMOTO Yasuhiro (1921-2012) remains one of Japan’s leading photographers. Born in the USA to a pair of Japanese immigrant farmers, ISHIMOTO studied both in Japan and at the Institute of Design in Chicago (also known as the New Bauhaus), where he was taught photographic technology by Aaron Siskind and Harry Callahan. After returning to Japan in the mid-1950s, he photographed the Katsura Rikyu (Katsura Imperial Villa). His work was praised highly, and so ISHIMOTO was pushed into fame, not least because his masterpieces were a breath of fresh air for the world of Japanese photography, employing modernistic expressions of the structural and stylistic power his photographic subjects held.

In celebration of the exhibition Yasuhiro Ishimoto. Lines and Bodies at LE BAL in Paris (19 June to 17 November), the Japan Foundation, London, together with The Photographers’ Gallery, will host a talk by ASAKURA Mei (curator at The Museum of Art, Kochi) exploring the legendary photographer while illustrating the characteristics of his works and the legacy he left. The Museum of Art to which ASAKURA belongs is home to the Ishimoto Yasuhiro Photo Center, a facility that holds almost the entirety of ISHIMOTO’s works, leaving ASAKURA uniquely positioned to share insights unmatched in depth and expertise.

To book your place, please click here to access the booking form.

Please note that the confirmation email system is not automated and is subject to office opening hours.

ISHIMOTO’s exhibition at LE BAL in Paris is supported by the Japan Foundation.

Date:	20 June 2024 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Photographers' Gallery, 16-18 Ramillies Street, London, W1F 7LW

The 2024 Survey on Japanese Language Education!

The Japan Foundation (JF) conducts its “Survey on Japanese Language Education” every three years in order to confirm the current state of Japanese language education in countries and regions around the world.

The information collected is very important as the results are widely used as basic data to understand the situation of Japanese language education all around the world.

The results will be compiled into a report containing the latest information concerning the current state of Japanese language education. They will also be utilised in our "search engine for institutions offering Japanese-language education".

The 2024 survey will be conducted from September 2024, but we wish to tell you basic information about the survey below. Additionally, your cooperation would be appreciated at this stage with item “5.” (“Request for information about institutions offering Japanese education”).

1. Survey coverage

2. Survey items

3. Survey method

4. Reward for responding to survey

5. Request for information about institutions offering Japanese education.

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1. Survey coverage:

All organisations that potentially offer Japanese language education outside Japan.

The following organisations are NOT covered by the survey:

Groups and activities that are not associated with an actual organisation
Overseas educational institutions that offer only ‘kokugo’ (Japanese national language) education

*However, overseas educational institutions offering courses that are not ‘kokugo’ education (Japanese as a heritage language / foreign language) will be covered at the departmental/course level.

Broadcasters or website operators providing Japanese-language education for an unspecified number of people
Short-term Japanese language experience activities

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2. Survey items:

(11 questions in total. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete).

Basic information on your organisation (organisation name, name of Japanese-language education department , address / URL, contact information, institution type, educational stage (level) (in formal education terms, primary / secondary (lower/upper) / higher, other education), positioning of Japanese-language learning

Number of teachers (by education stage (level), breakdown of full-time/part-time, number of teachers who are native Japanese language speakers)

Number of Japanese language learners (breakdown by education stage (level))*

Whether degree awarding, Japanese language teacher training courses, and online classes are offered

Purposes and reasons for learners’ Japanese language learning, the state of Japanese language development at your organisation

*In the case of primary and secondary education, there is a question about the number of learners studying the Japanese language as a formal subject or as an extracurricular activity. In the case of universities, there is a question about the number of learners studying the Japanese language as a major, as a non-major, or as an extracurricular activity. Preparing these figures beforehand and having them at hand will help you in completing the survey smoothly.

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3. Survey method:

A questionnaire format to be answered online. The URL of the form will be sent to you via email.

*In some cases, we may seek your cooperation via a different method, such as over the telephone.

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4. Reward for responding to survey:

After you have submitted your response, you will be able to download supplementary Japanese language teaching materials created by the Japan Foundation. Please use them in your lessons.

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5. Request for information about institutions offering Japanese education.

Prior to the survey, we are seeking information on organisations that may teach Japanese in the UK. It does not have to be the organisation where you work . Ambiguous information is also welcome. If you know information on any organisations that may teach Japanese language, please provide information by the following ways. We appreciate your cooperation.

1. Fill in the form.

2. Send an email to LO_survey@jpf.go.jp

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For your information, the institute that can be searched from the website below are responded that they offer Japanese language education in the previous survey in 2021.

Search criteria | Survey Report on Japanese-Language Education Abroad 2021 (jpf.go.jp)

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If your organisation does not receive a request despite offering Japanese-language education, or you have any other inquiries, please contact us via the email above.

We are hoping that a large number of organisations will cooperate with the survey and would like to ask for your help in this survey as without your answers your Japanese language education activities will not be reflected in the data and we will not have fully accurate figures, which would negatively affect the value of the survey.

Thank you for your support.

Date:

30 May 2024

Meet the Author: TAWADA Yoko, author of Spontaneous Acts

Join TAWADA Yoko, the multi-award-winning author of The Last Children of Tokyo and Scattered All Over the Earth, for an insightful pair of talks celebrating her latest UK release, Spontaneous Acts. TAWADA will visit London’s Libreria bookshop, along with Cheltenham for The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival.

About TAWADA Yoko

TAWADA Yoko was born in Tokyo in 1960, educated at Waseda University and has lived in Germany since 1982, where she received her PhD in German literature. She received the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for The Bridegroom Was a Dog. She writes in both German and Japanese, and in 1996, she won the Adalbert-von-Chamisso Prize, a German award recognizing foreign writers for their contributions to German culture. She also received the Goethe-Medal, an official decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the prestigious Kleist Prize (2016).

Venues and dates

London
Libreria
65 Hanbury Street
Monday 7 October 2024, 19:00
CONCLUDED - Click for more details

Cheltenham
The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival
The Hive, Montpellier Terrace
Tuesday 8 October 2024, 17:00
Click to book

Don’t forget to grab your copy of Spontaneous Acts before the event – click here to find out more!

Date:

7 October 2024 - 8 October 2024

BATJ-JF Japanese Language Education Seminar -- Education for the Emerging Present and New Roles for Teachers: Creative Society, Generators, Pattern Languages, and Creative Use of Generative AI

This Seminar will be organised by the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language and the Japan Foundation, London. Each year, we use these seminars as an opportunity to explore universal themes. We invite educators at the forefront of their fields to provide a novel and exciting learning opportunity. This time, we have invited Professor IBA Takashi, professor at the Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University. As times change, both education and teachers' roles must evolve. How should teachers grow and adapt whilst leveraging their existing experience? Professor Iba will share key concepts and practical insights crucial for education in this emerging present.

Event Outline

Date/Time: 2nd February 2025 (Sunday), 10:00 to 13:00 GMT
Theme: Education for the Emerging Present and New Roles for Teachers: Creative Society, Generators, Pattern Languages, and Creative Use of Generative AI
Speaker: Professor IBA Takashi (Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University)
Target audience: Japanese language educators and post-graduate university students specialising in Japanese language education, who are based in the United Kingdom and Europe. (Applications from those in other regions will also be accepted if places are available.)
Maximum number of participants: 80
Location: Online seminar using Zoom software
Spoken language: Japanese
Cost of seminar/applications: We will inform you later via the BATJ website or e-mail.
Application deadline: 29th January 2025 (Wednesday), 12:00 GMT
*Once the maximum number of places has been filled, applications will close.
Organisers: The British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language and the Japan Foundation, London.

Summary of the Seminar, from the Speaker:

As times change, both education and teachers' roles must evolve—and Japanese language education is no exception. In this era, where active learning is emphasised and we are already transitioning into a more creative age, how should teachers grow and adapt whilst leveraging their existing experience? This talk will share key concepts and practical insights crucial for education in this emerging present.

This seminar provides an opportunity to experience a dialogue workshop using Pattern Language ("Active Learning Patterns for Teachers" and "Generator Patterns"), which captures the essence of new educational practices. Pattern Language articulates the essence (rules of thumb) of "good practices" in education and other fields. It is gaining attention not only as a method to support practices but also as a means for practitioners to learn from each other (peer learning).

This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the concepts of "Creative Society," "Generators," and "Pattern Language" whilst experiencing Pattern Language firsthand. Additionally, I will discuss the creative use of generative AI as an example of my own generator practice. I believe all these topics will be insightful and interesting for everyone. I am looking forward to seeing you!

Speaker Profile:

Professor IBA Takashi

Professor at the Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University. Ph.D. in Media and Governance. His research focuses on Studies on Creation and Practices (Pattern Language), Philosophy of Creation (Natural Deep Creation), and Future Sociology (Studies on Creative Society).

Register Your Attendance Here

Download event flyer (Japanese)

Download event flyer (English)

Date:	2 February 2025 from 10.00am - 1.00pm
Venue:	Online event
Download 2025_BATJ-JF共催セミナー_Flyer JP
Download 2025_BATJ-JF共催セミナー_Flyer ENG

Film Screenings - OBAYASHI Nobuhiko

In conjunction with MORIIZUMI Takehito and his wife OBAYASHI Chigumi, there will be two special film screenings at the Garden Cinema in London for the films of OBAYASHI Nobuhiko.

OBAYASHI began his career with a largely experimentalist style but ultimately explored different genres throughout his life. His films feature themes of youth, love, and war.

6 August 18:00 ~ His Motorbike, Her Island. Followed by a Q&A with OBAYASHI Chigumi, the director's daughter, as well as her husband MORIIZUMI Takehito, distinguished manga artist and illustrator.

9 August 17:00 ~ Hanagatami

Venue: The Garden Cinema London

Date:	6 August 2025 - 9 August 2025
Venue:	The Garden Cinema, 39-41 Parker Street London, WC2B 5PQ

Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2025-2026 (Autumn) Applications Now Open

Autumn 2025 Applications Now OPEN!

We prioritise projects that fit into one of the four following categories:

Category 1 - Newly Introducing Japanese into the curriculum

Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses

Category 3 – New Japanese clubs

Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

Application deadline: 30^th September 2025, 23:59 (Tuesday)

General Information document

LPSP 2025-2026 Grant Flowchart

Grant Application Form (Autumn 2025)

We would be grateful if you could read the General Information document and the Grant Flowchart document before submitting an application.

If you have any questions, please contact info.language@jpf.go.jp

Please also refer to the “General Information” document above for detailed answers to many frequently asked questions.

Date:	29 August 2025 - 30 September 2025
Download LPSP General Information Autumn 2025-2026
Download LPSP Flowchart Autumn 2025-2026
Download LPSP Application Form Autumn 2025-2026

Japanese Taster for Schools Training Session – September 2024

Find out more about the JTS Programme here

General Information

Date/Time: 9^th September 2024 (Monday), 17:30-18:30 (BST)
Venue: Online (Zoom software)
Cost: Free (booking essential)
Maximum number of participants: 20

Spoken language: EnglishYou can take part whether you are already registered as a volunteer or are interesting in registering as a volunteer. JTS volunteers can have any level of Japanese, from beginner to fluency.

Experienced teachers of Japanese are very welcome to attend, but will be treated as lower priority applicants if the event reaches maximum capacity.

Event Schedule

17:30 – 17:35: Intro / Explanation of the JTS programme
17:35 – 17:50: Guest speaker talk – Ms Clare Kuroishi (Tips for teaching Japanese numbers as part of a one-off taster session)
17:50 – 18:10: Group activity (quiz)
18:10 – 18:25: Q&A, networking and discussion
18:25 – 18:30: Close

Speaker: Ms Clare Kuroishi (Teacher of Japanese)

Topic: Tips for teaching Japanese numbers to beginners

Click here to fill out an application form to attend

NB: There is NO application deadline but applications will close if the maximum number of participants is exceeded.

Date:

9 September 2024 from 5.30pm - 6.30pm

Local Project Support Programme Autumn 2025 Applications - Online Seminar and Q&A Session

You can find information on the programme as well as links to download an application form by clicking here

This session will be held twice:

Session One: 8^th September 2025 (Monday), 13:00 to 13:30

(Deadline: 7^th September 2025, 23:59)

Session Two: 18^th September 2025 (Thursday), 13:00 to 13:30

(Deadline: 17^th September 2025, 23:59)

Attendance is free but booking is essential.

We will be using Zoom software. Once you have applied we will send you information on how to join the session.

This seminar will be held in English but the presenter is a bilingual Japanese-English speaker. Please use Japanese in this application form and at the Q&A if you would prefer.

Fill out the application form here

Date:

8 September 2025 - 18 September 2025

Possessed by Photography: The Legendary Master DOMON Ken - Talk by TANAKA Kotaro

Attend TANAKA Kotaro's talk on DOMON Ken to discover the renowned photographer. Gain insights about his iconic works and explore his relationship with contemporaries such MORIYAMA Daido and ARAKI Nobuyoshi. Discover how DOMON's photography reflects the society he lived in.

The Photographers' Gallery

Date: 25 July 2023, 18:30 BST

Registration is essential and spaces are limited, so please book your ticket here.

Date:	25 July 2023
Venue:	The Photographers' Gallery

Art Without Heroes: Mingei

In collaboration with William Morris Gallery, we're proudly presenting the UK's most wide-ranging exhibition dedicated to Mingei, the influential folk-craft movement originating in Japan during the 1920s and 1930s. Showcasing a diverse array of works including ceramics, woodwork, textiles, and more, this exhibition explores Mingei's cultural significance and its enduring relevance in contemporary craft and consumerism.

Date: now on, until 22 September 2024
Venue: William Morris Gallery
Click here for details

Date:

23 March 2024 - 22 September 2024

Meet the Author Tour: YUZUKI Asako, author of Butter

Join award-winning author YUZUKI Asako, known for her tantalising thriller Butter, for a series of enlightening talks on the book and its background. YUZUKI will visit 6 cities, including Cheltenham for The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival and Manchester for the Manchester Literature Festival.

About YUZUKI Asako

Born in Tokyo in 1981. Won the All Yomimono Award for New Writers in 2008 for “Forget Me, Not Blue,” which was included in her debut work Shuten no ano ko in 2010. Won the Yamamoto Shugoro Prize in 2015 for Nile Perch no joshikai (Nile Perch Women's Club). Among her many other hit works, BUTTER was published in 2017.

Venues and dates

Cheltenham
The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival
Pillar Room, Cheltenham Town Hall
Saturday 5 October 2024, 18:30
CONCLUDED - Click for more details

Manchester
Manchester Literature Festival
Manchester Central Library
Monday 7 October 2024, 19:00
CONCLUDED - Click for more details

Sheffield
Off the Shelf
The Auditorium, University of Sheffield Students’ Union
Tuesday 8 October 2024, 18:00
CONCLUDED - Click for more details

London
Foyles, London Charing Cross Road
Wednesday 9 October 2024, 19:00
CONCLUDED - Click for more details

Norwich
University of East Anglia
Lecture Theatre 1
Thursday 10 October 2024, 17:30
CONCLUDED - Click for more details

Oxford
University of Oxford
Nissan Lecture Theatre, St Antony’s College
Friday 11 October 2024, 17:30
CONCLUDED - Click for more details

Don’t forget to grab your copy of Butter before the event – click here to find out more!

Date:

5 October 2024 - 11 October 2024

The Japan Foundation offices in Europe (Budapest, Cologne, Paris, and London offices) will jointly hold an online teachers’ seminar on the topic ‘The Professionalism and Agency of Japanese Language Teachers: Thinking Through Dialogue and Reflection’ on 6th April 2024 (Saturday).

The theme, date and time of the seminar are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that information is only available in Japanese, as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: ‘The Professionalism and Agency of Japanese Language Teachers: Thinking Through Dialogue and Reflection’

Date/Time: 6th April 2024 (Saturday), 13:00-14:30 (BST/UTC+1)

Application Deadline: 31st March 2024 (Sunday) , 17:00 (BST/UTC+1)

Online form

Enquiries:

The Japan Foundation, Budapest: BP_nihongo@jpf.go.jp (Japanese)

The Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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このたびブダペスト日本文化センターが中心となり、国際交流基金の欧州4拠点共催で、2024年4月6日（土）にオンライン日本語教師研修会を開催する運びとなりました。

テーマ：　「日本語教師の専門性と主体性―対話と省察から考える―」

講師　：　舘岡洋子先生（早稲田大学）

日時　：　2024年4月6日(土)　13:00～14:30 (BST/UTC＋1)

共催　：　JF欧州4拠点（ブダペスト、ケルン、パリ、ロンドン）

形式　：　オンライン（Zoomミーティング）

対象　：　日本語教師

参加費：　無料

使用言語：日本語

講師からのメッセージ：

　私たちは今、激動の時代を生きています。そのような中で、日本語教師は何をする人なのか、その専門性についても教師自身の主体性についても、動態的に捉える必要があるのではないでしょうか。本講演では、専門家としての日本語教師を「どんなフィールドに行っても、あるいは現在のフィールドが社会的影響の下で変化しても（実際には変化しないフィールドはありえない）、自身のめざす日本語教育観を軸として自らの経験やもてる力を総動員して、フィールドに合った日本語教育実践を編成し、必要に応じてフィールドそのものを変えていく力」（舘岡編2021、p.104）を備えた人であると捉えています。これからの時代、日本語教師として主体性をもって教育活動を行うとはどういうことかをいっしょに考えましょう。

参考文献：

・舘岡洋子編（2021）『日本語教師の専門性を考える』（ココ出版）

・舘岡洋子（2019）「『日本語教師の専門性』を考える―『専門性の三位一体モデル』の提案と活用―」『早稲田日本語教育学』26,pp.167-177, https://waseda.repo.nii.ac.jp/records/47067

【参加申し込み】

　オンラインフォーム　〆切：2024年3月31日（日）17：00（BST/UTC＋１）

【広報用ポスター】

　ポスターはこちらからダウンロードください。

【問い合わせ先】

　ブダペスト日本文化センター日本語チーム BP_nihongo@jpf.go.jp　（日本語）

　ロンドン日本文化センター events.japanese@jpf.go.jp （日本語／英語）

みなさまのお申込みをお待ちしております。

Date:	6 April 2024 from 1.00pm - 2.30pm
Venue:	Online event
Download 日本語教師研修会ポスター Poster

Talk event - The Birth of Fashion: Trends, Aesthetics, and Edo Kimono with NARUMI Hiroshi

Have you heard about V&A Dundee’s ongoing kimono exhibition? Perhaps you attended our online talk on kimono back in 2020? The kimono is an object of national pride in Japan, long beloved by Japanese people and influential even within the western world. Yet, unfortunately, kimono in modern Japan have been relegated to a sort of costume, worn only on specific special occasions. Perhaps the kimono, now overshadowed by western attire, is no longer considered a driving force in fashion – indeed, fashion itself is a concept generally considered to have been born in western Europe, from where it spread to the rest of the world, Japan included. But is that really the case?

Keeping this question in mind, sociologist and Japanese fashion theorist Prof. NARUMI Hiroshi will discuss how trends and aesthetics surrounding kimono came into being and changed over the course of the Edo period (1603-1868), a period during which many notable cultures flourished. Paying close attention to the trends seen among the groups active at the time – those in power, industry insiders, creators, performers, and young people – NARUMI will also explore in what ways kimono constituted fashion, and just how trail-blazing a fashion culture emerged.

To book your place, please click here to access the booking form.

Please note that the confirmation email system is not automated and is subject to office opening hours.

Date:	4 July 2024 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Hall, Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA

Images 1, 2, and 4 © The Trustees of the British Museum

The JF Japanese Studies Survey 2025

The Japan Foundation London has begun collecting information for the Japanese Studies Survey 2025.

JF London, with the cooperation of the British Association for Japanese Studies (BAJS), conducts a survey every 5 years. Our survey targets universities, researchers and students undertaking Japan-related studies in the humanities and social sciences, to analyse trends and support researchers in expanding their networks.The survey is essential in investigating the current landscape of Japanese Studies and Japan-related research in the UK

What will the survey include?

(1) University Directory Survey - This directory aims to provide students and the general public with useful reference information by listing universities that offer humanities and social sciences programs related to Japanese studies, employ faculty members specialising in such areas, or provide Japanese language education.

(2) Student Survey - This survey is intended for students in academic departments offering Japan-related studies programs, students in the humanities and social sciences whose topic of research or primary interest includes Japan, and undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students majoring in Japanese language or translation studies. (Students studying only Japanese language are not eligible.)

(3) Researcher Survey - This survey is intended for researchers affiliated with Japan-related studies departments, as well as researchers in the humanities and social sciences whose research includes Japan as a research subject.

(4) Researcher Directory Survey - To facilitate networking among students and researchers, we will create a directory of humanities and social sciences researchers whose work includes Japan-related studies, regardless of whether they are affiliated with Japanese studies department. This directory will be published on our website.

Deadline for All Responses: 12th September 2025

How can I help?

We have begun requesting information from universities across the UK, their students, and researchers in the field.

If you would like to participate in the survey or you would like any further information, please contact us at:

LO_JapaneseStudies@jpf.go.jp (CC Natsumi_Abe@jpf.go.jp and Iona_Vos@jpf.go.jp)

We look forward to hearing from you and thank you in advance for your cooperation.

You can view the 2020 Japanese Studies Survey here.

Date:

12 September 2025

Japanese Club Project: Call for Participating Schools for Online Training Programme

Is your school interested in starting a Japanese Club?

Sign up now to receive a Japanese Club package (including teacher training) so your school can be ready to run a Japanese Club next September!

What we provide (free of charge):

Teaching materials about Japanese culture and language consisting of 10 topics for 30-60 minute club activities (KS 2-4)*
12 x 1-hour online teacher training sessions
Support and advice for teachers running the Japanese Club
*Examples of topics covered: Greetings, Self-introduction, Food, Numbers, Festivals, Manga etc.

The teaching material and the training programme are designed for teachers who don’t have any experience of running Japanese clubs or Japanese language knowledge.

Details

Aims of the online training programme:

to learn how to use the set of materials.
to learn basic knowledge of Japan and the Japanese language.
to build a network of teachers who are interested in language and cultural education.

Eligibility:

primary or secondary schools that are interested in starting Japanese clubs.
schools that currently don’t have a Japanese programme as a part of curriculum.
schools that have a teacher who is available to attend the training programme and run a club at school.
* No prior experience in Japanese language learning and running a Japanese Club is required.
* In case of a high number of applicants, those who have no or limited experience in Japanese will be prioritised.

Benefits:

to be able to learn how to run a Japanese Club for at least 1 term (10 to 12 sessions).
to be able to learn how to use the materials.
to be able to gain basic knowledge of Japan and the Japanese language.
to be able to expand your network.

Training Schedule:

* Participants are expected to attend all the sessions below:

Every Monday (excluding most bank holidays) starting from 26 February, 4 pm to 5 pm. Please refer to the schedule below for precise dates.
In total of 12 sessions of 1h/week classes

February: 26
March: 4, 11, 18, 25
April: 8, 15, 22, 29
May: 13, 20
June: 3

Venue: Online

Language used: English

Fee: Free

Number of participants: around 10 teachers

Please click here to fill out an application form

*Please ask your head teacher or other senior teachers acting on behalf of the head teachers at your school for permission before applying.

Application deadline:

20th February at 2pm

Enquiries: Language Team, The Japan Foundation, London - events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (English/Japanese)

FAQ:

Q: I am interested in working at a school but currently am not teaching at any school. Can I apply?
A: This course is designed mainly for teachers who are already employed by a school. You can apply but please note that school-employed teachers will be prioritised in the event of a high number of applicants.

Q: Is it possible for more than two teachers from the same school to apply?
A: No problem. But in case of a high number of applicants, we may ask you to choose one teacher per school.

Q: Can a teacher who is a native speaker of Japanese apply to this course?
A: Japanese native speakers with no experience of teaching Japanese can apply.If the teacher has no experience in teaching Japanese, it is acceptable. For those experienced teachers of Japanese, we are going to provide another opportunity in future to introduce the set of materials over a shorter period of time.

Q: Can I get support while running a Japanese club after the training?
A: Yes, you can contact us if you have any concerns.

Q: Can I apply although we are not certain we can run a Japanese club this September?
A: Yes, as long as you and your school have an active intention to start a Japanese club in the future. You don't necessarily have to start the club this coming September.

Date:

29 January 2024

Improving Teaching Skills! Let’s Relearn Japanese Teaching Methods / 教授力アップ！日本語教授法を学びなおそう

Applications for this event have reached maximum capacity and have now closed. We are sorry for any disappointment caused.

The Japan Foundation offices (Cologne and London) will jointly hold an online teachers’ follow-up session on the topic, ‘Improving Teaching Skills! Let’s Relearn Japanese Teaching Methods’ on 19th October 2024 (Saturday).

The details of the seminar, such as the theme, date and time, are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that information is only available in Japanese, as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: Improving Teaching Skills! Let’s Relearn Japanese Teaching Methods

Date/Time: 19th October 2024 (Saturday), 9:00-11:00 (BST/UTC+1)/ 10:00-12:00 (CEST/UTC+2)

Application Deadline: 10th October 2024 (Thursday) 11:00（BST）

Online form

Applications for this event have reached maximum capacity and have now closed. We are sorry for any disappointment caused.

Eligibility: Japanese language teachers in Europe

Enquiries:

The Japan Foundation, Cologne: kurse@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / German)

The Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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このたび国際交流基金ケルン日本文化会館とロンドン日本文化センターの共催で2024年10月19日（土）にオンライン日本語教師研修会を開催する運びとなりました。

今回のテーマは「日本語教授法の学びなおし」です。日本語教師のための勉強会、研修会が開かれ、私たち教師が学ぶ機会も増えています。今回は国際交流基金が制作した「教授法動画・テキスト」をご紹介します。みなさまの学びに活かしていただければと思います。

みなさまのご参加、お待ちしています。

テーマ：教授力アップ！日本語教授法を学びなおそう

日時：2024年10月19日（土）9:00-11:00 （英国夏時間）/ 10:00-12:00 （中央ヨーロッパ夏時間）

形式：オンライン（Zoom）

使用言語：日本語

対象：　欧州の日本語教師

定員：50名

話題提供：大舩ちさと（国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター）

ファシリテーター：菊岡由夏（国際交流基金ケルン日本文化会館）

参加費：無料

使用言語：日本語

備考：事前課題があります。下の「事前課題」の箇所を見てください。

申込：https://forms.office.com/r/eetxjQ39X6

＊締切：10月10日（木）11:00 （BST）

Applications for this event have reached maximum capacity and have now closed. We are sorry for any disappointment caused.

チラシ

【ファシリテーターから一言】

7月にケルン日本文化会館に着任して初めての研修で、とても緊張しています！さて、最近は各地で日本語教師のための勉強会、研修会が開かれ、教師力アップの機会も充実してきました。今回ご紹介する「教授法動画・テキスト」も皆様の日々の学びにぜひ活かしていただければと思います！

【事前課題】下記のwebサイトから「日本語教授法動画・テキスト」を視聴、確認する

下記サイトからご関心があるものをピックアップしてご視聴、ご確認ください。目安時間は30分程度です。

・国際交流基金日本語国際センターwebサイト

　日本語教授法動画・テキスト

・みんなの教材サイト　

　日本語教授法動画・テキスト

・JFにほんごeラーニング「みなと」日本語教師向けコース内

　JFにほんごeラーニング　みなと「日本語教師向けコース内」

　＊同サイトの「日本語教師向けコース」タブ内で開講されているもの。利用には登録、ログインが必要です。

問い合わせ先 :ケルン日本文化会館 kurse@jpf.go.jp（日本語／ドイツ語）

ロンドン日本文化センター: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (日本語／英語)

Date:	19 October 2024 from 10.00am - 12.00pm
Venue:	Online Event
Download ReLearn Event

Online talk - Godzilla Vs. Human: Rethinking the Monster

Godzilla is an enormous fictional monster created in Japan but hugely popular worldwide. Originating from a scenario by KAYAMA Shigeru (who would later pen a pair of novelisations reinforcing his original vision), the creature evolved as it took cinematic form, reflecting the socio-political fragility and fear of scientific and technological progress of its time.

With this year marking the 70^th anniversary of the first Godzilla film’s release in 1954, and the Barbican Centre's All Kaiju Attack! film season taking place throughout August, this spectacular series of film productions is once again the centre of attention. In this special talk, experts from the worlds of both film and literature will look back on the works that make up the Godzilla series as they explore the creature’s significance and the ways in which the fantasies and messages within the franchise are relevant to real life.

Speakers

Dr. Jeffrey Angles, Professor at Western Michigan University and translator of Godzilla and Godzilla Raids Again, the novels by franchise-spawning screenplay writer KAYAMA Shigeru
Steven Sloss, film critic, writer, and lifelong kaiju fan
Alex Davidson (moderator), Cinema Curator at the Barbican Centre

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential.
To book your place, please click here to open our booking form.

Date:	9 August 2024 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Online, via Zoom - free to attend but booking is essential, see above

Wales Special Event: 2025 Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival

This year's Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival will take place throughout September and October in three venues throughout Wales. From The Colors Within to Summer Wars, the festival screens the best in Japanese anime and culture, featuring a BSL interpreter at Chapter (Saturday only) to reach a greater disabled audience.

Date:	27 September 2025 - 26 October 2025
Venue:	CHAPTER, CARDIFF 27 – 28 September TAPE COMMUNITY MUSIC AND FILM 11 October ABERYSTWYTH ARTS CENTRE 24 – 26 October

Click here for details

Transformation! Ninja and its Image in the World and Japan - Talk by Prof. YAMADA Yuji

Discover the world of Ninja! Join our talk with Prof. YAMADA Yuji and learn how the perception of these iconic figures has evolved over time using some cinematic examples.

Venue: Japan House London

Date: 19 September 2023, 18:30 BST

Registration is essential and spaces are limited, so please book your ticket here.

Date:

19 September 2023

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2024

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2024 is the largest ever!

Starting off on 2 February, the programme visits 30 cities in the UK, including Oxford, Lancaster, Chichester, Liverpool and as far as Orkney, as new stopovers!

Based on a theme of memories, there are 24 films - from with diverse genres such as human drama, horror, LGBTQ films, comedy, and sci-fi…and most of them are UK premieres. There’s a cinematic treat for everyone!

For screening dates and times at locations near you, please visit:

https://www.jpf-film.org.uk/

Date:

2 February 2024 - 31 March 2024

Local Project Support Programme Spring 2024 Applications - Online Seminar and Q&A Session

You can find information on the programme as well as links to download an application form by clicking here

This session will be held twice on 8^th May 2024 (Thursday)

1. First Session: 13:00 to 13:30

2. Second Session: 18:00 to 18:30

We will be using Zoom software. Once you have applied we will send you information on how to join the session.

Attendance is free but booking is essential. If you would like to take part, please sign up 7^th May 2024 (Tue).

This seminar will be held in English but the presenter is a bilingual Japanese-English speaker. Please use Japanese at in this application form and at the Q&A if you would prefer.

Fill out the application form here

Date:	8 May 2024
Venue:	Online event

The Japan Foundation offices (Paris, Budapest and London) will jointly hold an online teachers’ seminar on the topic ‘A Discussion on ‘Japanese for Children’ with the teachers who wrote “Ohisama - Hajime no Ippo”’ on 2nd June 2024 (Sunday).

The theme, date and time of the seminar are as follows. Please find the event details below, written in Japanese.

*Please note that information is only available in Japanese, as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: A Discussion on ‘Japanese for Children’ with the teachers who wrote “Ohisama - Hajime no Ippo”

Date/Time: 2nd June 2024 (Sunday), 9:00-11:30 (BST/UTC+1)

Application Deadline: 26th May 2024 (Sunday)

Online form

Enquiries:

The Japan Foundation, Paris: kenshu@mcjp.fr (Japanese / French)

The Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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このたびパリ日本文化会館が中心となり、国際交流基金の欧州3拠点共催で2024年6月2日（日）にオンライン日本語教師研修会を開催する運びとなりました。

今回は、特に低年齢の子どもさん向けに開発された日本語教科書『おひさま‐はじめのいっぽ‐』の執筆者である3人の先生方を招いてのセミナーです。先生方に本の紹介していただきつつ、日本語を学んでいる子どもたちについてみなさんといっしょに考えたいと思います。

多くの方にご参加いただけると幸いです。

テーマ：「『おひさま―はじめのいっぽ―』執筆者の先生方と考える「こどものための日本語」」

日時：2024年6月2日（日）9:00-11:30 （英国夏時間）

形式：オンライン（Zoom）

使用言語：日本語

対象：欧州在住で子供に対する日本語教育に関心があるすべての方

　　　（上記の方を主たる対象としていますが、その他の地域の方の参加も可能です）

講師：山本絵美（Emi Yamamoto）ライデン大学日本学科講師

　　　上野淳子（Junko Ueno）　てらこや＠アムステルダム主任講師

　　　米良好恵（Yoshie Mera）　おひさまプロジェクト代表

申込：https://forms.office.com/r/2zbcERxR9c（5月26日（日））

チラシhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1PwgnaryWnrNtb8bstTn5UOJSzXXNVIP8/view?usp=sharing

※ポスターの時刻は、中央ヨーロッパ夏時間です。英国、アイルランドからのご参加のみなさま、どうぞ時差にご注意ください。

問い合わせ先 : kenshu@mcjp.fr

　　　　　　　国際交流基金パリ日本文化会館日本語事業部

　　　　　　（担当：三浦多佳史、佐藤健、ナス・エミール、谷口萌子）

Date:	2 June 2024 from 9.00am - 11.30am
Venue:	Online event

The Scots and Japan: First Contact (1613 - 1623) at the University of Edinburgh

We are proud to be partnering with the University of Edinburgh for a number of talks in their Asian Studies Seminar Series.

Join the University of Edinburgh for this talk, The Scots and Japan: First Contact (1613-1623) by Professor Ian Gow which will reveal evidence of Scots working with Japan in the early 17th century!

This talk event is free and booking is not required, just turn up!

To find out more, click here.

Date:	13 December 2023 from 4.00pm - 6.00pm
Venue:	University of Edinburgh Project Room 1.06, 50 George Square

JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL ONLINE 2024

Following on from the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2024 (JFTFP24) in February and March, we are delighted to announce that JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL ONLINE, first launched in 2020, will now also be held in the UK from 5 June at 4am until 3 July at 4am (all times BST).

For the first two weeks of the festival, 18 Japanese films will be available for streaming, with 2 television drama series that were popular in Japan being made available for the festival’s second half.

Enjoy the diverse world of Japanese cinema in person and also online this year!

Date:	5 June 2024 - 3 July 2024 from 4.00am - 4.00am
For more information, please click here.

Online Seminar – How to Start Extensive Reading in Japanese/ オンライン研修会「日本語多読のはじめ方」

WEB

Title: Online Seminar – How to Start Extensive Reading in Japanese/ オンライン研修会「日本語多読のはじめ方」

Text：

The Japan Foundation offices (Madrid, Budapest and London) will jointly hold an online teachers’ seminar on the topic ‘How to Start Extensive Reading in Japanese’ on 14th June 2024 (Friday).

The theme, date and time of the seminar are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that information is only available in Japanese, as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: How to Start Extensive Reading in Japanese

Date/Time: 14th June 2024 (Friday), 9:00-11:00 (BST/UTC+1)

Application Deadline: 2nd June 2024 (Sunday)

Online form

Enquiries:

The Japan Foundation, Madrid: nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / Spanish)

The Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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このたびマドリード日本文化センターが中心となり、国際交流基金の欧州3拠点共催で2024年6月14日（金）にオンライン日本語教師研修会を開催する運びとなりました。

今回のテーマは「日本語多読のはじめ方」。

『言語教育における多読』（くろしお出版）の訳者のお一人、渡部倫子先生をお呼びしての開催です。

多くの方にご参加いただけると幸いです。

テーマ：日本語多読のはじめ方

日時：2024年6月14日（金）9:00-11:00 （英国夏時間）

形式：オンライン（Zoom）

使用言語：日本語

対象：多読に関心のある方

講師：渡部倫子先生 (広島大学大学院人間社会科学研究科教授)

申込：Online form（6月2日（金））

チラシ

講師からのメッセージ：

日本語教育の分野で2000年代に急速に注目されはじめ、現在では多くの教育機関で実践されている多読。その目的や効果には、どのようなものがあるでしょうか。また、精読とはどんな違いがあるのでしょうか。この講演では、多読の目的を明確にしたうえで、研究結果に基づいた多読の効果や、多読を取り入れたカリキュラムのポイントや活動例などについて丁寧に紹介します。

講師略歴：

広島大学にて博士号（教育学）を取得後、岡山大学言語教育センター等で日本語教育に従事し、現在は広島大学大学院日本語教育学講座の教授として、日本語教員養成と主に言語評価に関する研究を行っている。主な著書に『言語教育における多読』（くろしお出版）、『日本語でPEACE CLIL実践ガイド』（凡人社）、『算数文章題が解けない子どもたち』（岩波書店）など。Language Assessment Quarterly, Journal of Extensive Reading,『日本語教育学』、『第二言語としての日本語の習得研究』、『日本テスト学会誌』などに論文を発表している。日本語教育学会の理事、第二言語習得研究会のジャーナル委員長、日本言語テスト学会の研究会運営委員、広島市日本語教育総合調整会議の座長などを歴任。

問い合わせ先 : 国際交流基金マドリード日本文化センター　nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp

Date:	14 June 2024 from 9.00am - 11.00am
Venue:	Online event
Download JP Extensive Reading_Flyer

JaLaChamp 2024 – Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK

Applications are now open for JaLaChamp 2024!

Latest updates

07/12 - Speech Category deadline extended!
31/10 - Prospective applicants and their teachers/guardians can now check out our Frequently Asked Questions document.
26/10 - Check out our JaLaChamp 2024 outline video!
18/10 - You can now download Video Creation Hints!

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JaLaChamp, or Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK, is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese. There are two categories - the speech category, where students give a speech on a theme of their choice, and the video category where students are asked to create an original video either by individual or part of a group.

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Application deadline for the Speech Category: 6^th December 2023 (Wednesday), 15:00

The Speech Category Deadline has been EXTENDED.

New Speech Category Deadline: 24th January 2024 (Wednesday), 15:00

(Please note that the application guidelines, application form, application poster etc display the previous deadline)

Speech Category Application Form

Application deadline for the Video Category: 24^th January 2024 (Wednesday), 15:00

Video Category Application Form

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1. Download Guidelines and Event Poster

2. Reference Materials for Students

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Finals day: 11th May 2024 (Saturday)
Venue: Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA

* Please note: The Finals Day of JaLaChamp 2023 was held in July, however the JaLaChamp 2024 Finals Day will be held in May

Date:	25 September 2023
Download JaLaChamp 2024 Poster (1)
Download JaLaChamp2024_Application Guideline_EN
Download JaLaChamp2024_Application Guideline_JP
Download JaLaChamp2024_Video Creation Hints
Download JaLaChamp FAQ

DAZAI Osamu: Metamorphosis

DAZAI Osamu, a renowned literary figure in Japan, left a lasting impact despite his short life from 1909 to 1948, through numerous novels now emblematic of modern Japanese literature. Prior to the London performance of Good-Bye at the Coronet Theatre, a round table discussion featuring experts will delve into DAZAI's life, works, and his enduring influence in Japan and beyond, including an overview by Dr. Irena Hayter from the University of Leeds.

The panelists for this roundtable discussion are: Dr. Irena Hayter (Associate Professor of Japanese Studies at the University of Leeds), Jagoda Kamov (Theatre director, writer, and actress), MIURA Motoi (Representative and the director of theatre company Chiten), and James Garza (Assistant Professor of Translation Studies at International Christian University)

Date: 1 March 2024, 18:30 (GMT)

Online Webinar

Click here to book your place

Date:

1 March 2024

Talk event: Mingei Then and Now with YOSHIZAWA Tomo

The Mingei Undo was a revolutionary cultural movement in Japan which started in 1926. Grandfathered by YANAGI Soetsu, it intended to identify and treasure the beauty of the hand-made works produced by anonymous craftsmen, each one created amidst the climate of each local region and to its specific daily needs. It was born against the backdrop of an existing notion that only ornately-decorated ornamental pieces had value as works of art. The re-discovery of beauty in Mingei covers media from ceramics to textiles, with the works of HAMADA Shoji regarded as some of the most representative of the movement, including within the UK.

In celebration of the exhibition Art Without Heroes: Mingei at William Morris Gallery in London, the Japan Foundation and Dovecot Studios will host a talk by YOSHIZAWA Tomo, a key partner of the exhibition, that will examine the historical significance of Mingei along with its socio-economic impact. As a granddaughter of MUNEHIRO Rikizo, a Preserver of Important Intangible Cultural Property, Tomo will also delve into Mingei’s influence on contemporary makers and craftsmen, along with the relationship between maker and user, by focusing on MUNEHIRO’s textile works.

To book, please click here for our booking form.
Please note that the confirmation email system is not automated and is subject to office opening hours.

Date:	13 May 2024 from 1.00pm - 2.00pm
Venue:	Dovecot Studios, 10 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1LT

Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2024-2025 (Spring) Applications Now Open

Spring 2024 Applications Now OPEN!

We prioritise projects that fit into one of the four following categories:

Category 1 - Newly Introducing Japanese into the curriculum

Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses

Category 3 – New Japanese clubs

Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

Application deadline: 23^rd May 2024, 23:59 (Thursday)

General Information document

LPSP 2024-2025 Grant Flowchart

Grant Application Form (May 2024)

We would be grateful if you could read the General Information document and the Grant Flowchart document before submitting an application.

If you have any questions, please contact info.language@jpf.go.jp

Please also refer to the “General Information” document above for detailed answers to many frequently asked questions.

Date:	23 April 2024 - 23 May 2024
Download LPSP General Information Spring 2024-2025
Download LPSP Flowchart Spring 2024-2025
Download LPSP Application Form Spring 2024-2025

*8-12 October* Meet the Author: YAGI Emi Tour

Image credit © KITCHEN MINORU

Diary of a Void – a subversive tale that delves into the complexities of lies, life, and female interiority (co-translated by David Boyd and Lucy North). We are delighted to invite YAGI Emi the author behind this award-winning debut book, to the UK.

She will jointly appear at The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival with KAWAGUCHI Toshikazu, the author of the million selling Before the Coffee Gets Cold series. Following the festival, YAGI Emi will tour the country, including London.

Date: Sunday 8 Oct 16:30

Venue: Town Hall, Pillar Room, The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival

Book here [Tickets for this event are sold out]

Date: Monday 9 Oct 17:30

Venue: The University of Sheffield, Lecture Theatre 7, The Diamond

Book here

Date: Tuesday 10 Oct 19:00

Venue: The West Kirby Bookshop, West Kirby

Book here

Date: Wednesday 11 Oct 18:30

Venue: National Centre for Writing, Dragon Hall, Norwich

Book here

Date: Thursday 12 Oct 19:00

Venue: Foyles, The Auditorium (Level 6), 107 Charing Cross Road, London

Book here

Date:

8 October 2023 - 12 October 2023

In the Shadows of Gratitude: AGEING & CARE in Japanese Society - *Talk and Documentary Screening*

Date: Wednesday 5 June, 6:30pm – 9pm (Doors at 6pm)

Venue: Japan House London

The world is ageing. According to the World Health Organization, increased life expectancy and declining birth rates mean that between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 will have doubled. Nowhere is this trend easier to see than in Japan, where 1 in 10 people are over the age of 80 and almost 30% of the population is over the age of 65, according to a study published in 2023 by the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Who will provide care to the growing number of frail and cognitively impaired older people in this historically unprecedented reality?

Japan relies on a combination of informal, unpaid care (primarily family members, but also local community volunteer groups) and formal, paid care to address the increasing needs of its ageing population. Despite the introduction of a national Long-Term Care Insurance system in 2000, family involvement in daily care of older family members has not decreased. Family members play a vital role as primary carers for almost three-quarters of frail and dependent older people, but as dependency increases with age, it is not uncommon for family carers to leave their jobs or move in with the person they are caring for, leading to dangerous levels of stress and fatigue. Understanding and recognizing the value of unpaid care is essential for ensuring their support over the course of what is often a long, painful, but ultimately transformative journey.

Join us for a discussion on this issue, with Dr Jason Danely, Reader in Anthropology at Oxford Brookes University and Chair of the Healthy Ageing and Care Research Innovation and Knowledge Exchange Network.

This event will feature a documentary film screening of I Go Gaga: Welcome Home, Mom as part of the release of new titles to the JFF + Japanese Film Festival Online.

The event will involve a 10 minute introductory talk from Dr Danely, followed by the documentary screening. After the screening, Dr Danely will lead a 30 minute Q&A session to share his expertise and facilitate an audience discussion.

About the Film

I Go Gaga: Welcome Home, Mom is the sequel to director NOBUTOMO Naoko's 2018 hit documentary I Go Gaga, My Dear. It is a record of the director’s own mother who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in her mid-eighties and the director’s nonagenarian father who continues to take care of his wife. Since the first film, the mother’s dementia has progressed and upon having a stroke, she begins hospital life. The ageing father goes to visit the mother every day at the hospital and continues to shower his wife with love and hope. A gently observed story about a fate that could happen to any family living in an ageing society.

Watch the trailer here.

About the Speaker

Dr. Jason Danely is a Reader in Anthropology and Chair of the Healthy Ageing & Care Research Innovation and Knowledge Exchange Network at Oxford Brookes University. He is the author of over 20 publications, including his most recent book, Fragile Resonance: Caring for Older Family Members in Japan and England (2022). His research expertise relates to cultural understanding and experiences of ageing and care in

Japan, where he has at various times taught, studied, performed theatre, travelled, meditated and raised children, over the last twenty years.

This is a free event, however booking is essential.

To reserve your place, click here!

Keep an eye on this page for the title of the documentary, screened as part of this event!

For enquiries, please email LO_info@jpf.go.jp

Date:	5 June 2024 from 6.30pm - 9.00pm
Venue:	Japan House London

School-Centred Initial Teacher Training Information Day for Applicants

Are you interested in teaching Japanese in secondary schools in England? Would you like to get the teaching qualification to realise that ambition? If so, please don’t miss this great opportunity!

On this information day, Mr Keith Faulkner from the National Modern Languages SCITT will give a speech about SCITT, and explain how to apply for the NML SCITT. There will also be a Q&A session.

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Dates:

Day 1: 11:00-11:45 on Tuesday 21st November

Day 2: 18:00-18:45 on Thursday 23rd November

Day 3: 18:00-18:45 on Thursday 7th December

Note: Each session will have the same content.

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To apply, please click here:

https://forms.office.com/r/PBtmkV9yDA

Participation fee: Free (registration in advance is required.)

Registration deadlines:

16th November (Day 1 - 21st November)

20th November (Day 2 - 23rd November)

4th December (Day 3 - 7th December)

Languages used: English

Format: Online (ZOOM meeting)

Date:	21 November 2023 - 7 December 2023
Venue:	Online (Zoom)

Seeds in the Heart and Leaves of Words: Traditional Japanese Poetry Beyond the Haiku

About this Event

Poetry has been a part of Japanese life for more than a millennium, with the first major anthology of waka - poems in Japanese - compiled in the late eighth century. Later, it was to become an essential part of life for the aristocrats of the new capital city of Heian-kyō - modern Kyoto - and through their production and patronage exert a profound influence on almost all aspects of Japan’s cultural life, as warlords, warriors and merchants sought the social status and approval that came with the composition of poetry. Images from waka were used in painting, on clothing, and utensils of various kinds. Waka topics influenced which plants and animals were cherished, and which were not and subtly shaped Japan’s ideas of itself as a nation and people. Indeed, the influence of waka has been so pervasive and enduring that it’s possible to say without an understanding of waka, you don’t really understand Japan.

This lecture will trace the development of waka from its early beginnings as a tool for communication and social relationships among the elite nobility, through its role in providing a ritual underpinning to the aristocratic state, and its development into an arena of critical and literary conflict between factions determined to maintain and promote their views of appropriate poetic style, leading eventually to the development of new poetic form such as the haiku. It will reveal how and why waka thrived, and how its topics and the emotions associated with them came to express many of the attitudes which are considered quintessentially Japanese.

About the Speaker

Dr Thomas McAuley is a Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies at the University of Sheffield, and an expert on premodern Japanese poetry and culture. Among his publications is the complete translation and commentary of Roppyakuban uta’awase (‘Poetry Contest in Six Hundred Rounds’; 1193-94), one of the most significant poetic and critical texts of the period.

An experienced translator, he regularly posts new translations of premodern Japanese poetry on his website, www.wakapoetry.net.

Among his current projects are studies of premodern critics’ attitudes to the inclusion of Chinese-influenced material in waka poetry and the impact of poets’ gender on their compositional practice.

To register for this event, click here.

Booking for this event has now closed.

Date:	7 December 2023 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High St, London W8 5SA London W8 5SA View on map

Concert & Talk: The Music of Kabuki with the TANAKA School

Join seven kabuki musicians (known as hayashikata) led by TANAKA Denzaemon Xlll and including TANAKA Denjiro VII, for a captivating selection of classic kabuki compositions. Gain deeper insights into kabuki music and its musical instruments through a brief talk by the musicians.

Dates and Venues

Venue: Frankopan Hall, Jesus College (Cambridge)

Date: 4 March,18:00

For more details, click here

Venue: St James’s Church, Piccadilly (London)

Date: 5 March, 13:00

For more details, click here *Free to attend but registration is essential.

Venue: V&A Dundee (Dundee)

Date: 7 March, 13:00

For more details, click here

Date:

4 March 2024 - 7 March 2024

Machine as a Hero? Unfolding Japanese Mecha-Anime: Talk by FUJITSU Ryota

Anime enthusiasts, get ready for a deep dive into the world of mecha-anime!

Join us for an online talk by FUJITSU Ryota, a leading anime critic, as we explore the evolution of machines as characters in Japanese animation. As part of Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival 2023.

Date: Friday 10 Nov 18:30 GMT ONLINE

Book here

Date:

10 November 2023 from 6.30pm

School-Centred Initial Teacher Training Information Day for Applicants - February 2024

Are you interested in teaching Japanese in secondary schools in England? Would you like to get the teaching qualification to realise that ambition? If so, please don’t miss this great opportunity!

On this information day, Mr Keith Faulkner from the National Modern Languages SCITT will give a speech about SCITT, and explain how to apply for the NML SCITT. There will be a Q&A session.

Dates:

Day 1: 17:00-17:45 on Monday 5th February

Day 2: 11:00-11:45 on Tuesday 6th February

Note: Each session has the same content.

To apply, please click here

Participation fee: Free (registration in advance is required.)
Registration deadline: 2nd February
Languages used: English
Online (ZOOM meeting)

Date:

5 February 2024 - 6 February 2024

The 18th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students

We are delighted to announce that the 18th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is open for applications!

This contest gives students the chance to make their voices heard in Japanese, and win some fantastic prizes! Finals Day will be held at King’s College London, on Saturday 4th March 2023. This is the first in-person Finals Day in three years! (Please note that this event may take place online depending on the circumstances regarding Covid-19.

:: Contest Aims

:: Who can apply?

The contest is aimed at undergraduate students who are currently studying Japanese as a foreign language at a university in the UK or Ireland.

There are three different categories:

1. Speech Category: For those studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard C1 or C2 at a university the UK or Ireland including as an elective, optional or other university-based language course. Five finalists will be selected.

Application Deadline: 7th November 2022 (15:00 GMT)

2. Individual Presentation Category: For those studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard B1 or B2. Participants will give a PowerPoint presentation using Japanese. The aim of the presentation is to introduce a particular theme to the audience, for example a region, event, custom, etc. from the UK or another country outside Japan. Five finalists will be selected.

Application Deadline: 5th December 2022 (15:00 GMT)

3. Group Presentation Category: For those studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard A1 or A2. Participants will take part in groups of two to four students and give a PowerPoint presentation using Japanese. The aim of the presentation is to introduce a particular theme to the audience, for example a region, event, custom, etc. from the UK or another country outside Japan. Five groups which are selected to present during the finals day will be given a special award.

Application Deadline: 12th December 2022 (15:00 GMT)

*Details of JF Standard can be found here: https://jfstandard.jp/pdf/jfs2015_pamphlet_eng.pdf

Videos from the 17^th Contest Finals Day can be viewed here

Please see the files below for the contest poster, FAQ, and application forms for each category:

Date:	4 March 2023
Download SpC18 FAQ
Download SpC2023 Application Poster
Download SpC18 Speech Category Application Form
Download SpC18 Rules and Guidance
Download SpC18 Individual Presentation Category Application Form
Download SpC18 Group Presentation Category Application Form

This event is co-organised by The Japan Foundation, London and The British Associtation for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language

UK Online Exchange for Teachers of Japanese as heritage Language 2023/ 英国継承日本語教育関係者オンライン交流会2023

The Japan Foundation London will hold an online exchange event for teachers of Japanese as heritage language on 26th November 2023, Sunday.

The date and time of the event are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that information is only available in Japanese, as the event will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Title: UK Online Exchange for Teachers of Japanese as heritage Language 2023

Date/Time: 26th November 2023 (Sunday), 10:00-12:00 (GMT/UTC)

Application Deadline: 22th November 2023 (Wednesday) 13:00（GMT/UTC）

Click here to apply using our online application form

Enquiries:

Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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　この度JFロンドンでは、英国にて継承日本語教育に携わる先生方やプレイグループの運営に携わる保護者の皆さまを対象に、オンライン交流会を実施いたします。

　JFロンドンでは近年、外国語としての日本語教育のサポートに加え、継承語として日本語教育のサポートを進めています。

　これまで教師のみなさまを対象とした事業としては、欧州内のJF拠点の共催セミナーやヨーロッパ日本語教師会のSIG「欧州継承日本語ネットワーク」が主催する交流イベントの後援など、欧州全域のみなさんを対象としたものを実施してまいりました。また「小噺をとりいれた教育実践」等、継承日本語教育にも適したテーマの研修会やイベントも行ってきました。子どもたちが参加できるイベントとしては、JaLaChamp（Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK）を2023年より実施しています。

　ですが、英国内の継承日本語教育関係者がざっくばらんに情報交換をする機会は限られており、そのような場を望む声が届いています。昨年、JFロンドンが継承日本語教育関係者の方々にヒアリング調査を行った際にも、定期的な情報交換や実践共有の場がほしいという声が出ていました。

　そこで、今回は英国内で継承日本語教育に携わっている方々がオンラインで集い、お互いの活動を共有したり、耳より情報を共有したりする機会を設けたいと思います。また、「英国の継承日本語教育の未来」をテーマに、自分たちにできること、やってみたいことについてざっくばらんに話をする時間も設ける予定です。

　日曜の午前の実施で恐縮ですが、ご参加を検討いただけると幸いです。

　どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。

タイトル：英国継承日本語教育関係者オンライン交流会2023

日時：　2023年11月26日（日）10時～12時GMT/UTC

場所：オンライン（Zoom meeting）

対象者：英国で継承日本語教育に携わる教員やプレイグループ等の運営に携わる保護者等

参加費：無料

使用言語：日本語

申込み締切：2023年11月22日（水）13:00　GMT/UTC

申込み　オンライン・フォーム

【問い合わせ先】

　ロンドン日本文化センター events.japanese@jpf.go.jp （日本語／英語）

Date:	26 November 2023 from 10.00am - 12.00pm
Venue:	Online

Japanese Taster for Schools Training Session – February 2024

To empower and encourage volunteers, we will be holding an online training session on 19^th February. We will provide information about the JTS programme and there will be a talk given by an experienced teacher of Japanese. There will also be a chance to ask us questions and speak to other volunteers!

This event is open to everyone – including people who are already registered as volunteers or are interested in becoming volunteers. However, we are particularly encouraging new and prospective volunteers who have not yet held a taster session, as we want to give these volunteers the confidence to get started on a taster session!

Find out more about the JTS Programme here

General Information

Date/Time: 19^th February 2024 (Monday), 17:30-18:30 (GMT)
Venue: Online (Zoom software)
Cost: Free (booking essential)
Maximum number of participants: 20
Spoken language: English

Event Schedule

17:30 – 17:40: Intro / Explanation of the JTS programme
17:40 – 18:00: Guest speaker talk – Anne Rajakumar, teacher of Japanese (topic: teaching Japanese in the classroom)
18:00 – 18:15: Moderated group discussion
18:15 – 18:25: Q&A
18:25 – 18:30: Close

Click here to fill out an application form to attend

NB: There is NO application deadline but applications will close if the maximum number of participants is exceeded.

Date:	19 February 2024 from 5.30pm - 6.30pm
Venue:	Online event

*Looking for Volunteers* UCL-Japan Youth Challenge

Looking for Volunteers UCL-Japan Youth Challenge

Interested in Japanese culture? Learning Japanese? Want to help pre-university students shape their future studies and careers?

The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge are looking for university student volunteers who can join the in person summer school programme for a week at the end of July, to help the participants make the most out of their experience!

Volunteer roles:

• Join and facilitate group discussion during the UCL Grand Challenge Workshop on Tuesday 25 July

• Encourage Japanese high school students to communicate in English

• Support the staff (catering, guide to venues, etc.)

Dates:

• Rikkyo School in England: Saturday 22 July

• University of Cambridge: Sunday 23 & Monday 24 July

• UCL (University College London): Tuesday 25 - Saturday 29 July

*Volunteers may join us from one day to the whole programme between Saturday 22 and Saturday 29

Times:

9am to 6pm (BST)

* Times may vary depending on the day (may finish slightly earlier or later)

To download the information flyer, click here.

If you can participate, please email ujyc@japanatuk.com

Website: www.ucl-japan-youth-challenge.com

The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge is an annual summer school programme for pre-university students from UK sixth form colleges and Japanese high schools for cultural interaction through various educational activities and events held at UCL (University College London) and the University of Cambridge, since 2015, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Japan’s Choshu Five and Satsuma 19, all of whom studied at UCL in 1863 and 1865 respectively.

If you are a pre-university student interested in learning more and attending this event, please see our previous post here: https://www.jpf.org.uk/whatson.php#1264

Or visit the official event website: https://www.ucl-japan-youth-challenge.com/

Date:	22 July 2023 - 29 July 2023 from 12.00am
Venue:	Rikkyo School in England Cambridge University University College London (UCL)
Download UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2023

Online Seminar - ‘Bringing Language and Culture Together in the Classroom’ / オンライン研修会「ことばと文化を一緒に学ぶ授業へ」

The Japan Foundation in Europe (Cologne, Budapest, London, Madrid and Paris offices) will jointly hold an online teachers’ seminar on the topic ‘Bringing Language and Culture Together in the Classroom’ on 24th November 2023, Friday.

The theme, date and time of the seminar are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that information is only available in Japanese, as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: ‘Bringing Language and Culture Together in the Classroom: Activity Examples for Intercultural Understanding’

Date/Time: 24th November 2023 (Friday), 8:30-10:30 (GMT/UTC)

Application Deadline: 10th November 2023 (Friday) 17:00（GMT/UTC)
https://forms.office.com/r/sJEx1rV5pY

Enquiries:
The Japan Foundation, Madrid: nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp (Japanese)

The Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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このたびマドリード日本文化センターが中心となり、国際交流基金の欧州５拠点共催で、以下の通り2023年11月24日（金）にオンライン日本語教師研修会を開催する運びとなりました。

テーマ：「ことばと文化を一緒に学ぶ授業へ　―異文化理解のための活動例―」

講師：二瓶知子先生（国際交流基金日本語国際センター）

日時：11月24日（金）8:30-10:30（GMT/UTC）

共催：JFマドリード、ケルン、パリ、ロンドン、ブダペスト

形式：オンライン（Zoomミーティング）

定員：90名程度　

対象：日本語教師（欧州在住の日本語教育に携わっている方を優先します）

参加費：無料

使用言語：日本語

講師からのメッセージ：

　みなさんは、どのように日本文化を教えていますか。また、教科書に散りばめられている日本文化をどのように扱っていますか。文化を学ぶことは、ただ知識を得るだけでなく、相互理解を促し、より豊かなコミュニケーションにつながります。本セミナーでは『まるごと日本のことばと文化』やその他の教材を例に、JF日本語教育スタンダードの異文化理解の考え方と、授業での扱い方を紹介し、「自分は教室で学習者に『何を』『どのように』伝えているか」を振り返ります。

講師略歴：

　これまで日本及び海外において、教師研修や教材開発、日本語教育に関するセミナーやワークショップを数多く担当。国際交流基金ジャカルタ日本文化センターでは『まるごと』を使ったコースの立ち上げ・運営・実施に関わる。著書に『中級日本語で挑戦！スピーチ＆ディスカッション』、『もっと中級で挑戦！スピーチ＆ディスカッション』（凡人社）、『外国人のためのケータイメール＠にっぽん』（アスク出版）等

【参加申し込み】

　https://forms.office.com/r/sJEx1rV5pY

　（〆切：11月10日 17:00　GMT）

【広報用フライヤー】

　フライヤーはこちらからダウンロードください。

　なお、ポスター内の時間は「中央ヨーロッパ時間 CET」で記載されており、英国時間とは1時間の時差がございますので、ご注意ください。

【問い合わせ先】

　マドリード日本文化センター　 nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp（日本語）

　ロンドン日本文化センター events.japanese@jpf.go.jp （日本語／英語）

Date:	24 November 2023
Download Online Seminar on 24 Nov_Flyer

The 19th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students - Finals Day / 第１9回大学生のための日本語スピーチコンテスト　決勝大会

Are you currently studying Japanese or interested in learning Japanese? Have you lived in Japan or are you teaching Japanese in the UK? Or are you from Japan and currently living in the UK? Whatever your answer, everyone is welcome!

Why not join us for the Finals Day of the 19^th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students and listen to what university students studying Japanese in the UK and Ireland have to say? The finalists will give their speeches and presentations in Japanese to an audience consisting of members of the public, fellow students, teachers, families, key figures from the UK-Japan community and a panel of judges.

The Finals Day will take place on Saturday 2^nd March 2024 at Great Hall, King's College London.

This year, finalists will speak on a wide variety of topics including but not limited to: our view of happiness, Japanese youth and politics, Japan’s energy self-sufficiency, building a stronger relationship between Japan and Korea through the power of dialogue, Kōan in an age of intolerance.

This event is FREE to attend, but prior registration is required via Eventbrite.

Title: The 19^th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students, Finals Day

Date & Time: Saturday, 2^nd March 2024 1pm – 6pm (TBC)

Venue: Great Hall, King’s College London (Strand Campus, Strand, London WC2R 2LS)

Maximum capacity: 150 people (spaces are limited, so early booking is recommended.)

Fee: Free to attend but prior booking is required.

Language: Speeches and presentations will be given in Japanese. For the Speech Category, speech summaries in English will be made available.

Deadline for Registration: Wednesday, 28^th February 2024 at 1pm (GMT)

Book here

Feel free to download the event poster and share it with people who may be interested.

Download the event poster by clicking here

Enquiries: speechcontest@jpf.go.jp

Organisers: The British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) and The Japan Foundation, London

The 19th Japanese Speech Contest is generously supported by (in alphabetical order): British Association for Japanese Studies (BAJS), Central Japan Railway Company, Clearspring, Connect Job, Eikoku News Digest Ltd, E'quipe Japan, Ltd., Fujitsu, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Japan Airlines, Japan Association in the UK, Japan Centre, JP BOOKS, Nikkei Europe Limited, Ningyocho IMAHAN, Regions, Ricoh UK Limited

Date:	2 March 2024 from 12.30pm - 7.00pm
Download 19th Speech Contest Finals Day Poster

The Machine That Kills Bad People: Ode to Mount Hayachine + Un vent léger dans le feuillage

In partnership with ICA, HANEDA Sumiko's documentary film Ode to Mount Hayachine, set against the backdrop of rural Japan, will be screened as part of the 16mm screening, programmed by The Machine That Kills Bad People.

This film captures the essence of a year in the life of villagers preparing for kagura performances, offering a multi-layered exploration of culture and societal change.

For more details, click here

Date:	18 October 2023 from 6.15pm
Venue:	ICA

The Japan Foundation offices in Europe (Madrid, Rome, Cologne, Paris, Budapest and London offices) will jointly hold an online teachers’ seminar on the topic ‘Let's try it: improving teaching - for sustainable development as a teacher’ on 20th January 2024 (Saturday).

The theme, date and time of the seminar are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that information is only available in Japanese, as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: ‘Let's try it: improving teaching - for sustainable development as a teacher’

Date/Time: 20th January 2024 (Saturday), 9:00-11:00 (GMT/UTC)

Application Deadline: 8^th January 2024 (Monday)

Online form

Enquiries:

The Japan Foundation, Madrid: nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp (Japanese)

The Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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このたびマドリード日本文化センターが中心となり、国際交流基金の欧州6拠点共催で、2024年1月20日（土）にオンライン日本語教師研修会を開催する運びとなりました。

テーマ：　「やってみよう、授業改善　－持続可能な教師の成長をめざして－」

講師　：　横溝紳一郎　先生（西南学院大学外国語学部教授）

日時　：　2024年1月20日(土)　9:00～11:00 (GMT/UTC)

共催　：　JF欧州6拠点（マドリード、ケルン、パリ、ブダペスト、ローマ、ロンドン）

形式　：　オンライン（Zoomミーティング）

対象　：　日本語教師（欧州在住の日本語教育に携わっている方を優先します）

参加費：　無料

使用言語：日本語

講師からのメッセージ：

　西南学院大学在学中に留学した米国サンディエゴで「日本語教師になろう！」と志した時から数えると、かなりの年数が経過しました。大学卒業後に日本語を教え始めたハワイでは、何度も自分の未熟さを痛感し、何とかその状態から脱しようともがいていました。その後帰国し、様々な教育機関で教鞭を取っているうちに、いつの間にか私の専門が「教師教育」になっていました。こんな私ですので、大所高所からモノを言う資格はないのですが、一つだけお伝えしたいメッセージがあります。それは 教師としての成長のきっかけは、いつでもどこでも見つけられます。きっかけを楽しみながら探し出し、一歩踏み出してみましょう。

講師略歴：

　元日本語教育学会理事。日本語教師養成に加え、国内外での日本語教育・教師教育に関する講演／研修を行う一方で、在住地の福岡でさまざまな教育活動に積極的に関わっている。主な著書に、『日本語教師教育学』（くろしお出版）、『クラスルーム運営』（くろしお出版）、『日本語教師のためのアクション・リサーチ』（凡人社）、『日本語教師のためのアクティブ・ラーニング』（共著、くろしお出版）等。

【参加申し込み】

　オンラインフォーム　（〆切：2024年1月8日）

【広報用ポスター】

　ポスターはこちらからダウンロードください。

　なお、ポスター内の時間は「中央ヨーロッパ時間 CET」で記載されており、英国時間とは1時間の時差がございますので、ご注意ください。

【問い合わせ先】

　マドリード日本文化センター　 nihongo.kyoshi@jpf.go.jp（日本語）

　ロンドン日本文化センター events.japanese@jpf.go.jp （日本語／英語）

みなさまのお申込みをお待ちしております。

Date:	8 January 2024 from 9.00am - 11.00am
Venue:	Online event
Download Online Seminar Flyer on 20 Jan 2024

Online Seminar - ‘View Language Through the Japanese’ / オンライン研修会「日本語からことばを考えよう」

The Japan Foundation in Europe (Cologne, Budapest, London, and Paris offices) will jointly hold an online teachers’ seminar on the topic ‘View Language Through the Japanese’ on 21st October 2023.

The theme, date and time of the seminar are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that information is only available in Japanese, as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: ‘View Language Through the Japanese’

Date/Time: 21^st October 2023 (Saturday), 8:30-11:30 (BST/UTC+1)

Application Deadline: 15^th October 2023 (Sunday) 11:00（BST/UTC+1）

Enquiries:

The Japan Foundation, Cologne: kurse@jpf.go.jp (Japanese)

Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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このたび、国際交流基金（The Japan Foundation）欧州４拠点では「日本語からことばを考えよう」をテーマとしたオンライン研修会を開催する運びとなりました。

日本語教育通信の人気連載「日本語からことばを考えよう」の執筆者イクタン先生が日本語に特徴的な要素をいくつか取り上げ、日本語を通してことばを捉えなおす視点を提供します。

ぜひみなさま、ご参加をご検討ください。

テーマ：「日本語からことばを考えよう」

講師：　生田　守（国際交流基金日本語国際センター　専任講師）

【研修内容】

(1) セミナー　　　　「日本語からことばを考えよう」　 90分

(2) ワークショップ　「日本語からことばを考えよう」から考えよう　80分

日時：　2023年10月21日（土）8:30-11:30 （英国夏時間 BST/UTC+1）

　　 9:30-12:30 (中央ヨーロッパ夏時間 CEST)

形式：　オンライン（Zoomウェビナー及びミーティング）

定員：　セミナー500名、ワークショップ90名程度

対象：　欧州在住で日本語教育に関心があるすべての方

　　　　※上記の方を主たる対象としていますが、その他の地域の方の参加も可能です

　　　　※ワークショップの参加者は欧州在住の日本語教師の方を優先します。ワークショップのみの参加はできません。

参加費：　無料

使用言語：日本語

【参加申込】　

　こちらのリンクからお申し込みください。

　https://forms.office.com/r/CVvwS9jF2a

　10月15日 11:00（英国夏時間 BST/UTC+1）締切

【広報用ポスター】

ポスターはこちらからダウンロードください。

　なお、ポスター内の時間は「中央ヨーロッパ夏時間 CEST」で記載されており、英国時間とは1時間の時差がございますので、ご注意ください。

URL

【問い合わせ先】

ケルン日本文化会館　日本語チーム　kurse@jpf.go.jp (日本語)

国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター events.japanese@jpf.go.jp （日本語／英語）

Date:	21 October 2023 from 8.30am - 11.30am
Venue:	Online
Download 03_Flyer_Online seminar on 21 Oct 2023

'Every Day a Good Day' screening at TPG Friday Late: Daido Moriyama

As part of the ongoing Daido Moriyama: A Retrospective exhibition at The Photographers’ Gallery, supported by us, Every Day a Good Day will be screened at the TPG Friday Late: Daido Moriyama event – in collaboration with us.

Starring KUROKI Haru as the protagonist finding happiness through the world of tea ceremonies.

Date: Friday 17 November

Event: TPG Friday Late: Daido Moriyama

Time: 17:00-21:00 (Event duration)

Film screening: Every Day a Good Day starts at 19:00

Click here for details

No booking necessary; free for all. Drop in and enjoy!

All activities and exhibition entries, including Daido Moriyama: A Retrospective exhibition, will be free and open to everyone during the event.

Click here for exhibition details

Date:

17 November 2023

The 18th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students - Finals Day / 第１8回大学生のための日本語スピーチ・コンテスト　決勝大会

Why not join us for the Finals Day of the 18^th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students and listen to what university students studying Japanese in the UK and Ireland have to say! The finalists will give their speeches and presentations in Japanese to an audience consisting of members of the public, fellow students, teachers, families, key figures from the UK-Japan community and a panel of judges.

This event is FREE to attend, but prior registration is required. This event will be in person at King's College London.*

* (The event may take place online depending on the circumstances regarding Covid-19.)

Event Schedule (please note that the schedule may change in the event of unforseeable circumstances):

12:30 Doors open
13:00 Event start
18:00 Reception

Registration link

The Eighteenth Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is organised by the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) and the Japan Foundation London in joint partnership. The event provides an opportunity for students from the UK and Ireland to demonstrate their Japanese speaking skills.

Download our event poster!

If you would like to find out about this year's speeches and presentations, please download the speech/presentation abstracts below:

Speech Category abstracts (Japanese / English)
Individual Presentation Category and Group Presentation Category abstracts (English)

Date:	4 March 2023 from 12.30pm - 7.00pm
Venue:	King's College London
Download 18th Speech Contest Finals Day Poster
Download 18th Speech Category Summaries
Download SpC2023 Group and Individual Abstracts

The 19th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students

We are delighted to announce that the 19th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is open for applications!

This contest gives students the chance to demonstrate their Japanese speaking skills, and to make their voices heard in Japanese. Successful applicants will be invited to give their speeches and presentations at the speech contest finals which will be held at King’s College London on Saturday 2nd March 2024.

There will be fantastic prizes for finalists.

:: Contest Aims

:: Who can apply?

The contest is aimed at undergraduate students who are currently studying Japanese as a foreign language at a university in the UK or Ireland.

There are three different categories*:

1. Speech Category

Aim:

To discuss and/or argue a topic of your choice and offer opinions, suggestions and/or solutions.

Eligibility:

· Undergraduate students who are studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard C1 or C2 at a university in the UK or Ireland including, as an elective, optional or other university-based language course.

· Those who have less than a total of three years’ residence in Japan since the age of six.

* Five finalists will be selected.

Application Deadline: Monday 6th November 2023 (15:00 GMT)

2. Individual Presentation Category

Aim:

To explain your chosen topic and to convey your opinion or message using PowerPoint slides.

Eligibility:

· Undergraduate students who are studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard B1 or B2 at a university in the UK or Ireland.

· Those who have spent not more than 12 months in total in Japan.

* Five finalists will be selected.

Application Deadline: Monday 4th December 2023 (15:00 GMT)

3. Group Presentation Category

Aim:

to introduce a topic related to the U.K. or another country outside of Japan.

Eligibility:

· Undergraduate students who are studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard A1 or A2 at a university in the UK or Ireland.

· Groups of two to four students.

· Postgraduate students alongside undergraduate student(s).

* Five finalists will be selected.

Application Deadline: Monday 11^th December 2023 (15:00 GMT)

*Details of JF Standard can be found here: https://www.jfstandard.jpf.go.jp/pdf/web_whole_en.pdf

Please see the links below for the contest poster, FAQ, and application guidelines for each category. URLs for the online application forms can be found in the Application Guidelines for each category.

See videos from previous University Speech Contest Finals Day here.

Please email speechcontest@jpf.go.jp if you have any questions.

Date:	7 September 2023 - 4 December 2023
Download 19th Speech Contest Application Poster
Download SpC19 FAQ
Download SpC19 Speech Category guidelines
Download SpC19 Individual Presen guidelines
Download SpC19 Group Presen guidelines

BATJ-JF Japanese Language Education Seminar - Nature of Language: How Language was born and has evolved

(To read this information in Japanese, please download this PDF)

This Seminar will be organised by the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language and the Japan Foundation, London. Each year, we use these seminars as an opportunity to explore practical, every-day themes that apply to both younger and older learners, studying at all types of educational institutions. We invite educators at the forefront of their fields to provide a novel and exciting learning opportunity.

This time, we have invited Professor IMAI Mutsumi, author of one of the best-selling books of 2023 in Japan - “Nature of Language: How Language was born and has evolved.” We believe that as A.I. evolves, there will be those who are experiencing increasing opportunities to re-think what it means to learn a language. What are the differences between A.I. and people? How did language come to be and systemise? What are the fundamental characteristics of language? Professor Imai will discuss all these themes using onomatopoeia as a starting point.

We look forward to receiving your applications.

Event Outline

Date/Time: 4th February 2024 (Sunday), 10:00 to 12:00 GMT
Theme: Nature of Language: How language was born and has evolved.
Speaker: Professor IMAI Mutsumi (Faculty of Environment and Information Studies,
Keio University)
Target audience: Japanese language educators and post-graduate university students specialising in Japanese language education who are based in the United Kingdom and Europe. (Applications from those in other regions will also be accepted if places are available)
Maximum number of participants: 80
Location: Online seminar using Zoom software
Spoken language: Japanese
Cost of seminar/applications: BATJ member £5 / BATJ non-member £10
Application deadline: 30th January 2024 (Tuesday), 12:00 GMT

* Once the number of places has been filled, applications will close.

Organisers: The British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language and the Japan Foundation, London.

To apply, please follow the instructions on the BATJ website

Speaker Profile:

Professor IMAI Mutsumi

Faculty of Environment and Information Studies,
Keio University

Ph.D (North Western University, 1994). Areas of expertise: cognitive science, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology and psycholinguistics).

In addition to her large body of academic writing in English, a selection of Professor IMAI’s publications in Japanese include: 『人が学ぶということ―認知学習論からの視点』（北樹出版）, 『算数文章題が解けない子どもたちーことば、思考の力と学力不振』（岩波書店）, 『英語独習法』（岩波新書）, 『学びとは何か―＜探究人＞になるために』（岩波新書）, 『言語の本質　ことばはどう生まれ、進化したか』（中公新書）. Her writings have also appeared in several Japanese national language textbooks in primary and high schools in Japan. Furthermore, Professor IMAI is involved in working with the Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education to expose the causes of educational difficulties faced by children who are struggling with learning, and to develop tools and educational materials to support them.

As part of her outreach work, Professor IMAI runs ABLE (Agents for Bridging Learning and Education), a series of workshops for thinking about learning across international borders. Distinguished researchers of cognitive science from both Japan and abroad are invited to take part, creating opportunities for participants to be able to learn about the latest research in learning and education, as well as exchange opinions with other participants.

(https://cogpsy.sfc.keio.ac.jp/ablearchives/en/)

Download a PDF flyer with all the information about this event

English Flyer / Japanese Flyer

Enquiries:

(About the seminar) BATJ: seminar@batj.org.uk

(Technical support, such as about Zoom) JF: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp

Date:	11 January 2024
Venue:	Online event
Download 2024_BATJ-JF Seminar_Prof Mutsumi Imai（EN）_Final
Download 2024_BATJ-JF Seminar_Prof Mutsumi Imai（JP）_Final

The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2023

The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2023

The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge is back in person for its 9th iteration!

Suitable for pre-university students in the UK, the Youth Challenge is a week long summer school, this year taking place between Saturday 22nd July ～ Sunday 30th July 2023.

The Youth Challenge 2023 will be hosted in three locations: Rikkyo School in England, West Sussex; Cambridge University, Cambridge; and UCL, London.

This year's theme is Resilience:

"Our world in 2023 is experiencing diverse challenges, including natural disasters, war, the pandemic and economic recession. We need a society where it can adopt rapid and agile recovery from dynamic and unpredictable challenges. Therefore, we are confronting the topic of ‘resilience of the global society’ in the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2023 this year, offering opportunities to every individual to consider what resilience means to you."

The programme is a great chance for students from the UK to meet high school students coming from Japan, to participate in cultural exchange, and gain valuable skills to prepare for higher education with the guidance of university lecturers!

The two-week programme includes:

--- University-style lectures delivered by professors from top universities

--- UCL Grand Challenge Workshop which facilitates teamwork, problem solving, and presentation skills

--- Social activities

How much does it cost?

The fee below covers the complete cost of the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2023, excluding accommodation fees.

To secure your place on the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2023, you will need to pay your fees in full. Details of how to pay your fees will be provided as part of the application process.

£100

The standard programme fee in the past was £300, however by courtesy of various sponsors in the UK, the fee for UK based participants has been reduced to £100.

As an added bonus, the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge may count for your Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) as a Residential activity.

Your participation in the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge 2023 does not count towards a DofE Award in itself.

Applications are now open but spaces are limited and may fill up, so register now to avoid disappointment!

For more detailed information and registration, please visit the official website:

https://www.ucl-japan-youth-challenge.com/

Date:

22 July 2023 - 30 July 2023

Sputnik Sweetheart by MURAKAMI Haruki: A new adaptation by Bryony Lavery, Directed by Melly Still

We are proudly partnering with Arcola Theatre to present Sputnik Sweetheart – partly a story of love and loneliness, partly a detective story. MURAKAMI Haruki’s novel is brought to stage by Bryony Lavery (Frozen, The Book of Dust) and Melly Still (My Brilliant Friend, Coram Boy).

Date: 26 October – 25 November 2023

Venue: Arcola Theatre

Book here

Date:

26 October 2023 - 25 November 2023

JF/BAJS Japanese Studies Postgraduate Workshop 2024

Date: Friday 2nd February, 2024

Venue: University of Sheffield, exact location TBA

The JF/BAJS Japanese Studies PhD Workshop returns in 2024, this year with the theme Life After Your PhD!

We have listened to requests from previous years that one thing postgraduate students would like to learn more about is career options after submitting their PhDs.

After listening to student presentations and receiving individual specialist feedback from your peers and experienced academics, attendees will get the opportunity to listen to lectures about post-PhD life, with a Q&A with a panel to answer some of your burning questions on the theme.

The event is a great chance for postgraduate students to network with each other and the assembled academics, as well as a place to discuss future collaborations.

As in previous years, you will also hear about relevant funding opportunities for Japanese Studies students from organisations in attendance who will deliver short presentations on how they can offer support.

Student Submissions: As an essential part of the workshop, attendees will be asked to present their research in small groups, during the morning session. Mara Patessio at mp78@soas.ac.uk will contact all attendees with more information about presentations after the registration deadline.

Travel Grants: The Japan Foundation is able to offer a partial travel grant of £70 per attendee after attendees have covered the first £20 of their fare. The British Association for Japanese Studies is able to offer £100 per attendee towards the cost of accommodation.*

*Grants available for UK-based students only

Please note, attendance to this event is limited to 40 attendees, on a first come, first served basis. As the number of participants is limited, please only register if you know you can make it.

PhD students will be prioritised, with MA students joining a waitlist.

Deadline for registration for all students is Friday 5th January, 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact Iona_Vos@jpf.go.jp

To book your spot, click here.

Date:

2 February 2024

Every Day a Good Day Special Screening

Don't miss this special screening of the heart-warming tale of Noriko (KUROKI Haru) in the film adaptation of the beloved essay Every Day a Good Day: Fifteen Lessons I Learned about Happiness from Japanese Tea Culture by essayist MORISHITA Noriko - co-presented with Japan House London. Join her as she finds purpose and happiness through the world of tea ceremonies.

For more details, click here

Date:	22 October 2023 from 3.00pm
Venue:	Japan House London

KITAMURA Satoshi, Author of Stone Age Boy, on Stage – Live Drawing, Reading and Talk

Calling all primary school teachers! We have some exciting news for you. An enchanting event, presented in partnership with The Children’s Bookshow, is brought to school children – perfect for those who love art and storytelling. Give your students the opportunity to explore the world of KITAMURA Satoshi, a renowned figure known for his classic picture book, Stone Age Boy, as he shares live drawings, captivating story readings, and offers inspiring insights into his creative journey.

Date: Monday 6 November, 11:00

Venue: The Crucible, Norfolk St, Sheffield S1 1DA

If you’re a teacher and would like more information or to book: Click here

Additionally, The Children’s Bookshow is offering four free in-classroom workshops to schools attending this event with 30 or more children.

Date:

6 November 2023

Contemporary Wood-carved Netsuke

A netsuke is a clothing accessory, used since the Edo period (1603-1868). Initially a simple toggle to attach personal items such as money pouches to a person's obi (a sash worn with kimono), netsuke have become intricately carved miniature sculptures.

From 20 January at Oriental Museum, Durham, visit an exhibition which presents contemporary netsuke crafts, allowing visitors to explore the subtle and highly artistic skills embodied in these miniature crafts of work.

Date: Friday 20 January to Sunday 14 May, 2023.

Venue: Spalding Gallery of Japan, Oriental Museum, Durham

[Free - no booking required]

Date:

20 January 2023 - 14 May 2023

Online Seminar on ‘ Reading That Incorporates a “Re-Telling” Activity’ / オンライン研修会「『再話』を取り入れた読解」

The Japan Foundation in Europe (Cologne, London, Paris, and Rome offices) will jointly hold an online teachers’ seminar on ‘Reading That Incorporates a “Re-Telling” Activity’ on 15th July 2023.

The theme, date and time of the seminar are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that information is only available in Japanese, as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: ‘Reading That Incorporates a “Re-Telling” Activity’

Date/Time: 15^th July 2023 (Saturday), 9:00-11:30 (BST/UTC+1)

Application Deadline: 6^th July 2023 (Thursday) 17:00（BST/UTC+1）

Enquiries:

The Japan Foundation, Budapest: BP_nihongo@jpf.go.jp (Japanese)

Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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このたび、欧州にある国際交流基金（The Japan Foundation）5拠点共催で、「『再話』を取り入れた読解」をテーマにした研修会を開催いたします。

「再話」とは、ストーリーを読んだ後に原稿を見ない状態でそのストーリーの内容を知らない人に語る活動のことです。ぜひ下の「講師からの一言」をご覧ください。

みなさまのご応募、お待ちしています。

なお、応募者多数の場合はご希望に添えない場合がございます。ご了承ください。

日時：2023年7月15日（土）9：00～11:30 （BST/UTC+1）

テーマ：「再話」を取り入れた読解

講師：小河原義朗先生（東北大学大学院文学研究科）

　　　木谷直之先生（元国際交流基金日本語国際センター）

形式：オンライン（Zoomミーティング）

参加費：無料

使用言語：日本語

対象：日本語教師（欧州在住の日本語教育に携わっている方を優先します）

定員：90名程度

講師から一言：

読解の授業では、学習者がテキストを読み、文章や筆者の意図をどのくらい正しく理解しているのか、内容把握を問う設問や教師の質問に答えて、クラス全体で正誤を確認するといったことがよく行われます。しかしながら、こうした授業活動では、一人ひとりの学習者が実際にテキストをどのように理解し、どこがわかっていないのかがなかなかわかりません。そこで、学習者をペアにして再話（ストーリーを読んだ後に原稿を見ない状態でそのストーリーの内容を知らない人に語る）する活動を取り入れてみました。本研修会では、この「ペアによる再話活動」を体験しつつ、実際に学習者がペアで再話する際に何が起きているのか分析し、読解の教室活動として再話をどのように活用できるかについていっしょに考えたいと思います。

お申込み：https://forms.office.com/r/yycJUX8exK

お申込み締切：2023年7月6日（木）17:00（BST/UTC+1）

問い合わせ：

　国際交流基金ブダペスト日本文化センター日本語チーム BP_nihongo@jpf.go.jp（日本語／ハンガリー語）

　国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター events.japanese@jpf.go.jp （日本語／英語）

その他の詳細はフライヤーをご覧ください。

フライヤー

Date:	15 July 2023
Venue:	Online event
Download 03_230715_Flyer_Reading incorpodating re-telling

Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) December 2023

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a test for non-native speakers of Japanese which evaluates and certifies their Japanese-Language proficiency. The test takes place twice a year (July and December) in Japan and various locations around the world. Currently, it is the largest Japanese-language test in the world, with more than 1.36 million people in 87 countries worldwide registered for the JLPT in 2019.

The next JLPT will take place on Sunday, 3^rd December 2023 at three locations in the UK: London (SOAS University of London)*, Edinburgh (the University of Edinburgh)* and Cardiff (Cardiff University).*

*Please note that applications at all three sites (SOAS, The University of Edinburgh, and Cardiff University) have CLOSED as applications have reached maximum capacity. We apologise for any disappointment caused.

Please refer to university’s website for application opening dates and registration details.

× Japan Research Centre, SOAS University of London SOAS applications have now closed

× Centre for Open Learning, The University of Edinburgh Edinburgh applications have now closed

× Cardiff University Cardiff applications have now closed

Please note that JLPT is very popular and registration at each test centre will close when the test centre has reached its maximum capacity.

For more information about the test, please visit the JLPT website

Ø Let’s Try Sample Questions!

Date:	3 December 2023
Venue:	SOAS University of London The University of Edinburgh Cardiff University

The Fifth Online Get-Together

Calling all secondary school teachers of Japanese! We will be holding a fifth Online Get-Together. This is a great opportunity to talk with your colleagues about your work in a relaxed, casual setting. We hope you can use this as a chance to talk about any issues you are facing in the classroom, exchange information on exams, and more.

As well as group discussion sessions, Mrs Shoko Middleton will be giving a talk on the theme of “Example of entry level lessons as an enrichment class – What skills students gain and how their possibilities broaden – ”.

In addition, Mrs Kaye Jackson and Mr Martin Buck from Skills and Education Group (SEG) will explain about their assessment process, followed by a presentation by Mrs Noriko William, SEG moderator.

About the speakers

Shoko Middleton has taught Japanese to a wide range of students in England for 20 years including at primary, secondary, university and adult education levels, from beginners to advanced learners. She currently teaches Japanese at Sherborne Girls and Imperial College London. Her interests are positive cross-cultural communication and using music in language classrooms to enhance learners' language acquisition.

Noriko Williams is a Japanese moderator for Skills and Education Group. She is an experienced teacher of Japanese at all levels including GCSE, A-Level, IB and SEG. She has taught at private schools, colleges, and at university in the southwest of England since 1996. Her interests are developing teaching/learning materials, gardening, landscaping and skiing.

Kaye Jackson, Head of Relationship Management, Skills and Education Group

Martin Buck, Head of Assessment and Product Development, Skills and Education Group

Date:

21^stMarch 2023 (Tuesday), 16:00-17:30

Schedule:

First half: Presentations by the speakers
Second half: Group discussion

To apply, please click here.

Participation fee: Free (Registration in advance is required.)

Registration Deadline: 14^th March

Languages used: English/Japanese

You can read some comments from participants of the previous Online Get-Togethers below:
It was really good to join in with fellow Japanese colleagues from around the country (and world!) and listen and see in Japanese how these colleagues created and use these resources.
I spent a hugely worthwhile time getting to talk with other teachers that I do not often get a chance to meet and exchange new information.
I have gotten a lot of ideas and tips from the speaker’s presentation. Thanks to the presentation I think I can improve my teaching skills to encourage my pupils to learn more!

Date:	21 March 2023 from 4.00pm - 5.30pm
Venue:	Online

Piano Concert: A Harmony of Anime & Games …and much more – Performance by KIKUCHI Ryota

Experience the captivating melodies of anime and games with KIKUCHI Ryota’s piano concert!

A popular YouTuber and pianist, he transforms numerous music pieces into unique arrangements. Will your favourite song be featured? Come and see!

Midlands Arts Centre (Birmingham)

Date: Tuesday 8 August 2023, 12:30

Click here for details

*Free to attend. Booking is not required, just turn up!

*Mostly standing, seats may not be available

St James’s Church, Piccadilly (London)

Date: Wednesday 9 August, 19:00

Click here to book your place

*Free to attend but booking is essential

*SOLD OUT! Waiting list only

Yamaha Music London (London)

Date: Thursday 10 August, 16:00

Click here to book your place

*SOLD OUT! Waiting list only

Date:

8 August 2023 - 10 August 2023

What is the Matter with Inclusiveness? Developments and Issues Taking Examples from the Performing Arts in Japan and the UK

Join this session to look into some varying perspectives and the joint ultimate goals of inclusiveness in the performing arts scenes both in the UK and Japan.

Venue: Japan House London

Date: 8 September 2023, 18:30 BST

Registration is essential and spaces are limited, so please book your ticket here.

Date:

8 September 2023

Toshikazu Kawaguchi in conversation with Max Liu at Waterstones Piccadilly

Partnering with Waterstones & Picador to bring you a rare opportunity to meet KAWAGUCHI Toshikazu, the author of the popular book series Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

This event costs £8* to attend, or £14 including a copy of Before the Coffee Gets Cold (RRP £9.99).

Registration is essential and spaces are limited, so please book your ticket here.

Date:	22 May 2023 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Waterstones Piccadilly, London

Special Screening: Queer 90s Film 'I Like You, I Like You Very Much' at Barbican

We are proudly partnering with Barbican for this exciting film I Like You, I Like You Very Much (1994) showing as part of Queer 90s. A fresh and sexy romance from OKI Hiroyuki, following a gay man in a relationship pursuing a sexual encounter with another man.

Date: 8 June 2023, 18:30

Venue: Barbican Centre, London

Get your tickets here!

Date:

8 June 2023

Brand-New Event! Japanese Video Championship for Young Learners UK

Brand-New Event! Japanese Video Championship for Young Learners UK

This is a brand-new event for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese in the UK organized by the Japan Foundation, London.

The world is currently changing very quickly. Technology is advancing, and nowadays if you have a computer or a smartphone you can send a message to anyone in the world. In a time like this, we should always have the following questions in our mind: “What message do I want to convey and how?” It is important for us to deliver messages clearly and easily for others to understand.

This event is a contest for young Japanese learners in the UK to use their Japanese and make a video on a topic provided. You can apply individually or as part of a group.

You can make your video in whatever style you prefer.

Show us your creativity in full and have fun making the video!

Finals day will take place on 9th July 2022 (Saturday).

Eligibility:

・Primary and secondary school students studying Japanese in the UK may enter individually or as part of a group. However, one person cannot participate in multiple group videos, or one person cannot submit both an individual video and a group video.

・Students studying Japanese outside of school, students who have lived in Japan in the past, and students who speak Japanese at home can all apply.

Categories and Theme of the Video:

[Primary School]

- Japanese level: A1-A2 Level of standard for Japanese-language Education /CEFR

- Theme: My/Our School

- Length of Video: Aprrox. one minute

[Secondary School Category 1]

- Japanese level: A1-A2 Level of standard for Japanese-language Education /CEFR

- Theme: My/Our Favourite Place

- Length of Video: 1.5 to 2.5 minutes

[Secondary School Category 2]

- Japanese level: B1 Level of standard for Japanese-language Education /CEFR

- Theme: “Japan” in the United Kingdom

- Length of Video: 2.5 to 3.5 minutes

* To find out more details, please download the Application Guideline at the bottom of this event listing.

Please read the information carefully before applying.

* You can also refer to the “Video Creation Hints for secondary school categories” document below for brainstorming on the theme.

* Sample video will be available in near future!

The closing date for applications: 3rd May 2022 (Tuesday) 23:59 GMT

How to apply:

・ Please download the Consent form listed below and get your parent/s or guardian/s to sign it.

・ Upload your video to a cloud service (such as OneDrive or Google Drive) and let your Japanese teacher know the URL.

・Teachers should then fill out the following application form:

＜https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/JaViChamp＞

Download Materials:

Contact:

The Japan Foundation, London

E-mail： speechcontest@jpf.org.uk

Tel： 020 7492 6570

Date:	9 July 2022
Download JaViChamp Application Guideline
Download Consent Form
Download Video Creation Hints for secondary school categories
Download JaViChamp FAQ

Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2023-2024 (Autumn) Applications Now Open

Autumn 2023 Applications Now OPEN!

We prioritise projects that fit into one of the four following categories:

Category 1 - Newly Introducing Japanese into the curriculum

Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses

Category 3 – New Japanese clubs

Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

Application deadline: 27^thSeptember 2023, 23:59 (Wednesday)

General Information document

LPSP 2023-2024 Grant Flowchart

Grant Application Form (Autumn 2023)

We would be grateful if you could read the General Information document and the Grant Flowchart document before submitting an application.

If you have any questions, please contact info.language@jpf.go.jp

Please also refer to the “General Information” document above for detailed answers to many frequently asked questions.

Date:	30 August 2023
Download LPSP General Information Autumn 2023-2024
Download LPSP Application Form Autumn 2023-2024
Download LPSP Flowchart Autumn 2023-2024

Boris, AOBA Ichiko, and Otoboke Beaver – at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival

We are partnering with the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival to bring you unforgettable performances by Japanese musicians Boris, AOBA Ichiko and Otoboke Beaver in Belfast!

Boris is a band formed in 1992 in Tokyo and composed of drummer Atsuo, guitarist/bassist Takeshi, and guitarist/keyboardist Wata. AOBA Ichiko is a folk singer and songwriter who was born in Urayasu, Chiba and raised in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Otoboke Beaver is a punk rock band from Kyoto whose members currently consist of singer Accorinrin, guitarist Yoyoyoshie, bassist Hiro-chan, and drummer Kahokiss.

Date & Venue:

Boris: Thursday 4 May, 8pm BST, The Black Box

Click here for details

AOBA Ichiko: Sunday 7 May, 8pm BST, The Black Box

Click here for details

Otoboke Beaver: Sunday 7 May, 8pm BST, The Empire Music Hall

Click here for details

Date:

4 May 2023 - 7 May 2023

Local Project Support Programme Autumn 2023 Applications - Online Seminar and Q&A Session

You can find information on the programme as well as links to download an application form by clicking here

This session will be held twice on 12^th September 2023 (Tuesday)

NEW - A third session has been added and will take place on 19th September 2023 (Tuesday)

1. First Session: 12/09/2023 13:00 to 13:30

2. Second Session: 12/09/2023 18:00 to 18:30

3. NEW - Third Session: 19/09/2023 17:30 to 18:00

We will be using Zoom software. Once you have applied we will send you information on how to join the session.

Attendance is free but booking is essential. If you would like to take part, please sign up 18^th September 2023 (Mon).

This seminar will be held in English but the presenter is a bilingual Japanese-English speaker. Please use Japanese at in this application form and at the Q&A if you would prefer.

Fill out the application form here

Date:	19 September 2023 from 5.30pm - 6.00pm
Venue:	Online event

Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival 2023

We’re proudly partnering with the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival once again!

Explore some of the Welsh premieres and the best of Japanese animation at three fantastic venues in Wales: Chapter, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, and Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre.

Chapter, Cardiff

Saturday, 30 September – Sunday, 1 October

Click here for programme

Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth

Friday, 20 October – Sunday, 22 October

Click here for programme

Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre, Bangor

Friday, 10 November – Thursday, 16 November

Click here for programme

Middle Image: ©Ayano Takeda,TAKARAJIMASHA/Hibike Partners

Date:

30 September 2023 - 16 November 2023

Tsugaru Dialect: One of the most difficult dialects in Japan

[The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2023 Online Talk Series]

Ito (Itomichi), one of the popular films selected for the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2023, is a charming coming-of-age story about a talented teenage Shamisen player. Almost all the dialogue in the film is conducted in Tsugaru-ben (Tsugaru dialect) which is known as one of the most difficult dialects and is often subtitled even in Japan.

In this webinar, in conjunction with the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2023, we invite two lecturers from the University of Edinburgh: Ms Narumi-Munro, who is a native speaker of Tsugaru dialect, and Dr MacBain, a researcher who has lived in Aomori prefecture where the Tsugaru dialect is spoken. They will deliver interesting talks about linguistic diversity in Japan, the uniqueness of the Tsugaru dialect, real funny stories about everyday life with Tsugaru dialect, and a special taster lesson!

Why don’t you join us and get a feel for the uniqueness of the language?

About the speakers

Ms Fumiko Narumi-Munro (Head of Japanese Language in Asian Studies,School of Literatures, Languages, and Cultures, University of Edinburgh)

Fumiko Narumi-Munro teaches Japanese language to undergraduate students, and is the course organiser for most of the University of Edinburgh’s Japanese language courses. She is also Year Abroad coordinator for Japanese studies at the University of Edinburgh. She was born and raised in Hirosaki, Aomori, and is a native speaker of Tsugaru dialect. She also has a master’s degree in History of Art at Hirosaki University. For more information about her

Dr Abigail MacBain (Lecturer in Premodern Japanese Studies, School of Literatures, Languages, and Cultures, University of Edinburgh)

Abigail MacBain is a scholar of premodern Japanese history and religion. Prior to joining the University of Edinburgh in 2022, Abigail was a Postdoctoral Research Scholar and lecturer at Columbia University, where she also completed her PhD in the Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures in 2021. She also participated the JET Programme as an Assistant Language Teacher in the Tsugaru area, Aomori Prefecture in 2004-2006. For more information about her

Event Overview

Webinar title: Tsugaru Dialect: One of the most difficult dialects in Japan

Date & Time: Wednesday 22 March 2023, 18:30-20:00 GMT

Event type: Zoom webinar

*This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

Registration (deadline: 20 March 2023)

Please book your ticket here.

Download an event flier here

Contact:

The Japan Foundation, London

Language Team: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp

Date:	22 March 2023 from 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	Online event
Download Flyer_Webinar Tsugaru dialect

Japanese Language Session with WAVE

Why not learn Japanese language with Japanese art? Calling those who have never learnt Japanese before or those who are at a very beginner level!

Japan House London is currently holding an exhibition of Japanese graphic arts. This bold exhibition bridges the worlds of fine art, commercial illustration and counterculture. The Japan Foundation, London will be holding a Japanese Language session linked to this exhibition.

Date: Thursday 5th October 2023, 18:00-19:00
Venue: The Hall at Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA
Fee: Free (registration in advance is required.)
Registration deadline: Monday 2^nd October
The maximum number of participants is 30 people.

To register, please click here

Applications have now closed as this event is fully booked.

This session is for those who have never learnt Japanese before or those who are at a very beginner level.

Attendance is limited to those who are eighteen years old or above.

Session content: Basic Japanese characters, sentence structures, and some adjective vocabulary, etc.

Lecturer: Ms Izumi Segawa

Organised by The Japan Foundation, London

Supported by Japan House London

About the Lecturer

Izumi Segawa has been a private Japanese tutor for ten years and occasionally works as an interpreter for artists coming over to the UK from Japan. She is fascinated by languages and currently learning Italian, Ukrainian and Rapa Nui. She also has a passion for nature and her other job involves making nature-inspired art-work, mainly life-like models of moths and butterflies (Hachiware Art).

Date:	5 October 2023 from 6.00pm - 7.00pm
Venue:	The Hall of Japan House London

JaViChamp Japanese Video Championship for Young Learners UK - Finals Day!

The Finals Day of JaViChamp Japanese Video Championship for Young Learners UK will take place online on 9th July 2022 (Saturday).

We received many applications from students of all ages from around the UK. Thank you so much to everyone who submitted videos!

Please be aware that this Finals Day event will be closed to the general public. However, we will put an event report on our website for everyone to enjoy after the event has finished.

Check this page for more updates - Coming Soon!

Date:	9 July 2022
Venue:	Online event

The Japan Foundation in Europe (Cologne, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome offices) will jointly hold an online teachers’ seminar on the new TV programme “Activate Your Japanese!” on 19th November 2022.

The programme “Activate Your Japanese!” was jointly developed by the Japan Foundation and NHK Educational, and has been broadcast since February 2022. A central part of this programme is the drama “Xuan Tackles Japan!". The drama shows how the main character learns various Japanese language strategies to become an independent communicator.

For more information of the programme, please see this page.

The theme, date and time of the seminar are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that only information in Japanese is available as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: Japanese language learning TV programme through strategies “Activate Your Japanese!”

Date/Time: 19^th November 2022 (Saturday), 8:00-10;30 (GMT/UTC)

Application Deadline: 11^th November 2022 (Friday). 11:00 (GMT/UTC)

Enquiries:

The Japan Cultural Institute in Cologne: kurse@jki.de (Japanese)

Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.org.uk (Japanese / English)

- You can download the programme flyer here.

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このたび、欧州にある国際交流基金（The Japan Foundation）6拠点共催で、日本語学習番組「ひきだすにほんご」をテーマにした研修会を11月19日（土）に開催することになりました。

「ひきだすにほんご」は国際交流基金とNHKエデュケーショナルが共同制作したもので、2022年2月末に放送が始まりました。ドラマ「スアン日本へ行く！」を中心に構成されています。このドラマは、主人公が様々な日本語のストラテジーを学んで、自立的にコミュニケーションを取れるようになっていく様子を描いた内容になっています。番組についての詳しい情報はこちらのページをご覧ください。

今回の研修会では番組制作に携わった講師を迎え、講演（ウェビナー）とワークショップの2本立ての構成で行います。

ご関心のある方、ぜひ、お申し込みください。

ワークショップは席に限りがありますので、お早目のお申し込みをお願いいたします。

日時：2022年11月19日（土）8：00-10：30 （GMT/UTC）

テーマ：

ストラテジーで学ぶ日本語学習番組「ひきだすにほんご　Activate Your Japanese!」

講師：菊岡由夏（国際交流基金日本語国際センター専任講師）

内容：（1）講演 70分

　　　（2）ワークショップ 70分

定員：講演　500名／ワークショップ90名

　　　　＊ワークショップのみの参加は不可

使用言語：日本語

参加費：無料

お申込み：https://forms.office.com/r/RGeFuT722Q

　　　　　＊締切：11月11日（金）11:00（GMT/UTC）

問い合わせ先：

　国際交流基金ケルン日本文化会館日本語チーム kurse@jki.de （日本語）

国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター events.japanese@jpf.org.uk （日・英）

＊その他詳細は、添付のファイルでご確認ください。

TV番組「ひきだすにほんご」フライヤー（日）

TV番組「ひきだすにほんご」フライヤー（英）

Date:	19 November 2022 from 8.00am - 10.30am
Download Flyer_2022_Online seminar_Activate Your Japanese!_web

Online seminar on the course book "IRODORI”/ オンライン研修会『いろどり　生活の日本語』実践者の話を聞いてみよう

The Japan Foundation in Europe (Cologne, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome offices) will jointly hold an online teachers’ seminar on the course book “IRODORI: Japanese for Life in Japan” on 10th December 2022.

The theme, date and time of the seminar are as follows. Please find the event details below written in Japanese.

*Please note that only information in Japanese is available as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: Practice Report on the textbook "IRODORI: Japanese for Life in Japan”

Date/Time: 10^th December 2022 (Saturday), 9:00-11:30 (GMT/UTC)

Application Deadline: 4^th December 2022 (Sunday) 22:59（GMT/UTC）

Enquiries:

The Japan Cultural Institute in Paris: kenshu@mcjp.fr (Japanese)

Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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このたび、欧州にある国際交流基金（The Japan Foundation）6拠点共催で、国際交流基金開発コースブック『いろどり　生活の日本語』をテーマにした研修会を開催いたします。『いろどり』はオンラインですべて無料で入手いただける教材です。

実際にこの教材を使って実践をされている先生をお招きし、教材の解説や実践の様子などをお話しいただきます。

どうぞふるってご参加ください。

日時：2022年12月10日（土）9：00～11:30 （GMT/UTC）

講師：武井康次郎（国際交流基金マレーシア派遣日本語上級専門家）

形式：オンライン（Zoom）

使用言語：日本語

対象：欧州在住の日本語教師および日本語教育を先行している大学院生で『いろどり　生活の日本語』に関心がある方

　（上記の方を主たる対象としていますが、その他の知己の方の参加も可能です）

参加費：無料

お申込み：https://forms.gle/B3bDCryyAMjXNQsR6

お申込み締切：2022年12月4日（日）22:59（GMT/UTC）

問い合わせ：

　国際交流基金パリ日本文化会館日本語事業部 kenshu@mcjp.fr（日本語／フランス語）

　国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター events.japanese@jpf.go.jp （日本語／英語）

その他の詳細はフライヤーをご覧ください。

フライヤー

Date:	10 December 2022 from 9.00am - 11.30am
Venue:	Online Seminar
Download 2022 日本語教育研修会（いろどり）チラシJP

Online seminar: An introduction for Japanese language teachers to audio content production ／オンライン研修会「日本語教師のための音声コンテンツ制作入門」

The Japan Foundation in Europe (Cologne, London, Paris, and Rome offices) will jointly hold an online teachers’ seminar entitled “An introduction for Japanese language teachers to audio content production” on 22nd April 2023.

The theme, date and time of the seminar are as follows. (Japanese text is below the English)

*Please note that only information in Japanese is available as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Theme: An introduction for Japanese language teachers to audio content production
Date/Time: 22nd April 2023 (Saturday), 9:00-12:00 (BST/UTC+1)
Application Deadline: 17th April 2023 (Monday) 11:00（BST/UTC+1）
Enquiries:
The Japan Cultural Institute in Cologne: kurse@jki.de (Japanese)
Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (Japanese / English)

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このたび、欧州にある国際交流基金（The Japan Foundation）4拠点共催で、音声コンテンツをテーマとしたオンライン研修会を開催いたします。

本研修会は、音声コンテンツ制作初心者の先生を対象に、授業で使えるリスニングや会話練習用の音声教材だけでなく、学習者がスキマ時間に聴けるポッドキャストや多聴用コンテンツを取り上げて、その制作方法や実践例をご紹介します。

また、個々の教育現場に合わせたローカライズ教材の制作に関してもお話しするほか、参加者同士でアイデアを出し合うグループワークも行います。

みなさまのご参加、お待ちしています。

日時：2023年4月22日（土）9：00～12:00 （BST/UTC+1）
講師：東健太郎（国際交流基金ケルン日本文化会館　日本語上級専門家）
形式：オンライン（Zoom）
使用言語：日本語
参加費：無料
対象：欧州在住で日本語教育、特に音声コンテンツ制作に関心があるすべての方　（左記の方を主たる対象としていますが、その他の地域の方も参加可能です）
定員：90名
お申込み：https://forms.office.com/e/kjCpK72mrM
お申込み締切：2023年4月17日（月）11:00（BST/UTC+1）
問い合わせ：

　国際交流基金ケルン日本文化会館日本語チーム kurse@jki.de（日本語）

　国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター events.japanese@jpf.go.jp （日本語／英語）

その他の詳細はフライヤーをご覧ください。

フライヤー

Date:	22 April 2023 from 9.00am - 12.00pm
Venue:	Online event
Download 01_Flyer_Online seminar_an introduction to audio contents production

JaLaChamp 2023 | Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK – Finals Day!

We are so excited to announce that the Finals Day for the JaLaChamp 2023 Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK will take place in the afternoon on Saturday 8th July 2023 in London! Get that date in your diary and prepare to be amazed by the talents of young people in the UK studying Japanese.

Latest updates

16/06/2023 - Finals Day registration opened and special programme announced.

15/05/2023 – Date for the Finals Day officially announced!

JaLaChamp is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese, and consists of two categories: a speech category, and a video category where students are asked to create an original video. We received many fantastic entries from across the country and were wowed by the creativity and talents of all the students.

On Finals Day, speech category finalists will give their speeches in front of a live audience, and we will also be playing the videos of the video category finalists projected on a large screen in the Japan House London Hall! There will be special prizes for all finalists taking part.

There will also be a special programme with world-renowned theatre director and playwright, Mr Phillip Breen. Mr Breen is also an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has directed over 60 professional productions and his work has been staged all over the UK, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, NY, LA and more cities and countries around the world. He will give a special talk and share his experiences with us! More information will be displayed on this page soon.

Everyone is welcome to join us!

The event is free, but registration via the Eventbrite page is essential. Please access the Eventbrite page from the link below.

Download the event programme

Please note that registration will close when the applications have reached maximum capacity.

Date:	8 July 2023
Venue:	Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA
Download JaLaChamp2023 Programme_Final for web

Japanese Taster for Schools Training Session - Spring 2023

To empower JTS volunteers and to encourage new volunteers, we will be holding an online training session on 26^th June. We will provide information about the JTS programme and there will be two talks given by experienced JTS volunteers. Volunteers will also be able to work in groups to discuss ideas for taster sessions.

Whether you are an existing JTS volunteer looking to improve and practise, or you are interested in becoming a volunteer and want to find out more about giving Japanese taster sessions, this event is for you!

Find out more about the JTS Programme here

General Information

Date/Time: 26^th June 2023 (Monday), 13:00 to 15:00 (BST)
Venue: Online (Zoom software)
Cost: Free
Maximum number of participants: 20
Spoken language: English
Event programme: Coming soon

Event Schedule

13:00 – 13:10: Intro
13:10 – 13:20: Explanation of the JTS programme
13:20 – 13:40: Guest speaker talk – Mary Grace Browning Sensei (topic: in-person JTS visits)
13:40 – 14:00: Guest speaker talk – Miyuki Griffin Sensei (topic: online JTS sessions)
14:00 – 14:10: Break
14:10 – 14:40: Group activity (taster session planning)
14:40 – 14:55: JTS administration/timeline explanation and Q&A.
14:55 – 15:00: Close.

Click here to fill out an application form to attend

(Registration deadline Thursday 22nd June, 23:59)

Date:	26 June 2023 from 1.00pm - 3.00pm
Venue:	Online event

Special Double Bill: 'Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl' (1998) and 'Party 7' (2000)

We are thrilled to be associated with the Prince Charles Cinema and QUAD for a special double bill of Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl (1998) and Party 7 (2000) with director ISHII Katsuhito Live Q&A. Immerse yourself in two back-to-back films that will take you on a thrilling journey.

The Prince Charles Cinema, London

Date: 5 July 2023, 18:00 BST

Get your tickets here!

QUAD, Derby

Date: 7 July 2023, 18:00 BST

Get your tickets here!

Date:

5 July 2023 - 7 July 2023

Panel Discussion: TOWARDS A LIVEABLE WORLD: LEARNING FROM AINU CULTURE

The Japan Foundation is hosting an interesting cultural discussion on Ainu, Japan’s indigenous people, in partnership with Ikon Gallery. Including Eiko Soga and Marenka Thompson-Odlum as speakers,this event led by Jonathan Watkins will examine the re-labelling of Ainu artefacts. The discussion is part of the exhibition, MAYUNKIKI: SIKNURE – LET ME LIVE.

For more information and booking:

CLICK HERE

Date:	7 October 2022 from 6.00pm - 7.15pm
Venue:	Ikon Gallery, Birmingham

BATJ-JF Japanese Language Education Seminar 2023: How Useful Are Smartphones for Learning Japanese?

The Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) and the Japan Foundation, London are delighted to announce the 2023 Japanese Language Education Seminar.

2023’s seminar will focus on learners' dictionary-usage behaviour. In recent years, various digital tools and services have been developed and learners are now familiar with a wide variety of tools. Some teachers say that learners rely too much on digital tools, and that their Japanese language skills are not improving. But what digital tools do learners actually use and how do they use them to learn? The answers to these questions are not yet fully understood. In this seminar, we welcome Professor ISHIGURO Kei, from the National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics (NINJAL), to explore this topic in an online setting.

For more information about the seminar and read the speaker’s profile, please refer to the attached document.

We look forward to receiving your applications.

Date/Time: 11th February 2023 (Saturday), 10:00 to 12:30 GMT

Theme: How Useful Are Smartphones for Learning Japanese?:

The reality of the use of dictionary tools among learners of Japanese in the United Kingdom

Speaker:

Professor ISHIGURO Kei (Director of The Center for the Promotion of Collaborative Research, the National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics; Collaborative Professor, Graduate School of Language and Society, Hitotsubashi University)

Target audience:

Japanese language educators and post-graduate university students specialising in Japanese language education who are based in the United Kingdom and Europe.

(Applications from those in other regions will also be accepted if places are available)

Maximum number of participants: 80

Location: Online seminar using Zoom software

Spoken language: Japanese

Cost of seminar: BATJ member: 5£, BATJ Non-member: 10£

Applications: Please visit < https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/batjjf-tickets-491232267937>

Application deadline: 31st January 2023 (Tuesday), 12:00 GMT

* Once the number of places has been filled, applications will close.

Contact: seminar@batj.org.uk

Event Flyer: English / Japanese

Date:	11 February 2023 from 10.00am - 12.30pm
Venue:	Online seminar (Zoom software)
Download 2023BATJ-JF共催セミナー_石黒先生案内文（EN）_Final
Download 2023BATJ-JF共催セミナー_石黒先生案内文（JP）_Final

Local Project Support Programme Spring 2023 Applications - Online Seminar and Q&A Session

You can find information on the programme as well as links to download an application form by clicking here

This session will be held twice on 10^th May 2023 (Wednesday)

1. First Session: 13:00 to 13:30

2. Second Session: 18:00 to 18:30

We will be using Zoom software. Once you have applied we will send you information on how to join the session.

Attendance is free but booking is essential. If you would like to take part, please sign up 8^th May 2023 (Mon).

This seminar will be held in English but the presenter is a bilingual Japanese-English speaker. Please use Japanese at in this application form and at the Q&A if you would prefer.

Fill out the application form here

If you are unable to attend either session but are still interested in applying, please do not worry! We will be making a recording of the first part of the seminar (explanation of application process) and uploading it to our Youtube channel.

Date:	10 May 2023
Venue:	Online event

Call for Project Members: Project for Establishing Japanese Clubs

The Japan Foundation, London would like to announce that we are establishing a project to support UK primary and secondary schools that have expressed an interested in newly offering a ‘Japanese Club’ to their students.

In line with this, we are delighted to call for project members to get involved in this project with us. This is a new project so there will be many challenges for us. We look forward to applications from those who are willing to join this project as part of their own professional development, and to work with us while exchanging their thoughts and ideas with us and other project members.

For details, please refer to the following:

Responsibilities

The development of teaching materials for Japanese clubs for primary and secondary schools (mainly targeting the KS2 to KS4 age groups) and attendance at meetings related to teaching material development.
Teaching sessions as part of a teacher training course for teachers wishing to offer Japanese clubs at their schools (using the developed materials referred to above), to be held from October 2023 onwards, and attending meetings related to said course (course will be 1.5 hours x 12 sessions, and conducted in English).
Other responsibilities necessary for the enactment of the tasks mentioned above.

- The project leader will be Chisato Ofune, Chief Japanese language Advisor for the Japan Foundation, London.

Terms and Conditions of application:

Applicants are expected:

To have experience in Japanese language education (a set level of Japanese language proficiency is not required.)

*Applications from post-graduate students studying Japanese language education, or any other related field, are also accepted. To be willing to work actively in the development of teaching materials and a teacher training course.

To be able to deliver the teacher training course in English.
To have a good set-up (internet connection, equipment and so on) for taking part in online meetings and teaching online sessions.
To be able to receive honoraria legally in the UK.

The following traits will be considered particularly desirable in an applicant:

Those who have experiences involving Japanese language clubs for KS2 to KS4 (or equivalent) students.
Those who currently teach Japanese language.

*due to the professional development aspect

Those who can be involved for multiple years rather than a single year.

Key professional knowledge and competences that will be gained through the project:

Learning design know-how
Knowledge and skills for developing teaching materials
Know-how on how to design for teachers’ learning

Project period (Phase 1/TBD):

Development of teaching materials: July - October 2023 (TBD)
Teacher training course: Oct - Jan 2023 (TBD)

*Dates are subject to change depending on circumstances.

*The above periods are for the first year. The project may be continued beyond that.

Number of positions open: 3 (TBC)

Honoraria:

Approx. £1,300 - £1,700 (for material development and teaching online classes)
These figures are based on the assumption that you are fully engaged in all of the above requested responsibilities.
The amount will vary depending on the number of teaching materials and classes you are responsible for.

How to apply:

Please prepare the following documents:

(1) List of Japanese language teaching experience (any format)

(2) Reasons and aspirations for applying (maximum 800 characters in Japanese or400 words in English).

*Please also mention what activities you would want to do if given the chance to be involve in ‘Japanese club’.

Please upload items (1) and (2) above to a cloud service, and then submit your application using the form below:

Application Form

Application deadline: 19^th June 2023 (Monday), 14:00 (British Summer Time)

Selection process:

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed (online).

* Enquiries regarding the selection process will not be answered.

Contact: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp （English and Japanese）

Date:

1 June 2023 - 19 June 2023

School-Centred Initial Teacher Training Information Day

This event is for schools running Japanese classes or clubs which have an interest in helping the development of teachers of Japanese to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in the UK.

We will be holding an information day for School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT). SCITT is a programme to help train people to become new QTS teachers. It is managed by the Department for Education and administered by authorised providers in the UK. National Modern Languages, a provider of SCITT, will introduce a new path for training Japanese language teachers as part of the SCITT programme. In the past, National Modern Languages was only for trainees aiming to become teachers of French, German, and Spanish. Now it will include prospective QTS teachers of Japanese.

Please note that trainees are required to have French, German or Spanish as a primary foreign language they can potentially teach, with Japanese as an additional language. This means that trainees will be able to teach two languages. Host schools train the trainee teachers and in return will gain a trainee able to teach two languages at their school.

Along with this fantastic opportunity, National Modern Languages is looking for schools that are interested in becoming host schools for these new trainee Japanese language teachers.

On this information day, Ms Katrin Sredzki-Seamer, Director of the National Modern Languages SCITT, will give a speech about SCITT, and share information about becoming a host school. She will also explain the merits of the programme for host schools. There will be a Q&A session.

We hope that many schools have an interest in becoming a host school and that this event will inspire them to become one.

Date:

Day 1: Wednesday 14th June, 13:00-13:30, 16:00-16:30
Day 2: Monday 19th June, 16:30-17:00
Day 3: Thursday 6th July, 13:00-13:30, 16:00-16:30

Note: Each session has the same content.

The start/finish time is flexible. Please let us know your preferred time if this all of the above times are not suitable.

To apply, please click here:

https://forms.office.com/r/45egfstvNu

Participation fee: Free (registration in advance is required.)

Registration deadline:

12th June for Day 1 (14th June)
15th June for Day 2 (19th June)
4th July for Day 3 (6th July)

Languages used: English

Date:	5 June 2023 - 4 July 2023
Venue:	Online

*Looking for Volunteers* UCL-Japan Youth Challenge

Looking for Volunteers UCL-Japan Youth Challenge

Interested in Japanese culture? Learning Japanese? Want to help pre-university students shape their future studies and careers?

The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge are looking for university student volunteers who can join our online summer school programme in the second half of August 2022 for one week to see the world through the lens of a top-notch design thinker.

Volunteer roles:

• Join and facilitate group discussion during Workshop and Preparation for Presentation

• Be an active member of an allocated group to deliver a group presentation smoothly

• Encourage Japanese high school students to communicate in English

Dates:

• Workshop—Tuesday 16th August

• Preparation for Presentation—Wednesday 17th, Thursday 18th & Friday 19th August

• Presentation—Tuesday 23rd August

Times:

9am to 12pm (midday) (BST)

* Preparation for Presentation may vary slightly depending on the group

If you can participate, please email ujyc@japanatuk.com

Website: www.ucl-japan-youth-challenge.com

If you are a pre-university student interested in learning more and attending this event, please see our previous post here: https://jpf.org.uk/whatson.php#1227

Or visit the official event website: https://www.ucl-japan-youth-challenge.com/programme-2022/

Date:	16 August 2022 - 23 August 2022 from 9.00am - 12.00pm
Venue:	Hosted online by UCL

BAJS/Japan Foundation Postgraduate Workshop 2023

Date: Saturday 18 March 2023
Venue: SOAS, University of London

Full programme TBC

The BAJS/Japan Foundation Postgraduate Japanese Studies Workshop is returning for its 12th year and will be held at SOAS, University of London.

For our 2023 workshop, the theme will be “Fieldwork in Japan”. Participants will be provided with in-depth advice on making the most out of fieldwork opportunities since travel restrictions to Japan have eased. Throughout the student-focused workshop, specialists will be providing advice to all participants. The event also provides an excellent opportunity for networking among PhD students and academics, as well as a forum to discuss future collaborations. There will also be organisations in attendance who will present their funding programmes and give details on how they can help.

Student Submissions: As part of the workshop, students will be asked to present their work in context of the theme. Presentations will take place in small groups in the morning session. There will be a follow-up workshop after lunch where feedback and individual advice can be provided by other students and academics. Mara Patessio at mp78@soas.ac.uk will contact all attendees with more details about the student presentations.

Travel Grants: The Japan Foundation is able to offer a partial travel grant of £70 per attendee after attendees have covered the first £20 of their fare. The British Association for Japanese Studies is able to offer £50 per attendee towards the cost of accommodation.*

*Grants available for UK-based students only

Registration and Eligibility:

Registration is free and the workshop is open to all PhD students undertaking research about Japan (including comparative) in humanities and social science subjects. To keep a workshop atmosphere, we are limiting spaces to 40 students. Spaces will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Any additional registrants will be placed on a waiting list.

Should places still be available, registration will open to masters students on February 6th 2023.
The deadline for registration is February 17th 2023.

To register your place at the workshop, please click here

Date:	18 March 2023
Venue:	SOAS, University of London

Seven Transformations: Hagi Ware

Date: Wednesday, 7 September 2022, 12:00pm (BST)

Online Event hosted on Zoom

Hagi Ware is a type of earthenware made in the Hagi region in Yamaguchi prefecture. Closely associated with the Japanese tea ceremony, the ware has long been admired by tea masters such as Sen no Rikyu, for its understated beauty and traditionalism ranked second only to the famous Raku Ware as tea ware. It is rarely decorated, and its simplicity of design is the result of making the most of the features of local Hagi clay. One of the most distinctive characteristics of Hagi Ware is the way it changes and improves over time. This is a process called “nanabake” (seven transformations), in which tea slowly colours the clay as it is absorbed through fine cracks in the glaze.

Gesson HAMANAKA, an award- winning master potter from Hagi and the owner of Oyagama kiln, will introduce traditional Hagi Ware and the process of its creation, giving us a look into his kiln and studio in this online talk event. Together with Dr Clare Pollard, Curator of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, he will also explore the ways in which he seeks to protect Hagi ceramic traditions and how his freedom of expression has been transformed in meeting the needs of contemporary society.

About the speakers

Gesson HAMANAKA

Born to a Hagi family, HAMANAKA studied Hagi Ware as a teenager under Yohika Taibi and established his Oya Kiln in 1969. Adopting his artistic name Gesson (Moon Village) he has produced highly acclaimed Hagi Ware, ranging from traditional tea bowls to plates. His works have been exhibited in Japan and internationally. He has collaborated with flower artist Daniel Ost on a number of occasions. In 2001, his kiln revived porcelain, incorporating it into his Hagi Ware repertoire, bringing a new aspect to his work.

Dr Clare Pollard is Curator of Japanese Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University’s museum of art and archaeology and Britain’s first public museum. The Ashmolean is home to an extensive collection of Japanese art, including ceramics, lacquer, paintings, prints, sword furniture and decorative arts of the Meiji era (1868-1912). Clare’s research has focused mainly on Meiji art, while in recent years she has developed a series of exhibitions and catalogues of the Ashmolean’s Japanese print collections.

This event is organised in collaboration with IndigoRose Project

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here

Date:	7 September 2022 from 12.00pm
Venue:	Online

JaLaChamp 2023 – Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK

The Japan Foundation, London is excited to announce a new event: The Japanese Language Championship for Young Learners UK – also known as… JaLaChamp!

Latest updates

03/05/23 - Applications for both categories have now closed. Check back here soon for details about FInals Day!
04/02/23 - Outline video uploaded
04/02/23 - JaLaChamp poster available to download
16/01/23 - Applications now open!
16/01/23 - Revised guidelines (English language) and Japanese language guidelines are now available to download.

JaLaChamp is a contest for primary and secondary school students studying Japanese, and consists of two categories: a speech category, and a video category where students are asked to create an original video. We want to encourage students to show us their creativity in full and have fun making videos and writing speeches using their Japanese!

Download the JaLaChamp event guidelines to find out more!

English Guidelines ~ Japanese Guidelines

Applications are now closed

Speech Category Application Form

Video Category Application Form

Check out our Outline Video

Download our JaLaChamp 2023 poster

Date:	25 April 2023
Download JaLaChamp 2023_Application Guideline_JP
Download JaLaChamp 2023_Application Guideline_EN_rev
Download JaLaChamp 2023 Poster 0

Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2023-2024 (Spring) Applications Now Open

Spring 2023 Applications Now OPEN!

We prioritise projects that fit into one of the four following categories:

Category 1 - Newly Introducing Japanese into the curriculum

Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses

Category 3 – New Japanese clubs

Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

Application deadline: 24^th May 2023, 23:59 (Wednesday)

General Information document

LPSP 2023-2024 Grant Flowchart

Grant Application Form (May 2023)

We would be grateful if you could read the General Information document and the Grant Flowchart document before submitting an application.

If you have any questions, please contact info.language@jpf.go.jp

Please also refer to the “General Information” document above for detailed answers to many frequently asked questions.

Date:	20 April 2023 - 24 May 2023
Download LPSP General Information 2023-2024
Download LPSP Flowchart 2023-2024
Download LPSP Application Form 2023-2024

Applications for the Japanese Local Project Support Programme 2022-2023 (Summer/Autumn) are open!

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education in the UK. Please see the attached documents at the bottom of this post for more detailed information.

We prioritise projects that fit into one of the four following categories:

Category 1 - Newly Introducing Japanese into the curriculum

Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses

Category 3 - Japanese clubs

Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

Application deadline: 26^th September 2022 (Monday), 23:59

Download general information about the programme.
Download the Grant Application Form (Summer/Autumn 2022)
Download the LPSP 2022-2023 Grant Flowchart.

Date:	25 August 2022 - 26 September 2022
Download S-A 2022-23 General Information
Download S-A 2022-23 Application Form
Download S-A 2022-23 Flowchart

Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) July 2023

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a test for non-native speakers of Japanese which evaluates and certifies their Japanese-Language proficiency. The test takes place twice a year (July and December) in Japan and various locations around the world. Currently, it is the largest Japanese-language test in the world, with more than 1.36 million people in 87 countries worldwide registered for the JLPT in 2018.

The next JLPT will take place on Sunday, 2^nd July 2023 at two locations in the UK: London (SOAS University of London) and Leicester (the University of Leicester).

Please note that applications at both sites (SOAS and University of Leicester) have CLOSED as applications have reached maximum capacity. We apologise for any disappointment caused.

Please refer to each university’s website for application opening dates and registration details.

Japan Research Centre, SOAS University of London Applications CLOSED

University of Leicester Applications CLOSED

Please note that JLPT is very popular and registration at each test centre will close when the test centre has reached its maximum capacity.

For more information about the test, please visit JLPT website

Ø Click here to download a Guide to the 2023 Japanese-Language Proficiency Test.

Ø Let’s Try Sample Questions!

Date:	2 July 2023
Venue:	SOAS University of London University of Leicester
Download JLPT Guide 2023

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme Online Talk Series

No Breaking Point: Director NISHIKAWA Miwa in Conversation

A conversation with NISHIKAWA Miwa, director of Under the Open Sky. A great opportunity to hear about her filmmaking processes and her views on Japanese cinema.

Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2023 13:00 (GMT)
Online Talk Event hosted on Zoom

Click here to book your ticket

Young & Formidable: Directors HORIE Takahiro, IIZUKA Kasho & KOJIMA Oudai in Conversation

Three filmmakers, all of whom are at a relatively early stage in their film directing careers, will share their stories with us.

Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2023 13:00 (GMT)
Online Talk Event hosted on Zoom

Click here to book your ticket

Always Evolving: Director TANADA Yuki in Conversation

Find out more about TANADA Yuki, director of My Broken Mariko, through this insightful talk!

Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2023 13:00 (BST)
Online Talk Event hosted on Zoom

Click here to book your ticket

Roundtable Discussion – Has Japanese Cinema always been evolving?

A roundtable talk with film experts KIMBARA Yuka, ISHIZAKA Kenji, Julian Ross, James Mudge and Espen Bale discussing the question: Has Japanese Cinema always been evolving?

Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:00 (BST)
Online Talk Event hosted on Zoom

Click here to book your ticket

Date:

23 March 2023 - 30 March 2023

Meet the Author: TAKAHASHI Hiroki in Conversation

Join us for a special online talk with author TAKAHASHI Hiroki, author of Finger Bone. Be part of an inspiring conversation as he shares his literary journey.

Registration is essential and spaces are limited, so please book your ticket here.

Date:	30 June 2023 from 1.00pm
Venue:	Online Talk Event

Cocktail - ‘Art of Liquid’ that Travels from Japan: Talk & Demonstration by NAKAMURA Mitsuhiro

Join us for an exclusive talk and demonstration with renowned head mixologist NAKAMURA Mitsuhiro! Discover the secrets behind his sensational coctails as he shares his expertise and showcases his craft live!

Registration is essential and spaces are limited, so please book your ticket here. [Waiting list only]

Livestreaming available, book your space here.

Date:	15 June 2023 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Japan House, London

[Online Talk] Japanese Book Cover Designs that Broke the Mould

Though you may be inclined to follow the famous adage of “Never judge a book by its cover,” for many centuries true bibliophiles and collectors have happily ignored these words, putting great value on publications with unique designs and special editions. Inevitably, what you see on the cover may be a decisive factor in choosing a book.

In Japan too, the importance of eye-catching designs that push the boundaries of the publishing world and defy pre-set standards is tangible. Prevailing market demands encourage continuing developments in graphic design as well as typography with certain designs standing as artistic milestones that have influenced new generations of designers up to present day. Certainly, some book cover designs are not merely an accessory to the content but stand alone as artistic endeavours.

In time for the Cheltenham Literature Festival, we have invited former editor-in-chief of the renowned Japanese design magazine IDEA, MUROGA Kiyonori, to trace the history of Japanese book cover design since the post-war period. As a writer and curator of graphic design and typography, MUROGA will select a handful of models and discuss why he thinks these symbolised new approaches in the field, considering points from both an aesthetic and technical view.

About the speaker

MUROGA Kiyonori was born in 1975, Niigata, Japan. Former editor-in-chief of IDEA magazine. He has been editing books on graphic design, typography, and visual culture since 1999. His recent editorial works include Sakuji Hyakkei and Pixel Hyakkei (Graphic-sha, 2019). He is also an international critic, educator, and lecturer on graphic design. He has contributed texts to various publications and periodicals including JAGDA’s Graphic Design in Japan 2013 (Rikuyosha, 2013), Japan—Nippon: Poster Collection 26 (Lars Müller Publishers, 2014), Nihon bijutsu zenshu (Shogakukan, 2016), ggg books 124: Yoshihisa Shirai (DNP, 2017), Encyclopedia of East Asian Design (Sydney, Bloomsbury, forthcoming). He co-curated “The Study Room” of the 27th Brno Biennial (2016) and “Fragments of Graphism” (Creation Gallery G8, 2018).

Image credit: Photo by So Hashizume from Paper and Dummy Books exhibition at TAKEO MIHONCHO HONTEN, 2011

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	12 October 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

GALAXY TRAIN - A New Musical

Date:

24 March 2023 - 26 March 2023

We are proudly partnering with Théatre Lapis for this new enchanting musical based on the beloved 1927 Japanese novel Night on the Galactic Railroad (Ginga Tetsudo no Yoru), by MIYAZAWA Kenji. It tells the story of two boys, Giovanni and Campanella, who find themselves on a mysterious train journey.

Galaxy Train coming to The Other Palace Studio on 24 - 26 March 2023. Created by director ICHIKAWA Yojiro and composer-lyricist Eden Tredwell. Limited performances – don’t miss out!

Book your tickets here!

Date: 24 – 26 March 2023
The Other Palace Studio

Galaxy Train is presented in partnership with the Japan Foundation, with support from the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation and The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation.

Reality or Fantasy? Creating the Hero of the Blind Swordsman

Date: Thursday, 5 May 2022, 7:00pm (BST)

Online Event hosted on Zoom

Zatoichi is regarded as one of the most influential characters from Japanese jidai-geki (period films). The first film out of 29 Japanese titles was directed by MISUMI Kenji and released in 1962. The series gained so much popularity that it was later remade in the USA. Despite being blind, Zatoichi is an accomplished sword fighter who beats many villains, and is inspiring enough to capture the hearts of even contemporary film makers such as KITANO Takeshi and MIIKE Takashi. Although adapted from literature and supposedly modelled on a real person, the film’s version of the character is far from the original influences. It was certainly the popularity of the films that pushed Zatoichi into the limelight. How was this blind hero invented and what factored into his success?

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the first film of Zatoichi, in this online talk Dr Jonathan Wroot, who published The Paths of Zatoichi, will introduce his latest book explaining the process of the characterisation of the famous blind swordsman, while referring to his impact on history and the cultural context. Together with Dr Dolores Martinez and Dr Jasper Sharp, the talk will also explore the representation of Zatoichi as a hero who is blind and why such a character is frequently portrayed within jidai-geki films and TV shows; while also considering the other examples of blind people in Japanese film and culture.

Speakers

Dr Jonathan Wroot is Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for Film Studies at the University of Greenwich. He has previously published research on home media formats and Asian cinema distribution. He co-edited a collection entitled New Blood: Framing 21st Century Horror, for UWP, in 2021, in addition to his monograph on the Zatoichi film and TV franchise. Some of this research will be appearing in the forthcoming edited collection, Women in East Asian Cinema. He has contributed to the podcast series Beyond Japan and Second Features, as well as the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2022.

Dr Dolores P. Martinez is Emeritus Reader in Anthropology at SOAS, University of London and a Research Affiliate at ISCA, University of Oxford. She has written on maritime anthropology, tourism, religion, gender, film, and popular culture in Japan, as well as on women’s football in the USA, documentaries, and humour in science fiction films. Her publications include Identity and Ritual in a Japanese Diving Village; Remaking Kurosawa; editor of The Worlds of Japanese Popular Culture; and co-editor, Assembling Japan and Persistently Postwar.

Dr Jasper Sharp is an author, filmmaker and curator known for his work on Japanese cinema and the co-founder of the film website Midnight Eye. His books include The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film (2004), joint-written with Tom Mes, Behind the Pink Curtain (2008) and The Historical Dictionary of Japanese Cinema (2011). His work has appeared in publications including Sight & Sound, The Guardian, The Japan Times, and Film International, and on numerous home video releases. Between 2010 and 2014 he was the director of Zipangu Fest, a London-based festival dedicated to showcasing Japanese independent cinema, and was the Artistic Director of the Asia House Film Festival between 2014 and 2016. He is the co-director with Tim Grabham of The Creeping Garden (2014), an award-winning documentary about plasmodial slime moulds, and currently works as a disc producer for Arrow Films.

This online event is free to attend but places are limited and registration is essential. To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	5 May 2022 from 7.00pm
Venue:	Online Event hosted on Zoom
For more information, please click here.

In collaboration with

Local Project Support Programme May 2022 Applications - Online Seminar and Q&A Session

You can find information on the programme as well as links to download an application form here: https://jpf.org.uk/whatson.php#1222

This session will be held twice on 30^th May 2022 (Mon)

1. First Session: 13:00 to 13:30

2. Second Session: 18:00 to 18:30

We will be using Zoom software. Once you have applied we will send you information on how to join the session.

If you would like to take part, please sign up 26^th May (Thur)

Apply for a place for Session 1 by filling out our Eventbrite Form here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/343070000607

Apply for a place for Session 2 by filling out our Eventbrite Form here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/343073791947

Update - Although this event has finished, you can view a recording of the presentation by clicking here.

Date:

30 May 2022

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2023

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme is back in Feb-March 2023! Official line-up is announced here.

#JFTFP23

Date:

3 February 2023 - 31 March 2023

Online Open Space Conference - “Share It With Others”

The school year is coming to an end. Over the past year, you have surely been engaged in a variety of teaching practices and have felt and thought about many things.

You have probably exchanged information about your own teaching practices, concerns, worries and issues with your colleagues, or in communities related to Japanese language education. However, there may be many people who find it difficult to find someone to talk to about these issues, or who have no one to talk to, so their own problems still feel vague to them.

In either case, it may be difficult to have time to talk to each other due to the busy nature of daily life. And sometimes you may want inspiration from someone new.

So this time, The Japan Foundation, London, has decided to create an online space for everyone to look back on the past year's teaching practices and bring together things that have been on teachers’ minds recently to share them with each other.

Let's inspire each other and use this inspiration as energy to work in 2023-24!

The Day’s Procedure:

This event will be held in the style of an “Open Space Conference (Unconference)”, where the organisers do not set the theme.
Suggest and share a topic to discuss with all participants, and talk about it in breakout rooms.
Each breakout room sessions will be about 30-40 minutes, and held 2-3 times.

Date/Time: 25^th June 2023 (Sunday), 10:00 am – 12:30 pm (BST)

Venue: Zoom meeting

Facilitator: OFUNE Chisato (Chief Japanese language Advisor, The Japan Foundation, London)

Spoken language: Japanese and English

Target Audience: Japanese language educators in the U.K.

*Applications from those in other regions will also be accepted.

Maximum Number of Participants: 50

Flyer: Available soon

Contact: events.japanese@jpf.go.jp (English and Japanese)

To apply, please click here to fill out an application form

Application deadline: 19^th June 2023 (Monday), 15:00

Date:	25 June 2023 from 10.00am - 12.30pm
Venue:	Online event

Koji Yamamura: In The Studio Where Japan's Leading Animation is Born

Koji Yamamura, leading creator of Japanese animation (such as the Oscar-nominated Mt.Head, 2002) and regular contributor to the UK animation scene, including the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival, returns to discuss his stellar career spanning over three decades.

In a unique opportunity for our audience, and a first for the animator, he will guide us virtually through his studio in real time, showcasing his creative processes and methods. He will also acquaint the audience more closely with his body of work, introducing his newest films which will be accompanied by a full-length screening of his short animation film, Polar Bear Bears Boredom (7mins), and the trailer of his newest feature length work, Dozens of Norths, ahead of its world premiere in November.

In conversation with film critic, filmmaker, and visual artist, Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi, this event will be an unmissable opportunity for lovers and aspiring makers of animated work to gain a first-hand practical insight into the workings of a successful animation studio.

About the speakers

Koji Yamamura was born in 1964. During the 1990s, he was making films for children such as Pacusi, Bavel's Book and so on. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Short, Mt. Head (2002) won 6 grand prizes and was selected for the 100 Films for a Century of Animation. Franz Kafka's A Country Doctor (2007) won 6 grand prizes; in total, his films were awarded more than 100 prizes. In 2021, he has placed 2nd in the 25 top short animated film directors from the last 25 years. He is also active as a picture book author for Viva Vegetables (Oyaoya Oyasai), Parade and so on. He was awarded the Kawakita Prize and Education Award for Fine Arts in Japan and received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2019. He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a sub-chairman of the Japan Animation Association and a member of the board of directors of ASIFA.

Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi is a film critic, culture and sustainability reporter, screenwriter, filmmaker and visual artist. Chiara’s Material Puns use wordplay to weld the title of the painting with the materials placed on canvas, through an ironic reinterpretation of Pop-Art, Dadaism and Ready Made. Chiara works for online, print, radio and television and has been a jury member and collaborator of several film festivals. She is also a Professor of Phenomenology of Contemporary Arts at IED University in Milan.

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	15 October 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

A Night at the Kabuki

Date: 22 – 24 September 2022

Venue: Sadler’s Wells Theatre

Love Shakespeare and Japanese theatre? This is your dream event!

Set to the original recordings of Queen’s A Night at the Opera and inspired by Freddie Mercury’s love of Japan, A Night at the Kabuki is a unique retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Created by acclaimed Japanese theatre maker Hideki Noda OBE and performed by an all-star Japanese cast, the performance features two sets of Romeo and Juliet’s who become intertwined in each other’s fates.

The Japan Foundation is pleased to be partnering with NODA・MAP, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., and Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre to bring you this exciting performance. For a limited time only.

For more information and ticketing options, please click here.

To read an exclusive interview with director Hideki NODA, click here.

Date:	22 September 2022 - 24 September 2022
Venue:	Sadler's Wells Theatre
Download Hideki Noda QA

Local Project Support Programme Summer/Autumn 2022 Applications - Online Seminar and Q&A Session

You can find information on the programme as well as links to download an application form by clicking here

This session will be held twice on 8^th September 2022 (Thur).

1. First Session: 13:00 to 13:30

2. Second Session: 18:00 to 18:30

We will be using Zoom software. Once you have applied we will send you information on how to join the session.

If you would like to take part, please sign up 6^th September 2022 (Tue).

Apply for a place for Session 1 by filling out our Eventbrite Form here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/407925384807

Apply for a place for Session 2 by filling out our Eventbrite Form here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/407930259387

Date:	8 September 2022
Venue:	Online event

[Online Event] Kikuko Tsumura in Live Conversation

In partnership with The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, we invite author KIKUKO TSUMURA for a live conversation with translator Polly Barton.

Date: Thursday, 14 October 2021, 1:00pm (BST)

A 36-year-old, formerly burnt-out female office worker is the protagonist of Kikuko Tsumura’s There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job (2020). With well-established acclaim in her native Japan, Tsumura vividly captures the lives within Japanese society, especially of its young people. Though their comedic tone may make her works accessible and fun to read, you will soon detect the delicate trace of serious issues existing in Japan lying beneath the surface.

In this online live session, Tsumura will discuss her creative world as well as take questions from audiences. Joining also is Polly Barton, an award-winning modern Japanese literature translator who has worked with a number of Japanese authors and who rendered There’s No Such Thing as an Easy Job into English. She will explain how she reads this book while elucidating her translation process.

Kate Griffin, Associate Programme Director at the National Centre for Writing will moderate the session.

This is a follow up session to the recorded conversation with Kikuko Tsumura and Victoria Young as part of The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival and it is recommended to watch the recorded session as well. To watch the session, please click here.

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

Special Thanks to Tuttle-Mori Agency

Please reserve your space here.

If you’re interested in this event, you might also enjoy:

New Writing from Japan

Broadcast: Mon 11 October, 7pm – 8pm (BST)

Featuring Kikuko Tsumura and Keiichiro Hirano interviewed by Victoria Young and Suzi Feay.

Free to view on Cheltenham Festival’s YouTube Channel

More details here.

Date:

11 October 2021 - 14 October 2021

ICHI Anime Show at Flatpack Festival

We are partnering with this year's Flatpack Festival, who will be presenting Japanese animated short films from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, including those of TEZUKA Osamu and YOKOO Tadanori. These screenings will be accompanied by live music written and performed by UK-based artist, ICHI.

Date:	19 May 2022 from 8.00pm - 9.45pm
Venue:	Printmakers Arms, Birmingham
For more information, please click here.

Online seminar “Reconsidering JLE for Children” / オンラインセミナー「子どもの日本語教育」の再考

The Japan Foundation in Europe (Cologne, London, Madrid, Paris and Rome offices) will be co-organising an online seminar and workshop titled: “Reconsidering Japanese Language Education for Children”.

· Date/Time: 17^th July (Sunday), 9:00-12:00 (BST/Western European Summer Time) / 10:00-13:00 (Central European Summer Time)

· Application Deadline: 10^th July (Sunday), 11:00 BST/Western European Summer Time) / 12:00 Central European Summer Time)

Please find the event details below:

*Please note that only information in Japanese is available as the seminar will be conducted in Japanese. Thank you for your understanding.

Enquiries:

The Japan Cultural Institute in Cologne: kurse@jki.de (Japanese)

Japan Foundation, London enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.org.uk (Japanese / English)

---

日本語教師研修会（レクチャー＆ワークショップ）をオンラインにて開催いたします。

今回のテーマは「子どもの日本語教育」です。

今回の研修については、日本語教育通信2月号の記事をご覧ください。

「子どもの日本語教育」の再考　https://www.jpf.go.jp/j/project/japanese/teach/tsushin/reserch/202202.html 　　

今回の研修会は、日本語教師の方を対象に行います。

子どもの日本語教育、継承日本語教育にすでに関わっていらっしゃる先生だけでなく、この分野の日本語教育にご関心のある先生もぜひご参加ください。

レクチャーのみの参加も可能です。ワークショップは席に限りがありますので、お早めにお申し込みをお願いいたします。

· テーマ：　「子どもの日本語教育」の再考

· 講　師：　佐藤郡衛　（国際交流基金日本語国際センター所長）

· 日　時：　2022年7月17日（日）9:00-12:00 (英国夏時間／西ヨーロッパ夏時間) / 10:00-13:00（中央ヨーロッパ夏時間）

· 定　員：　講演500名、ワークショップ90名

※ワークショップの参加者は欧州在住の「子どもの日本語教育」に携わっている方を優先します。尚、ワークショップのみの参加はできません。

対　象：　日本語教師

【セミナー内容】

（１）講演「子どもの日本語教育」の再考　（90分）

（２）ワークショップ「なんちゃってオープンダイアローグ体験」 (70分)

【参加申込】　締切：7月10日（日）11:00（英国夏時間／西ヨーロッパ夏時間）12:00 (中央ヨーロッパ夏時間)

https://forms.office.com/r/HtZzUUzmEf　　　

【問い合わせ先】

　国際交流基金ケルン日本文化会館日本語チーム kurse@jki.de （日本語）

国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センター events.japanese@jpf.org.uk （日・英）

ポスターダウンロード

Date:	17 July 2022 from 9.00am - 12.00pm
Venue:	Online Event
Download 日本語教師研修会2022夏_Flyer

[Online Event] Keiichiro Hirano in Live Conversation

In partnership with The Times and the Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, we invite author KEIICHIRO HIRANO for a live conversation with translator Eli K.P. William.

Date: Saturday, 16 October 2021, 1:00pm (BST)

Prizewinning author and a prominent figure in the Japanese literary sphere, Keiichiro Hirano joins us for a revelatory discussion about his work and will take questions from audiences during this live session. As his books At the End of the Matinee and A Man demonstrate, Hirano is a rare philosophical writer as well as an accomplished storyteller, inviting readers to ‘bask’ in his novels forever, regardless of whether it is a love story or a psychological thriller. In writing, he consciously poses questions about the definition of life and happiness, reflecting not only Japanese society but also the global circumstances we are in.

Joining also is Eli K.P. William, a British Canadian science fiction author who translated A Man into English. Eli will give us his views on the book from the viewpoint of a translator while elucidating his translation process.

Kate Griffin, Associate Programme Director at the National Centre for Writing will moderate the session.

This is a follow up session to the recorded conversation with Keiichiro Hirano and Suzi Feay as part of The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival and it is recommended to watch the recorded session as well. To watch the session, please click here.

In the lead up to the session, you may also be interested in reading an English translation of Hirano’s short story, The Transparent Labyrinth, published by Strangers Press, which you can find here.

Keiichiro Hirano’s information

https://en.k-hirano.com

Twitter: @hiranok (Japanese only); @hiranok_en (English)

Instagram: @hiranok (English only)

Eli K.P. William’s information

https://elikpwilliam.com

Twitter: @dice_carver

Instagram: @elikpwilliam

Facebook:@elikp.william

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

Special Thanks to Cork, Inc.

Please reserve your space here.

If you’re interested in this event, you might also enjoy:

New Writing from Japan

Broadcast: Mon 11 October, 7pm – 8pm (BST)

Featuring Kikuko Tsumura and Keiichiro Hirano interviewed by Victoria Young and Suzi Feay.

Free to view on Cheltenham Festival’s YouTube Channel

More details here.

Date:

11 October 2021 - 16 October 2021

Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) July 2022

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a test which evaluates and certifies the Japanese-language proficiency of non-native speakers of Japanese.

The next JLPT will take place on Sunday 3rd July 2022, at two locations in the UK: London (SOAS University of London), and Leicester (University of Leicester).

To register to take the exam, please visit the websites of the test centres:

SOAS University of London APPLICATIONS CLOSED
University of Leicester APPLICATIONS CLOSED

Applications at both test centres have now closed due to reaching maximum capacity. We apologise for any disappointment caused.

For more information about the test, please visit the JLPT website.

Date:

3 July 2022

Applications for the Japanese Local Project Support Programme 2022-2023 are open!

We prioritise projects that fit into one of the four following categories:

Category 1 - Newly Introducing Japanese into the curriculum

Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses

Category 3 - Japanese clubs

Up to £2,000 for organisations that newly introduce Japanese as an extracurricular activity or enrichment subject. In the case of schools, this is even if this is not within the school timetable. Covers staff cost, Japanese language book cost, origami cost and calligraphy cost. Clubs may take place online or offline.

Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

Application deadline: 16th June 2022 (Thursday), 23:59

NEW: You can view a video presentation with information and advice about applying for our Local Project Support Grants.

Please click here to see the video on our YouTube page.

Download general information about the programme.
Download the Grant Application Form (May 2022)
Download the LPSP 2022-2023 Grant Flowchart.

Date:	16 May 2022 - 16 June 2022
Download 2022-23 General Information
Download 2022-23 Application Form
Download 2022-23 Flowchart

New Frontiers: Japanese Literature Beyond the Mainstream

Online Talk Event

Thursday 4 August 2022, 1pm BST

Haruki MURAKAMI, Sayaka MURATA as well as Mieko KAWAKAMI have become household names in the UK thanks to the recent interest in Japanese literature. While more talked-about books from Japan are becoming available in foreign languages by riding the wave, there are also attempts by publishers to create a new momentum by introducing new voices; even if they are not necessarily from the mainstream.

Recently the Japan Foundation has supported two publications; Terminal Boredom by Izumi SUZUKI who, as everybody in the know knows, has had a significant influence upon some contemporary writers and manga artists with her work during her short but radical life in the 60s, and Astral Season, Beastly Season by Tahi SAIHATE, a multi-talented writer who started off by writing poems. Despite a cult fanbase and the success of one of her poem collections The Tokyo Night Sky is Always the Densest Shade of Blue which inspired a film, her face remains mysteriously invisible. Both female authors were ahead of their time but were not necessarily in the mainstream of the Japanese literature world.

Inviting the publishers and translators who were involved in these unique and compelling publications from relatively unknown authors, this informal online round table session will explore the reasons for and significance of publishing such books and discovering these authors in the context of the UK market and readership, while introducing the translation process and discussing whether there is any challenge in the process as compared to other literature.

Panellists

Dr Juliana Buriticá Alzate, Literary Translator, Departmental Lecturer in Modern Japanese Literature, University of Oxford (Moderator)

Cian McCourt, Editor, Verso of Terminal Boredom

Helen O’Horan, Literary Translator of Terminal Boredom

Taylor Bradley, Editor, Honford Star of Astral Season, Beastly Season

Kalau Almony, Literary Translator of Astral Season, Beastly Season

To reserve a space, please click here.

About the Publications

Terminal Boredom

The first English-language publication of the work of Izumi Suzuki, a singular figure in Japanese science fiction and a countercultural icon. The stories are punky, playful and alarmingly prescient. But they’re relatable too. Her characters struggle with identity, with work, with their relationships. Suzuki gives romantic and interpersonal strife the same airplay as she does societal collapse and the world beyond our own planet. The aliens in the collection figure as gaslighting boyfriends, and the height of technology is a talking chair that issues snarky and unwelcome commentary on your love life. These stories remain fresh, fun and irreverent.

Click here for more information and to buy the book.

Astral Season, Beastly Season

The debut novel by Japanese writer Tahi Saihate. The story follows Morishita and Yamashiro, two high-school boys approaching the age in life when they must choose what kind of people they want to be. When their favourite J-pop idol kills and dismembers her boyfriend, Morishita and Yamashiro unite to convince the police that their idol’s act was in fact by them. This thrilling novel is a meditation on belonging, the objectification of young popstars, and teenage alienation.

Click here for more information and to buy the book.

Date:	4 August 2022 from 12.00am
Venue:	Online, via Zoom

Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival 2021 – Aberystwyth programme

Japanese Animation Screenings in Wales! The Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival is back this year with a selection of the freshest animated works that Japan has to offer. For this edition, the festival’s run time has been split between two major Welsh cities – with the second leg of the programme being hosted at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre this month.

Image credit: ©Monkey Punch / 2019 LUPIN THE 3rd Film Partners

Date:	1 October 2021 - 3 October 2021
For more information, please click here.

Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) December 2022

The JLPT is a test for non-native speakers of Japanese which evaluates and certifies their Japanese-language proficiency. The test takes place twice a year (July and December) in Japan and various locations around the world. More than 1 million people in 86 countries worldwide registered for the JLPT in 2018.

The next JLPT will take place on Sunday, 4^th December 2022 at two venues in the UK: London (SOAS University of London) and Edinburgh (The University of Edinburgh).

Please refer to each university’s website for application opening dates and registration details.

Japan Research Centre, SOAS University of London – Applications open on 22^nd August Please note that applications to take the JLPT at the Japan Research Centre, SOAS University of London have CLOSED as the venue has reached maximum capacity. We apologise for any disappointment caused.

Centre for Open Learning, The University of Edinburgh – Applications currently open Please note that applications to take the JLPT at the Centre for Open Learning, The University of Edinburgh have CLOSED as the venue has reached maximum capacity. We apologise for any disappointment caused.

Please note that JLPT is very popular and registration at each test centre will close when the test centre has reached its maximum capacity.

For more information about the test, please visit the official JLPT website.

View a Guide to the 2022 Japanese-Language Proficiency Test here.

Date:	4 December 2022
Venue:	SOAS, University of London The University of Edinburgh
Download Sample Test N5
Download Sample Test N4
Download Sample Test N3
Download Sample Test N2
Download Sample Test N1

[Online Event] Working Women in Manga

Loosely categorised as oshigoto manga (manga about the workplace), depictions of working life are increasingly rising in popularity among the graphic story genres. Division Chief Kosaku Shima was one of the titles that helped the trend get off the ground, though its story primarily revolves around the office work and private life of a male protagonist. However, as the opportunities for Japanese women in workplaces have continued rapidly growing and their choice of work has become more diverse, the percentage of published oshigoto manga featuring female lead characters has become more prominent, with some titles inspiring TV dramas as well as films. Haruka’s Pottery, screened as part of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2021 is one such example.

In this special online talk event, Prof MASUDA Nozomi from Konan Women’s University will introduce the recent trend and discuss how the image of working women in manga has developed, with particular focus on manga published for a female readership. Referring to some notable examples such as Nigeruwa haji daga yakunitatsu (The Full-Time Wife Escapist), she will also explore how manga authors reflect the existing issues Japanese women are facing in the workplace, in line with the passage of time and changes within the dynamics of the society, as well as what these women really wish for in their lives.

Following Prof MASUDA’s presentation, there will be a brief conversation with Dr Peter Matanle, Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies, School of East Asian Studies, the University of Sheffield.

About the speakers

Prof MASUDA Nozomi is a Professor at the Department of Creative Media Studies, Faculty of Letters, Konan Women's University, specializing in media studies and manga studies. Her main research fields are media for girls, including girls' magazines and shojo manga. She has published a number of papers including the co-authored Manga Studies (2020, Jimbunshoin).

Dr Peter Matanle is a Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies, School of East Asian Studies, the University of Sheffield. Peter specialises in the social and cultural geography of East Asian development and has published widely, with books, chapters, and articles in leading scholarly journals. His research includes articles on representations of men and women in the workplace in Japanese popular culture, in both Organization and Gender, Work & Organization. Access to his research publications can be found on his Google Scholar profile.

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	3 November 2021 from 12.30pm
For more information, please click here.

UCL - Japan Youth Challenge

Applications are now open for the UCL - Japan Youth Challenge!

Dates: 2nd August – 23rd August 2022 (4 weeks, weekdays only)*

Time: 9.00 am – 12.00 pm in UK time (BST)

Venue: Online, hosted by UCL.

* Weeks 1 – 4 on Tuesdays are the main programme events and full attendance is required. Various lectures will be held on other weekdays. A minimum attendance of eight lectures is required.

The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge is a prestigious annual summer school programme which has a tremendous reputation and impact since 2015. Pre-university students from Japan and the UK attend a series of university-style lectures on a wide range of subjects by academics from leading UK universities including UCL (University College London), and engage in UCL Grand Challenge Workshop.

This year the theme is Innovative Enterprises for Sustainable Future.

Suitable candidates will match the following description: You need to be a disruptive and creative thinker. You will tackle a challenge of building a sustainable business by applying ‘design thinking’ techniques. You will be discussing in a group of diverse thinkers and deriving your solution in the end. You also have opportunities to consolidate your understanding about SDGs and ESG through lectures. After this journey, you will be ready to see the world through the lens of a top-notch design thinker.

For more information and to apply, please click here.

Date:	2 August 2022 - 23 August 2022
Venue:	Online, hosted by UCL

Primary Teachers’ Networking Session – “Inviting Fantastic, Unique Friends to Our Community: Activity Ideas for Nihongo x Citizenship Education”

This event is organised for Japanese language teachers who teach Japanese as a modern foreign language or as a heritage language to primary school aged-pupils in the UK and Ireland.

In today’s modern, diverse society, there is an emphasis on citizenship education. This time, participants will have an opportunity to take part in activities inspired by Nihongo x Citizenship Education and then exchange thoughts and ideas about Japanese language education for primary school pupils. The activities introduced are based on improvisational games. Teachers can choose to participate face-to-face participation or online, with all teachers getting to experience the same activities.

We are looking forward to your participation!

※日本語の案内は添付のチラシをご覧ください。

Date and Time: 30^th July 2022 (Saturday), 13:00-15:30

Venue:

Face-to-face Participation:

Warren Centre (Add: Basement 1-8, Suffolk House, Whitfield Place, London, W1T 5JU)

Access: Warren Street Station (3 min by foot)

Euston Square Station (6 min by foot) / London Euston Station (10 min by foot)

Online Participation:

Zoom online meeting

A link will be sent to participants before the event.

* Note: Please note that depending on changes in circumstances, such as developments in the situation with COVID-19 or a decision made by the organisers for other reasons, the event may be held entirely online.

Programme:

(1) Language activities workshop and reflection

(2) Social gathering

Facilitator: OFUNE Chisato (Chief Japanese language Advisor, The Japan Foundation, London)

Spoken Languages: Japanese and English (*Japanese will mainly be used during the workshop, but English will also be used. During the social gathering, there will be an English-language group will be made.)

Target Audience: Japanese language teachers who teach primary school-aged pupils in the UK and Ireland

Maximum Number of Participants: 20 (in-person venue). There is no upper limit for online participation.

To apply, please click here to fill out an application form

Application deadline: 18^th July 2022 (Monday), 10:00AM

Venue rules (for face-to-face participants):

Smoking is not permitted at the venue.

There is no car park or place to park bicycles.

No pets except guide dogs.

Beverages will be provided free of charge at the in-person venue.

Download the event flyer:

English flyer

Japanese flyer

Enquiries: events.japanese@jpf.org.uk

Date:	30 July 2022 from 1.00pm - 3.30pm
Venue:	Face-to-face and online
Download Primary session 2022_Flyer (EN)
Download Primary session 2022_Flyer (JP)

[Online Talk] Kinema Junpo and Film Criticism in Japan In Conversation with Yuko Sekiguchi

In this special free online event, Yuko Sekiguchi, former Editor-in-chief of Kinema Junpo and Variety Japan, will be in conversation with James Bell, former Features Editor at Sight & Sound and newly appointed Senior Curator of Fiction Film in the BFI National Archive, to discuss the historical and contemporary landscape of film criticism in Japan.

Looking at Japanese film criticism through the perspective of Kinema Junpo, Japan's oldest film magazine, which began publication in 1919, Ms Sekiguchi will consider the role of film criticism in Japan, introduce the most prominent film critics and examine the history of the magazine in relation to the changes within Japanese film culture across the decades. The speakers will discuss Kinema Junpo's annual list of best films to investigate what films and filmmakers have been championed by the magazine across the years, and how Kinema Junpo's lists compare to the annual best lists published by Sight & Sound. Ms Sekiguchi will also explore the recent trends and debates in contemporary Japanese film criticism as well as the intersection with the wider film industry and film festivals in Japan.

_________________________________________

Yuko Sekiguchi is a writer, editor and journalist. She has been the Editor-in-chief of Kinema Junpo as well as Variety Japan, the Japanese edition of American entertainment magazine Variety. She is currently serving on the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Intellectual Property Strategy Department's Contents Licensing Council, the Agency for Cultural Affairs Subsidy Council, the Commission on Film Promotion of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the council on corporate patronage of the arts, the international film festival review committee, and as a screening juror for the Japan Arts Council film festival section of the Agency for Cultural Affairs Geijutsu Sensho.

James Bell is Senior Curator of Fiction Film in the BFI National Archive. Formerly, he was Features Editor at Sight & Sound magazine, and Special Projects Editor at the BFI. In addition to his work in the archive and at Sight & Sound, he has been series editor of the BFI Compendium book titles, and regular programmer of the biannual BFI Southbank Deep Focus seasons.

This event is a part of Perspectives from Japan: An Online Events Series. The series, presented by Japan Foundation and BFI Southbank, spotlights the other side of Japanese films.

If you would like to attend this free online event, please register below by Thursday 4 November 13:00. A link to access the Zoom webinar will be sent to you closer to the event date.

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Deadline for the registration is Thursday, 4 November at 13:00.

Date:	5 November 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

In partnership with

セカンダリー日本語教師のためのワークショップ - Online Workshop for Secondary School Teachers: How do we equip our students with 21st century skills

Calling all secondary school teachers of Japanese! We will be holding an online workshop led by two of the authors of a popular textbook series for secondary pupils.

This workshop introduces the pedagogical benefits of using 'iiTomo' series (2nd edition) (https://www.pearson.com.au/educator/secondary/browse-resources-online/resources-for-languages/japanese/iitomo/) which aims to equip students with 21st century skills in a variety of ways. Participants will experience intercultural language learning through the eyes of students and teachers. The workshop includes group work to share ideas of assessment tasks and new online tools for formative assessment.

- Date: 26^th June 2021 (Saturday), 9:00-11:00 (BST)

- Location: Online seminar using Zoom software

- To apply, please click here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/3PPPWL/

- Participation fee: Free (Registration in advance is required.)

- Registration deadline: 10^th June

- Languages used: Japanese/English

- Speaker: Ms Yoko Nishimura-Parke and Ms Yoshie Burrows

- Target audience: Secondary school teachers of Japanese (Private tutors are also welcome).

- Maximum number of participants: 50

In case that we receive more applications than we have spaces, we will prioritise applicants who are currently teaching GCSE Japanese in the United Kingdom and we might close the applications earlier than the deadline if capacity is reached.

- Planned schedule: Following the workshop, there will be an optional social gathering from 10:30.

Speakers’ Profiles:

Ms Yoko Nishimura-Parke

As a senior education officer at the NSW Department of Education, Australia, Yoko Nishimura-Parke developed numerous language learning resources for language education during the period 1998-2015. Yoko also co-authored the Japanese language textbook series Mirai (1995‐2006) and iiTomo (2008‐2019), published by Pearson Education Australia. Yoko is actively involved in creating language learning resources to foster ethical and intercultural understanding and cultivate global views focusing on sustainability.

Ms Yoshie Burrows

Yoshie Burrows, lead author of the iiTomo series, has been actively involved in Japanese education in Victoria for more than twenty-five years. This includes a long career at Loreto College as a Year 7-12 teacher and language department coordinator. Since 2015, she has been the Languages Professional Learning Community Leader for the Catholic Education Office at Ballarat Diocese. She has written VCE teaching materials including the Leading Edge VCE Japanese textbook, as well as practice exams for the Melbourne Centre for Japanese Language Education.

Date:

26 June 2021 from 9.00am - 11.00am

Online event.

Film Festivals on Japan in the UK - The Road to Pressing the Play Button

Date: Tuesday, 29 March 2022, 12:30pm (BST)

Online Event hosted on Zoom

Recently audiences in the UK enjoy more chances to watch Japanese films, and thanks to the sophisticated and rapidly spreading streaming systems as well as the availability of conventional discs such as DVD and Blu-ray, the access to Japanese cinema may appear to be even easier; ultimately you can watch it without leaving your house. The sense of “accessibility” and “easiness” of cinema, however, does not mean it is easy to organise film festivals, and certainly, unlike a home movie system, it is not just simply a matter of pressing the play button.

As The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2022, which scheduled 178 screenings, comes to end, for this roundtable discussion, the Japan Foundation have invited film festival directors from the UK whose festivals have a Japan-focus to varying degrees. All of the festivals were founded without solid institutional backup but developed faster to join in an established film festival circle. Reflecting the current ever-changing circumstances in film industries, together they discuss the reasons for their founding, their operation, as well as issues remaining in organising Japanese film festivals in the UK.

Moderator

Junko Takekawa — Senior Arts Programme Officer, The Japan Foundation (also Programmer and Producer for The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme)

Panellists

Sonali Joshi — Curator & Founder of Day for Night

Day for Night exists as a space to champion diversity and underrepresented areas of cinema, with a particular focus on Asia, and to enable greater access to moving image culture through curatorial projects, specialist distribution and screen translation.

Eiko Meredith — Director of Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival

The Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival was created by organizer Ms Eiko Meredith. Launched in November 2010 at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, UK, the festival screens the best in Japanese animation and culture to a wide audience.

Joshua Smith — Director of Japanese Avant-garde and Experimental Film Festival

JAEFF is both a celebration of, and contextual engagement with, Japanese avant-garde and experimental cinema.

Yi Wang — Director of Queer East Film Festival

Queer East is an LGBTQ+ festival that showcases queer cinema from East and Southeast Asia and seeks to amplify the voices of Asian communities in the UK.

This online event is free to attend but places are limited and registration is essential. To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	29 March 2022 from 12.30pm
Venue:	Online Event hosted on Zoom
For more information, please click here.

[Online Talk] Women's Voices and Women's Verses

In the very long history of Japanese literature, poetry is arguably one of the first recognized literary forms. The notable Manyosho, a collection of Japanese short poems produced in the 8th century, evokes the gaze and thoughts of people from all walks of life and, until this day, still sets a standard for Japanese poetry. Contrary to the common perception that the world of literature is dominated by male voices, Japanese society did not always exclude women’s perspectives when it came to the arts and, indeed, there was a time where constructing and reading poetry was a significant tool of communication regardless of the gender. However, has the trend evolved with the times and have women remained in a prominent position within this literary sphere?

In this first session of the ‘Finding Japanese Poetry’ series, the Japan Foundation invites poets and translators, YOTSUMOTO Yasuhiro and MORIYAMA Megumi (who has recently released her work, Nakazora), to trace the role of female poets from ancient to contemporary Japan, discussing their creativity, the gaze of women, and the impact their verses made upon Japan and its literary society. The talk will be led by Michele Hutchison, an award-winning translator.

About the speakers

(Moderator) Michele Hutchison is a British translator, writer and editor based in Amsterdam. Her translation of Marieke Lucas Rijneveld's The Discomfort of Evening was awarded the 2020 International Booker Prize and her translation of Sander Kollaard's Stage Four won the 2020 Vondel Translation Prize. Recent poetry translations include Man Animal Thing by Alfred Schaffer (Eyewear Publishing) and Putting On My Species by Sasja Janssen (Shearsman Books). She is also co-author of The Happiest Kids in the World and is currently working on a new non-fiction book.

MORIYAMA Megumi was born in Tokyo. She is a poet, English haiku poet, and translator. She is the author of four full-length books of poetry, including Tangible Dreams (Yume no tezawari, 2005), which was composed for a choir piece and published. MORIYAMA had been selected as a New Poet by a major poetry periodical and her poems have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. She has recently co-translated the full text of Arthur Waley’s The Tale of Genji and has won the 2020 Donald Keene Special Award. Her latest work is the translation of Virginia Woolf’s The Waves.

YOTSUMOTO Yasuhiro, poet and translator, born in 1959. So far he has published 13 books of poetry, two novels, and a couple of literary criticisms. Yasuhiro also published a few poetry translations including Stay home on Earth! , an anthology of COVID-19 related poems from around the world; The Poetic Works Homo Sapiens, an anthology of contemporary poetry from 32 poets in 22 countries; and Kid by Simon Armitage. His latest book is The Selected Poems of Shinkawa Kazue (Vagabond Press, Sidney), co-translated with Takako Lento.

The Japan Foundation ‘Finding Japanese Poetry Series’

This online event is free to attend but places are limited and registration is essential. To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	13 July 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Celebrating:

[Online Talk] A Portrait Of A Noh Theatre - Yarai Nogakudo: An Online Talk by Yoshimasa KANZE

Nogakudo, or Noh theatre, is the place where Noh and Kyogen plays are performed and, as in an ordinary theatre, it has a stage, backstage and auditorium. Before the end of the Edo era (19th century), the Noh stage was usually set up outdoors but with the modernisation of society, many house-style Noh theatres have been built all over Japan. One of the oldest and most prominent theatres in Tokyo is the ‘Yarai Noh Theater’ (Yarai Nogakudo) which was originally built in Yarai-cho, Shinjuku-ku, in 1930 and reconstructed in 1952.

In this online talk, in the lead up to the 70th anniversary of the reconstruction, KANZE Yoshimasa – the latest generation of the KANZE family that owns the Noh theatre – looks back at the historical transition of this cultural property, explaining some features of the theatre life that may not be written down in books. In addition, KANZE Yoshimasa, who authored two books on Noh costume, will showcase a few props and examples of attire which have been associated with the Yarai Noh Theatre, reflecting on the roles and programmes in which they are used.

The talk will be followed by a brief discussion with Dr Alan Cummings, translator and senior lecturer at SOAS, University of London.

This event will provide a very rare opportunity to get to know the life of one of the oldest Noh theatres and to take a close virtual look at the stage under the guidance of one of Japan’s distinctive Noh performers.

About the speakers

KANZE Yoshimasa is a shite-kata (performer of the protagonist role) Noh artist of the Kanze school who has embarked on a variety activities aimed at countering Noh’s reputation for being difficult to understand and approach for contemporary audiences. These activities include forming the Kamiasobi (gods play) Noh performance group with artists of his own generation with the purpose of developing a younger audience and starting the Utai (Noh recitation) and Shimai (dance) group lesson program for amateurs at the Yarai Noh Theater where he was born and raised, again with the aim of nurturing new fans of the art of Noh. In this interview Yoshimasa Kanze speaks about his search for ways to keep Noh a living art in the 21st century.

Dr Alan Cummings is a translator and senior lecturer in Japanese Studies in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, SOAS, University of London. His academic research is in early modern Japanese literature and theatre, especially kabuki. Amongst his publications are a volume of translations of haiku and senryu, Haiku: Love (British Museum Press, 2013), and several translations in the Kabuki Plays on Stage series (University of Hawai'i Press).

This event is curated with Mu: Arts.

Image credit: Shinji Aoki

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	16 November 2021 from 12.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Young Minds in Japan - Eternally Younger Than Those Idiots

Date: Friday, 25 March 2022, 12:30pm (GMT)

Online Event hosted on Zoom
Online Talk

Eternally Younger Than Those Idiots, which is presented as part of The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2022, is a film that achieves a remarkable depiction of contemporary young people in Japan. The modest and non-descript synopsis and trailer are deceptive, and in watching it, the emotion of each of the characters gradually seeps through like water on paper, touching the heart of the viewers. As its director states in his video introduction, the film was aimed to present the reality that younger generations face in contemporary Japanese society.

For this special talk, The Japan Foundation has invited Director of the emotionally charged Eternally Younger Than Those Idiots, YOSHINO Ryuhei, as well as TSUMURA Kikuko, the author of the book of the same title from which this film was adapted. They will reflect on the creative process for both moving image as well as literature, while discussing how they see each other’s work.

Along with Dr Irene González-López, Lecturer at Birkbeck, University of London, who specialises in Japanese cinema, the speakers will explore how they see young people in contemporary Japan, and if creative works such as film or literature in general can have some influence on the life of youth as well as the views towards them and beyond.

This online event is free to attend but places are limited and registration is essential. To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	25 March 2022 from 12.30pm
Venue:	Online Event hosted on Zoom
For more information, please click here.

Nihongo Cup 2021 Finals Day

We are excited to announce that the Finals Day of the Nihongo Cup Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary Schools in the UK will take place online on 10th July 2021 (Saturday).

The UK's talented young students of Japanese language will be competing for some brilliant prizes. Finalists are in all levels of Secondary education - Key stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5.

Please be aware that this event is closed to the public. Spectators will be limited to finaliasts, their families and their teachers, as well as Nihongo Cup organisers, sponsors and so on.

You can download the programme for Finals Day by clicking on the attachment to this article.

Date:	10 July 2021 from 12.30pm - 3.40pm
Venue:	Online.
Download NC2021 Programme

[Online Talk] Japanese Film Posters: An Illustrated Talk by Hidenori Okada

We are delighted to welcome Hidenori Okada from the National Film Archive of Japan for a richly illustrated talk about the history of Japanese film posters in this special free online event. While sharing the treasures from the Archive's posters collection, Mr Okada will discuss the development of Japanese film posters by eras, investigate the differences between posters for popular movies and arthouse films, explore poster designs for some of the most well-known Japanese films, and introduce the most famous poster designers working in Japan across the decades. Following the talk, Mr Okada will be in conversation with the BFI National Archive's Espen Bale and will also answer audience questions.

_________________________________________

Hidenori Okada is the Curator of Film at the National Film Archive of Japan, and has curated exhibitions on film culture since 2007. He is also a film writer and historian, whose publications include 'The Thing called Cinema' (2016), 'Not That Way, But This: The World of Filmmaker Hisao Yanagisawa' (Co-editor, 2018) and 'Chris Marker, Cinéaste Nomade et Engagé' (Co-author, 2014), in addition to being a contributor to numerous academic papers.

Espen Bale of the BFI National Archive is also an independent writer and researcher specialising in Japanese experimental film and music. He holds a Master's degree in Japanese Studies from SOAS, majoring in post-war Japanese Cinema and the Avant-garde. Since then he has written on the short films of Toshio Matsumoto as well as the lives of Kon Ichikawa and Kazuo Hasegawa, the film 'Funeral Parade of Roses', and Akio Jissoji's film 'Poem' for the BFI and Arrow Films.

This event is a part of Perspectives from Japan: An Online Events Series. The series, presented by Japan Foundation and BFI Southbank, spotlights the other side of Japanese films.

If you would like to attend this free online event, please register below by Thursday 18 November 13:00. A link to access the Zoom webinar will be sent to you closer to the event date.

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

お申し込み

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Deadline for the registration is Thursday, 18 November at 13:00.

Image credit:
Double Suicide　心中天網島
1969
Directed by Masahiro Shinoda　篠田正浩
Poster designed by Kiyoshi Awazu　粟津潔
Collection of National Film Archive of Japan / Courtesy of Hyogensha Inc.

Date:	19 November 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

In partnership with

The 17th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students - Finals Day / 第１7回大学生のための日本語スピーチ・コンテスト　決勝大会

Why not join us for the online Finals Day of the 17^th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students and listen to what university students studying Japanese in the UK and Ireland have to say! The finalists will give their speeches and presentations in Japanese to an audience consisting of members of the public, fellow students, teachers, families, key figures from the UK-Japan community and a panel of judges.

** Finals Day Programme, Speech Category Summary and Individual and Group Presentation Caegory Abstracts are now available to download! **

This event is FREE to attend, but prior registration is required. This event will be held online using Zoom software. Once you have registered, you will be sent information on how to join the Zoom event, including the Zoom ID and password.

To register to attend, please click here / ご登録はこちら

(The deadline to register is Tuesday 1^st March 2022)

Registation is now closed.

The Seventeenth Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is organised by the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) and the Japan Foundation London in joint partnership. The event provides an opportunity for students from the UK and Ireland to demonstrate their Japanese speaking skills.

Download the event Programme here!

Download Speech Category Summaries

Download Individual and Groups Presentation Category Abstracts

Date:	5 March 2022 from 1.00pm - 5.00pm
Venue:	Online (Zoom Software)
Download 17th Speech Contest Finals Day Poster
Download 17th Speech Contest Finals Day Programme
Download Speech Category Summaries
Download Individual and Groups Presentation Category Abstracts

The 17th Japanese Speech Contest is generously supported by:

The British Association of Japanese Studies, Central Japan Railway Company, Clearspring, Connect Job, Eikoku News Digest Limited, Globe Trotter. The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Japan Airlines, Japan Centre, JP Books, Nikkei Europe Limited, Ningyocho IMAHAN, Regions, Ricoh UK Limited, SUQQU Cosmetics, athletia, WASO and ZOOM Japan.

Japanese Avant-garde and Experimental Film Festival: Bodies (In partnership with the Japan Foundation)

JAEFF is Back in September!

The Japan Foundation is proud to be a partner for this year's Japanese Avant-garde and Experimental Film Festival

JAEFF 2021: Bodies explores how we interact with other beings, spaces around us, and how expressions of the unutterable become vital means of communication and connection.

This third edition of the Japanese Avant-garde and Experimental Film Festival, organised in partnership with the Japan Foundation London, considers the body and sensation, and features work from directors Kon Ichikawa, Toshio Matsumoto, Susumu Hani, Chiaki Nagano, Takahiko Iimura, Tatsumi Kumashiro, Shuji Terayama, among others.

Inspired by the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the lockdown, and a loss of "truth," JAEFF 2021: Bodies presents a line-up of features and shorts that examine the body triumphant, and the body in crisis – through dance, performance, sport, exercise, and more.

Programme line-up:

Nanami: The Inferno of First Love + A.I. Mama

Thursday, 16 September from 18:00 (BST)

Barbican Cinema

Portrait of Mr O + Anma + Rose Color Dance + In Passing

Friday, 17 September from 18:00 (BST)

Barbican Cinema and on-demand

Mr O’s Book of the Dead + Navel and A-Bomb + Dual Enframe

Saturday, 18 September from 15:00 (BST)

Barbican Cinema and on-demand

Boxer + Transparent, the world is.

Saturday, 18 September from 17:50 (BST)

Barbican Cinema and on-demand

Lovers are Wet

Saturday, 18 September from 20:30 (BST)

Barbican Cinema

Panel Discussion: Japan’s Cinematic Body

Sunday, 19 September from 11:00 (BST)

Barbican Cinema

Nippon Express Carries the Olympics to Tokyo + Record of a Marathon Runner + Tokyo Story

Sunday, 19 September from 13:20 (BST)

Barbican Cinema and on-demand

Tokyo Olympiad

Sunday, 19 September from 16:00 (BST)

Barbican Cinema and on-demand

Date:	16 September 2021 - 30 September 2021
Venue:	16 – 19 September 2021 at the Barbican; 20 – 30 September 2021 (online)
For more information, please click here.

Organised by JAEFF:

Postgraduate Workshop 2022

We are delighted to announce that the 2022 Japan Foundation and British Association for Japanese Studies (BAJS) Postgraduate Workshop will be held at University of East Anglia. This will be an in person event!

This annual workshop aims to assist the development of the next generation of Japanese Studies researchers and to provide networking opportunities to strengthen Japanese Studies in the UK.

The workshop provides opportunity for participants to present their current research projects and receive feedback from peers and senior colleagues. This year’s key note theme is ‘The Bigger Picture – Funding and Beyond’. The afternoon will be dedicated to learning about larger-scale funding applications, projects and interdisciplinary collaborations.

In addition, there will also be an opportunity to hear presentations from various organisations regarding funding for current and future research, both in the UK and Japan.

Travel Bursaries:

For all participants, a travel bursary of up to £70 is available after students have covered the first £20.

A hotel bursary of £50 is also available.

Eligibility: This workshop is open to postgraduate students in Japanese Studies and those undertaking Japan related research in any discipline within humanities and social sciences.

Priority registration will be giving to Ph.D. candidates From Tuesday 18th January 2022 registration will be extended to Master’s students who are thinking about doing a Ph.D.

The deadline for all workshop registrations is Tuesday 25th January 2022.

*The Japan Foundation is offering partial travel grants to student participants. Please get in touch for more details.*

Booking: Please fill in the form at this link to book your place!

Date:	25 February 2022
Venue:	University of East Anglia

The Lone Ume Tree - Capturing Living with Disabilities and Care in Society

Date: Wednesday, 23 March 2022, 12:30pm (GMT)

Online Event hosted on Zoom

Talk Event

The Lone Ume Tree, a feature film included in the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2022, is one of the most popular choices by both audiences as well as the screening venues. The 77-minute-long film bravely depicts the life of a grown-up man with autism in Japan and his aged mother who has been his prime carer since his birth. Beyond the potentially deceptive tones, ‘heart-warming’ and ‘comical’, this film poses very urgent and significant questions that current Japanese society and families with disabled members face in the 21^st century.

According to the programme notes for this film, written by an expert on autism in Japan*, the situation for autistic people and those with other developmental disabilities in Japan has been improving over the last fifteen years, but remains imperfect. Does The Lone Ume Tree accurately render the reality of those with intellectual disabilities and their families, or is it just a sensational and sentimental drama?

As part of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2022, WAJIMA Kotaro, the film maker behind The Lone Ume Tree has been invited to explain the motivation behind this film and what he wanted to achieve, daring to touch upon rather sensitive and difficult subject matter.

In conversation with James Moore, columnist for the Independent, who has a family member with autism, they will explore – comparing both Japan and UK – if people with disabilities can be truly integrated with the rest, and indeed if there is anything more film makers such as WAJIMA can help do to improve society through their work.

*Based on the programme notes written by Professor SENJU Atsushi, Director of Research Centre for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine

This online event is free to attend but places are limited and registration is essential. To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	23 March 2022 from 12.30pm
Venue:	Online Event hosted on Zoom
For more information, please click here.

Ninja: Their Philosophies and Duties - A Talk by Professor Yuji Yamada

Telework Ninja – it’s the new term invented in response to the Covid 19 pandemic in Japan. The ‘ninja’ terminology is used here to, rather sarcastically, refer to those who have vanished from the working scene as the work from home system was introduced, but keep up the pretence of carrying out their job. This negative use of the term ‘ninja’ would likely not have been appreciated by those whose profession traditionally focused on the principle of keeping out of sight.

So, what were the true ninja’s secretive endeavours, roles and duties? What philosophy and mindset did they embrace in working as a ninja?

Based on his new research, leading expert in the field of ninja, Prof Yuji Yamada from Mie University in Japan, will explain the historical work done by real ninja while examining if any of their spirit and skills can be transferred to us in the modern age.

About Prof. Yuji Yamada

Prof. Yuji Yamada is a specialist in medieval Japanese cultural history and serves on the Faculty of Humanities, Law and Economics at Mie University, Japan. He earned his Ph.D. in history from Tsukuba University. His research focuses on the history of ‘vengeful spirits’, strange phenomena, Ise shrine, and ninja studies. His most recent publications include The Spirit of Ninja (2019).

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

Date:	16 June 2020 from 12.00am
For more information, please click here.

Rakugo and Kobanashi – Demonstration, Talk, Performance Event

A rakugo event is happening! This event includes performances by two rakugo masters: Medal of Honour with Purple Ribbon receiver Yanagiya Sankyō, and Ryūtei Saryū, Yanagiya Sankyō’s apprentice and a master. There will be a lecture on rakugo traveling across cultures, an introduction to Japanese language education through kobanashi, and a kobanashi presentation by Japanese language learners. We hope you will enjoy rakugo and kobanashi during these two precious days!

Why not download our event flyers?

Event Details

Format: Online (Zoom software)
Fill out the application form and sign up by clicking here
Sign-up Deadline: 18th September (Saturday)

Schedule (planned):

25th September (Saturday)

15:00 to 17:40 (BST)

Rakugo Explanation (English)

Professor Kazumi Hatasa (Purdue University)

Lecture: "Can rakugo be funny for any audience?" (tentative title) (English)

Professor Matilde Mastrangelo (Sapienza University of Rome)

Demonstration Commentary "God of Death" (English)

Professor Kazumi Hatasa (Purdue University)

Rakugo "God of Death" (Japanese with English subtitles)

Yanagiya Sankyō

26th September (Sunday)

Part One: 10:30 to 11:30 (BST)

Dialogue: "The Utilisation of Kobanashi in Japanese Language Education and its Practice" (Japanese)

Professor Kazumi Hatasa (Purdue University)

Marco Di Francesco (DPhil Candidate, University of Oxford)

Part Two: 11:40 to 13:05

Kobanashi Performance Event (Japanese with English subtitles)

Japanese Language Students

Demonstration Commentary "Kanjou Box" (English)

Professor Kazumi Hatasa (Purdue University)

Rakugo "Kanjou Box" (English)

Ryūtei Saryū

Rakugo Question Corner (Japanese with English translation)

Yanagiya Sankyō Ryūtei Saryū

Speakers and Performers

Rakugo “God of Death”

Yanagiya Sankyō

Rakugo Performer

Yanagiya Sankyō (stage name) is a Rakugo Master from Tokyo. He has been a Rakugo performer since 1967 and achieved Shin’Uchi Rakugo Storyteller Master status (the highest Rakugo rank) in 1981. Currently, he is the Permanent Director of the Rakugo Association. Yanagiya Sankyō was a recipient of the Japan Foundation Award in 2014, for his work incorporating Rakugo in the field of Japanese language education. In 2017 he was given the Medal of Honour with Purple Ribbon by Japan. He has performed Rakugo all over the world, including in the USA, Europe and Asia.

Rakugo “Kanjou Box”

Ryūtei Saryū

Rakugo Performer

Ryūtei Saryū (stage name) is a Rakugo Master from Kashiwa City in Chiba Prefecture. He was an apprentice of Yanagiya Sankyō from 1993 and began performing Rakugo. He was promoted to Shin’Uchi Rakugo Master Storyteller status (the highest Rakugo rank) in 2006. He has performed Rakugo all over the world, including in Europe. From 2013 he has been working as a part-time lecturer at Tokyo Woman’s Christian University, teaching about Edo culture and Rakugo.

Lecture “Can rakugo be funny for any audience?" (Tentative title)

Matilde Mastrangelo

Sapienza University of Rome

Full Professor of Japanese Language and Literature

Matilde Mastrangelo is full professor of Japanese Language and Literature at the Sapienza University in Rome. After graduating from the Istituto Universitario Orientale in Naples, she spent five years completing her studies at the University of Tokyo. In 1996 she was awarded a PhD in Far East Asian Civilisation by the Istituto Universitario Orientale in Naples. Since 2001, when she obtained a Fellowship from the Japan Foundation, she has studied storyteller San'yutei Encho, and especially his ghost stories, translating Botandōrō (The Peony Lantern) into Italian.

Dialogue “The Utilisation of Kobanashi in Japanese Education and its Practice”

Kazumi Hatasa

Purdue University

Professor at the School of Languages and Culture

Kazumi Hatasa received his Ph.D. in Education from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1989. He started teaching at Purdue University in 1988, and is currently a professor in School of Languages and Cultures. He was Director of the School of Japanese at Middlebury College from 2004 to 2018. He has received the Foreign Minister’s Commendation in 2020. He has been working with professional performers to introduce students to Rakugo and Yose and to incorporate Rakugo and Kobanashi into Japanese Language education.

Marco Di Francesco

University of Oxford 　

DPhil Candidate, Area Studies (Japan)

Marco di Francesco is currently studying for a DPhil at the University of Oxford in the School of Global and Area Studies, focusing on Japan. As part of his degree in Japanese Language and Culture at the University of Venice, he studied abroad at Waseda University and joined the university’s Rakugo research circle, where he discovered his interest in Rakugo. He is currently living in Tokyo for one year from December 2020 for fieldwork, exploring the state of contemporary Rakugo from a social anthropological perspective.

Rakugo Explanation and Demonstration Commentary

Kazumi Hatasa

Purdue University

Professor at the School of Languages and Culture

Kobanashi Performance Event

Japanese Language Students

Performers: Students of Japanese from Around the World　

With: The Organising Team of the International Kobanashi Festival（KKGH）

Global students are challenging themselves with kobanashi!

***

“What is Rakugo?”

The traditional art of one-man story-telling in Japan. A single figure sits in the traditional seiza style on stage and ensnares his audience only using a fan (Sensu), a cloth (Tenugui) and his own voice. Although many Rakugo stories are comedic, there are many types of dramatic stories.

“What is Kobanashi?”

A short, witty story. They are often told just before the main rakugo performance. Both beginners and advanced learners can enjoy learning Japanese while experiencing Japanese culture through the practice and presentation of short kobanashi.

Date:	25 September 2021 - 26 September 2021
Venue:	Online event.
Download Rakugo and Kobanashi Flyer (Japanese)
Download Rakugo and Kobanashi Flyer (English)

This event is organized with the cooperation of: The Organising Team of the International Kobanashi Festival（KKGH）

Contact: event.japanese@jpf.org.uk

BFI JAPAN: 100 YEARS OF JAPANESE CINEMA (Part 1)

We are proud to partner with the British Film Institute’s most anticipated and ambitious

Japan season. The first of two parts at BFI Southbank focus on the Golden Age of the studio system which includes KUROSAWA’s Throne of Blood and Yojimbo. Some of the screenings are already sold out. Enjoy the selection of Japanese masterpieces on the big screen!

Special online talk event will be announced soon.

Date:	18 October 2021 - 31 December 2021
For more information, please click here.

The Fourth Online Get-Together

Calling all secondary school teachers of Japanese! We will be holding a fourth Online Get-Together. This is a great opportunity to talk with your colleagues about your work in a relaxed, casual setting. We hope you can use this as a chance to talk about any issues you are facing in the classroom, exchange information on exams, and more.

As well as group discussion sessions, Ms Anne Rajakumar will be giving a talk on the theme of: “How to make your lesson effective - Integrating the use of online resources into your teaching (Flipped Learning) -".

About the speaker

Anne Rajakumar has been teaching Japanese for over thirty years, in both Australia and the UK. She is the author of the successful Australian primary-level workbooks, Yonde Kaite, and has a website and Youtube channel which hosts a wealth of material to support the GCSE and International Baccalaureate Japanese programmes. Until giving up classroom teaching last year, Anne was the Head of Japanese at Hockerill Anglo-European College and since then she has focussed on teaching online. For the past seven years making online resources to support 'Flipped Learning' in the classroom has been a major focus of her work, and she has integrated the use of online resources into her teaching (Flipped Learning) to great effect.

Date:

- 5th February 2022 (Saturday), 10:00-11:30 (BST) (main event), 11:30-12:00 (optional post-event discussion session)

Schedule:

- First half: Presentation by Ms Anne Rajakumar

- Second half: Group discussion

To apply, please click here:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/QQ70RN/

Participation fee: Free (Registration in advance is required.)

Registration Deadline: 25^th January 2022

Languages used: English will be used in the main presentation, but some parts of the event will be in Japanese.

You can read some comments from participants of the previous Online Get-Togethers below:

· It was really good to join in with fellow Japanese colleagues from around the country (and world!) and listen and see in Japanese how these colleagues created and use these resources.

· I spent a hugely worthwhile time getting to talk with other teachers that I do not often get a chance to meet and exchange new information.

· I have gotten a lot of ideas and tips from the speaker’s presentation. Thanks to the presentation I think I can improve my teaching skills to encourage my pupils to learn more!

Date:	5 February 2022 from 10.00am - 12.00pm
Venue:	Online Event

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2022

What Lies Beneath

The Intricate Representations of a ‘Dark Mind’ in Japanese Cinema

4 February to 31 March 2022

The UK’s largest festival of Japanese cinema is back for its 19^th edition with an exciting showcase of Japanese films, most of which have only recently been released in Japan, and all of which intricately render their respective dark depths of the human mind.

So, what constitutes an unfathomable ‘dark mind’ lurking beneath the surface in modern age Japan? Would the definition of it now be more diverse when the society we are living in is more complicated than before? Does such a psychological state add to an interesting cinematic story?

From recently released contemporary works, to anime and rare classics, the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2022 aims to answer these questions and demonstrate how films, seemingly different in tone and style, have the same facet running through them and that all ultimately deal in human darkness. From crime films to charming dramas, presenting an assortment of stories about people from different walks of life, this programme will showcase the cinematic voices and skills of both experienced and emerging filmmakers and aims to cater to the varied tastes of the UK audiences.

Date:	4 February 2022 - 31 March 2022
For more information, please click here.

Kobanashi Workshop for Educators – Sharing Teaching Practices and Learning

Since last year, the Japan Foundation has been continuing work concerning Japanese language education that utilizes Kobanashi.

In this workshop, participants can view concrete examples of how Kobanashi is used in teaching, drawing on the actual practice of educators in a variety of locations.

They can explore the discovery of practice as well as any issues encountered, and also make plans for new methods of practice. In this way we hope to create an enjoyable workshop with collaborative learning.

We welcome both participants who already use Kobanashi in practice, as well as Japanese language educators who wish to use Kobanashi in their lessons in the future.

Workshop Format: Online (Zoom software）
Dates: 16^th July 2021 (Fri)
Time: 10:00 - 12:30 (BST）
Number of Participants: Approx. 20
Instructor: Dr. Kazumi Hatasa (Purdue University, United States of America; Chair, Dept. of East Asian Language and Cultures, SLC, Asian Studies Faculty).
Guidelines for Prospective Participants: PDF Sign-Up Guidelines (This can be downloaded as the attachment file below).

The application form link is included in the Sign-Up Guidelines PDF. We would like to ask prospective participants to read the guidelines carefully and then fill out the application form.

Sign-up Deadline: 28th June (Monday), 17:00 (BST)

Date:	16 July 2021 from 10.00am - 12.00pm
Download 7.16 JFLO小噺ワークショップ参加者募集要項_final

The 17th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students

We are delighted to announce that the 17th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is open for applications!

This contest gives students the chance to make their voices heard in Japanese, and win some fantastic prizes! Finals Day will be held online, on Saturday 5th March 2022.

:: Contest Aims

:: Who can apply?

The contest is aimed at undergraduate students who are currently studying Japanese as a foreign language at a university in the UK or Ireland.

There are three different categories:

Application Deadline: 8th November 2021 (15:00 GMT)

Application Deadline: 6th December 2021 (15:00 GMT)

Application Deadline: 13th December 2021 (15:00 GMT)

*Details of JF Standard can be found here: https://jfstandard.jp/pdf/jfs2015_pamphlet_eng.pdf

Videos from the 16^th Contest Finals Day can be viewed here

Please see the files below for the contest poster, FAQ, and application forms for each category:

Date:	28 September 2021 - 13 December 2021
Download 017 ApplicationForm-GroupPresentationCategory
Download 017 ApplicationForm-IndividualPresentationCategor
Download 017 ApplicationForm-SpeechCategory
Download 17 FAQ
Download 17 RulesGuidance_SpeechCategory
Download speech_students2022_A3poster

[Online Talk] Drawing Movements - Creator Talk with Atsushi WADA and Sarina NIHEI

In collaboration with this year’s London International Animation Festival, two Japanese animation creators, Atsushi WADA and Sarina NIHEI, whose works will be shown as part of the festival, will come and talk about their creative processes as well as the ideas and inspirations behind their productions. As award-winning artists, both WADA and NIHEI have been recognised internationally for their work. During this talk, you will be able to hear directly from these talented creators as to how they have continued to flutter their wings of imagination and crystalise it into the fascinating motion pictures.

The talk will be moderated by Alex Dudok de Wit.

About the speakers

(Moderator) Alex Dudok de Wit is a journalist who writes chiefly about the art and business of animation. He is the Deputy Editor at Cartoon Brew, the most widely read animation news site, and an animation correspondent for Sight & Sound, the magazine of the British Film Institute. His writing has also appeared on the BBC and in Vulture, Little White Lies, The Telegraph, The i, The Independent, Time Out, and Index on Censorship. His first book, Grave of the Fireflies (BFI Film Classics), was published by Bloomsbury on May 6.

Sarina NIHEI is a freelance animation director from Japan. Being obsessed with Estonian animation, she decided to pursue a career in the field. She is a graduate of London's Royal College of Art. Her graduation film from the RCA, Small People with Hats, won prizes at festivals around the world including the Grand Prize at the 2015 Ottawa International Animation Festival, HAFF, and Best post-graduate film at the British Animation Awards 2016. More recently, her work has gathered the Special Distinction Prize at BIAF 2020 South Korea and Best International Short Film at Bit Bang Fest 2020 Argentina, among many others. Specialising in hand-drawn animation, she loves to make surreal stories.

Atsushi WADA graduated from the Osaka Kyoiku University, Image Forum Institute of Moving Image and Tokyo University of the Arts. He likes to portray comfortable movements and is always thinking about the Japanese traditional concept of ‘Ma’, the tension produced between movements. In a Pig's Eye (2010) won the Best of the Festival at London International Animation Festival, and the Best Film at Fantoche International Animation Film Festival. The Mechanism of Spring (2010) premiered at the Venice Film Festival and The Great Rabbit (2012) won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. His solo exhibition My Marsh was held in Yokohama Museum of Art in 2017 and in Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art in 2018. A new game animated by WADA, My Exercise, was released in 2020 and a new short film Bird in the Peninsula is in production.

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	4 December 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

In partnership with:

As part of:

[Online Talk] Rendering Culture & Conveying Nuance: How Translators Read Japanese Poetry

Translating literature into a different language requires not only high linguistic skills but also a fair understanding of the culture and society depicted in the original version. Distilling authors’ intended messages and meaning, translators navigate subtle nuance, aided by reading between the lines if necessary. However, is the medium of poetry comparable? Condensing wording, meaning, and nuance to fit the desired meter and style, writing poetry is, technically, very different from writing novels. Therefore, should those who accept the challenge of translating poetry be equipped with special skills disparate from those that are required for translating novels?

For the second day of the miniseries ‘Finding Japanese Poetry’, the Japan Foundation has invited three experienced poetry translators, YOTSUMOTO Yasuhiro, LENTO Takako, and Dr Janine Beichman, to introduce and explore their individual approaches to Japanese poetry and consider issues in reading and translating this sophisticated but demanding literary form, in an informal roundtable discussion. This will be led by Dr Alan Cummings, Senior Lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies, who is also a translator of the shortest type of Japanese poem, the haiku.

About the panellists

(Moderator)

Dr Alan Cumming is a translator and senior lecturer in Japanese Studies in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, SOAS, University of London. His academic research is in early modern Japanese literature and theatre, especially kabuki. Amongst his publications are a volume of translations of haiku and senryu, Haiku: Love (British Museum Press, 2013), and several translations in the Kabuki Plays on Stage series (University of Hawai'i Press).

Dr Janine Beichman, professor emerita of Daito Bunka University in Japan, has published biographies and translations of the poets Masaoka Shiki and Yosano Akiko, and translated Ōoka Makoto's anthology of classical and modern poems by Japanese poets. Her most recent publication is the translation of Ozawa Minoru’s Well-Versed: Exploring Modern Japanese Haiku. She has received grants from the NEH, the NEA, and America PEN for her research and translations of Yosano Akiko. Beneath the Sleepless Tossing of the Planets, her translations of Ōoka Makoto’s poetry, received the 2019-2020 Japan-United States Friendship Commission Prize for the Translation of Japanese Literature.

LENTO Takako was born and educated in Japan. LENTO is an award-winning translator of poetry from Japanese to English and vice versa. Her books include translations of Yosa Buson, Tamura Ryuichi, Tanikawa Shuntaro, Yoshimasu Gozo, Kaneko Mitsuharu, Nagase Kiyoko, and Shinkawa Kazue. She frequently contributes essays and translations to publications in the U.S. and Japan. Ms. Lento holds an MA in literature from Kyushu University and an MFA in poetry and translation from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She lives in the U.S.

YOTSUMOTO Yasuhiro was born in 1959. So far he has published 13 books of poetry, two novels, and a couple of literary criticisms. Yasuhiro also published a few poetry translations including Stay home on Earth! , an anthology of COVID-19 related poems from around the world; The Poetic Works Homo Sapiens, an anthology of contemporary poetry from 32 poets in 22 countries; and Kid by Simon Armitage. His latest book is The Selected Poems of Shinkawa Kazue (Vagabond Press, Sidney), co-translated with Takako Lento.

The Japan Foundation ‘Finding Japanese Poetry Series’

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Image credit: Photo used in top image by Elisa Calvet B. on Unsplash

Date:	14 July 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Celebrating:

[Online Talk] Tokyo x Contemporary Art: 3 Views of the City

In this special online talk event, acclaimed artists Mohri Yuko, Takano Ryudai and Yamaguchi Akira will introduce their work and talk about Tokyo. Despite using different artistic media, ranging from woodblock printing to photography and installation, their art has similarly been inspired by the metropolis. How is Tokyo shown in their works? How has living in Tokyo impacted their practise? What does Tokyo mean to them? The artists are joined by curator Lena Fritsch, who recently included their works of art in the Ashmolean Museum's exhibition Tokyo: Art & Photography (running until 3 January 2022) which is supported by the Japan Foundation.

The exhibition is a celebration of one of the world’s most creative, dynamic and fascinating cities. Including works on loan from Japan and new commissions by contemporary artists, the show spans the exquisite arts of the Edo period and the iconic woodblock images of Hiroshige to photographic installations.

About the speakers

(Moderator) Dr Lena Fritsch is the Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford. She has researched Japanese art for over fifteen years with publications including Tokyo: Art & Photography (2021), Ravens & Red Lipstick: Japanese Photography since 1945 (2018), an English-language version of Moriyama Daido’s Tales of Tono (2012), The Body as a Screen: Japanese Art Photography of the 1990s (2011), and Yasumasa Morimura’s Self-Portrait as Actress (2008). Fritsch holds a PhD in art history from Bonn University, and also studied at Keio University, Tokyo.

MOHRI Yuko lives and works in Tokyo. She works on installations that detect invisible and intangible energies such as gravity, magnetic and wind. Her major solo exhibitions include: “SP.” (Ginza Sony Park, Tokyo, Japan, 2020); “Voluta” (Camden Arts Centre, London, UK, 2018); “Assume That There Is Friction and Resistance” (Towada Arts Center, Aomori, Japan, 2018). She has also participated in numerous group exhibitions such as: “34th Bienal de São Paulo” (São Paulo, Brazil, 2021); “Glasgow International 2021” (Glasgow, UK, 2021); “The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art” (Brisbane, Australia, 2018); “14th Biennale de Lyon” (Lyon, France, 2017); “Yokohama Triennale” (Kanagawa, Japan, 2014). She is also the grantee of the Asian Cultural Council for a 6-month residency in New York (2015) and the recipient of the Grand Prix, Nissan Art Award (2015); The 67th Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists (2017). In 2018, Mohri, as East Asian Cultural Exchange Envoy, visited 4 cities in China.

TAKANO Ryudai is a photographer born in 1963 in Fukui. He has been engaged in his artistic practice on the theme of sexuality since 1994, in 2005 winning the Kimura Ihei Award for In My Room. Since then he has produced a number of works viewing the “down there” matter of sexual desire in the context of its relationship to the likes of identity and social norms, including How to contact a man, which explores the theme of sexuality in pornographic format; and With me, whose unguarded expressions of sexuality led to trouble with the police. In addition, Takano has produced series that question the notion of a hierarchy of value in visual representation, including the Reclining Woo-Man series of “unmarketable” body images; and Kasubaba, which captures very familiar yet neglected parts of the distinctively Japanese urban landscape. Since the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of 2011, Takano has been engaged in various projects on the theme of shadows.

YAMAGUCHI Akira (b. 1969, Tokyo) grew up in the Gunma prefecture and graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts with a MA in Oil Painting in 1996. His work is characterized by a style of painting which uses the technique of oil painting within the traditional Japanese painting style. Known for painting bird’s-eye views of cities and battlefields, he traverses a variety of methods of expression including sculpture, manga, and installation. He has exhibited many shows both internationally and domestically. He has contributed public artworks in several locations including Narita International Airport and Nihonbashi Station (Tokyo Metro). He has also produced the official art poster for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Image credits:

Yamaguchi Akira, New Sights of Tokyo: Tokaido Nihonbashi Revisited, 2012. © Yamaguchi Akira. Courtesy Mizuma Art Gallery.

Mohri Yuko, Moré Moré Tokyo fieldwork, since 2009. © Mohri Yuko. Courtesy the artist.

Takano Ryudai, Tokyo Tower (2011.03.11) from Daily Snapshots, 2011. © Takano Ryudai. Courtesy the artist and Yumiko Chiba Associates, Tokyo.

Date:	7 December 2021 from 12.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Up-Close and Personal: Curators' Treasures

After nearly 3 months of enduring lockdown, museums and galleries in some parts of the UK are finally being given the go ahead to reopen and welcome visitors. Treasures will once again see the light of the day, inviting the curiosity of their viewers. Despite the great efforts of their curators, it is a common fact that each displayed object comprises only a part of a museum’s entire collection. For Japanese collections, this sometimes means that many fascinating objects may not have their chance to be shown often, however curators look for ways to make them accessible to audiences through store visits, talks, publications and online presentations.

In light of this, and reflecting on current circumstances, the Japan Foundation has invited a number of curators from various museums and art galleries in England to introduce their “favourite Japanese objects” which you may have never come across before, in this on-line seminar. These curators are Janet Boston, Rosie Gnatiuk, Clare Pollard, Kate Newnham, and Rachel Barclay. From antiquity to modern design, they will explain the reasons for their love as well as reveal the story of the objects which you may never have known otherwise.

Further, together with Yoshi Miki, who has done extensive research on Japanese collections in the UK, as moderator, they will discuss the ways in which objects of Japanese culture in museums and galleries, including their favourites, should be made the most of in the scope of the coming “new normal”.

Join us to hear these curators’ passion and to consider together the ways in which we should cherish our treasures.

Moderator

Yoshi Miki, Curatorial Consultant, and Visiting Professor, National Museum of Japanese History, Sakura, oversees the UK project “Research and Use of overseas Japanese artefacts and documents", funded by the National Institute for the Humanities since 2011. He co-curated a special exhibition "KIZUNA Japan Wales Design" at the National Museum Wales in 2018. He worked for Museums in the US and Canada for many years before he became Head of Curatorial at Kyushu National Museum in 2002-2006. He lives in San Francisco.

Presenters

Dr Clare Pollard is Curator of Japanese Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University ’s museum of art and archaeology and Britain’s first public museum. The Ashmolean is home to an extensive collection of Japanese art, including ceramics, lacquer, paintings, prints, sword furniture and decorative arts of the Meiji era (1868-1912). Clare’s research has focused mainly on Meiji art, while in recent years she has developed a series of exhibitions and catalogues of the Ashmolean’s Japanese print collections.

Kate Newnham is Senior Curator, Visual Arts at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. In addition to leading the art team she has curatorial responsibility for the Asian art collection, Designated as being of national/international importance. There are over 1,200 Japanese objects in the collection with highlights being netsuke, 18th-century woodblock prints and porcelain from the Irene Finch collection. Recently Kate has worked on a successful series of Japanese print exhibitions and an associated haiku competition.

Rachel Barclay is Curator of the Oriental Museum, Durham University. Rachel has led the programme to redisplay all of the Museum’s permanent galleries as well as managing the museum’s programme of temporary exhibitions and art installations. She has overseen the expansion of the Japanese collections with the acquisition of major new collections of prints and ceramics. She is currently partnering with the National Museum of Japanese History on an exhibition and catalogue for a collection of Japanese woodblock prints.

Janet Boston is Curator of Craft and Design, and Rosie Gnatiuk is Curator of Costume at the Manchester Art Gallery. The Gallery is the original useful museum, initiated in 1823 by artists, as an educational institution to ensure that the city and all its people grow with creativity, imagination, health and productivity. The gallery’s Japanese collections include ceramics, metalwork, glass, furniture, lighting, fashion and prints. The gallery has recently acquired contemporary Japanese work in all of these subjects except prints.

Image credits (left to right):

Starry Night Trail, 2009 by Ayako Tani, glass ©️Manchester Art Gallery

Porcelain vase with 'peach bloom, glaze, H.6.4cm, Gift of Sir Herbert and Lady Ingram, EA1956.682 ©️Ashmolean Museum

The Battle of Komaki: Kato Kiyomasa and Honda Tadakatsu, 1899, by Chikanobu Yōshū ©︎Oriental Museum

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please visit: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/up-close-and-personal-curators-treasures-tickets-112507589228

Date:	5 August 2020 from 6.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Funding for Japanese Language Education Projects held in the UK - September 2021 Applications OPEN

Japanese Language Local Project Support Programme 2021-2022

September 2021 Applications

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education in the UK. We prioritise projects that fit into one of the five following categories:

Category 1 - Newly Introducing Japanese into the curriculum

Category 2 - Supporting GCSE or A-level courses

Category 3 - Japanese clubs

Up to £2,000 for organisations that newly introduce Japanese as an extracurricular activity or enrichment subject. In the case of schools, this is even if this is not within the school timetable. Covers staff cost, Japanese language book cost, origami cost and calligraphy cost. Clubs may take place online or offline.

Category 4 - Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

Category 5- Purchasing Japanese language teaching materials and/or books related to Japan

New/Special Category for This Application Period

Up to £2000 for the purchase of Japanese language teaching materials and/or books, DVDs etc. that serve the purpose of teaching about Japan, Japanese language and/or Japanese culture. Please note that this Category is for applicants who ONLY wish to apply for these materials. If you are applying for teaching materials as part of a larger project (such as a club, or curriculum teaching), please select the relevant category 1-4.

Applicants who successfully applied for funding for the 28th May 2021 deadline are able to reapply to this category. Applicants are able to apply to this category in addition to categories 1 to 4, with the maximum total amount eligible for both categories combined being £5000.

Materials purchased as part of projects in this category must not be given to students, however loans are permissible. Ideally, we would like these materials to be placed in the library of the organisation.

Please note that to apply for this category you must fill out “Grant Application Form (September 2021) – Category 5”.

The deadline for applicants for this Category is 31st October 2021 (Sunday). Please note that this is a different deadline than for projects in Categories 1-4/Other. All purchases and payments made for these projects must be completed by 31st January 2022 (Sunday) and Final Reports submitted by the end of February 2022.

For this September 2021 application period, please note that there are two different deadlines depending on project category:

The application deadline for Categories 1-4/Other of the September 2021-22 programme is 30^th September 2021.
The application deadline for Category 5 of the September 2021-22 programme is 31^st October 2021.

Download general information about the programme

Download the Grant Application Form (September 2021) – Categories 1-4/Other

Download the Grant Application Form (September 2021) – Category 5

You can also download the LPSP 2021-2022 Grant Flowchart below:

LPSP 2021-2022 Grant Flowchart.

Date:	1 September 2021 - 31 October 2021
Download 2021-22 General Information (Sept)
Download 2021-22 Application Form Categories 1-4
Download 2021-22 Application Form Category 5
Download 2021-22 Flowchart (Sept)

[Online Talk] Wagashi - A Cultural Sweet Feast for the Eyes

Wagashi, or ‘Japanese-style confectionery’, has had a long and illustrious history. Created from plant-based ingredients such as azuki beans and rice, the elegant and delicate handmade creations are the result of artistry and have entertained not only the Japanese palate but also their eyes. Often reflecting the seasons, evoking nature, and symbolising important rites of life, wagashi, the elaborate art form with many shapes and colours, has co-existed for many years with other Japanese cultural staples, particularly literature.

In this special talk, NAKAYAMA Keiko, archivist at the famed confectioner Toraya, will introduce the charms of this artistry unique to Japan by tracing its history while looking into the unique aesthetic principles, materials, and designs. She will also elaborate on its relationship with Japanese culture and literature, such as its mention in The Tale of Genji or Sei Shonagon’s The Pillow Book.

Though sadly you will not be able to savour the taste in this talk, it will still be a treat for the eyes.

About the speaker

NAKAYAMA Keiko is the Expert Director of Toraya Archives. She graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Department of Aesthetics and Art History. The theme of her dissertation at the university was The Design of Wagashi. NAKAYAMA has published several books on wagashi including The World of Wagashi (Iwanami Shoten), Wagashi Design in the Edo Era (Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd.), and the children’s book A Book of Wagashi (Fukuinkan Shoten). She also wrote about wagashi for a school textbook for 5th grade elementary pupils which aimed to encourage school children to become more familiar with traditional Japanese arts and culture.

About Toraya Archives

Toraya Archives was originally established in 1973 as the ‘Confections Reference Room’ with the objective of contributing to the development, preservation and transmission of wagashi culture. In addition to collecting Toraya-specific historical documents and antique utensils, the archives house general wagashi-related materials and conduct research. Information about wagashi is shared in an annual academic journal Wagashi, on the archives’ website, and through occasional exhibitions at the gallery attached to Akasaka store. While there is no facility for browsing the archives’ historical records they do try to respond to enquiries in as much detail as possible.

https://www.toraya-group.co.jp/toraya/bunko/

Special Thanks to Toraya

This event is curated with Mu: Arts.

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	28 July 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Local Project Support Programme September 2021 Applications - Online Seminar and Q&A Session

You can find information on the programme as well as links to download an application form here: https://jpf.org.uk/whatson.php#1192

During this one-hour session, a member of our staff will talk participants through the application process, and then open the floor to questions and answers. We want to make sure the application process is as easy-to-understand as possible.

This session will be held twice on 15^th September 2021 (Wednesday).

1. First Session: 13:00 to 14:00

2. Second Session: 18:00 to 19:00

We will be using Zoom software. Once you have applied we will send you information on how to join the session.

If you would like to take part, please sign up 13^th September (Monday).

Apply for a place for Session 1 by filling out our Eventbrite Form here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/169614151493

Apply for a place for Session 2 by filling out our Eventbrite Form here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/169614665029

Date:	15 September 2021
Venue:	Online Event.

‘Private Rehearsals’ – A Virtual Reading

The Japan Foundation London in partnership with Fabula Collective presents the virtual reading of ‘Private Rehearsals’

‘Private Rehearsals’ is a contemporary, satirical take on the Alexander Dumas fils story, ‘The Lady of The Camellias’, written by TAOSHITA Tetsu and adapted by Oladipo Agboluaje. It is a play about the lies we tell ourselves, how and who we perform them for and the complicated reality of love and art in crisis.

We are inviting you to the first ever rehearsed reading online, which will take place on 3rd of September 3pm BST.

To secure your space please follow the link below.

Date:	3 September 2020 from 3.00pm
For more information, please click here.

[Online Talk] Up Close and Personal: Curators' Treasures in a Castle, Palace, and Manor House

The first places which spring to mind when wanting to see a collection of Japanese artefacts in the UK may be museums or art galleries where many treasures related to Japan have been preserved. With the aid of current digital technology, cataloguing and displaying on a digital site is gradually becoming more common, making some objects available to the public even when they might not be physically exhibited at such institutions. However, it may not be well known that these are not the only places to appreciate Japan: palaces, castles, and manor houses – historical settings where Japanese art is naturally suited – can also provide an interesting insight into the unique heritage.

Thanks to the extensive research conducted by Yoshi Miki, Curatorial Consultant and Project Researcher at the National Museum of Japanese History, Japan, it has been rediscovered that those institutes outside conventional museums also have precious treasures from Japan. In this special talk (a follow-up to last year’s Up-Close and Personal: Curators’ Treasures event with five curators from various museums in England) we have opened our doors to a ‘keeper’ of palaces and castles in the UK. In addition, we have invited a specialist at a museum created from a private library collection in the Republic of Ireland. Together they will share their favourite treasures with you and help open our horizons to the new normal. Let’s see what they cherish!

About the speakers

(Moderator) Yoshi Miki, Curatorial Consultant, and Project Researcher of the National Museum of Japanese History, Sakura, oversees the UK project “Research and Use of overseas Japanese artefacts and documents", funded by the National Institute for the Humanities since 2011. He co-curated a special exhibition "KIZUNA Japan Wales Design" at the National Museum Wales in 2018. A new special exhibition at Durham University’s Oriental Museum "Monogatari" is scheduled to open in January 2022. He worked for Museums in the US, Canada, and Japan before he became a Head of Curatorial at Kyushu National Museum in 2002-2006. He lives in San Francisco.

Susanne Gronnow is Property Curator for the National Trust at Erddig, a country house in Wales. This country house museum was once home to the Yorke family whose treasured possessions not only came from Wales and the UK, but from further afield too. In 2018, selected Japanese collections from National Trust properties were displayed in KIZUNA: Japan Wales Design exhibition at the National Museum of Wales (Amgueddfa Cymru), including a 400 year old lacquered coffer described as the first ever Japanese object known to have come to Wales. Susanne has also worked for the National Trust at Chirk Castle and Powis Castle.

Rachel Peat is Assistant Curator of Non-European Works of Art at Royal Collection Trust. She is responsible for the research and display of 13,000 world cultures objects in the British Royal Collection, which are held by The Queen in trust for the nation. These include Japanese porcelain, lacquer, metalwork, arms and armour, folding screen paintings and embroideries acquired by members of the British Royal Family since the early seventeenth century, which today furnish 13 current and former royal residences. Rachel is editor of Japan: Courts and Culture (published May 2020), the first publication dedicated to Japanese material in the Royal Collection. She is the curator of an exhibition of the same name at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, which will open in early 2022.

Mary Redfern is Curator of East Asian Collections at the Chester Beatty, Dublin. Mary previously worked with East Asian collections at the National Museum of Scotland and the Victoria and Albert Museum, completing her PhD at University of East Anglia in 2015 on the Meiji Emperor's tableware. Her publications include Art of Friendship: Japanese Surimono Prints and Tennō no dainingu hōru (Emperor's Dining Hall) written with Yamazaki Taisuke and Imaizumi Yoshiko. Most recently, she curated the exhibition Edo in Colour: Prints from Japan’s Metropolis, now open at the Chester Beatty.

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Image credits for top image:

Fat tails of lucky mice, Utagawa Toyohiro, Japan, 1804. CBL J 1621.2. Chester Beatty, Dublin. CC BY-NC 4.0

The red japanned bureau bookcase found in the State Bedroom at Erddig, Wrexham, Wales. ©National Trust Images/Andreas von Einsiedel

Samurai armour; Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021

*The objects included in the top image will not necessarily be included in the speakers' talk

Date:	3 August 2021 from 6.30pm
For more information, please click here.

[Online Talk] Japanese Sounds - Spiriting Away and Praying for Peace

Japanese sounds have followed a different path in their use and development. Like the sounds of instruments from the West they play a part in the composition of melodies but, more importantly, Japanese sounds have lived along with us for a long time, existing for very specific purposes separate from music: for spiriting away and praying for peace. This use is particularly notable with many percussion instruments.

In this special talk, Prof MOTEGI Kiyoko, one of the leading specialists and researchers of Japanese sound (Oto), will introduce and demonstrate in real time some examples of Oto and the musical objects identified in Japanese life, discussing how these have evolved and have come to be associated with Japanese faith and culture.

After Prof. MOTEGI’s presentation, there will be a discussion with Dr Lucia Dolce, Numata Professor of Japanese Buddhism at SOAS University of London, and Chair of the SOAS Centre for the Study of Japanese Religions.

These traditional instruments may be replaced by advanced technology which prevents disasters and pandemics. However, it is interesting to learn what our predecessors believed in and struck to pray for a better world, and how that mindset and customs still survive in contemporary Japan.

About the speakers

MOTEGI Kiyoko is a musicologist born in Yamanashi Prefecture in 1949. She graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts and, following her work as a director assistant at the National Theatre from 1976 to 1981, she became a teacher of Japanese music. She is now professor emerita at Joetsu University of Education. MOTEGI is currently a member of the Arts Council Tokyo Evaluation Committee. She serves as an expert advisor and a selection committee member for the Japan Biwa Music Competition. MOTEGI specializes in the study of traditional Japanese music but is particularly familiar with the instruments of kuromisu music in kabuki, Buddhist music, and various instruments used in folk performing arts. Her major books include Japanese Traditional Sound Sources and Japanese Sake Brewers’ Songs.

Dr Lucia Dolce is Numata Professor of Japanese Buddhism at SOAS University of London, and Chair of the SOAS Centre for the Study of Japanese Religions. Her work combines archival research and extensive fieldwork to explore hermeneutical and ritual practices of religion in Japan. She has published extensively, in English and in Japanese, on Buddhist traditions of the Lotus Sutra and Tantric Buddhism, Shinto-Buddhist combinatory cults and the visual dimension of religion in Japan.

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	15 September 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Conjuring A Sense of Movement - Japanese Graphic Designers And Sports Posters

Japan has been the birthplace of a significant amount of talent in the field of graphic design. From book covers to product packaging, their high-quality and imaginative designs have kept inspiring the world and, as a result, imprinted many names in design history. This innovative spirit may be particularly noticed in poster design. With fresh and ground-breaking aesthetics, the outcome quite often exceeds a mere tool of communication.

Ahead of the postponed TOKYO2020, the Japan Foundation will hold a special talk focusing on Japanese posters which were created for sports or sporting events since the time of the previous Tokyo Olympics in 1964.

With help from the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion which collects numerous graphic treasures, the inhouse curator, KITAZAWA Eishi, will talk about the significance in aesthetics and functionality of sports posters, introducing iconic names such as KAMEKURA Yusaku who played an important role as a post-war graphic designer in Japan, while discussing how such designs reflected the social and artistic developments at the time.

Following his talk there will be a discussion with Dr Sarah Teasley, a specialist in Japanese design and its histories.

About the speakers

KITAZAWA Eishi, born in Nagano prefecture in 1958, graduated from the Faculty of Literature at Keio University and joined Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd in 1980. Since 1991, he has been in charge of the ginza graphic gallery (ggg). In 2008, the activities promoting graphic design and graphic art have been taken over by the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion; since that time, as a member of the Foundation, Kitazawa has also been in charge of the kyoto ddd gallery. As a curator, he has planned and held more than 300 exhibitions introducing both domestic and international artists.

Sarah Teasley is a social historian who works at the interface of history and design research, and a specialist in histories of design in modern and contemporary Japan. Most recently, she was Reader in Design History and Theory and Head of Programme for History of Design at the Royal College of Art. She received her PhD from the Department of Interdisciplinary Cultural Studies of the University of Tokyo. She has published extensively on design and making in Japan, including 'Design and Society in Modern Japan', a special issue of the Review of Japanese Culture and Society (2017).

This talk is made possible thanks to the help of the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion.

Image credits (left to right):

Victory 1976, Shigeo Fukuda, 1976

World Table Tennis Championships 2015, Yuri Uenishi, 2015

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/conjuring-a-sense-of-movement-japanese-graphic-designers-sports-posters-tickets-115182257232

Date:	2 September 2020 from 12.00pm
For more information, please click here.

UCL-Japan Youth Challenge

The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge is a prestigious annual summer school programme which has had a tremendous reputation and impact since 2015. Pre-university students from Japan and the UK attend a series of university-style lectures on a wide range of subjects by academics from leading UK universities including UCL (University College London), and engage in the UCL Grand Challenge Workshop.

In 2021, the programme will be held online due to COVID-19 guidelines.

Theme

Through the past UCL-Japan Youth Challenge programmes, young students have been provided with opportunities to look into social problems, mainly through science and technology. This year, the cultural side of the issues will be highlighted and discussions of how art and design could contribute to solving those problems and developing the sustainable future will be held.

For the full programme, please visit the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge homepage.

Eligibility

Non-Japanese sixth-form students residing in the UK, aged 15, 16, 17 and 18 years (Parental consent will be required prior to the event for under 18s.)

Applications

To apply, please complete the forms available here.

All participants will receive a complimentary ticket for Hyper Japan Online and two UK based participants will be selected to for a free trip to Japan in 2022.

There is no application deadline, though please note that spaces are limited.

Date:	3 August 2021 - 24 August 2021
Venue:	Online

[Online Event] Kaga Yuzen: Colours of Japanese Elegance - A Talk with MAIDA Hitoshi

Kaga Yuzen is the traditional technique of dyeing preserved in the Kaga area (Ishikawa prefecture) of Japan. Diverging from the original version born in Kyoto and developed in its own unique way, Kaga Yuzen’s characteristic style is well represented by an elaborative creative process – mainly used in kimono textiles – from designing the exquisite pattern to hand-dyeing by skilled craftsmen for the last half a millennium. The application of the distinctive colours as well as the sophisticated dyeing techniques make Kaga Yuzen textiles exceptionally desirable art pieces and thus prized as a luxurious brand in Japan.

In this special talk, the Japan Foundation has invited MAIDA Hitoshi, a descendant of Maida Senga Kogei, to guide us through the intricate creation process of Kaga Yuzen by showcasing the work and the captivating workmanship of his workshop. In 21st century society, kimono may no longer be the prime attire for Japanese people, but MAIDA will also discuss how he, representing a new generation within the long-standing traditional artform, believes this beautiful craft could be sustained and evolve alongside modern life. The talk will be followed by a discussion moderated by Marjolein de Raat, a Japan Foundation Assistant Curator at National Museum of Scotland.

About the speakers

MAIDA Hitoshi was born in 1974 in Kanazawa, Kaga Prefecture, Japan. As the third generation of a Kaga Yuzen dyeing family, Maida Senga Kobo (Maida Dyeing Studio established in 1932), MAIDA started learning the dyeing technique from his father in 1998 after studying architecture at Shibaura Institute of Technology in Tokyo. Since then, MAIDA has received numerous awards including the Japan Kogei Association award in 2018. While preserving the traditional Kaga Yuzen skills, he has challenged the development of the tradition and has been pushing Kaga Yuzen to a new stage, by displaying his works in hotels and fashion retail outlets such as Uniqlo in Disney World in Florida, U.S.A. Award-wining MAIDA is one of the most active craftsmen as well as a safe-keeper of Kaga Yuzen of the younger generation.

Marjolein de Raat is the Japan Foundation Assistant Curator at the National Museum of Scotland. She has an MA in East Asian Studies with a specialisation in Japanese Studies from Leiden University in the Netherlands. Her research focuses on cultural exchange between Europe and Japan in the early modern and modern period. In particular, she is interested in how this exchange is expressed in material culture, art, and fashion. In her current role, she works (amongst others) with the National Museum of Scotland’s collection of Japanese garments and textiles, studying the mutual exchange between Japanese and European fashion in the late 19th and early 20th century (Meiji and Taishō periods)."

In collaboration with IndigoRose Project

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here

Date:	21 September 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Colouring for the Future - From a Kutani Porcelain Studio

Kutani ware is one of Japan’s traditional porcelain forms, with almost 400 years history and originating from Ishikawa in the north-western region of Hokuriku. Rather than its shape, its characteristics lie in the application of five vivid colours of Japanese pigment: green, blue, yellow, purple and red; as well as in the bold yet artistic painting style which is individual to each kiln.

Having fascinated global ceramic connoisseurs and lovers for a long time, this style of porcelain has cultivated a number of renowned creators and some of their works have been exhibited in museums worldwide. However, preserving the tradition is not a single man’s journey and many Kutani ware schools, like many other pottery practices, have been safe-guarded in a “studio” system where several skilled professionals are required to take part in the creation process.

In this online event, the Japan Foundation in collaboration with IndigoRose Project has invited KAMIIDE Keigo, a direct descendant of Kutani Choemon’s kiln founded in 1879, to talk about the history and unique features that exemplify this colourful porcelain. Using conference technology to show the audience around his studio virtually, he will also explain how the pottery system works in the modern age and will present his role as a descendant of this ceramic custom, while demonstrating his idea of driving the tradition forward as a legacy for the future, as well as the way the Kutani techniques have been utilised in his artistic practice.

KAMIIDE will be joined by Dr Clare Pollard, Curator of Japanese Art at the Ashmolean Museum (Oxford University), for a brief conversation following his presentation.

About the speakers

KAMIIDE Keigo is a successor of the Kutani Choemon pottery studio (founded in 1879) and has been engaged in full-scale kiln management since the establishment of a joint company, Kamide Shigei. In the studio, he and his fellow craftsmen are involved in the creation of innovative works including the ‘JAIME HAYON x KUTANI CHOEMON’ collaboration series with a Spanish designer, as well as the application of the Kutani porcelain transfer technique, known as ‘KUTANI SEAL’. As an individual artist, he creates his own works and holds solo exhibitions.

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/colouring-for-the-future-from-a-kutani-porcelain-studio-tickets-117627670529

Date:	24 September 2020 from 12.00pm
For more information, please click here.

[Online Event] Competing Visions of Modernity: Architects who Changed Japan

Like many other nations, Japan has undoubtedly been influenced by and benefited from the modernist movement in architecture, in terms of the societal impact it carried and the position it held as a springboard for technological advancements. Japanese architecture holds a prominent position globally thanks to its aesthetic distinctiveness and design quality pioneered by a coterie of visionary architects. Of these figures, two stand out as particularly significant and influential: TANGE Kenzo and SHINOHARA Kazuo. While each created their own school of thought which took different directions in their ideologies, approaches, materials and views on society, both gained domestic and international notoriety as truly original voices and great contributors to modernism as a global movement.

Focusing on visionaries who shaped the course of Japanese architecture, Dr Seng Kuan – a Japan Foundation Fellow, Project Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo, and Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Design – will talk about the achievements of these two towering figures, explaining why he believes that TANGE and SHINOHARA represented two distinct vertices in this uniquely rich and momentous chapter of international modernism. He will then analyse the scope of their influence over subsequent generations of architects, providing his own predictions for how Japan’s architectural landscape might transform going into the future. After Dr Seng Kuan's presentation, there will be a short discussion with Robert Brown, Professor of Architecture and Master of Architecture Program Leader at the University of Plymouth.

About the guest speakers

Dr Seng Kuan teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and the University of Tokyo. He has written extensively on modern architectural culture in East Asia, most notably on Tange Kenzō, the Metabolists, Shinohara Kazuo as well as on the relationship between architectural design and structural engineering. Seng’s research projects have been recognized with grants from the Graham Foundation, the Japan Foundation, and the Association for Asian Studies. He received a PhD in architecture from Harvard University and serves as chief editorial advisor to the journal a+u.

Robert Brown is Professor of Architecture and Master of Architecture Program Leader at the University of Plymouth. He has taught and lectured in Japan, including at Kobe University, as well as in Austria, Canada, China, Egypt and US. His research interests include socio-cultural identity and place, with publications on Japanese architecture and rituals. He is the author of various entries referencing Japanese architecture for The Encyclopaedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World (forthcoming). He is the recipient of funding from the Daiwa Foundation, Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation and Japan 21 Foundation, and is chair of the RIBA Research Grants Committee.

Image credits:

Tange Kenzō, House in Seijō, Tokyo, 1953. Photo by Hirayama Chūji

Shinohara Kazuo, House in Kugayama, Tokyo, 1954. Photo by Hirayama Chūji

The Japan Foundation Game Changer Series: The World is Changing; What Changed Japan

Please note that this will be an Online Event held on Zoom.

This online event is free to attend but places are limited and registration is essential. To reserve your space, please book your ticket here

Date:	29 June 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Kimono Crossing the Sea - Its Power to Inspire Imagination and Creativity

‘Kimono’ is a word that has long been synonymous with the image of Japan and Japanese culture. Though it was once cast aside by modern women who viewed it as old-fashioned and impractical to wear, much appreciation is now given to the kimono, especially among the younger generation and global fashion designers who believe it is expressive and on trend. It isn’t the first time, however, that the kimono is at the center of attention; in fact an enthusiastic admiration of the wardrobe piece was demonstrated in western Europe in the latter half of the 19th century when various Japanese products such as ukiyo-e had spread overseas, and the ‘Japonisme’ whirlwind had taken over. For progressive artists such as Manet and Whistler, as well as innovative fashion designers such as Paul Poiret and Madeleine Vionnet, the kimono was not merely a beautiful garment invoking exoticism, but an inspirational source for their creativity and, as a result, we are able to perceive its significant influence in their pieces.

What was it about the kimono that mesmerized and captured the imagination of those artists?

Celebrating the UK’s first comprehensive exhibition about the kimono – Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk – at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (running until 25 October 2020), the Japan Foundation has invited renowned fashion historian and curator, FUKAI Akiko, to talk about kimono as it was depicted in the latter half of 19th century and the intriguing relationship between the kimono and artists. Reflecting on the fact that its significance has been relatively dismissed in art and fashion history, she will explore what kimono meant to these masters and what they drew out of stylish, oriental fashion.

The talk will be preceded by a brief introduction by Anna Jackson, the Curator of Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk, and a brief conversation with FUKAI Akiko will follow her lecture.

About the speakers

FUKAI Akiko

Award-winning and renowned fashion historian and Director/Curator Emeritus of the Kyoto Costume Institute, FUKAI Akiko obtained an MA and honorary doctorate at Ochanomizu University and studied Art History at the Université de Paris IV (Institute des Arts et de l’ Archeologie). She has organized several major and acclaimed fashion exhibitions such as “Japonism in Fashion,” and “Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion” in Japan and overseas. She is also the author of multiple influential books including Reading Fashion from Pictures (PHP Institute, Kyoto, 2009), and Kimono and Japonism (Heibonsha, Tokyo, 2017) as well as Fashion (Taschen, Köln, 2002), of which 650 thousand copies have been sold so far.

Anna Jackson

Anna Jackson is Keeper of the Asian Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum. A specialist in Japanese textiles and dress, she has written widely on the subject and is the curator of the exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk and editor of the accompanying publication. Her other major research interest is the cultural relationship between Asia and Europe. In 2004 she was co-curator of Encounters: the Meeting of Asia and Europe 1500-1800 and in 2009 lead curator of Maharaja: the Splendour of India’s Royal Courts, which subsequently toured internationally.

Image credit:

Mrs George Smith (partial cropped version), Frederic William Burton. Private Collection. Image: National Gallery of Ireland

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please click here.

Last chance to see!

The Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum will close on 25 October 2020. The exhibition is financially supported by the Japan Foundation.

Date:	16 October 2020 from 12.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Japanese Artists at the Architecture Film Festival London

We are proud to partner with Architecture Film Festival London in welcoming Japanese artists to the programme line-up of the festival this June. Exploring film and installation performance pieces that create architecture out of light, projection, and film, Capsule #3 titled Temporal Architecture Sculpted in Time will include films and videos that showcase Japanese visual, sound and spatial artists such as Shiro Takatani and Dumb Type.

Temporal Architecture Sculpted in Light

Existing between the real and the imagined, the architecture of space and time created by film allows us to temporarily inhabit non-existent worlds. Intently constructed to be experienced through multiple senses, it deconstructs the space it inhabits and reconstructs an alternative space to be experienced. Manifested in a range of forms, either being passively observed or actively engaged with, this temporal, imaginary architecture is built out of light, projection, film and data.

This capsule will explore film and installation performance pieces that create architecture out of light, projection, and film. It will examine non-physical imaginary spaces which sit between virtual 3D systems and physical architectural spaces. By looking at temporal art pieces that are intended to be observed and experienced in the present and in person, this programme aims to investigate / explore architecture that has been created and enhanced with the medium of film.

Shiro Takatani, Between Nature and Technology

Giulio Boato, Canada, 2019, 52′

Across Europe and Japan, this film covers over three decades of Shiro Takatani’s artistic journey through his installations, theatre and dance performances. Takatani and his collaborators (including composer Ryuichi Sakamoto) explain the driving principles behind his work where nature and people are observed through modern tools. Takatani uses technology to improve our understanding of our environment: enhancing infinitely small organisms, showing large scale galaxies, creating an interaction between performers / dancers with cameras and large screens. Carefully selected performances and installations – remarkably filmed – demonstrate the evolution of his work.

2020

Dumb Type – Members: Takayuki Fujimoto, Ken Furudate, Satoshi Hama, Marihiko Hara, Yuko Hirai, Ryoji Ikeda, Nobuaki Oshika, So Ozaki, Ryo Shiraki, Norico Sunayama, Shiro Takatani, Yoko Takatani, Mayumi Tanaka, Hiromasa Tomari, Misako Yabuuchi, Aoi Yamada, Toru Yamanaka, Yukiko Yoshimoto, Japan, 2020, 57′

Under the direction of Shiro Takatani who was one of the founding members, this work is the first to be presented since Voyage (2002) 18 years ago.

Date:	2 June 2021 - 27 June 2021
For more information, please click here.

Creativity and Designing JRPG (Japanese Role-Playing Games)

RPG, or the Role-Playing Game, is a widely known computer game genre. Though it did not originate in Japan, for decades the passion for RPGs has been strong among its nationals. Japanese computer game creators have developed an abundance of unique RPG content which subsequently and uniquely have evolved into JRPG (Japanese Role-Playing Game). Among these are the ever-popular Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy titles which secured their stable fanbase with the concepts of ongoing character growth and the evolution of storylines through battles. Games like these have managed to push Japan’s computer RPG industry to global success and continue attracting avid players. Interconnected with other media products such as anime and manga, JRPGs are also a source of drive in Japan’s commercial market. However, as the technology and user demands have shifted, Japanese creators may find themselves at crossroads and be compelled to revise the definition and existence of JRPGs in the 21st century where change is constant.

In this very special talk, the Japan Foundation has invited TOKITA Takashi, computer game creator and producer from Square Enix to talk about the position of Japanese RPGs. Based on his own experience of being involved in the creation of many JRPGs, including Final Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger, he will explain the philosophies that he believes are fundamental in creating an interactive game world where users feel themselves becoming the main character as they play, while revealing the creative processes of Japanese RPGs and how the games can stand the test of time.

A brief conversation with Professor of Digital Media at Bath Spa University, James Newman, will follow TOKITA’s lecture.

About the speakers

TOKITA Takashi is a producer in the computer game industry. Since joining Square Enix (Square) in 1986, after working on Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy Legend etc. as a graphic designer, he developed Final Fantasy IV as a game designer. TOKITA has worked as a director on various titles including Chrono Trigger and Parasite Eve.

James Newman is Professor of Digital Media at Bath Spa University, UK. He has written widely on videogames, gaming histories, preservation and the cultures of play and has published a number of books including Videogames; Playing with Videogames; and Best Before. He is currently writing books on spectating videogames and on the early histories of game sound and music. James is a member of the research and curatorial team at the UK's National Videogame Museum and a co-founder of the Videogame Heritage Society Specialist Subject Network.

Special thanks to Square Enix and Kayoko Tezuka, Tuning for the Future (TFF) in Japan.

http://www.npo-tff.org

Image credit: ©1991, 2017 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.
LOGO & IMAGE ILLUSTRATION: © 1991, 2007 YOSHITAKA AMANO

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please click here.

Date:	18 November 2020 from 12.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Celebrating:

Japanese Documentary Filmmaker Haneda Sumiko: Authorship and Gender Discourses

This project proposes a rediscovery of probably the most important female documentary maker from Japan, Haneda Sumiko (1926-), who was a pioneer female documentarist and one of the most prolific in post-war Japan. Haneda was one of the few women working in the influential Iwanami Productions where she participated in the creation of many short and long non-fiction works from the early years of the company between 1950s and 1980s and as an independent filmmaker until 2012.

The project is the result of a collaboration of scholars working on Japanese Cinema from several angles -Gender Studies, Documentary Film, Film Theory and Authorship- who are joining efforts to cast light on this still under-researched female director.

Programme:

Thursday 30th September (All times BST)
Online Symposium

09:00 - 09:10	Welcome. Fabio Gyi (SOAS JRC Chair). Introduction. Marcos Centeno, Irene González-López, Alejandra Armendáriz-Hernández, Ricardo Matos.
09:10 - 10:05	Professor Mitsuyo Wada-Marciano (Kyoto University). Making Meaning of Haneda's 'Japanese Women': A Women's College in the Village (Mura no fujin gakkyu, 1957) and The Cherry Tree with Gray Blossoms (Usuzumi no sakura, 1977). Moderator: Marcos Centeno
10:05 - 10:15	Break
10:15 - 10:35	Marcos Centeno (Birkbeck/UV Guest Lecturer Nanzan University) Haneda Sumiko's Transnational Cinema: Japanese Settlers in Manchuria
10:35 - 10:55	Hikari Hori (Toyo University) Documentary and the Intimate Sphere: Haneda Sumiko in the 1980s and the 1990s.
10:55 - 11:15	Discussion Moderator: Forum Mithani (Cardiff)
11:20 - 11:45	Screening the work of Haneda Sumiko. Notes on the circulation and distribution of Japanese documentary - Part I Working with Haneda Sumiko Pre-recorded conversation with Satō Tokue, filmmaker, Haneda Sumiko’s personal assistant, Manager of Kanatasha, Inc.. Interviewer: Irene González-López

Afternoon Session

15:00 - 16:00	Live Screening: Dedicated Treasures of Horyuji-Temple (Hōryūji ken'nō hōmotsu, Haneda Sumiko, 1971, 20min) Introduction: Alejandra Armendáriz-Hernández (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos)
16:00 - 16:55	Anne McKnight (University of California, Riverside) Usuzumi and Eco-thinking Moderator: Teresa Castro* (Université Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3)*
16:55 - 17:05	Break
17:05 - 17:50	Screening the work of Haneda Sumiko. Notes on the circulation and distribution of Japanese documentary - Part II Roundtable Alexander Jacoby (Oxford Brookes University), Irene González-López (Birkbeck) Moderator: Ricardo Matos (Birkbeck)
17:50 - 18:00	Closing Remarks

Friday 1st - Saturday 2nd October
Online film screening: The Japanese Settlers to Manchuria and Inner Mongolia of Mainland CHina (Aa Manmo Kaitaku-dan, Haneda Sumiko, 2008, 120 mins). BIMI. Free but prior registration to the symposium is essenetial in order to access the film.

Registration

This event is free and open to public. If you would like to attend the event please register. Please register via Zoom.

Image: Kanatasha and Haneda Sumiko

Date:

30 September 2021 - 2 October 2021

(in)Animate Objects - the Contemporary Puppetry of Nakamura Aya

NAKAMURA Aya is a London-based theatre practitioner, puppeteer and puppet maker originally from Japan. The unique style she has cultivated within the field is distinctly recognisable in the productions she has been part of, including adaptations of traditional Western fairy tales such as Hansel and Gretel (Horse+Bamboo Theatre, 2016), as well as Japanese literary classics like AKUTAGAWA Ryunosuke’s The Spider’s Thread (Rouge28 Theatre, 2020). Challenging our assumptions of what a puppet is, NAKAMURA works with a variety of mediums to produce puppets made in the paper theatre style, puppets constructed of everyday objects, and even human-sized Bunraku-style dolls.

Kicking off 2021 in the first of our online events in the new year, the Japan Foundation presents a special webinar during which NAKAMURA will talk about what sparked her interest in taking up puppetry and her creative influences, in addition to her philosophy and work as a puppeteer, puppet-maker, and workshop leader in more detail. She will also discuss her artistic collaborations, both national and international, such as with the multi award-winning company Rouge28 Theatre (which the Japan Foundation has had the pleasure of supporting in the past).

After her initial presentation, there will be a virtual showing of her short film production in the paper theatre style, The Spider’s Thread, followed by a discussion with the composer for the work, Verity Lane, uncovering the behind the scenes of the project. Among other topics, they will examine the feasibility of collaborative projects under the restrictive period of the ongoing pandemic and how performing art professionals can and do adapt to the new environment going forward. They will be joined by Vicky Ireland MBE FRSA, an Artistic Director specialising in theatre for children, who will moderate the conversation.

About the guest speakers

Verity Lane is a neurodivergent composer, writer, artist, director and producer that specialises in creating avant-garde multidisciplinary works steeped in Japanese culture. She lived in Japan for 10 years, graduating from Osaka College of Music with a masters in composition where her studies focused primarily on traditional Japanese instruments and aesthetics. She collaborates frequently with Japan and UK based artists and musicians and has recently set up Jo-Ha-Kyū Arts, an arts company focused on producing genre-defying works steeped in Japanese culture.

Vicky Ireland MBE FRSA trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama. She was the presenter for twelve years of BBC Children’s TV, 'Words and Pictures'. As Artistic Director of Polka Theatre, London from 1988-2002 she directed, produced and commissioned new theatre writing for children. Now with the actress Kumiko Mendl, she is Co-Artistic director of A Thousand Cranes, which creates theatre for children, inspired by stories from Japan and Europe. She is also the Chair of Action for Children’s Arts. Vicky was awarded the MBE medal in 2002 for services to children’s drama, the first of its kind.

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please click here.

Date:	28 January 2021 from 6.30pm
For more information, please click here.

The 16th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students - Finals Day / 第１６回大学生のための日本語スピーチ・コンテスト　決勝大会

Why not join us for the online Finals Day of the 16^th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students and listen to what university students studying Japanese in the UK and Ireland have to say! The finalists will give their speeches and presentations in Japanese to an audience consisting of members of the public, fellow students, teachers, families, key figures from the UK-Japan community and a panel of judges.

To register to attend, please click here / ご登録はこちら

(The deadline to register is Monday 1^st March 2021)

The Sixteenth Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is organised by the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) and the Japan Foundation London in joint partnership. The event provides an opportunity for students from the UK and Ireland to demonstrate their Japanese speaking skills.

Please note that the timing of the day's event are TBD.

Download our event poster! - Coming soon.

Date:	6 March 2021 from 1.00pm - 5.00pm
Venue:	Online (Zoom software).

The 16th Japanese Speech Contest is generously supported by:

The British Association of Japanese Studies, Central Japan Railway Company, Clearspring, Connect Job, Eikoku News Digest Limited, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, IIJ Europe Limited, Japan Airlines, Japan Centre, JP Books, Ningyocho IMAHAN, Nikkei Europe Limited, Regions, Ricoh UK Limited, SUQQU Cosmetics, and ZOOM Japan.

The Third Online Get-Together For Secondary School Teachers セカンダリー日本語教師のための第３回ONLINE懇親会

Calling all secondary school teachers of Japanese! We will be holding a third Online Get-Together. This is a great opportunity to talk with your colleagues about your work in a relaxed, casual setting. We hope you can use this as a chance to talk about any issues you are facing in the classroom, exchange information on exams, and more.

As well as group discussion sessions, Dr Marina Sereda-Linley from Luton Sixth Form College will be giving a talk on the theme of “Teaching Japanese to Multi-level Class”. Dr Sereda-Linley received her Master and Doctor degrees in Japanese Applied Linguistics from Osaka University of Foreign Studies and Osaka University, Japan, respectively. Since joining Luton Sixth Form College as a Japanese language tutor in 2015 and facing the challenges of a multi-level classroom, she has been actively contributing to research into and the application of Differentiated Instruction in Japanese.

Date:

27^th March 2021 (Saturday), 16:00-17:30

Schedule:

First half: Presentation by Dr Marina Sereda-Linley (Luton Sixth Form College)
Second half: Group discussion

To apply, please click here.

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ZJQ8Y1/

Participation fee: Free (Registration in advance is required.)

Registration Deadline: 19^th March

Languages used: Japanese/English

You can read some comments from participants of the previous Online Get-Togethers below:

It was really good to join in with fellow Japanese colleagues from around the country (and world!) and listen and see in Japanese how these colleagues created and use these resources.
I spent a hugely worthwhile time getting to talk with other teachers that I do not often get a chance to meet and exchange new information.
I have gotten a lot of ideas and tips from the speaker’s presentation. Thanks to the presentation I think I can improve my teaching skills to encourage my pupils to learn more!

Date:

27 March 2021 from 4.00pm - 5.30pm

Women and Sport in Japan

Unfortunately, due travel restrictions surrounding Coronavirus, several speakers and commentators have become unable to attend this event. The organisers have therefore taken the difficult decision to cancel this event. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

This is the fourth event in our Sport Symposia Series organised together with SOAS Japan Research Centre This event will focus on the theme of Women and Sport in Japan.

Guest speakers will be a mix of academic researchers and sportswomen. Discussion will focus on the changing environment for women and sport, in terms of participation, progress and challenges. Guest speakers will share the inspirational stories of their sporting careers.

Helen Macnaughtan Helen is Chair of the Japan Research Centre and Senior Lecturer in International Business & Management (Japan) at SOAS University of London. Her research interests focus on a range of topics relating to gender, employment and sport in Japan. She has previously published on the history of women’s volleyball in Japan with reference to the gold medal victory for the ‘Oriental Witches’ at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics. She is currently researching the history of rugby in postwar Japan with a focus on the corporate history of the game.
Guest Speakers
Sakai Mariko Sakai Mariko is an Olympian who competed in Artistic (Synchronized) Swimming at the 2012 London Olympic Games. After retiring as an athlete, she has worked for the Japan Sport Council (JSC) where she is secretary for a project initiated by the government to develop a better environment for female high-level mother athletes. She also works at Tsukuba International Academy of Sport Studies at Tsukuba University Japan as a researcher since 2018. She worked in Cirque du Soleil from 2014 to 2017 where she was inspired by many performers, and she incorporates these skills into current coaching for young athletes. Having served as a national coach of her sport over the last year, she has been seeking to promote her sport for both male and female athletes.
Hirano Yuka Hirano Yuka is a professional female football player, currently signed at the Women`s Team of 1. FC Köln (Cologne), Germany. The Japanese attacker was signed up after trials and scored four goals in her subsequent first six games for 1. FC Köln. In a game against Wolfsburg she showed the data system what the coaches already knew – after running 11,9km, she ran more than any other FC player. When the Japanese national women’s football team won the Women’s World Cup in 2011, Yuka was 15 years old, and she decided she wanted a football career – preferably abroad. Now, at 23 years of age, she is making that dream come true. She has been in Germany since February 2019 and is teaching herself German. She doesn’t yet know how long she will remain in Germany, and her goal is to play in as many different footballing countries as possible, preferably in Europe and America. “I want to get to know different cultures and experience as many things as possible” says Yuka.
Christian Tagsold Christian Tagsold is at the Department of Modern Japanese Studies, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. He has previously researched the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 and its role for re-establishing national identity in Japan after World War II. He has broad experience in organising sports mega-events. He was a member of the Local Organising Committee for the FIFA Confed Cup 2005, the FIFA World Cup 2006, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011. He will interpret Japanese-English for Yuka Hirano as well as talk about his time with the Japanese women’s team in FIFA events.
Konul Nurullayeva Konul conducts research at the University of Azerbaijan and is on the Executive MBA program at the Swiss Business University. She worked for the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan as Director of International Relations for over 10 years. She was the youngest and the first female chef de mission in the history of the Olympic Games to represent her national team in Vancouver (2010) and Sochi (2014) Winter Olympic Games. She was deputy chef de mission during the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing (2008) and London (2012). She was the youngest female CEO of “Baku 2020” (Olympic Games Bid Committee) in the history of the Olympic movement. In 2015 she was a member of the Board of Directors of the Inaugural European Games and chef de mission of the biggest team in the history of Azerbaijan. She is the first female representative from Azerbaijan to be elected in the European Olympic Committees’ “Gender Equality in Sport” Commission. In 2013 she was elected as the first female member to the Executive Board of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF). She is Director of the “Gender Equality” Commission of the ISSF and member of the Coordination Commission of the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games - “Konya 2021”. She is fluent in Azerbaijani, Russian and English.
Panel Commentators
Nefeli Chondrogianni Nefeli is a passionate sports professional and an advocate for women sports development. From her position as Communications and Technical Affairs Manager at Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA), a government entity of Abu Dhabi – UAE, she oversees the expansion of the Emirate’s women sports offering by planning and implementing various initiatives that aim to make sports a part of every Emirati woman’s daily life. 'She is studying for a PhD in Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent (UK) on the topic of social impact of international non-mega sports events on local communities supervised by Dr Dikaia Chatziefstathiou and Dr Simon Hoult. She has an M.A. in Sport Management from the London Metropolitan University, UK, and an M.Sc. in Exercise and Quality of Life, from the University of Thrace, Greece.
Dikaia Chatziefstathiou Dikaia is an expert in Olympic Studies and her work on Olympism has been widely published and cited. In the most recent work, she applies the theory and methodology adopted in her Olympic research into the world of football unpacking issues of power in the dressing rooms. She is Director of Research Environment and Knowledge Exchange, and a Reader in Olympic Studies & the Social Analysis of Sport at the School of Human and Life Sciences in Canterbury Christ Church University, UK. She is also an International Research Expert of the Centre for Olympic Studies & Research (COS&R) at Loughborough University, UK; and a Senior Associate of the Hibou Alliance of sports professionals worldwide. She is the winner of the inaugural Coubertin Prize 2008 awarded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee (IPCC) for her qualitative research on Pierre de Coubertin’s writings and speeches.
Mara Yamauchi Mara Yamauchi is a former elite British marathon runner and diplomat. A two-time Olympian, she is the second fastest British marathon runner ever, with a PB of 2:23:12. She grew up in Kenya, and has lived in Japan for many years as a diplomat and professional athlete. Mara finished 6th in the 2008 Beijing Olympic marathon – the best performance ever by a British woman in this event – and was runner-up in the 2009 London marathon. She also competed for Team GB at the 2012 London Olympics. In January 2013 Mara retired from elite competition and now works as a running coach, commentator and motivational speaker. She lives in London.	Photo Credit: Marimo Images
Simon Rofe Simon is Reader in Diplomatic and International Studies in the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy, and Programme Director for MA Global Diplomacy, at SOAS University of London. His research focuses upon diplomacy, international and global history, with a particular focus on the diplomacy of sport. He is the author and editor of a number of books and academic articles including “Sport and Society: Games within Games” (Manchester University Press, 2018).

'She is studying for a PhD in Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent (UK) on the topic of social impact of international non-mega sports events on local communities supervised by Dr Dikaia Chatziefstathiou and Dr Simon Hoult.'

Date:

11 March 2020 from 5.00pm - 7.00pm

This event is free to attend but registration is essential

Organised by:

Sponsored by:

Supported by:

Part of:

Rakugo Performance and Introductory Lecture for Japanese Language Education and Japanese Intellectual Studies

The traditional art of one-man story-telling, Rakugo, has been enthralling audiences in Japan since the nineteenth century. A single figure sits in the traditional seiza style on stage and ensnares his audience using a fan, a cloth and his own voice. Although many Rakugo stories are comedic, there are many types of dramatic stories performed by Rakugo masters and beloved by audiences.

We are honoured to be offering those involved in Japanese language education and Japanese intellectual studies (both students and teachers) an opportunity to participate in our online Rakugo Performance and Introductory Lecture Event. Yanagiya Sankyō and Ryūtei Saryū, two renowned masters of Rakugo, will showcase their incredible skills with two performances. Professor Kazumi Hatasa of Purdue University, an expert in Rakugo, will give an explanatory lecture on the art of Rakugo performance. Professor Hatasa has conducted research into how the traditional art of Rakugo can be used to enhance Japanese language education.

The purpose of this event is not only so participants can enjoy extraordinary Rakugo performances, but also so they can gain a deeper understanding of Rakugo as an art form and how Rakugo can be utilised for the purpose of Japanese language education and Japanese intellectual studies.

This event will take place entirely online and is limited to participants who are involved in Japanese language and Japanese intellectual studies at an undergraduate or postgraduate university level.

Applications for this event are now CLOSED as the event is fully booked. We thank you for your interest in this event.

If you have submitted an application form, we will be contacting you soon as to whether you were successful. We thank you for your patience.

Important: As stated on this event information page, this event is for "students and teachers involved in Japanese language education and Japanese intellectual studies in the United Kingdom and Europe" at an "undergraduate or postgraduate university level". We will therefore prioritise the applications of those who meet this eligibility criteria. We apologise for any disappointment caused.

The deadline for applications is 19^th June 2020 (Friday). (Applications are now CLOSED due to the event reaching capacity)

The lecture will be held in English, and the performances will be in Japanese with English subtitles.

- Date/Time: 25th June (Thursday), 10:00am – 11:30am (BST), 11:00am – 12:30am (CET).

- Location: Online event using Zoom software. Find out about Zoom here.

- Speakers and Performers:

Yanagiya Sankyō (Rakugo performer, recipient of the 2014 Japan Foundation Award)

Ryūtei Saryū (Rakugo Performer)

Professor Kazumi Hatasa (Professor of Japanese, Purdue University)

- Participants: Students and teachers involved in Japanese language education and Japanese intellectual studies in the United Kingdom and Europe.

- Maximum Participants: 100

- Schedule:

Opening remarks
Introduction to Rakugo (Professor Kazumi Hatasa)
Demonstration of gestures used in Rakugo (Yanagiya Sankyō with Professor Hatasa)
Rakugo Performances (Yanagiya Sankyō and Ryūtei Saryū)
- Performance one: Ryūtei Saryū performing “Tsuru”
- Performance two: Yanagiya Sankyō performing “Ikuyo-mochi
Questions and Answers (in English and Japanese)
Close

Profile of Performers and Speakers

Yanagiya Sankyō

Yanagiya Sankyō (stage name) is a Rakugo Master from Tokyo. He has been a Rakugo performer since 1967 and achieved Shin’Uchi Rakugo Storyteller Master status (the highest Rakugo rank) in 1981. Currently, he is the Permanent Director of the Rakugo Association. Yanagiya Sankyō was a recipient of the Japan Foundation Award in 2014, for his work incorporating Rakugo in the field of Japanese language education. In 2017 he was given the Medal of Honour with Purple Ribbon by Japan. He has performed Rakugo all over the world, including in the USA, Europe and South Korea.

Ryūtei Saryū

Ryūtei Saryū (stage name) is a Rakugo Master from Kashiwa City in Chiba Prefecture. He began performing Rakugo in 1993. Ryūtei Saryū was an apprentice of Yanagiya Sankyō from 1993. He was promoted to Shin’Uchi Rakugo Master Storyteller status (the highest Rakugo rank) in 2006. He has performed Rakugo all over the world, including in Europe. From 2013 he has been working as a part-time lecturer at Tokyo Woman’s Christian University, teaching about Edo culture and Rakugo.

Professor Kazumi Hatasa

Kazumi Hatasa received his Ph.D. in Education from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1989. He started teaching at Purdue University in 1988, and is currently a professor in School of Languages and Cultures. He was Director of the School of Japanese at Middlebury College from 2004 to 2018. He has been working with professional performers to introduce students to Rakugo and Yose.

Date:

25 June 2020 from 10.00am - 11.30am

The Second Zoom Online Get-Together

Calling all secondary school teachers of Japanese! We will be holding a second Zoom Online Get-Together. This is a great opportunity to talk with your colleagues about your work in a relaxed, casual setting. We hope you can use this as a chance to talk about any issues you are facing in the classroom, exchange information on exams, and more.

As well as group discussion sessions, Mrs Satoko Suzui from the University of Bath will be giving a talk on the theme of “Tips for Making Teaching Resources for Busy Teachers”. Mrs Suzui used to be a secondary school teacher of Japanese and has a wealth of experience developing teaching resources for GCSE & A-level.

Date:

- 28^th January 2021 (Thursday), 19:00 to 20:30

Schedule:

- First half: Presentation by Mrs Satoko Suzui (University of Bath)

- Second half: Group discussion

To apply, please click here.

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/1S4SO5/

You can read some comments from participants of the first Zoom Online Get-Together below:

It was really good to join in with fellow Japanese colleagues from around the country (and world!) and listen and see in Japanese how these colleagues created and use these resources.
An excellent opportunity to meet and share.
I spent a hugely worthwhile time getting to talk with other teachers that I do not often get a chance to meet and exchange new information.

Date:	28 January 2021 from 7.00pm - 8.30pm
Venue:	Online event.

The Place of Japanese Cinema in the UK
The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2021 Online Special - Talk Series

Geographically, Japan is 6000 miles away from the UK but the position of Japanese cinema may be much closer to the hearts of some Brits. Thanks to the enormous efforts and enthusiasm of UK-based cinema experts belonging to such organisations as BFI, ICA, and many film festivals, certain names from Japan’s catalogue of filmmakers - Kurosawa, Mizoguchi or more recently Kitano and Miike, to name a few - are permanently engraved in this nation’s cinematic history. Two decades into the 21st century, is the admiration felt for Japanese film by British people still going strong? Has the perception of Japanese cinema changed?

Celebrating the very first online edition of The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme, on the launch night of the season, we have invited a cinema programmer, a critic and an academic mainly representing the next generation of UK film experts to informally discuss what Japanese cinema means to them and what the current position of Japanese cinema is in this country, while candidly exploring if the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme, which marks its 18th year, has indeed made any impact on the people’s perception.

About the panellists

Alex Davidson (moderator), Cinema Curator at the Barbican

Jennifer Coates, Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies, The University of Sheffield

Peter Munford, Satori Screen Programmer at QUAD, Derby

Ren Scateni, Freelance Critic and Curator based in Edinburgh

Junko Takekawa, Senior Arts Programme Officer, the Japan Foundation London

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please click here.

Date:	19 February 2021 from 6.00pm
For more information, please click here.

BATJ-JF Spring Seminar - Exploring and Reflecting on Classes in an Online Setting: How can we cultivate ICT literacy for teachers of Japanese?

This Seminar will be organised by the Japan Foundation, London and the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language. Each year, we use these seminars as an opportunity to raise practical, every-day themes that apply to both younger and older learners at all types of educational institutions, and invite educators at the forefront of their fields, to provide a novel and exciting learning opportunity. It is our hope that through this year’s seminar we can once again contribute to the development of the community of educators of the Japanese language. We look forward to receiving applications from teachers from a wide variety of locations.

Event Outline

Date/Time: 14^th March 2021 (Sunday), 10:30 to 12:30 GMT
Theme: Exploring and Reflecting on Classes in an Online Setting: How can we cultivate ICT literacy for teachers of Japanese? (Keywords: online environments, active learning, ICT literacy)
Speaker: Dr Tomohisa Yamada (Associate Professor at Hokkaido University)
Target audience: Japanese language educators in the United Kingdom and Europe. (We will also accept applications from those in other regions, depending on the number of applicants). Post-graduate university students specialising in Japanese language education in the United Kingdom and Europe are also welcomed to join.
Maximum number of participants: 150
Location: Online seminar using Zoom software
Spoken language: Japanese
Planned schedule: Following the seminar, there will be an optional social gathering from 12:30
Cost of seminar/applications: This is posted on the BATJ website.
Organisers: The Japan Foundation, London and the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language.

To apply to attend this seminar, please visit the Seminar page on the BATJ website using the link below:

Seminars & Workshops (batj.org.uk)

Speaker Profile: Dr. Tomohisa Yamada

Associate Professor at Hokkaido University (Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education/ Graduate School of International Media-Communication and Tourism Studies)

Dr Yamada has an MA from the Institute of Education, University of London, and a doctorate (academic) from Hokkaido University. After working with the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies Language Centre and Saga University Exchange Student Centre, he assumed his present post in 2012. His area of research is educational technology and teacher education. As well as his research activities, he is actively involved in giving lectures and professional development programmes aimed at increasing ICT literacy for teachers of Japanese.　He was awarded the Hokkaido University Excellent Teachers award (2014 to 2019). Among his key publications are “Practical Use of ICT (Second Edition)” (sole author), “Active Learning for Teachers of Japanese” (co-author) and “Creating Online Classes for Japanese Language Educators ” (author and editor; scheduled to be published) (All published by Kuroshio Shuppan).

Message from Dr Yamada:

In the spring of 2020, the structure of the world was hugely altered due to Covid-19. Our social lives were restricted, and it was decided that educators and students in educational facilities would move their classes online for just a few weeks. Under these circumstance, information and questions began flying back and forth between educators: What actually are online classes? How can I organise group activities online? I’ve found this useful ICT tool! And so on. Even the teachers who were initially able to keep up with all of the information out there found themselves at some point confused by the huge quantity of all the information out there. At the very least, this was the situation I found myself in.

A year has passed since then. Looking at the world, it appears that online learning is becoming the de facto standard. What have we learnt over the past turbulent year? How should educators approach “classes” and “students” from now on?

In this lecture, I want us to work together to compare the advantages and disadvantages of online classes compared to face-to-face classes, and to try to think about what factors we should be mindful of in realizing interactive online classes. Furthermore, I would like to introduce some of the new insights/knowledge obtained from the Japan Foundation, London ICT Literacy Course that took place in the 2020 fiscal year, regarding what are the key important points to increase ICT literacy for educators.

Date:	14 March 2021 from 10.30am
Venue:	Online.

Summer Explorers 2019

Our annual Summer Explorers season is back as a summer treat - now with new venue and dates!

From over the top, offbeat narratives of psychic teenagers and upstart political wrangling in a high school environment, to spectacular battles between good and evil, and stories of tender friendships, Summer Explorers 2019 showcases the range of plotlines that manga has provided film creatives over the years.

Come and see the versatility of the influence that manga has had on Japanese cinema!

Curated and Presented by the Japan Foundation.

Date:	16 August 2019 - 20 August 2019
Venue:	Screen 1 \| The Soho Hotel \| 4 Richmond Mews \| London W1D 3DH

How Do They Read? Voices and Practices of Japanese Literature Translators

For many years, Japanese literature has been respected by enthusiastic readers globally, providing joy and invoking a curiosity about a world they have never stepped into. This passion has recently extended to many newly released contemporary novels, with proof evident in the “Convenience Store Woman” becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Arguably, it is the heyday of contemporary Japanese authors of high calibre.

However, the efforts, influence, as well as the responsibility of literary translators should not be overlooked. Foreign readers are in effect reading the text and seeing the world that is recreated by them. Quite simply translators are authors by proxy.

What approach does a good translator take when reading the original text in order to convey the original ideas into another language?

Inviting three experienced translators of Japanese literature, Prof. Stephen Dodd, Polly Barton and Ginny Tapley Takemori, this talk aims to reveal the daily practices of translation behind the scenes and to discuss how these professionals overcome not only the difference in language but also in culture, in order to make the work as true to the original as possible while ensuring it is entertaining for an English audience.

Prof Stephen Dodd (Moderator)

Stephen Dodd is Professor Emeritus of Japanese Literature at SOAS, University of London. He has written widely on modern Japanese literature. He is author of Writing Home: Representations of the Native Place in Modern Japanese Literature (Harvard University Asia Center, 2004), and The Youth of Things: Life and Death in the Age of Kajii Motojirō (Hawai’i University Press, 2014.). His translation of Mishima Yukio’s Life for Sale (Inochi urimasu, 1968) was published through Penguin in 2019, and he is now translating Mishima’s sci-fi novel, Beautiful Star (Utsukushii hoshi, 1962).

Polly Barton

Polly Barton is a translator of Japanese literature and non-fiction, based in the UK. Recent translations include Spring Garden by Tomoka Shibasaki (Pushkin Press) and Where the Wild Ladies Are by Aoko Matsuda (Tilted Axis/Soft Skull Press). Her translation of Kikuko Tsumura's There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job is upcoming from Bloomsbury. After being awarded the 2019 Fitzcarraldo Editions Essay Prize, she is currently working on a non-fiction book entitled Fifty Sounds.

Ginny Tapley Takemori

Ginny Tapley Takemori is a Japan-based literary translator who has translated over a dozen Japanese authors, from Meiji greats Izumi Kyoka and Koda Rohan to contemporary bestsellers Ryu Murakami, Miyabe Miyuki, Akiyuki Nosaka, and Kyoko Nakajima. Her translation of Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman was selected Book of the Year by Foyles book shop and numerous publications including The New Yorker. Her translation of Murata’s Earthlings will be published this autumn, while Things Remembered and Things Forgotten, by Kyoko Nakajima, co-translated with Ian MacDonald, is forthcoming in Spring 2021.

Please note that this online event will be hosted on Zoom.

For More information, please click here

Date:

18 June 2020 from 12.00pm

Kobanashi Workshop for Educators – Kobanashi Performance Instruction Methods to Teach Japanese Language Learners

The Japan Foundation, London

Kobanashi Workshop for Educators – Kobanashi Performance Instruction Methods to Teach Japanese Language Learners

Workshop Format：Online（Zoom software）

Dates	Time	Number of Participants
30^th October 2020 (Fri)	17:00 - 19:00（GMT Greenwich Meantime）	15
31^st October 2020 (Sat)	15:00 - 17:00（GMT Greenwich Meantime）	15

Instructor：Dr. Kazumi Hatasa（Purdue University, United States of America; Chair, Dept. of East Asian Language and Cultures, SLC, Asian Studies Faculty).

Guidelines for Prospective Participants：PDF Sign-Up Guidelines

The application form link is included on the Sign-Up Guidelines PDF. We would like to ask prospective participants to read the guidelines carefully and then fill out the application form.

※Sign-Up Deadline: 5^th October (Monday), 17:00 (BST)

Date:

30 October 2020 - 31 October 2020

[Online Event] Reframing Japanese Narratives for the UK Stage

In recent years there has been a noticeable trend in new UK productions made for the stage to be sourcing their ground material not only from Japanese plays but also through adapting other forms of Japanese media, such as anime, literature, or film. Be it a direct adaptation or simply taking inspiration, the communication of the culture which the original is steeped in is not entirely removed from the creation process. The culmination of such adaptations results in distinct visions of Japanese culture reframed to suit the message of their creators and lend relatability to their native audiences.

In celebration of After Life, adapted for the stage from Hirokazu Kore-eda’s feature film and to be presented at the National Theatre between 2 June and 24 July 2021, we invited a group of UK theatre professionals – who have looked towards Japan for source materials in their respective productions – to join an informal roundtable talk aimed at exploring the significance of looking at other languages and art forms in conceptualising new works, and any challenges that may be faced in doing so.

*Please note: Contrary to earlier announcements, Jack McNamara will no longer participate in the event. In his place we welcome Franko Figueiredo (more information below).

About the panellists

(Moderator) Professor Ken Rea is a theatre director, acting teacher, and author of the bestseller, The Outstanding Actor, Seven Keys to Success. After working as a leading actor and director in New Zealand, where he founded the Living Theatre Troupe, he studied theatre in Bali, Java, India, China and Japan, as well as studying with leading European teachers. Today, at the renowned Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where he is Professor of Theatre, Ken has trained some of Britain's leading actors, bringing to them his unique process, influenced by his research in Asian theatre. Through his corporate training Ken has also made a striking difference to thousands of business leaders. And as a journalist, he has been a regular feature writer for The Times and was for 15 years a theatre critic for The Guardian. As a public speaker, Ken gives many large-scale presentations in the worlds of business and the arts.

Franko Figueiredo is the co-founder and artistic director of StoneCrabs Theatre Company. Franko and StoneCrabs Theatre Company have been running yearly drama workshops in Japan since 2006. He has directed all of Mishima's Modern Noh plays in English for StoneCrabs to great critical acclaim, including Sotoba Komachi (Metro and Time Out Critics Choice); Busu (Mishima’s take on the Kyogen play of the same name), and The Damask Drum (International tour, Pick of the EdFringe 2017). Franko also directed Asphalt Kiss, a co-production between One Two Works and StoneCrabs at Owl Spot Theatre, Tokyo in 2018. Currently they are collaborating with Busu Theatre on a new production inspired by tales of loneliness and Japanese folklore.

Jeremy Herrin trained as a theatre director at both the National Theatre and the Royal Court, where he became Deputy Artistic Director in 2008. He became Artistic Director of Headlong Theatre in September 2013. In 2009, Jeremy directed Polly Stenham's play, Tusk Tusk for which he was nominated for an Evening Standard Best Director Award. In 2012 he was named as one of the Stage top 100. In 2014 Jeremy directed the critically acclaimed adaptations of Hilary Mantel's novels Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies for the RSC and was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Director. The productions transferred to the West End at the end of 2014 and opened on Broadway in April 2015. Most recently he directed Noises Off at The Garrick Theatre and The Visit at The National Theatre. For TV Jeremy directed Talking Heads and Unprecedented for the BBC.

Yojiro Ichikawa is a director who has been working in the UK, US, EU and Japan, in various kinds of theatre including musical, drama and physical theatre. He founded and has been the Artistic Director of a UK theatre company Théatre Lapis, which aim is to question traditional boundaries including those that exist between genres or cultures, and to seek other frontiers. His directing credits include Letter from the Sea at Polish Theatre Bydgoszcz and the New National Theatre Tokyo, Tell Me On A Sunday at the New National Theatre Tokyo which won a Yomiuri drama award, The Red Candle based on Mimei Ogawa’s Novel, at the Brunel Museum and was also appreciated by Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, Pearl and Dagger at The Other Palace, a new musical created through the collaboration between the British and Japanese creatives, and KUWENTO an online production based on Japanese folktales.

Alexandra Rutter is a director and producer of Anglo-Japanese collaborative theatre, and an ambassador for inter-cultural productions based on Japanese source material. She founded and has been director of UK Theatre company, Whole Hog Theatre since 2012 and is currently a Resident Director and Producer at Nelke Planning: a leading Japanese producer of “2.5 Dimensional Musicals” (theatre based on Japanese animation, comics and video games). Her most notable work includes: Creative Director on Magia Record (Madoka Magica Franchise) starring idol group Keyakizaka46, and Director of the world’s first stage production of a Hayao Miyazaki film Princess Mononoke (with the kind permission of Studio Ghibli). Most recent credits include the postponed 2020 production of the world’s first stage adaptation of The Garden of Words, based on the Anime by Makoto Shinkai and CoMix Wave films.

Special thanks to the National Theatre and IGAWA Togo.

Please note that this will be an Online Event held on Zoom.

This online event is free to attend but places are limited and registration is essential. To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	17 June 2021 from 6.30pm
For more information, please click here.

Artist Talk by Keiko Takemiya

Keiko Takemiya is arguably one of the most influential manga artists in Japan. Starting her career as an artist in late 1960 while still a teenager, her fame rapidly grew to stardom. This reached a new height in the 1970s when she became a seminal member of “the Fabulous Year 24 Group” – a new wave of female authors that revolutionised manga by developing new drawing techniques and introducing unconventional subject matters to the genre of girls’ manga, such as science fiction, fantasy, as well as boys’ love. Takemiya’s representative manga, The Poem of Wind and Trees (1976-84), which has sold nearly 5 million copies so far, is praised by critics and readers alike as a monumental work that laid the foundation for the rapidly growing genre of boys’ love within manga. In addition to her creative work, Takemiya has been a great advocate of preserving this nation-specific graphic art form as a cultural asset and was the first manga artist in Japan to be elected as President of an academic institution.

During this very special talk and in a rare appearance Takemiya, in conversation with comics historian Paul Gravett, will discuss her extensive career as one of Japan’s leading manga artists, and her inspirations behind iconic works such as To Terra… (1977-80) which shaped the precedent for female manga artists to create stories for a young male readership. Reflecting on the development of the narrative art form in Japan, she will also review what manga has meant to her and the society at large.

Date:	25 August 2019 from 2.30pm
Venue:	Foyles Bookstore, 107 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0DT London
For more information, please click here.

This event is held in collaboration with Foyles.

And in Partnership with:

Celebrating:

Image Credit: ©To Terra…, KeikoTAKEMIYA

Born Into A Noh Family: How the New Generation is Keeping the Tradition Alive

Noh is a traditional Japanese performing art with a history of almost 600 years. Comprising both music and dance, the extremely sophisticated and stylised body movements of the performers and the wearing of elegant masks to identify the characters make Noh distinctive. Alongside Kyogen, which developed in parallel, the significance of Noh performance to global performing arts was recognised by UNESCO in 2008, when it was designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Compared to Kabuki, there are comparatively fewer obstacles on the path towards becoming a Noh performer. Anybody who wishes to learn the Noh art form can do so, regardless of their gender or origin. Nonetheless, becoming a professional is a long process of perfecting the skill over the course of many years, and those who are born into a Noh lineage often have their future predetermined in order to keep this very intricate tradition alive.

How do these new generations settle into their fated roles? How much dedication is necessary to carry on creating an enduring legacy?

In this special online talk, the Japan Foundation has invited Noh performer TAKEDA Takafumi, a direct descendant of an established Noh family, to share his experience of being born into such specific circumstances. In conversation with Dr Ashley Thorpe (Royal Holloway, University of London) who specialises in Noh, Takeda will reveal the daily practices he has followed since childhood, his views on the pursuit of keeping the tradition alive, as well as how he and his family adapt to the changes and challenges of the present day.

TAKEDA Takafumi

Board member of Noh Shо̄ Kai.

Born in Tokyo in 1989 as the second son of TAKEDA Naohiro, a Shite (main role) Noh actor of Kanze-Ryū School. Since his debut at the age 3, Takafumi has studied and been trained under his father. He has taken part in about 100 performances every year in which he took on the intricate Shite role several times. In addition to this, he has been involved in projects run by Gyokuto no Kai, which support victims of the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake. He has also been active in the promotion of Noh performances through various workshops and other activities as part of the Ōryū no Kai projects which center on conveying the appeal of Noh. His Shite role repertoire includes his performance in Shyakkyo in 2018, and he is scheduled to perform as Shite once again in Midare in 2020.

Dr Ashley Thorpe

Ashley Thorpe is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Drama, Theatre & Dance at Royal Holloway. He has studied Noh in the Kita School for ten years and is a member of the theatre company Theatre Nohgaku. In 2011, he established the only annual intensive Noh training programme in Europe, Noh Training Project UK, with Richard Emmert and Matsui Akira. He has written and performed his own English Noh, Emily (London, 2019), and performed alongside the Ōshima family of Noh actors in the touring production of Janette Cheong’s Between The Stones (London, Ireland, Paris, 2020).

Please note that this online event will be hosted on Zoom.

Date:	2 July 2020 from 12.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival Screenings and Special Talk Events

The Japan Foundation London and Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival have teamed up!

We've partnered with Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival, which is back this October to celebrate its 10th anniversary, on free, online and live screenings on their YouTube channel. Four screenings will be presented, with short film programmes featuring award winning film makers and emerging talents from various universities across Japan.

Date: 24 and 25 October, at various times

You can find the full programme by clicking here.

In addition to the free streaming of some of the most innovative and inspiring Japanese animation works, we offer you opportunities to virtually meet the creators behind them. From knitting to clay, you will see how versatile Japanese animation techniques can be.

All events listed below are free and take place online via Zoom. Join us in this creative hub, wherever you may be!

Knitting into Animation

Online Talk with YATA Miho and YODA Takeshi

Who could have imagined that colourful wool threads could be transformed into a cute and fun animation with lots of sheep! YATA Miho, a Japanese animation creator, mesmerized viewers when her work was streamed as part of the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival special in July. Together with YODA Takeshi, composer and theremin player who performed the memorable music in The King of Amechau Country, they will talk about their creative processes and their sources of inspiration in this online talk. Their presentations will be followed by a conversation with Abigail Addison.

Saturday, 24 October from 13:00 (BST)

Book here.

Animation Workshop with ARAI Chie

Online Workshop

ARAI Chie is the creator behind the twinkling and friendly mascot of the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival. She is also an animator who created the festival’s opening animations and other short films. Her drawings are quite often seen in the form of flip books, and bring to mind a similarity to manga. In this workshop, she will explain where the idea for the cute character came from, illustrating step-by-step the process of her creation. Participants will be invited to join a brief session in which they can try and test their skill on paper to check their potential for being a future animator! Moderated by Shangomola, a London based manga artist.

Sunday, 25 October from 12:00 (BST)

Book here.

Clay Metamorphosis

Online Talk with YUSAKI Fusako

Having lived and worked in Italy, YUSAKI Fusako is an award-wining female creator and a pioneer of Japanese clay animation. Metamorphosing clay into a lively animation rich in colours defines her work and her philosophy: nothing remains the same. In this very special talk, in conversation with Robin Lyons – a producer of animation works and the Managing Director of Calon – YUSAKI will explore her long-standing career and how her life and work has changed shape like the ever-malleable materials she loves. This is a rare opportunity not to be missed.

Sunday, 25 October from 14:00 (BST)

Book here.

Date:

24 October 2020 - 25 October 2020

In partnership with:

Sayaka Murata Exclusive Recorded Interview at Cheltenham Literature Festival + LIVE Q&A

Online Events in partnership with the Japan Foundation

SAYAKA MURATA returns to Cheltenham Literature Festival
with an Exclusive Recorded Interview followed by a LIVE Q&A Session

One of the most celebrated of the new generation of Japanese writers, SAYAKA MURATA has won not only the prestigious Akutagawa Prize, but the Gunzo, Noma, and Mishima Yukio Prizes, been named a Freeman’s ‘Future of New Writing’ author, a Vogue Japan Woman of the Year and her novel Convenience Store Woman (trans. Ginny Tapley Takemori) became a global sensation. She returns with Earthlings (trans. Takemori), a shocking, wild and funny tale of a young woman who is convinced she is an alien and a powerful exploration of finding freedom from familial and societal expectations. In this special conversation she speaks with The New York Times Tokyo bureau chief Motoko Rich from her home in Tokyo and gives an insight into her literary life in the city.

Registration Information:

(Please note that the LIVE Q&A Session requires a separate booking)

Recorded Interview streaming at 10:00am (BST) - please click here

LIVE Q&A Session starting at 11:00am (BST) – please click here

Online Event in partnership with the Japan Foundation

SAYAKA MURATA returns to Cheltenham Literature Festival

with an Exclusive Recorded Interview followed by a LIVE Q&A Session

One of the most celebrated of the new generation of Japanese writers, SAYAKA MURATA has won not only the prestigious Akutagawa Prize, but the Gunzo, Noma, and Mishima Yukio Prizes, been named a Freeman’s ‘Future of New Writing’ author, a Vogue Japan Woman of the Year and her novel Convenience Store Woman (trans. Ginny Tapley Takemori) became a global sensation. She returns with Earthlings (trans. Takemori), a shocking, wild and funny tale of a young woman who is convinced she is an alien and a powerful exploration of finding freedom from familial and societal expectations. In this special conversation she speaks with The New York Times Tokyo bureau chief Motoko Rich from her home in Tokyo and gives an insight into her literary life in the city.

Date:

3 October 2020

The Art of the Pinch: A Lecture and Demonstration on Tsumami Zaiku

Tsumami zaiku is a traditional Japanese craft that enjoys a long history of some 200 years. By folding and pinching colourful pieces of cloth, the technique enables you to create day-to-day accessories, including ornamental combs and hairpins (kanzashi), with elaborate and intricate designs such as delicate flowers and birds. It is believed that the wife of a daimyo (lord) and her lady-in-waiting started tsumami zaiku as a hobby. Over the years, however, the craft has been adopted into the lives of society at large with many women matching a variety of these handmade accessories to their ceremonial kimono worn at annual festivals or on special occasions. Furthermore, in recently years, tsumami zaiku has become stylish in popular culture, appealing to followers of contemporary fashion in and outside Japan.

With this in mind, we have invited YAMASHITA Tomomi, an official instructor of the technique, to lead a lecture on brief history of the artistry, describing how this handmade technique can be applied to and is enjoyed in modern times. She will then demonstrate the tsumami-making method, introducing the range of tools, techniques, fabrics, and explain the basics of fixing and assembling the piece so that you can create your very own design at home.

Joining YAMASHITA is Cora Fung, a practitioner of tsumami zaiku based in the UK who has been fascinated by the craft. She will define her own attraction to the craft, displaying examples of her own work as a way to show you how inclusive this hobby is of creators outside of Japan.

If you wish to craft alongside with us in real-time, we suggest you prepare for the session with the necessary materials listed below.

Join us and bring your own tsumami zaiku idea to life, be it an ornamental hairpin or an early Christmas decoration! All ages and skill levels welcome.

Materials for a simple one petal demonstration:

Woodworking glue
2-3 pieces of square cloth (about 4 cm). Fabric with bonds such as thin cotton is best.
If you have some, tapered long tweezers. If not, there may be alternative instructions on folding by hand.
Something flat to lay underneath the materials (for those who want to use starch glue). You can find out how to make starch glue by clicking here.

About the speakers

YAMASHITA Tomomi is a Certified Instructor of the Tsumami Zaiku Association. She has hosted workshops for some 500 visitors from over 30 countries around the world. In 2019, she has also launched the ‘Tsumami kanzashi’ website to pass on the traditions of and information on tsumami zaiku. So far, the website has been visited by people from over 50 countries and can be found here: tsumami-kanzashi.com/

Cora Fung is a self-taught tsumami zaiku artist based in Sheffield. She has been practising the craft for three and a half years and has created a wide range of accessories and artwork. Apart from traditional subjects such as chrysanthemum and crane, she also creates modern patterns and objects such as angel wings, ocean waves, and umbrellas. She trades under the trade name Takara Crafts and her crafts have been showcased in various craft fairs and exhibitions in the Yorkshire area and Manchester.

This talk has been made possible with the kind assistance of Kayoko Tezuka, Tuning for the Future (TFF) in Japan.

http://www.npo-tff.org

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please click here.

Date:	28 November 2020 from 11.00am
For more information, please click here.

Celebrating:

Free Japanese Film Streaming!

During this unprecedented situation we all find oursleves in, we believe it important to share the beauty of Japanese cinema through free streaming services. The below links will take you to two film sharing initiatives that the Japan Foundation has been involved in.

We hope you enjoy the complimentary access these films while they are available!

'Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2016: Reflections'

A great opportunity to watch three fantastic pieces of cinema produced by the Japan Foundation Asia Centre and Tokyo International Film Festival. A journey through space and time!

Available online until June 30, 2020

Moosic Lab X Japanese Film Festival

Thanks to Moosic Lab, our film festival in Asia has set up a free streaming service where you can watch both feature and short Japanese indie films.

No subscription needed!

Expires early June 2020

Date:

29 April 2020 - 30 June 2020

MANGA in a global society: the origins and development of a genre – Special Lecture with Fusanosuke Natsume, Manga Critic and Columnist

We are delighted to welcome Professor Fusanosuke Natsume to give a lecture on manga in global society.

The term manga originated in China; it was first employed in Japan in the Edo period (1608-1868). The most representative example of its use in Japan is Hokusai manga (fifteen volumes issued serially between 1814 and 1819 and then in 1830s and 1840s with the final volume appearing in 1878), however, the meaning of the word in the Edo period was not the same as the meaning of manga today. In the Meiji period (1868-1912), in response to the shock of western culture, the printing technologies, distribution and production processes were all modernized. Aware of its connections with Japan’s traditional culture, the word manga was redefined as a new genre. After that, under the influence of European and American caricatures and cartoons, manga, as a medium, came to include aspects of both. Today, when we use the word ‘manga’, in most of cases, we mean MANGA created after 1980s. Are the manga in Japan and manga read by a global audience the same? Or are they different?

Known in Japan as a manga critic and columnist, Professor Fusanosuke Natsume teaches critical studies on manga and animation at Gakushuin University. He was awarded the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 1999. During the course of his career, he has engaged in debates surrounding manga as ‘anti-art’ seen many attempts to create exhibitions of manga, and explored the boundaries between manga in Japan and graphic novels, bande dessinée and comics from other parts of the world.

To reserve your place, please call the Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996, email events@japansociety.org.uk or submit the online booking form.

Date:	19 August 2019 from 6.45pm
Venue:	The Swedenborg Society, 20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Hall entrance on Barter St), London WC1A 2TH
For more information, please click here.

This event is planned by the Japan Society in association with the British Museum and the Japan Foundation.

Spirits of Action: Japanese Manga and Sports

Being an avid manga reader and a sport fanatic may seem to be mutually exclusive characteristics. In Japanese manga history, however, they have always been a good match and played well together in attracting manga fans as well as enthusiastic sports players. From tennis to judo, a huge variety of sports have been a source of inspiration for the ‘sports manga’ form of the graphic novel read by girls, boys, and young adults alike, and the genre has kept driving the market and readership forward. Certain works have gained huge momentum and have become a trend in Japanese society. The genre’s continuing popularity and influence is proven in the fact that many ‘sports manga’ titles have been adapted into other media such as film and animation.

In the lead up to TOKYO2020 (postponed to next year), the Japan Foundation has invited YOSHIMURA Kazuma of Kyoto Seika University to talk about the inseparable relationship between manga and sports. Succinctly tracing its history from post-war to today, YOSHIMURA will discuss the position of ‘sports manga’ in Japanese culture and how its contents have evolved to reflect the time, society and people’s spirits, and indeed how the genre has managed to keep attracting Japanese readers, as well as manga artists, even while changing its shape.

After YOSHIMURA’s presentation, there will be a brief conversation with Rayna Denison.

About the speakers

YOSHIMURA Kazuma completed coursework for a Ph.D. program at Ritsumeikan University. He currently serves as the head of the Faculty of Manga, as well as at the International Manga Research Center. His field of research is in the history of philosophy and manga studies. Yoshimura’s published work includes Manga’s Handling of Prejudice (2007), Manga Textbook (2008), Multiple Hiroshima (2012), ‘Chiran’ as a convenient manga experience – Media dynamics of ‘Authentic record on KAMIKAZE’ (printed in The Birth of Chiran, edited by Yoshiaki Fukuma, Makoto Yamazaki, 2015), and Osamu Tezuka – ‘the God of Manga’ fostered by unfavorable wind (printed in Intellectual History of Japanese People Vol.4 (2015, Iwanami Shoten).

Rayna Denison is a Senior Lecturer in and Head of Department for the Film, Television and Media Studies at the University of East Anglia. Her research and teaching interests centre on Japanese film and animation. She is the author of Anime: A Critical Introduction (Bloomsbury 2015), and the editor of Princess Mononoke: Understanding Studio Ghibli’s Monster Princess (Bloomsbury 2018). Her scholarly articles can be found in many leading journals, including Cinema Journal, Velvet Light Trap, Japan Forum and the International Journal of Cultural Studies.

Image credit: 原作／恵本裕子、脚色・構成・作画／小林まこと『JJM　女子柔道部物語』第1巻（講談社、2016年） ©小林まこと／講談社

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please click here.

Date:

28 October 2020 from 12.00pm

A Story in Four Frames - Japanese Yonkoma Manga

Yonkoma manga is one of a range of manga formats produced in Japan. As the direct translation of the name suggests, it comprises of just 4 frames in which a story starts, develops and ends. Although it may be relatively unknown overseas, this manga style has a long-standing history. Primarily associated with daily printed newspapers for many years, the characters featured in specific yonkoma often could become household names while the storylines tend to develop while reflecting social and political trends. In recent years, there has been a rise in more variation of content but the simplicity and conciseness in telling a story, reminiscent of Japanese haiku, remains the same.

Following the yonkoma manga workshop we held in May 2020, the Japan Foundation has invited SAIKA Tadahiro of Kyoto Seika University to explain the characteristics of yonkoma manga and trace its history to date. SAIKA will also examine the way this classic format, which is embedded in Japanese culture, has evolved over time and in the context of changes in Japanese society, while introducing some of the new wave seen in the world of contemporary yonkoma manga.

A brief conversation with London-based writer, curator, critic and lecturer specialising in international comics, Paul Gravett, will follow SAIKA’s lecture.

About the speakers

SAIKA Tadahiro was born in Wakayama, Japan in 1980. He completed his PhD at the Graduate School of Cultural Studies, Kobe University. SAIKA is currently a research fellow at the International Manga Research Center, Kyoto Seika University. His research interests include the social context in which manga is produced and the way in which the gaze towards manga artists has shifted with time. In addition to carrying out his research, he translates and writes articles on manga and also teaches at various universities in Japan.

Paul Gravett, co-founder of Escape magazine and Comica Festival, is a London-based writer, curator, critic and lecturer specialising in international comics. His books include Manga: Sixty Years of Japanese Comics (2004), Great British Comics (2006), Incredibly Strange Comics (2008), Comics Art (2013), Mangasia: The Definitive Guide to Asian Comics (2017) and Posy Simmonds (2019). He also edited 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die (2011). He has curated retrospectives of several prominent creators and co-curated Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK for The British Library. In 2017, he curated Mangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics, which The Barbican Centre is touring worldwide.

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please click here.

Date:	26 November 2020 from 12.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Celebrating:

“Course on the Application of ICT for Teachers - Learning ICT Literacy Through Practice”

Instructor: Dr. Tomohisa Yamada, Hokkaido University Associate Professor

Guidelines for Applicants

At the Japan Foundation, London, we create and offer quality professional development programmes for educators in Japanese language education.

This newly developed online course aims to help teachers to update and increase their ICT literacy skills. Participants will be invited to be a member of our safe and friendly online learning community to work on carefully selected tasks at their own pace. There will also be a plenty of opportunities to ask questions and to receive guidance and feedback.

Type: Online (using Zoom and Slack software)

Event period: End of November 2020 to March 2021

Applicant Criteria: Teachers of Japanese who are currently employed by an educational institution in the United Kingdom or Europe. (We will prioritise applications from teachers working in secondary education in the United Kingdom)

Participation Requirements: Participants must have no issues with online learning and be able to participate actively in topic discussions, as well as granting permission for the Japan Foundation, London to use images, recordings, surveys, interviews etc for activity reports, evaluations, and future publicity.

Course Language: The course will mainly be conducted in Japanese, but there will be English language support when necessary.

Number of Participants: 15

How to Apply: Please fill out the online form below.

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/P0Z0E5/

Application Deadline: 16^th November (Monday) 9:00AM (GMT)

Note: This course is designed to take place with a small number of participants. The Japan Foundation, London will evaluate applications to decide on who will participate. Please understand that we cannot answer questions regarding success or failure of application.

Please click here to download the Guidelines for Applicants

Schedule (planned):

- 16^th November 2020 (Monday) – Application deadline

- 20^th November 2020 (Friday) – Notification of application results

- 28^th November 2020 (Saturday) – Course orientation

- December 2020 – Distribution of Lecture Video 1

- January 2021 – Distribution of Lecture Video 2

- February 2021 – Distribution of Lecture Video 3

- March 2021 – Reflection and evaluations

Instructor: Dr. Tomohisa Yamada

Associate Professor at Hokkaido University (Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education/ Graduate School of International Media-Communication and Tourism Studies)

Dr Yamada has an MA from the Institute of Education, University of London, and Ph.D. in Education from Hokkaido University. After working with the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies Language Centre and Saga University Exchange Student Centre, he assumed his present post in 2012. His area of research is educational technology and teacher education. As well as his research activities, he is actively involved in giving lectures and professional development programmes aimed at increasing ICT literacy for teachers of Japanese. He was awarded the Hokkaido University Excellent Teachers award (2014 to 2019). Among his key publications are “Practical Use of ICT (Second Edition)” and “Active Learning for Teachers of Japanese” (Kuroshio Shuppan).

Message from the Instructor:

In 2020, due to Covid-19, our lives and our classroom classes have become limited, and we have been forced to move online. Teachers are now urgently required to be able to use ICT. Not only focusing on improving the efficiency of administration and teaching results, but also looking ahead to the future of education, this online course will be formed of the following three perspectives:

Making and Organising: A lesson on the efficacy of the creation of teaching materials, managing student grades and data management.
Presentation: A lesson on what ICT literacy is necessary to present teaching materials to learners.
Linking: A lesson on how to create a space outside of the classroom for teachers and learners to make connections, and how to use that space effectively.

We aim to have participants in this course learn these points together, and for the participants a learning community which promote/value collaborative collegiality. I hope that through this network, the amount of colleagues to whom you can express your “how do I do this?” will increase, and this network that will begin in the United Kingdom will spread to Europe.

Course Coordinator: Yuko Fujimitsu (The Japan Foundation, London – Japanese Language Chief Advisor)

Date:	16 November 2020
Venue:	Online.

[Online Talk] Designs That Defined Modern Japan

The decades leading up to the turn of the 21^st century have seen in Japan an unprecedented amount of growth and development, with the nation spearheading the way in pioneering technologies, art, and designs. While some cross-referenced existing global design movements, Japanese creators have focused on the needs and preferences of their society, creating many ground-breaking products with new conceptions that revolutionised not only the fields of design in Japan, but also provided key inspiration for future designs in the Western world. From fashion to ceramics, transportation devices to objects used in the daily lives of the average person, Japan offered new directions to explore original ideas.

But are there any tangible items in particular which can be said to stand out as the game changers in the history of Japanese design? To answer this question, we invite Professor KASHIWAGI Hiroshi, a prominent design historian and critic, who will draw on his long-standing career in the field to give his view as to the objects which deserve such an esteemed title. After introducing and providing a socio-historical background on his selection of objects, he will delve into where he believes the future of Japanese design is heading. Following KASHIWAGI's presentation, there will be a short discussion with Josephine Rout, Curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About the speakers

KASHIWAGI Hiroshi is a Professor Emeritus at Musashino Art University, Tokyo. Majored in History of Modern Design. He is a design critic and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Art, London. Born in Kobe in 1946. Graduated with a design degree from Musashino Art University. He has been attempting to spell out modern thought aesthetic through his research in design. Selected Exhibitions: Curator for the exhibition; Tanaka Ikko Retrospective Exhibition, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, 2003. Curator for the exhibition; Fantaisies Cybernetiques, Maison de la culture du Japon a Paris, 2003-4. Selected Publication: Modan dezain hihan (Critique of the modern design) Iwanami Syoten, Tokyo, 02. “Shikiri” no Bunkaron (Cultural studies on “boundary”) Kodansya, Tokyo. 04. Tantei-syosetu no shitunai (Interior of Detective Story) Hakusuisya, Tokyo, 11. Dezain no Kyokasyo (The Textbook on Design) Kodansya, Tokyo, 11. Kaji no seijigaku (Studies on Domestic Science) Iwanami Syoten, Tokyo, 15. Shikaku no Seimeiryoku (The Life Force of Visual Culture) Iwanami Syoten, Tokyo. 17.

Josephine Rout is a Curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum where she looks after the Japanese collections of Meiji, Modern and Contemporary Fashion, Design and Metalwork. She is a graduate of the University of Canterbury, Aotearoa, New Zealand, and the Royal College of Art, London. At the V&A, she was Assistant Curator for the Toshiba Gallery of Japanese Art refurbishment, curated the Friday Late Neo Nipponica and was Project Curator of the exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk. Her first book, Japanese Dress in Detail (2020), is shortlisted for the 2021 Association of Dress Historians Book of the Year Award.

The Japan Foundation Game Changer Series: The World is Changing; What Changed Japan

Please note that this will be an Online Event held on Zoom.

This online event is free to attend but places are limited and registration is essential. To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	23 June 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

All You May Want to Know About Shojo Manga
A Lecture by Tomoko Yamada

Though it might not be widely recognised in the UK, shojo manga (girls’ manga) is an established genre within the Japanese manga world, for many decades having been primarily targeted at a female readership demographic. Constantly evolving in its narrative structures as well as the pictorial expression, it has inspired girls and young women through comic media suitable for different stages of their lives. Reflecting the demands of Japanese contemporary society, it often acts as a companion guide on which its readers can model their life styles.

So what is shojo manga and what actually defines the genre?

The Japan Foundation is delighted to welcome manga curator, critic, and shojo manga researcher at Meiji University, Tomoko Yamada, who will take you on a journey through the world of shojo manga with her insightful and informative illustrated talk. Having written extensively on the effects of the genre on visual pop culture, and interviewed many shojo manga artists including Keiko Takemiya, Yamada will delineate the origin of shojo manga as well as the characteristics and development of this unique narrative art with fresh perspective. Yamada will also elucidate how the readers have interacted with one another during the development of the genre throughout the years, while pointing out some of the pivotal moments in the history of shojo manga.

This talk will map out Japan’s arguably lesser known yet certainly one of the most expansive manga genres, as well as offer the opportunity to discover more about who’s who in shojo manga, complementing the City: Manga exhibition at the British Museum.

Date:	24 August 2019 from 2.30pm
Venue:	The Swedenborg Society \| Swedenborg Hall \| 20-21 Bloomsbury Way \| London WC1A 2TH
For more information, please click here.

In Partnership with:

And Celebrating:

Seikatsu Kogei: Objects For Intentional Living Exhibition Organised by The Japan Foundation, Sydney

Organised by The Japan Foundation, Sydney, Seikatsu Kogei: Objects for Intentional Living explores the Japanese craft movement that began in the 1990s known as Seikatsu Kogei, or lifestyle crafts. See how the works of Seikatsu Kogei artists re-examine our relationship to the objects in our lives, presented together in Australia for the first time.

Included in this exhibition are some 50 works by 22 currently-active Seikatsu Kogei artists. The objects on display are made from a variety of materials, including wood, ceramics, lacquer, glass, metal, bamboo, paper and clay.

Due to the unexpected closure of The Japan Foundation Sydney gallery as a result of COVID-19, the Seikatsu Kogei: Objects for Intentional Living exhibition is now available to view online. We invite you to enjoy the exhibition virtually by clicking here.

Please note that the end date of the exhibition may be subject to change.

Date:

21 February 2020 - 31 July 2020

Carving Out Beauty - The Life and Work of Munakata Shiko

"Like the vastness of space, like a universe unlimited, untold, unattainable, and inscrutable- that is the woodcut."

– Shiko Munakata.
(Munakata: the “Way” of the Woodcut, Brooklyn, Pratt Adlib Press, 1961)

Best known for his earlier phase of black and white woodblock prints, MUNAKATA Shiko (1903-1975) is one of the greatest Japanese artists of the 20th century. His works are instantly recognisable by the expressive urgency with which he worked to bring out the vitality that is characteristic of his art. A self-taught artist, he continued to be inspired by the love of nature and folk traditions of his native Aomori. Perhaps the most indicative element of his work has been the Buddhist imagery created in Toyama (after the 1945 bombing of Tokyo forced him to escape the capital), which heavily featured in his prints and earned him a number of accolades from esteemed temples of Japan. He made his mark on an international scale, too, receiving first prize in exhibitions held in Lugano (1952), Sao Paulo (1955), Venice (1956), and Hayward Gallery in London (1991), as part of an exhibition which subsequently toured in the UK.

Ensuring the legacy of his name lives on in present day, independent curator and researcher, ISHII Yoriko, has been a key figure in lectures and publications aimed at revealing a hidden side of the folk art master. As MUNAKATA’s granddaughter, she is arguably best equipped to do so.

Commemorating the 45th anniversary of MUNAKATA’s death, The Japan Foundation is delighted to welcome her as she delivers an insightful online talk about the life and work of the artist, drawing on personal memories of him to paint a picture of the man behind the woodblock prints. Elaborating on the philosophy and techniques used by MUNAKATA in his work, as well as the different stages of this career as an artist, ISHII will explain the significance his prints continue to have – both in Japan and globally – and what is being done to preserve his memory.

After her presentation, ISHII will have a brief conversation with artist, educator and author, Elspeth Lamb.

About the speakers

ISHII Yoriko

Born in Tokyo in 1956, she is the granddaughter of MUNAKATA Shiko. After graduating from university, she began working as a curator at the Munakata Museum of Art (closed in 2011) in Kamakura City. In recent years, through exhibition supervision, writing, lectures, and similar activities, she has worked to convey the lesser known attributes of her grandfather. ISHII is also currently a special researcher at Nanto Shiritsu Fukumitsu Museum.

Elspeth Lamb

Elspeth Lamb is an artist, educator and author. Her book ‘Papermaking for Printmakers’ was published by A&C Black London in 2006 and sells worldwide. She has exhibited in New York, London, Tokyo, Kyoto and Toronto and she has been artist in residence in Japan several times since 2000 ,studying and researching with hanga masters and more recently with a Unesco Hosokawa-shi papermaking master in Ogawa, Japan.

This talk has been made possible with the kind assistance of Kayoko Tezuka, Tuning for the Future (TFF) in Japan.

http://www.npo-tff.org

Image credit: In Praise of Flower Hunting, 1954 /「華狩頌（はなかりしょう）1954」, Shiko Munakata

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please click here.

Date:	20 October 2020 from 12.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Postgraduate Workshop 2021

The Japan Foundation/BAJS Postgraduate Workshop is back! A lot has changed since the 2020 iteration, and this year’s online workshop will be tackling the effects of the global pandemic on academia head on. The workshop will take place online and will be spread over two mornings. The aim of this workshop will be to help postgraduate students develop their careers in JS navigating the 'new normal'.

This year, participating students will also be able to present their latest research to academics and their peers, gaining important feedback at a time when presenting opportunities is low.

There will also be talks and discussions about key areas surrounding the rapidly changing world of Japanese Studies. Topics will include:

Funding opportunities available to PhD candidates and early career researchers.
The current state of academia in Japan and the effects of COVID-19
Job opportunities both inside and outside of academia
Creating a social media research presence
And more…

Eligibility

Registration is open to postgraduate in any field of the humanities of social sciences with a focus on Japan (including comparative studies). Spaces are limited and priority will be given to PhD/Dphil students from the UK/Ireland. Master’s level students may apply at any time but their places will not be confirmed until closer to the event. Students must be able to attend both days.

Registration is free for all participants. To register, please fill in this form.

Date:	25 February 2021 - 26 February 2021
Venue:	Online

Naomi Kawase: In Focus
at the Open City Documentary Festival

The Japan Foundation is proud to partner with Open City Documentary Festival on screenings of a selection of works by critically-acclaimed Japanese director, Naomi Kawase.

The director herself will be in attendance.

Sunday, 8 September at Regent Street Cinema

1:30pm - Embracing + Sky, Wind, Fire, Water, Earth + Q&A

In these two deeply personal films, Naomi Kawase reflects on her relationship with her father, absent throughout her childhood. Embracing (1992) revolves around Naomi’s search for her father despite her adoptive mother’s discouragement and her own doubts about what she might find. Combining nostalgic home movies and handheld Super 8mm footage of nature, Kawase weaves together an achingly beautiful search for identity and the true meaning of family. Sky, Wind, Fire, Water, Earth (2001) chronicles Naomi’s reaction to her father’s death a decade later, drawing lifelong connections between her original search, her childhood with her adoptive parents and her unfulfilled longing for a relationship with her birth parents.

Followed by a Q&A with director Naomi Kawase

4:00pm - Katatsumori + See Heaven + Chiri + Intro

This triptych of moving tributes from Naomi Kawase creates an affectionate portrait of her bond with her great-aunt who adopted and raised her. Capturing her lovingly with close up Super 8mm photography, Katatsumori (1994) introduces us to Uno Kawase as she enters her eighties. A recurrent figure in all of Kawase’s personal documentaries, Uno remains kind, good-humoured and devoted to her adoptive daughter, and See Heaven (1995) offers an intimate, experimental collage of images dedicated to the playful but tender relationship between the two. In Chiri (2012), we witness Uno’s daily routine as she nears her final days and Kawase grapples with coming to terms with her great-aunt’s passing.

Director Naomi Kawase will be present to introduce the screening.

Monday, 9 September at Curzon Soho Cinema

6:30pm - Birth/Mother + Extended Conversation

About to give birth to her own child, Naomi Kawase turns her camera back on to her adoptive mother and great-aunt in this riveting examination of family, motherhood and the female body. An intensely intimate and candid film, Birth/Mother (2006) captures images of her great-aunt’s ageing body while Kawase reflects on her own journey to becoming a mother. The film offers a more complex portrayal of the relationship between the two women than Kawase’s earlier shorts, but the connection between them remains undeniable.

Naomi Kawase will join us after the screening of the film for an extended in-conversation event

Date:	8 September 2019 - 9 September 2019
Venue:	The Regent Street Cinema, 307 Regent St, London W1B 2HW and Curzon Soho Cinema, 99 Shaftesbury Ave, Soho, London W1D 5DY
For more information, please click here.

Presented by:

Celebrating:

UK-JAPAN Bridge Together Project

UK-JAPAN Bridge Together Project: Sakubei Yamamoto Coal Mining Paintings World Tour

As part of the Beyond 2020 programme, the Bridge Together Project is exhibiting the coal mining paintings of Sakubei Yamamoto which have been registered as a UNESCO Memory of the World – the first Japanese artefacts to receive the honour. The exhibition will tour cities around the world in the lead up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games.

Date: 4 October – 15 November 2019

Venue: Embassy of Japan, 101-104 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 7JT

Date: 14 September 2019 – 30 September 2020

Venue: Big Pit National Coal Museum, Pontypool NP4 9XP, Wales

Sakubei Yamamoto Coal Mining Paintings World Tour

Date:	4 October 2019 - 30 September 2020
For more information, please click here.

Celebrating:

Nihongo Cup 2020 - Finals Day

The UK’s talented young students of Japanese language will be competing at the Finals Day of the Nihongo Cup – the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary Schools.

Students from all levels of Secondary education – Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 – will showcase their amazing talent and hard work in their Japanese language studies while competing for some fantastic prizes.

Due to the current situation with Covid-19, the Finals Day will take place as an online event this year. We will be posting more details shortly, so please check back here for updates.

Please be aware that this event is closed to the public. Spectators will be limited to finalists, their families and their teachers, as well as Nihongo Cup organisers, sponsors and so on.

To read our report about last year’s finals day, click here.

Download the programme for Finals Day by clicking here!

Date:	27 June 2020 from 12.30pm
Venue:	Online event.

The Nihongo Cup is co-organised by the Japanese Language Committee of the Association for Language Learning (ALL) and the Japan Foundation London.

Author Talk with Kanako Nishi

Since her debut in 2004 with a collection of short stories Blue (Aoi), Kanako Nishi’s star has risen rapidly in the Japanese literary world. Born in Tehran, and raised in Cairo and Osaka, Nishi has been praised by critics for her unorthodox style and the use of language in her books which are often written using the distinctive Kansai dialect. The praise has also materialised into awards she has garnered, among them the Oda Sakunosuke Prize in 2006, the Kawai Hayao Literary Prize in 2012, and the prestigious Naoki Prize in 2015 for her novel Saraba! (2014). Notably, she is also an accomplished author of children’s books with one of her representative works, Entaku (Entaku: Kokko Hitonatsu no Imagine, 2011), having been adapted into film by Isao Yukisada in 2014. Her other novels have inspired many filmmakers as well as enthusiastic readers from different generations.

In conjunction with her much anticipated appearance at this year's Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, Nishi, in conversation with literary translator Polly Barton, will talk about her work aimed at both adult and younger readerships, reflecting on the inspiration behind her stories and her writing style, including how she draws on her own international upbringing to shape her narratives. They will also discuss some of the major themes explored in Nishi’s novels such as individualism, society, power, and what the author wishes to express through her literature.

Though many of Nishi’s books are yet to be translated, this talk will provide a first insight into the creative process of one of Japan’s best-loved novelists, whose debut on a global stage has been eagerly anticipated.

A small selection of Nishi’s works translated into English:

Merry Christmas, English trans. Allison Markin Powell, fiftystorms.org https://fiftystorms.org/merry-christmas-by-kanako-nishi

Burn, English trans. Allison Markin Powell, Freeman's: Power, Fall 2018　issue https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802128203

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential. To book via Eventbrite,　please click here.

このイベントは無料ですが、事前予約が必要です。お申し込みはこちらからお願いいたします。

Date:	11 October 2019 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Royal Society of Arts (RSA), Durham Auditorium, Durham House Street — off The Strand, London WC2N 6HG

This event is organised in partnership with The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival. Nishi will be appearing at the Cheltenham Literature Festival on Saturday, 12 October in the morning and afternoon. For more information about the Festival, please visit their website here.

Celebrating:

The Japan Foundation Touring Exhibition:
The Superlative Artistry of Japan

This exhibition captures Japan’s creative culture and monozukuri spirit through the theme of “superlative artistry,” which refers to the exceptional methods and techniques used. Starting with the craft works from the Meiji era, the exhibition features 38 items across a wide range of genres, including contemporary art, craft works, food samples, and shokugan (small toys sold with candy).

This is the only chance to see this popular exhibition in the UK, don't miss it!

Update: The official exhibition catalogue is now available for viewing online completely free of charge. Simply click on the PDF icon below and enjoy the exhibition from home!

Date:	18 January 2020 - 19 April 2020
Venue:	Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Crescent, Salford M5 4WU
Download Exhibition Catalogue

Celebrating:

Game + Culture: Co-evolution of Japanese Video Games and Society

From the likes of the Super Mario series to the more recent Animal Crossing and e-sports, Japanese video games have been widely acknowledged as some of the best in business, attracting evangelical fans all over the world. Though ostensibly created with borderless content and universal characters, it is argued by some that Japanese video games are deeply embedded in and reflective of Japanese society. Their palpable spirit and philosophies may be understood as being sourced from Japan’s old traditions, even from well-known art forms such as haiku and the practice of tea ceremony. However, it is difficult to perceive at a glance how these seemingly unrelated pretechnological art forms and culture have influenced 21st century digital content.

Inviting HIRABAYASHI Hisakazu, a video game journalist and analyst, this special talk aims to identify ‘Japaneseness’ in digital game content, analysing to what degree it has rooted from Japanese cultural as well as social history and to what extent it is indebted to old Japanese traditions. While illustrating some characteristics of leading game companies such as Nintendo, HIRABAYASHI also explains the future visions of these companies and game creators against a background of the recent evidence of a decline in the global share of Japanese games.

A brief conversation with Culture Director of the BGI, Iain Simons, will follow HIRABAYASHI’s lecture.

About the speakers

HIRABAYASHI Hisakazu (Interact Co., Ltd. CEO / Game analyst) In 1985, after graduating from Aoyama Gakuin University, he joined the publishing company Takarajima where he worked as editor of a game specialty magazine. In 1991, he established Interact Co., Ltd., a consulting company specializing in the game industry, and started supporting companies entering the game industry. He currently works as a consultant of the game industry, a journalist, and a commentator on television and radio programs. HIRABAYASHI’s works include the book Gemū no daigaku (The University of Gaming) and Gemū no jiji mondai (Current Issues in Gaming). He is an editorial board member of Digital content white paper of Japan, as well as a board member of the Japan Game Culture Foundation.

Iain Simons makes, writes and talks about videogames and culture across many popular and specialist media. He has written numerous books and papers and regularly contributes to conferences and events around the world. In 2005 he curated the first videogame festival at London’s SouthBank Centre, after which he founded GameCity in 2006. In 2008, this project led to co-founding the first National Videogame Archive, with the National Media Museum. In 2015 he co-founded the National Videogame Arcade, the acclaimed cultural centre for games, which following a merger with the BGI relaunched as the National Videogame Museum. He has worked as a creative consultant with many organisations including the BBC, ArtsDepot, British Film Institute, Barbican Centre, NHS and sits on the heritage advisory board of BAFTA.

Image credit: Partial photo of retro Nintendo games by Nick Hamze on Unsplash

Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

To book your place, please click here.

Date:	12 November 2020 from 12.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Nihongo Cup 2021 - Applications Open!

Nihongo Cup is the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School students across three categories: Key Stage 3, Pre-GCSE Key Stage 4 and 5, and Post GCSE Key Stage 4 and 5.

Finalists will be invited to perform their speeches as part of an online Finals Day. Their speeches will be watched by a panel of judges and VIPs from the field of Japanese language education and Japan-UK relations. They will also have a chance to win some fantastic prizes!

Finals day will take place on 10^th July 2021 (Saturday).

You can also find articles about previous Nihongo Cup finals on our News Page.

To find out more and to download application forms, please download the "Application Pack" zip file at the bottom of this event listing.

The Application Pack contains an application form, information and rules and a flier/poster.

Please read the information carefully before applying.

The closing date for applications is: 23rd April 2021 (extended!)

Date:	16 December 2020 - 23 April 2021
Download Nihongo Cup Application Pack 26-02

Nihongo Cup is organised by the Association for Language Learning (ALL) and the Japan Foundation London.

[Online Talk] Art In Motion - Creatives Who Have Transitioned to Video Artistry

Since its emergence in the late 1960s, video artistry has been gaining an increasingly prominent position in the visual arts sphere, forming a key element in many independent and large-scale exhibitions worldwide. Setting itself apart from conventional filmmaking, its unique way of conveying a particular vision or message has been adopted by many artists, including those who do not necessarily begin their career with motion image.

So, what is the attraction of video art from the artists’ perspective? Is it easier to create in its infinite variety and in the current times which heavily rely on digital alternatives? Perhaps it provides a greater medium for expression?

In conjunction with the Japan Foundation’s online exhibition, 11 Stories on Distanced Relationships - Contemporary Art from Japan (which ran 30 March - 5 May 2021), we have invited three of the exhibited artists, who are either based in or closely connected to the UK, and who began their careers with other media of expression but later adopted moving image.

The three artists are NOGUCHI Rika whose main medium is photography but who recently started incorporating video art, YANAI Shino who produces performances and installations mostly in video, and SAWA Hiraki who studied sculpture but is known for his videos which capture his subject’s full psychological territory. Together they will talk us through their individual relationships with video art and what inspired them to select this medium in their conceptualisations, while introducing some of their representative works. The conversation will be led by Stuart Tulloch, curator and Head of Programme at Firstsite.

About the speakers

Stuart Tulloch is Head of Programme at Firstsite, Colchester (www.firstsite.uk). Previously Curator at Ikon Gallery, Birmingham (2012 – 2014) and Curator Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool (2003 – 2012). Between 1999 – 2003, Stuart was an Assistant Exhibition Organiser at Hayward Gallery, London. At Hayward he was part of the team that organised the major exhibition of contemporary Japanese art entitled Facts of Life, in 2001. He has since led solo exhibition presentations and projects by Shimabuku (Ikon, 2013) and Makoto Nomura (Grundy, 2004). He is currently leading a mayor project of new work by celebrated artist Michael Landy for Firstsite opening June 2021 - Welcome to Essex.

NOGUCHI Rika, born in 1971, lives and works in Okinawa Prefecture. NOGUCHI has been using the media of the photograph as a means to visualize “What is there, but invisible.” Recently she has also been working on video art focusing on subjects such as insects and plants. Major recent solo exhibitions include At the Bottom of the Sea (Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo, 2017) and To the Night Planet (Loock Gallery, Berlin, 2016). Group exhibitions include Twinkling Skin, Emission of Light by Life and Death (Ashikaga Museum of Art, Tochigi, 2020), and 21st Sydney Biennale SUPERPOSITION: Art of Equilibrium and Engagement (Sydney, Australia, 2018).

YANAI Shino lives and works in London. YANAI has produced performances and installations mostly in video and sound that explore through fieldwork the brutality inherent in beauty and socially or historically disguised violence. Recently, she has been interested in pathways and relics. Major recent solo exhibitions include The Deep End (Sagacho Archives, Tokyo, 2019) and Blue Passages (White Conduit Projects, London, 2016). Group exhibitions include 'de-sport: The Deconstruction and Reconstruction of Sports through Art (21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, 2020) and What We See (The National Museum of Art, Osaka, 2013).

SAWA Hiraki is based in London and the Ishikawa Prefecture. SAWA creates videos that capture his subject’s full psychological territory, including mental landscapes and memories. In recent years, he has worked on installations that combine an axis of video with three- and two-dimensional works. Major exhibitions include Overlapping Circles: 5 Artists Collaborate with the Collection (Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art, Chiba, 2020), KAAT Exhibition 2018: Hiraki Sawa (solo exhibition–Kanagawa Arts Theatre, Kanagawa, 2018), Under the Box, Beyond the Bounds (solo exhibition–Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo, 2014) and the 17th Sydney Biennale (Sydney, Australia, 2010).

Please note that this will be an Online Event held on Zoom.

This online event is free to attend but places are limited and registration is essential. To reserve your space, please book your ticket here:

https://bit.ly/3dFBoKb

Date:	25 May 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

A Reading Performance of Pearl and Dagger at The Other Palace

The Japan Foundation is proud to partner with Thèatre Lapis on this special reading performance.

Pearl and Dagger is a new musical inspired by the Japanese folktale, A Story of Oki Island, which can originally be found in Ancient Tales and Folklore of Japan, written in 1906 by Richard Gordon Smith, a British naturalist.

It is the story of Tokoyo, a young woman dealing with the grief over her deceased mother. When her father, the former samurai Oribe, is wrongly imprisoned on a mysterious island, she sets out on a journey to find him and must discover the secrets of the island, her family, and the meaning of real bravery.

Originally conceived by composer/lyricist Eden Tredwell, directed by Yojiro Ichikawa and co-written by Nozomi Abe, this is the first trial show of the unique production devised from the collaboration between British and Japanese artists, combining both Western musical theatre and Japanese tradition. As part of Thèatre Lapis five-year project ‘Brilliance 2016-2020’, which retells Japanese stories in unique theatre setting, the team behind this production aims to raise and increase awareness of Japan and Japanese culture, as well as hopes that this theatrical experience becomes an invitation to the world of Japanese aesthetics.

Thèatre Lapis is planning to expand this production and tour it to various locations in the UK towards 2020.

Date:	29 November 2019 from 2.00pm
Venue:	The Other Palace, Studio, 12 Palace Street, London SW1E 5JA
For more information, please click here.

Presented by:

Celebrating:

[Online Talk] The Pursuit for New Aesthetics - An Architectural Talk with HIRANO Toshiki

HIRANO Toshiki is an architectural designer based in Tokyo, Japan. Having studied under the globally acclaimed architect TAKAMATSU Shin, his talent began to be recognised abroad when he was awarded the Suzanne Kolarik Underwood Prize upon receiving his Master of Architecture degree from Princeton University in 2012. HIRANO aims to lend his distinct style to landmarks on an international scale as, in addition to his design work in Japan, he has been a pivotal creative voice involved in project proposals and design competitions such as for the Abu Dhabi Flamingo Visitor Center and the Aalto Museum Extension in Jyvaskyla, Finland. His work is frequently featured in public exhibitions such as his Malformed Objects at the Yamamoto Gendai, Tokyo in 2017. He teaches at the University of Tokyo and currently serves as a co-director of SEKISUI HOUSE - KUMA LAB by KUMA Kengo.

Ahead of the London Design Biennale 2021 in June, in which HIRANO will be representing Japan with his latest installation project Reinventing Texture supported by the Japan Foundation, we are proud to welcome him at an online talk event where he will discuss his defining projects including the work he will be presenting at the Biennale. HIRANO will also explore what he considers to be the new architectural aesthetic, as well as how his creative philosophy has and does determine his architectural activities. His presentation will be followed by fellow architect and co-founder of Pareid, Déborah Lopez, and will be moderated by Sarah Mineko Ichioka, director of Desire Lines (Singapore).

About the guest speakers

HIRANO Toshiki is an architectural designer based in Tokyo, Japan. He teaches at the University of Tokyo and currently serves as a co-director of SEKISUI HOUSE - KUMA LAB. His research and work investigate the new aesthetics in architecture drawing inspirations from digital technology, art and philosophy. His latest installation project "Reinventing Texture”, curated by Clare Farrow Studio, will be exhibited at Somerset House for the London Design Biennale 2021.

Website: toshiki-hirano.com

Sarah Mineko Ichioka, Hon FRIBA, leads Desire Lines, a strategic consultancy for environmental, cultural and social-impact organisations and initiatives. She has been recognised as a World Cities Summit Young Leader, one of the Global Public Interest Design 100, and a British Council / Clore Foundation Cultural Leadership International Fellow. She has advised initiatives including the European Prize for Urban Public Space, Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and Milan Triennale. Ichioka is a co-curator of the Singapore Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale of Architecture, and co-author, with Michael Pawlyn, of 'Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency' (forthcoming 2021).

Déborah Lopez is a licensed architect in Spain and co-founder of Pareid; an interdisciplinary design and research studio currently located in London. Her work adopts approaches from various fields and contexts, addressing topics related to climate, ecology, human perception, machine sentience, and their capacity for altering current modes of existence through imminent fictions (if). Currently, she is a Lecturer (Teaching) at the Bartlett, UCL in London where she co-leads Research Cluster 1 and 20 under the title of ‘Monumental Wastelands’. She has been recently awarded the Arquia Innova Award by Fundación Arquia and her work has been featured in different international institutions and exhibitions such as the Royal Academy of Arts, Centre Pompidou, the Seoul Biennale and the Venice Biennale.

Reinventing Texture by Toshiki Hirano in collaboration with MA Interior Design at the Royal College of Art and MSCTY Studio.

Curated by Clare Farrow, Interdisciplinary Curator and Writer, Clare Farrow Studio.

Sponsored by KP Acoustics and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, by the Japan Foundation and by Arts Council Tokyo.

The Biennale will run from 1-27 June and can be experienced in person and also digitally through the London Design Biennale website.

Please note that this will be an Online Event held on Zoom.

This online event is free to attend but places are limited and registration is essential. To reserve your space, please book your ticket here

Date:	3 June 2021 from 1.00pm
For more information, please click here.

Yonkoma manga: A workshop led by Shango

How have you been managing your life under the lockdown? Would you like to learn how to express and share a slice of your life in a manga panel? Follow as author and manga artist Shango gives you tips on drawing yonkoma manga online!

Yonkoma manga is a Japanese comic strip format which utilises four panels generally of equal size to tell a brief story or illustrate a scene – often with humorous undertones. Originating in early 20th century Japan, the format has proliferated in many other Asian countries, and indeed the West, since.

This workshop is open to all abilities and you do not have to have any prior knowledge of manga drawing, or yonkoma manga. Whether you just want to spend an hour creatively and ease any stresses, or are an aspiring illustrator, the pace will be right for everyone.

Following the workshop, participants are welcome to share their creations with us at Japan Foundation, as well as with Shango, by tagging our social media accounts or using the hashtag #YonkomaChallenge.

Author/Artist Shangomola Edunjobi began his comics career in 2014 when his One Page Comic ‘Scarlet’ took first prize in the London Graphic Novel Network A3 comic competition 2014. Since then he has won a series of awards and also contributed to the 2019 Citi MANGA exhibition at the British Museum as its Curator of tone. He will start the session by introducing his work, explaining his methods and motivations, such as the passion for creating ethnic diversity in comics. Then, he will take the participants through a step by step tutorial, teaching you structure, technique, and style so that you can add your individual story to the project.

Date:	29 May 2020 from 12.00pm
Venue:	Online Zoom Seminar
For more information, please click here.

[Online Event] Delving Into ' Grave of the Fireflies' with Alex Dudok de Wit

It is probably not an overstatement to say that many view the films produced by Studio Ghibli to be the gateway for the Japanese animation craze gaining traction across the globe. Easily accessible in foreign countries and boasting universally engaging and uplifting storylines, works like Spirited Away or My Neighbour Totoro directed by Hayao MIYAZAKI have become household names worldwide. However, the contributions of the other creative giant for Studio Ghibli, Isao TAKAHATA, have sometimes slipped under the radar; in particular those works with storylines which cannot necessarily be classed as fantasy or family friendly. One such film is Grave of the Fireflies, directed by TAKAHATA and based on an autobiographical story by NOSAKA Akiyuki. The film follows two Japanese children orphaned by a catastrophic air raid in Kobe, portraying their struggle to survive the last days of the Second World War with an unflinching realism rarely seen in animation. But why has this film been left out of the frenzied consumption of Studio Ghibli’s works?

In conjunction with the release of the first book-length study of the film in English, Grave of the Fireflies (BFI Film Classics) in May, we invite the author, Alex Dudok de Wit, a journalist with expertise on Japanese anime, to explore his findings and the significance of this title. With critical analysis contextualised by the film’s production background, he will focus on Isao TAKAHATA’s contribution to the animation genre, moving away from the more common spotlight on Hayao MIYAZAKI’s work. His presentation, which will include live reading of short passages from the book, will be followed by a conversation with Dr YOSHIOKA Shiro, lecturer in Japanese Studies at Newcastle University, who specialises in MIYAZAKI and Studio Ghibli’s animation.

‘Grave of the Fireflies’ by Alex Dudok de Wit will be published by Bloomsbury on 6 May (ISBN 9781838719241) as part of the BFI Film Classics series.

We are pleased to share an exclusive discount code for our subscribers and event attendees which can be applied when purchasing your own copy from bloomsbury.com.

To take advantage of this offer, please visit the official purchase site here, and enter code ‘GOTFJF’ at check out for 25% off and free shipping. Expires 25 June 2021.

Please note that any transactions carried out on bloomsbury.com fall under the merchant’s responsibility and any questions or issues related to a purchase should be directed to them.

About the guest speakers

Alex Dudok de Wit is a journalist who writes chiefly about the art and business of animation. He is the Associate Editor at Cartoon Brew, the most widely read animation news site, and an animation correspondent for Sight & Sound, the magazine of the British Film Institute. His writing has also appeared on the BBC and in Vulture, Little White Lies, The Telegraph, The i, The Independent, Time Out, and Index on Censorship. His first book, Grave of the Fireflies (BFI Film Classics), was published by Bloomsbury on May 6.

YOSHIOKA Shiro is lecturer in Japanese Studies of Newcastle University. His main research interest is Japanese popular culture, especially anime. He has published articles and book chapters on Ghibli, Miyazaki and Takahata in English and Japanese, and is currently working on a monograph on Miyazaki, which overviews his life and career focusing on how he came to be seen as an auteur and quasi-intellectual. Besides Miyazaki and Ghibli, recently he is interested in how fans experience anime beyond the texts in various ways such as ‘pilgrimage’ to the locales.

Please note that this will be an Online Event held on Zoom.

This online event is free to attend but registration is essential.

To reserve your space, please book your ticket here.

Date:	26 May 2021 from 6.30pm
For more information, please click here.

Celebrating:

Ghibli Double Bill!

If you’re interested in this event, you might enjoy the below event

hosted by our New York office:

Exporting Studio Ghibli: The Road to Worldwide Recognition

Date: 27 May, 7:00pm (BST)

Online Zoom event. Book here.

March 2020 – BATJ and JF Spring Seminar: Using Drama as a Method of Education

The upcoming seminar "Using Drama as a Method of Education", based on the seminar in April 2019 “Participatory Approaches and Drama for Learning”, aims to further explore of the possibility of the drama method for Japanese Language Education. Inviting Professor Michiharu Miyazaki (Hirosaki University, Society for Acquisition-Oriented Learning Board Member) as a keynote speaker, this seminar will introduce the knowledge gained from the latest practical education research. We hope that the participants will be able to use the seminar as an opportunity to learn from exchanging ideas and conversing with each other.

Speaker: Professor Michiharu Miyazaki

Professor Miyazaki worked for 30 years as a teacher at the Toho Gakuen Elementary School and began work at Hirosaki University in April 2018. His specialities are drama education, education methods and teacher education. In 1995, he met Dr. Watanabe Jun at an invitation programme of the global education advocate Dr. David Selby. Professor Miyazaki has been an active member in the Society for Acquisition Oriented Learning since its foundation in 2006, taking a central role in the development of learning activities and has co-published many works on practical studies with Dr. Watanabe. He also writes scripts for children’s plays and is involved in staging them. Selected publications: Watanabe Jun, Society for Acquisition Oriented Learning. (2018) “Introduction to Participatory Activities” (Gakuji-shuppan); Watanabe Jun et al. (2019) “Methods of Education and Skill Theory” (Kobundo)

This seminar will take place entirely online, enabling participation from teachers all over the world.

Please note that this seminar will take place entirely in Japanese.

To find out more and to apply to attend, please go to the BATJ website by clicking this link.

Cost: £10 (BATJ members), £20 (non-BATJ members)

Date:	14 March 2020 from 9.00am - 4.30pm
Venue:	Online seminar

All times displayed are Greenwich Mean Time. Please be mindful of the time difference between GMT and your region.

Organised by:

In collaboraton with:

Applications for the Japanese Local Project Support Programme 2021-2022 are open!

Institutions can apply for up to £3000 for non-profit-making projects or activities which promote Japanese language education in the UK. Please check out our website for information on the type of projects we support, such as newly introducing Japanese into the curriculum or funding Japanese clubs.

We prioritise projects that fit into the following four categories:

1. Newly introducing Japanese into the curriculum

2. Supporting GCSE or A-level courses

3. Japanese clubs

Up to £2,000 for organisations that newly introduce Japanese as an extracurricular activity or enrichment subject. In the case of schools, this is even if this is not within the school timetable. Covers staff cost, Japanese language book cost, origami cost and calligraphy cost. Clubs may take place online or offline.

4. Projects that enable links between primary/secondary institutions and institutions of higher education

The application deadline for the 2021-22 programme is 28th May.

This year’s first funding deadline is 28^th May – so please get your applications in by that date!

Download the following three documents by clicking on the “attachment” links at the end of this article:

- - The General Information document.

- - The Application Form.

- - The Grant Flowchart

Date:	4 May 2021 - 28 May 2021
Download 2021-22 Flowchart
Download 2021-22 Application Form
Download 2021-22 General Information

We will also be holding a seminar on 14th May (Friday) providing application guidance. Find out more here: https://jpf.org.uk/whatson.php#1175

Local Project Support Programme 2021-2022 Online Seminar and Q&A Session – Applications Open!

This session will be held twice on 14^th May 2021 (Friday).

1. First Session: 13:00 to 14:00

2. Second Session: 18:00 to 19:00

We will be using Zoom software. Once you have applied we will send you information on how to join the session.

If you would like to take part, please sign up 12^th May (Wednesday).

o Apply for a place for Session 1 by filling out our Eventbrite Form here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/152709005747

o Apply for a place for Session 2 by filling out our Eventbrite Form here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/152710070933

Date:

14 May 2021

You can find information on the programme as well as links to download an application form here: https://jpf.org.uk/whatson.php#1174

Ninja: Their Philosophies and Duties - A Talk by Prof Yuji Yamada

So, what were the true ninja’s secretive endeavours, roles and duties? What philosophy and mindset did they embrace in working as a ninja?

About Prof. Yuji Yamada

Please note that this online event will be hosted on Zoom.

Date:	16 June 2020 from 12.00pm
For more information, please click here.

11 Stories on Distanced Relationships: Contemporary Art From Japan - An Online Exhibition

The Japan Foundation is pleased to present an online exhibition 11 Stories on Distanced Relationships: Contemporary Art from Japan as an endeavour to build a new framework for art exchange adapted to our reality with the coronavirus.

The spread of the pandemic has meant that since last year it has been difficult for people and goods to move around the globe, and as a result many international cultural exchange projects planned by the Foundation were cancelled. In this age of uncertainty, online forums have rapidly developed as places for communication, and everyone is having to reappraise their “distance” from their surrounds. This exhibition emerged from the question of how, in this context, we might go about building connections with the world. It is first ever exhibition of contemporary art to be held solely online by the Japan Foundation.

The exhibition introduces the work of 11 Japanese and Japan-based contemporary artists, centred on new pieces commissioned on the theme of “translating distance.” Psychological or physical distances have never been easy to reach across, or reduce. Nowadays distance has emerged as something we must learn to live with. This exhibition has been created to deliver works that earnestly address this kind of distance – from Japan to people everywhere in the world. We hope that everyone, wherever they may be, will enjoy it.

The Artists:

ARAKI Yu, HAN Ishu, IIYAMA Yuki, KOIZUMI Meiro, MOHRI Yuko, NOGUCHI Rika, OKUMURA Yuki, SATO Masaharu, SAWA Hiraki, YANAI Shino, YOSHIDA Shinya

For detailed information and to view the exhibition, please visit:

https://11stories.jpf.go.jp/en/

Date:	30 March 2021 - 5 May 2021
For more information, please click here.

Dartford Grammar School and Japan Foundation GCSE and IB Meeting

There will be a Japanese GCSE and IB Meeting at King’s College London on Friday 8^th February 2019. This will be an opportunity for teachers teaching GCSE Japanese and/or IB Japanese to share and discuss schemes of work and resources; conduct moderation and share good practice in preparation for upcoming changes to the GCSE and IB syllabus.

The day will be divided with GCSE sessions taking place in the morning and IB sessions taking place in the afternoon.

Event: Dartford Grammar School and Japan Foundation GCSE and IB Meeting
Date: 8th February 2019 (Friday)
Schedule: 9:30 - 12:50 GCSE meeting, 13:30 - 16:30 IB meeting
Cost: Delegates will need to pay a contribution fee - Please refer to the booking form for details.
What to Bring on the Day: Delegates attending this event will need to bring a copy of:

- Their Scheme of work
- Resources (for ideas/resource sharing)

Application period: 19th December 2018 - 25th January 2019
Download the programme for the event by clicking this link

To download a booking form to register for this event, please click here

Date:	8 February 2019
Venue:	Room FWB2.40, Franklin-Wilkins Building, King's College, London SE1 9NH

Japanese Online Course for Teachers

A unique opportunity for teachers to learn Japanese language & about Japanese culture!

Why don’t you teach your pupils Japanese language & culture at your school? We think your pupils will love it!

Please share this information with any colleagues who may be interested!

The Marugoto A1-1 (Katsudoo & Rikai) Tutor Support Course gives a comprehensive introduction to Japanese language and culture. This course will combine online self-study with submission of assignments to a real-life tutor, in addition to live lessons (1 live lesson covers 1 Topic) with the tutor.

You will get a certificate when you finish the course!

Application period: Deadline extended: 9th – 27th December 2019 (17:59 Japan time)
Course period: 15th January – 10th April 2020
Course fee: £80

For more information on the teaching materials and to try out Marugoto, please visit this website, which introduces the Marugoto Nihongo Online Course:

https://www.marugoto-online.jp/info/

Please note that we can only accept a maximum of 12 people on this course. Your suitability for this course will be assessed by the Japan Foundation London after we have received your application.

If you have any questions, please contact us at: info.language@jpf.org.uk

Click here for full details and to apply

Date:

9 December 2019 - 27 December 2019

[CANCELLED] Manga Workshop Masterclass with Shango Part of The Superlative Artistry of Japan touring exhibition

Due to unforeseen circumstances related to the ongoing public health concerns, we have sadly been forced to cancel this event.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this last resort causes.

We hope to see you at our future events, once public event regulations have returned to normal.

Date:	21 March 2020 from 12.00pm
Venue:	Salford Museum & Art Gallery, Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford, M5 4WU
For more information, please click here.

Co-organised with:

Celebrating:

Sake Symposium: Understanding the Unique Aspects of Sake

The Japan Foundation and SOAS are hosting a special symposium looking at the Japanese phenomenon that is sake. Widely seen as the national drink of Japan, sake exports have been booming in recent years, with its unique taste and wide range of flavours, it has been appearing more and more on UK menus. This seminar will bring together experts to discuss sake from various perspectives: historically, culturally, commercially and diplomatically.

The symposium will be followed by a sake tasting session, with experts on hand to guide you through the different types of sake available.
We are delighted to be joined by five eminent speakers, each bringing a unique set of personal expertise.

Heritage of Sake Making and Future
Mr Koichi Saura ( 13th Generation of Kuramoto, Owner Urakasumi Sake Brewery, Vice President of Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Assosiation, Founding Chairman of Sake Samurai Association)

Internationalisation of Sake
Mr Yusaku Shimizu (Minister of Finance at the Embassy of Japan in the UK)

Sake Export from Japan and Overview of the UK Sake Market
Mr Hirohisa Ichihashi (Food Division Director of JETRO London)

International Sake Promotion through the IWC Wine Platform
Mr Chris Ashton (Director of International Wine Challenge IWC)

Promoting Sake Globally from London
Ms Rie Yoshitake (Sake Promoter, Sake Samurai UK, Rep of Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association)

For more information and to see the speakers' full biographies, please visit the SOAS website.

Date:	20 February 2019 from 5.00pm
Venue:	Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS, London WC1H OXG

This event is free to attend, though booking is essential and spaces are limited. This is event is now fully booked. If you would like to be the first to hear about our events, please sign up to our e-bulletin here

Sponsored by:

A offical event of

THE鍵KEY performance

‘20 years of marriage yet I can’t speak with my wife’

But the husband is desperate to communicate with his wife about one subject in particular – their mutually unfulfilling sex life. Inspired by the novella of the same name by renowned Japanese author Junichiro Tanizaki, THE鍵KEY peers in on a secretive family and newcomer Kimura, as their lives take a dramatic turn following the husband’s new year resolution.

Fresh from its sell-out Tokyo run, this site-specific, Anglo-Japanese work invites audiences to become voyeurs as they move freely around a private residence to eavesdrop on small ensembles of singers, a dancer, and Japanese and Western instruments as this intimate drama unfolds…

Produced by The Kagi Project in partnership with Japan Foundation.

Supported by Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture)

Music: Francesca Le Lohé

Words: Francesca Le Lohé with excerpts from Junichiro Tanizaki's 'The Key’ in the original Japanese.

Please note: Capacity for this show is very small, however tickets may be released nearer the time when the rehearsal process takes place. If you wish to go on a waiting list please email info@tete-a-tete.org.uk with the date and time of the performance you would like to be on the waiting list for.

Date:	3 August 2019 - 4 August 2019
Venue:	10 Tollgate Drive, London, SE21 7LS
For more information, please click here.

Japanese Avant-garde and Experimental Film Festival 2019

The Japan Foundation is proud to partner with the Japanese Avant-garde and Experimental Film Festival as they bring yet another exciting line-up of Japanese film titles to the UK.

2019: NATION | 国家

This year's edition of the festival examines national identity, cultural memory and perceptions of history in Japan with a programme of classic avant-garde cinema and contemporary experimental short form film. This weekend festival of screenings will be complemented by introductions from experts, Q&As, a free panel discussion and a filmmaker’s workshop for aspiring video artists.

Date:	20 September 2019 - 22 September 2019
Venue:	Various, please follow the link below for more information on individual screenings.
For more information, please click here.

Presented by:

Celebrating:

Nara: Faith and Renewal – An International Symposium

Celebrating the opening of two special displays at the British Museum of loaned Buddhist and Shinto treasures, Nara: sacred images from early Japan (3 October – 23 November 2019), this international symposium with prominent scholars will provide an important historical and cultural background to three key periods in Nara in the past.

Date:	4 October 2019 - 5 October 2019
Venue:	BP Lecture Theatre, the British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG
For more information, please click here.

Organised by:

Celebrating:

Every Day A Good Day Screening
Preview Event for JFTFP20

As a preview for the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2020, the Japan Foundation is delighted to present a special screening of the film Every Day A Good Day (2018), directed by OMORI Tatsushi.

About the film

From the director of The Ravine of Goodbye (2013) and starring KIRIN Kiki (Shoplifters, 2018).

At the recommendation of her mother, 20-year-old Noriko (KUROKI Haru) and her cousin Michiko (TABE Mikako) start taking tea ceremony lessons with Takeda (KIRIN), who has a reputation for being an extraordinary teacher. At first, Noriko is confused by the intricate rules, but after two years she comes to realize the profundity of tea ceremony.

While this event is free to attend, priority booking will be given to the

Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2020 ticket holders.

To reserve your space, please submit your interest here.

If you have not yet purchased a ticket to any of the programme screenings, you may add your name to the waitlist at the above link; please be advised that spaces cannot be guaranteed to those on the waitlist but will be released as they become available.

To purchase your advance tickets for any of our screenings at ICA London, please click here.

Date:	27 January 2020 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Screen 1, Soho Hotel, 4 Richmond Mews, London W1D 3DH

For the nationwide lineup of screenings as part of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2020, please visit: www.jpf-film.org.uk

Celebrating:

Artist Talk by Iwasaki Takahiro

Iwasaki Takahiro is one of Japan’s most respected contemporary artists. Using everyday materials, Iwasaki is known for creating series of works that convey a fine sense of handiwork and technique of figurative representation. Exploring the relationship among art, space and nature, his iconic series, Out of Disorder (2006) is a sculptural installation of beautiful architectural miniatures made out of readily available materials such as towels, toothbrushes and rolls of duct tape. This series cemented his standing in the international contemporary art scene. His extraordinary skill of transforming ordinary materials into mesmerizing works is admirable and always challenges the perception of viewers.

His works have been taken up by many international exhibitions including Yokohama Triennale (2011) and the 2013 Asian Art Biennale in Taiwan. More recently he was also the representative artist for the Japan Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale.

Celebrating the Japan Foundation’s exhibition, The Superlative Artistry of Japan at the Salford Museum and Art Gallery (until 19 April 2020) where Iwasaki’s work is exhibited, Iwasaki will explain his work to date and the creation process of his sometimes painstakingly elaborate works, discussing the meaning of tangibility in contemporary art as well as why the labour intensive creative process is still important to him.

London:

Date: Tuesday, 10 March 2020, from 6:45pm

Venue: Royal Society of Arts (RSA), Durham House Street — off The Strand, London, WC2N 6HG

Salford:

Date: Wednesday, 11 March 2020, from 6:00pm

Venue: Salford Museum & Art Gallery, Peel Park The Crescent, Salford, M5 4WU

Date:	10 March 2020 - 11 March 2020
For more information, please click here.

Celebrating:

[CANCELLED] Guided Tour and Talk The Superlative Artistry of Japan touring exhibition

Due to unforeseen circumstances related to the ongoing public health concerns, we have sadly been forced to cancel this event.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this last resort causes.

We hope to see you at our future events, once public event regulations have returned to normal.

Date:	29 March 2020 from 2.30pm
Venue:	Salford Museum & Art Gallery, Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford, M5 4WU
For more information, please click here.

Co-organised with:

Celebrating:

A Talk by Yukiko Mishima (Director of Dear Etranger)

Female director and screenwriter Yukiko Mishima's career spans nearly three decades, having started by writing and directing human documentaries for television. Her first feature film, The Tattoer, was released in 2009 and is based on Junichiro Tanizaki’s literary classic. Since then, Mishima had directed a further seven feature films, Bread of Happiness (2012) and A Drop of the Grapevine (2014) as well as A Stich of Life (2015) which was screened as part of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2017. Dear Etranger (2017), also one of the feature films in this year’s Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme, is Mishima’s sixth film which won the Special Grand Prix of the Jury Award at the 2017 Montreal World Film Festival.

Following the UK premiere of Dear Etranger in early February, Mishima will join us in conversation with Dr Irene González-López of Kingston University, revealing the behind the scenes production of a poignant human drama which deliberates on the meaning of "family". Exploring the development of Mishima’s career up until now, she will also discuss her inspiration and creative style as well as what she cherishes in the process of filmmaking.

Date:	28 March 2019 from 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Venue:	The Soho Hotel, 4 Richmond Mews, London, W1D 3DH

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential. To book your place via Eventbrite please click here

Organised as part of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme jpf-film.org.uk

Japanese Education Workshop - Sharing Teaching Ideas for Creative Japanese Language Activities in Classrooms

(Japanese is below / 日本語は英語の下にあります)

English / 英語

The aim of this workshop is to increase the repertoire of teaching activities for teachers by using artwork and picture books in order to cultivate art appreciation, power of observation, thinking ability, language ability and creativity. This workshop will use the works of the artist Anno Mitsumasa as a resource. While experiencing the rich world of the artworks, through dialogue and collaboration we will explore the possibilities of creating classroom activities that value deep learning through the activation of imagination and creativity. This is a place where participants will be able to discuss and learn in small groups. We welcome teachers and also anyone who has an interest in educational activities using picture books.

- Participation is free, but booking is essential.

Date/time: This workshop will be repeated twice. Please select the workshop on the date you can attend.

First workshop: 19^th October 2019 (Saturday) 14:00 to 17:00 (ten participants) – Book your place for the First Workshop
Second workshop: 26^th October 2019 (Saturday) 14:00 to 17:00 (ten participants) – Book your place for the Second Workshop

Third workshop added: Due to popular demand, we have added an extra workshop:

3. Third workshop: 23rd October 2019 (Wednesday) 14:00 to 17:00 (ten participants) - Book your place for the Third Workshop

Venue: The Japan Foundation, London (map) /101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA

Workshop schedule

13:45 – Meet at the entrance of the Japan House London gallery (basement)
14:00 – 14:15 Self-introductions
14:15 – 15:00 Introducing the concept of educational activities using art
15:00 – 15:40 Creating ideas for activities
15:40 – 16:00 Break
16:00 – 16:40 Ideas sharing and group presentations
16:40 – 17:00 Summary and reflections

Japanese / 日本語

ワークショップでは、教師として活動のレパートリーを広げることを目的として、美術作品や絵本を活用し、鑑賞力、観察力、思考力、言語能力と創造性を育てるためのアクティビティを考えます。今回のリソースは安野光雅の作品です。豊かな作品世界を味わいながら、個人の想像力と創造性の活性化、他者との協力や対話による学びの深まりを重視した教室活動の可能性を探ります。少人数でじっくり語り合い、学び合う場です。現職教師の方はもちろん、絵本を活用した教育活動に関心がある方のご参加を歓迎します。

事前予約制（参加費無料）　※ご都合の良い日程でお申込みください

日時：
①10月19日（土）14:00-17:00（定員：10名）お申込みはコチラ
②10月26日（土）14:00-17:00（定員：10名）お申込みはコチラ

日時：追加日程：10月23日（水）14:00-17:00（定員：10名）お申込みはコチラ

場所：国際交流基金　ロンドン日本文化センター　（マップ）101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA

スケジュール

13:45 Japan House London展示会場入り口(地下1階)　集合
14:00-14:15 自己紹介＆交流
14:15-15:00 美術作品を活用した教室活動の紹介
15:00-15:40 オリジナル活動案作成
15:40-16:00 休憩
16:00-16:40 発表
16:40-17:00 まとめ＆振り返り

Date:	19 October 2019 - 26 October 2019 from 2.00pm - 5.00pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London (map) /101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA

New A-Level Workshop!『Motto Yomu CHIKARA』Workshop Part2 - Material Development

Lecturers: Shoko Middleton, Michiyo Kato and Sachiko Yamaguchi

Language of workshop: Japanese (parts of the workshop will be in English）

Workshop content: This will be a hands-on workshop including the following activities:

Brief introduction of the new A-Level.
Introduction of activities using “Motto Yomu CHIKARA (the old AS resource)” for your A-Level classrooms.
Group work divided by units: Learning from each other by showing your materials and exchanging ideas.
Sharing the posters you will make with all participants.

Fee: Free (Registration is essential. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance for CPD.)

Requirements: Participants must bring examples of A-Level teaching materials that they use. They do not need to make new materials/resources. A small amount of material is fine, such as:

Handout or homework (single sheet will be fine),
Activity/vocabulary cards you use in your lessons,
Some work made by your pupils,
Some data such as PPT or Quizlet (please bring your own laptop or ask to print out in advance),
Others

NOTE: Please be prepare to share your materials/resources and explain usage methods, any good points, any points to be improved, etc.

Registration: https://forms.gle/EUuoaobkPiifSnQFA

The deadline for registration is 10^th Feb (at 17:00).

Limit of the participants: up to 30 teachers.
Registration may close before the deadline if the number of participants reaches maximum capacity.

Contact: Hiroko Tanaka hiroko.tanaka@jpf.org.uk

Date:	22 February 2020 from 1.00pm - 5.00pm
Venue:	Venue: Monticello House, Anglo Educational Services 45 Russell Square, London, WC1B 4JP （Nearest stations: Russell Square, Euston, Holborn etc.）

[CANCELLED] Director Talk with Maeda Tetsu

Due to unforeseen circumstances related to the ongoing public health concerns, we have sadly been forced to cancel this free event.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this last resort causes.

We hope to see you at our future events, once public event regulations have returned to normal.

In the meantime, however, the screenings of A Banana? At This Time of Night are still scheduled to play at a selection of our regional partner cinemas – for more information on this, please click the link below.

A Banana? At This Time of Night

Date:

23 March 2020

As part of:

Celebrating:

What is Manga?

Manga has boomed in popularity in recent years. Whilst it is enjoyed globally by a varied audience, there remains a lack of understanding about its breadth and depth, and its relationship with Japan and the rest of the world. This symposium aims to redefine manga by suggesting ways of looking at it as a cultural activity and an expression of historical activities.

Although manga has become a major global art form, East and West remain relatively isolated from each other in the field of comic studies. By bringing together scholars, manga artists and manga industry members from Japan, Europe and beyond, the symposium creates a dialogue on the definition, reaches, and impact of manga in a global context, seeking to find and answer the questions that need to be answered about this global, cultural phenomenon.

Click here to view the day's programme.

Presented by the Japan Foundation and SISJAC, in collaboration with British Library.

Date:	23 August 2019 from 10.00am - 5.30pm
Venue:	Knowledge Centre The British Library 96 Euston Road London NW1 2DB

Booking is available through the British Library's Website.
Full price £15
Students/Under 18's/Concessions £8

The programme was created with support form the British Museum

Japan Foundation at the Language Show London 2019

Come and see the Japan Foundation at the Language Show London 2019!

The Language Show London is a language event for those who offer products and services ot language teachers, learners, translators, linguists, language professionals and businesses.

This year, the Japan Foundation is once again giving visitors a chance to learn about Japanese language and culture. We will be running Japanese language tasters, talks and an information stand!

Our attractions include:

The Japan Foundation Information Stand

When: 15-17 November (Fri-Sun) 2019

Where: Olympia London, Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UX

Packed full of information about studying and teaching Japanese in the UK, staff members from the Japan Foundation London would be delighted to give you advice on learning Japanese or teaching Japanese. We can also write your name in Japanese for you, and teach you how to write it yourself!

Talk: Cross curricular learning: Japanese through maths

When: 17 November (Sunday), 3:30pm to 4:15pm

As student take-up of languages decreases and languages are squeezed out of the curriculum, Clare Kuroishi, an experienced Japanese classroom teacher, talks about the techniques and outcomes of incorporating languages with other subjects based on her experience of incorporating Japanese with the teaching of mathematics.

Japanese Language Tasters

When: 15 November (Friday), 2:15pm to 2:45pm / 16 November (Saturday), 4:30pm to 5:00pm

Ever wanted to try learning Japanese? Experience Japanese language first hand with our taster sessions! Beginners welcome. There will be two tasters, one on Friday and a repeat on Saturday.

Date:

15 November 2019 - 17 November 2019

Venue:

Olympia London, Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UX

For more information, please click here.

The Fifteenth Japanese Speech Contest for University Students

Come along and listen to what university students studying Japanese in the UK and Ireland have to say! The finalists will give their speeches and presentations in Japanese to an audience consisting of members of the public, fellow students, teachers, families, key figures from the UK-Japan community and a panel of judges.

This event is FREE to attend, but prior registration is required.

To register to attend, please click here.

(The deadline to register is 25th February, Tuesday)

The Fifteenth Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is organised by the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) and the Japan Foundation London in joint partnership. The event provides an opportunity for students from the UK and Ireland to demonstrate their Japanese speaking skills.

Download our event poster!

Date:	29 February 2020 from 1.00pm - 6.00pm
Venue:	Great Hall, King's College London Strand Campus, Strand, London WC2R 2LS

There will be areception form 6:00pm to 7:00pm.

The 15th Japanese Speech Cont4est is generously supported by:

Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) July 2020

Due to Covid-19, the JLPT July examination has been cancelled in the United Kingdom. Applicants will be contacted by the Test Centre they registered with. Please wait for them to get in contact.

The next JLPT will take place on Sunday, 5^th July 2020 at two locations in the UK, London (SOAS University of London) and Edinburgh (The University of Edinburgh). The registration at each test centre will start in early- mid March.

Please see each university’s website for the application opening date and further details for registrations.

Please note that the registration at each test centre may close earlier when the test centre has reached its maximum capacity.

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is designed to evaluate and certify the Japanese-language proficiency of non-native speakers of Japanese. The test is conducted twice a year, in July and December, in Japan and various locations around the world.

For more information about the JLPT exam and where to take the test, please visit the Official JLPT website.

Click here to download a Guide to the 2020 Japanese-Language Proficiency Test.
Let’s Try Sample Questions!

Date:

5 July 2020

Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) December 2019

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a test which evaluates and certifies the Japanese-language proficiency of non-native speakers of Japanese.The test is conducted twice a year, in July and December, in Japan and various locations around the world.

The next JLPT will take place on Sunday 1st December 2019, at three locations in the UK: London (SOAS University of London), Edinburgh (the University of Edinburgh) and Cardiff (Cardiff University).

Registration will open at each test centre as follows:

SOAS University of London Registration at SOAS has now closed (maximum capacity reached)
The University of Edinburgh Registration at the University of Edinburgh has now closed (maximum capacity reached)
Cardiff University Registration at Cardiff University has now closed (maximum capacity reached)

Please note that the registration at each test centre will close when the test centre has reached its maximum capacity.

For more information about the test, please visit the JLPT website.

Date:

1 December 2019

Still Walking + Q&A with Hirokazu Kore-eda

The Japan Foundation is incredibly pleased to be associated with BFI’s special screening of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Still Walking, followed by a Q&A session with the director himself. Do not miss this rare opportunity to interact with the most critically acclaimed and among the most widely distributed of contemporary Japanese live-action directors.

Still Walking (2008, Japan)

Forty-year-old Ryota, with his wife and stepson, visits his elderly parents to commemorate his older brother, who died saving a boy from drowning. Kore-eda’s subtle, moving account of the tensions within a family is his most Ozu-like film, a study of the different assumptions and value systems of different generations. This was the director’s first film to feature veteran actress Kirin Kiki, who would become his regular collaborator.

Screening details

Date: Tuesday 16^th April 2019, 18:30

Venue: NFT1, BFI Southbank, Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8XT

Tickets open for sale to the general public on 11 April at 4pm. To book, please visit the BFI website here.

Date:

16 April 2019

An Introduction to Japanese Kagura by Professor Terence Lancashire

Join us for a lecture on kagura, given by Professor Terence Lancashire of Osaka Ohtani University.

From ancient times, various traditional entertainments have been created and evolved in Japan’s long history. These range from the court ensemble of gagaku to the theatre of noh, kabuki and puppetry and various instrumental ensembles including the three stringed shamisen and 13 stringed koto. In contrast to these urban forms there are a wide variety of folk performing arts which includes the shrine ritual entertainment of kagura.

Kagura, a ritual entertainment performed primarily in Shinto shrines, is one of the five main categories of Japanese folk performing arts as defined by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Having its origins in the mythical dance of the goddess Ame no Uzume no Mikoto before a cave in which the sun goddess, Amaterasu Omikami, has hidden herself, kagura has been realised in various forms of entertainment over its long history. The oldest is the dance of miko, shrine maidens. But through the course of its history, it has also developed into theatrical representations of ancient Japanese myths and historical episodes.

Through this special talk, which will provide an overview of Japanese folk performing arts, you will discover the historical background and characteristics of this time-honoured traditional art, as well as learn how the custom has stood the test of time leading up to present day.

Date:	27 September 2019 - 28 September 2019
Venue:	Ystafell Augustus a Gwen John Room, National Museum Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP and Eliot Room, The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB (Sold out, return tickets only)

In collaboration with:

Celebrating:

Fabula Collective - Ley Line

“Four striking works align, taking the audience on an exploration of reflection, purification, self and identity. Together we navigate an energetic path that illuminates the significance of our connection as human beings through unspoken word.”

The Japan Foundation is delighted to partner with Fabula Collective on a contemporary dance production presented at Sadler’s Wells this October. A mixed bill performance choreographed by James Pett, Travis Clausen-Knight, and Japanese contemporary dance artist Kahiko Narisawa, the project emphasises the collaboration between Japanese and British dancers, bridging the cultures of the two countries and facilitating a meeting of minds to exchange skills, knowledge, technique and creative ideas.

The performance will be followed by a conversation between the dance artists and Sanjoy Roy, dance writer and critic for the Guardian.

Date:	8 October 2019 from 7.15pm
Venue:	Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Lilian Baylis Studio, Roseberry Avenue, London EC1R 4TN
For more information, please click here.

In Partnership with:

Celebrating:

Screening of Singing Lovebirds (1939)

The Japan Foundation is delighted to partner with the British Film Institute and Independent Cinema Office in presenting Singing Lovebirds (1939) directed by Masahiro Makino, as part of the Musicals! The Greatest Show on Screen season.

Director Makino was considered the Busby Berkeley of Japan and in this warm-hearted musical about the tangled love lives of the samurai, the influences of Hollywood are clear. Fusing jazz numbers with traditional Japanese joruri provides a very hummable mix of east and west. Fans of Kurosawa might be surprised to see Shimura, star of Seven Samurai, in a singing role.

Screening at the following dates and venues across the UK:

Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge

BFI Southbank, London

Cultureplex, Manchester

BFI Southbank, London

QUAD, Derby

Depot, Lewes

GFT, Glasgow

Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast

Showroom Workstation, Sheffield

Eden Court, Inverness

Tyneside, Newcastle

Saturday, 19 October 2019 at 20:00

Sunday, 20 October 2019 at 15:50

Saturday, 2 November 2019, at 20:00

Friday, 8 November 2019 at 18:40

Saturday, 9 November 2019 at 15:00

Wednesday, 20 November 2019 at 21:00

Tuesday, 26 November 2019 at 18:30

Sunday, 8 December 2019 at 15:30

Sunday, 8 December 2019 at 15:15

Monday, 16 December 2019 at 20:00

Tuesday, 7 January 2020 at 18:30

..with more dates and venues to follow!

Date:

19 October 2019 - 7 January 2020

Presented in Partnership with:

Celebrating:

Japan Foundation/BAJS Japanese Studies Postgraduate Workshop 2020: Publishing Your Research

The Japan Foundation/BAJS Postgraduate Japanese Studies Workshop is returning for its 8^th year and will be held at SOAS, University of London.

The theme for this year is ‘Publishing Your Research’ and will focus on helping participants navigate the world of academic publishing. Throughout the student-focused workshop, participants will be guided both leading scholars and those with insider knowledge of the academic publishing industry. The workshop also provides an excellent opportunity for networking among PhD students and academics, as well as a forum to discuss future collaborations. Organisations will also be presenting their funding programmes and giving details of how they can help.

Student Submissions:

Once registered, we ask students to send in a piece of work that they will be submitting for publication in the future. The work will be shared ahead of the event and feedback on submitted work will be provided by other students and academics throughout the morning session in small groups. If you are unable to submit a piece of work you can still participate in the event and provide feedback to other students. If you have any questions about this, please contact Mara Patessio at mp78@soas.ac.uk.

Travel Grants:

The Japan Foundation is able to offer a partial travel grant of £70 per attendee after attendees have covered the first £20 of their fare. The British Association for Japanese Studies is able to offer £50 per attendee towards the cost of accommodation.

Registration:

Registration for this event has now closed.

Registration is free and the workshop is open to UK based PhD students who are undertaking research about Japan (including comparative) in humanities and social science subjects.

Should places still be available, registration will be extended to masters students on January 13th.

The final deadline for registration is January 21^st.

Date:	13 February 2020 from 10.00am
Venue:	SOAS, University of London London, WC1H 0XG

Love and Desire Between Women in Girls' manga

Manga, or Japanese comic books, is a 4 billion dollar a year industry, making up 40% of the country’s published works. Yet, contrary to Western comic books which often focus on targeting male readers, in Japan, a particularly prominent and developed genre of manga is shojo manga (Girls’ manga), with women across the nation’s demographic making up a large percentage of target readership due to its reflection of female desires and aspirations.

Celebrating the UK’s biggest manga exhibition at the British Museum (23 May – 26 August 2019), the Japan Foundation is proud to welcome Professor Yukari Fujimoto, a manga expert from Meiji University specialising in gender and feminist theory. Overviewing the girls’ manga genre by talking about some notable features, she will discuss how manga has played a vital role in empowering female creativities as well as the readership body; in particular, by contextualising the way female sexuality and attraction – especially between same sex – has been drawn as women’s values continued shifting.

This event will provide you with an insight into an obscure yet currently relevant terrain of manga, one of Japan’s most renowned cultural imports.

Date:	25 May 2019 from 2.30pm
Venue:	The Swedenborg Society \| Swedenborg Hall \| 20-21 Bloomsbury Way \| WC1A 2TH London \| United Kingdom
For more information, please click here.

This event is held in association with Japan Society.

Japan Youth Challenge 2019

Hosted at UCL (University College London), the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge (UJYC) brings together pre-university students from the UK and Japan in a 10-day summer school programme, as well as hosting various public events.

Students from both countries will engage in a series of topic-focused activities including workshops, lectures and a symposium. Our highlight is the Grand Challenge Workshop where “Accessibility for All: AI and Robotics”, a topic important in our society today.

You can find more information by downloading the programme brochure here.

Eligibility

Non-Japanese sixth-form students residing in the UK, aged 15, 16, 17 and 18 years (Parental consent will be required prior to the event. All students are supervised by UCL staff during the event.) Students will be joined by a group of Japanese students from Japan

Application Deadline

There is no application deadline, though early applications are encouraged as places are limited.

Applications

To apply please visit https://www.ucl-japan-youth-challenge.com/
For enquiries, please email programme conductor Hideyuki Miyahara

Public Events:

The Japan Youth Challenge are proud to present a public screening of the short documentary Imphal 1944.

This documentary tells the story of Japanese veteran Masao Hirokubo and the Battle of Imphal, a key turning point of the East-Asian Theatre in World War Two. Hirokubo devoted a great deal of his life to reconciliation work with his former adversaries. This heart-warming documentary looks at his early reconciliation work and reflects on the interconnectedness of the three countries involved and on the futility of war.

The screening will be followed by a talk and a Q&A by the director Junichi Kajioka.

Date: 23 July 2019, Doors open at 17:00 - Screening begins at 17:40

Venue: UCL Medical Sciences 131 AV Hill LT
Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT

This screening is free to attend, but registration is required.

The UCL Japan Youth Challenge will culminate in the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge Symposium.

This event will bring together industry profressionals, academics, and athletes to discuss the importance of AI and robotics in the field of accessibility. Part one of the symposium will focus on the current state of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant and Part two will focus on accessibility in other areas.

The symposium will be followed by a reception.

Date: 26 July 2019, from 13:00.

Venue: University College London,
Christopher Ingold Building, XLG2 Auditorium
WC1H 0AJ

This symposium is free to attend, but registration is required.

Students from both countries will engage in

a series of topic-focused activities including

workshops, lectures and a symposium.

Our highlight is the Grand Challenge Workshop

where you will discuss “Accessibility for All”,

a topic important in our society today.Students from both countries will engage ina series of topic-focused activities includingworkshops, lectures and a symposium.Our highlight is the Grand Challenge Workshopwhere you will discuss “Accessibility for All”,a topic important in our society today.

Date:

20 July 2019 - 27 July 2019

Volunteers

We are currently seeking volunteers to help at this event. Please click here for more details (in Japanese).

Iwami Kagura Dance Performances come to the UK!

We are delighted to welcome the Otsu Kagura Troupe who will perform special shows of the Iwami Kagura dance tradition in the UK. Come and join us at the places and dates below – fun for the whole family! No booking required.

What is Iwami Kagura?

Kagura is a Shinto theatrical dance and music dedicated to the deities of Japanese mythology. It originated from a mythical event recorded in the Kojiki, a 1,300-year-old historical record of Japan, in which the female deity of dance and the arts dances to coax the female deity of the sun out of hiding in a cave so that her light would grace the world again. The older and ritualistic form is still performed at the Imperial Court, and the more theatrical forms are staple in local communities in regions of Japan.

Iwami Kagura is a form of kagura native to Iwami region of western Shimane Prefecture. It has about 300 years of history and is performed mostly during the annual celebrations of shrines in the autumn to dedicate it to the deities in gratitude and to pray for an abundant harvest throughout the year. The repertoire includes ritual dances and narrative plays based on myths. The magnificent dance, up-tempo music, and flamboyant costumes are captivating, and although being a traditional performing art, it continues to evolve over times.

Who are the Otsu Kagura troupe?

The troupe was founded in 1999 as the new generation to carry on the tradition of Iwami Kagura. The troupe works on preserving and developing the tradition by making new plays as well as devoting itself to preserve the classic plays to convey the appeal of the indigenous and traditional kagura. The troupe performs 41 plays and presents around 50 performances annually, performing also at many events in other cities as well as in urban areas and overseas.

The troupe also operates Mai-no-za, the first dedicated theatre for Iwami Kagura opened in April 2019, with the aims of developing new fans and making the facility as the base of promoting the kagura not only for locals but also domestic and international visitors.

Date:	27 September 2019 - 29 September 2019
Venue:	Main Hall, National Museum Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP and Entrance Hall, The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB and Japan Matsuri 2019, Trafalgar Square, London

In collaboration with:

Celebrating:

The 15th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students

We are delighted to announce that the 15th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is open for applications!

This contest gives students the chance to make their voices heard in Japanese, and win some fantastic prizes! Finalists will all perform their speeches on Saturday 29th February 2020 in the Great Hall, King’s College London.

:: Contest Aims
The main purpose of the event is to improve the speaking and presentation skills of students studying Japanese as a foreign language. Through this event, we hope to promote Japanese language learning at higher education level in the UK and Ireland.

:: Who can apply?
The contest is aimed at undergraduate students who are currently studying Japanese as a foreign language at a university in the UK or Ireland.

There are three different categories:

Application Deadline: 11th November 2019

2. Individual Presentation Category: For those studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard B1 or B2. Participants will give a PowerPoint presentation using Japanese. The aim of the presentation is to introduce a particular theme to the audience, for example a region, event, custom, etc. from the UK or another country outside Japan. Five finalists will be selected.

Application Deadline: 9th December 2019

3. Group Presentation Category: For those studying a Japanese course aiming for the equivalent of JF standard A1 or A2. Participants will take part in groups of two to four students and give a PowerPoint presentation using Japanese. The aim of the presentation is to introduce a particular theme to the audience, for example a region, event, custom, etc. from the UK or another country outside Japan. Five groups which are selected to present during the finals day will be given a special award.

Application Deadline: 16th December 2019

*Details of JF Standard can be found here:

http://jfstandard.jp/pdf/jfs2015_pamphlet_eng.pd

Videos from the 14th Contest Finals Day can be viewed here - Coming soon!

Please see the files below for contest poster, FAQ and application forms for each category.

- Frequently Asked Questions

- Contest Poster

Attention: poster revised on 04/10/2019

- Speech Category Application Form

- Speech Category Rules and Guidance

- Individual Presentation Category Application Form

- Group Presentation Category Application Form

Date:

27 August 2019 - 16 December 2019

Animator Talk with Takeshi Yashiro

Takeshi Yashiro is a Japanese animator and television commercial director. Having graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts in 1993, he helmed numerous commercials produced by Taiyo Kikaku Co. Ltd. before focusing on finessing his stop-motion animation techniques and beginning to make his own animated films. His short film Moon of a Sleepless Night (2015) was a Jury Selection at the 20th Japan Media Arts Festival and a sample of his most recent work, Gon, The Little Fox (2019) has been exhibited at the Content Tokyo 2019 as well as participating in Marché International du Film d'Animation in Annecy.

On the rare occasion of his appearance at the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival in Cardiff, the Japan Foundation is delighted to welcome Takeshi Yashiro for a special talk event this October. In this illustrative talk, Yashiro will divulge his professional transition from directing large-scale commercials to creating stop-motion films where his role varied from writer and animator to designer of sets and puppets. He will also discuss his dedication to the painstaking work of hand crafted stop-motion animation and talk us through the stages of producing an animation, from storyboard to screen.

Date:	7 October 2019 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Courthouse Hotel Cinema, 19 - 21 Great Marlborough Street, London W1F 7HL
For more information, please click here.

In Celebration of:

Nihongo Cup 2020

Nihongo Cup is the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School students across three categories: Key Stage 3, Pre-GCSE Key Stage 4/5, and Post GCSE Key Stage 4 and 5.

Finalists will be invited to perform their speech at the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies, University of Oxford in front of a panel of judges and VIPs from the field of Japanese language education and Japan-UK relations, for the chance to win some fantastic prizes – including a trip to Japan!

Finals day will take place on 27th June 2020 (Saturday). Due to the ongoing situation regarding Covid-19, this year the Finals Day will be an online event. This event will have limited spectators. We will update our website with more information soon. We thank you for your understanding.

You can also find articles about previous Nihongo Cup finals on our News Page.

To find out more and for application forms, please download this "Application Pack" zip file by clicking here.

The Application Pack contains an application form, information and rules and a flier/poster.

The closing date for applications is: 20th March 2020

Applications for the 2020 Nihongo Cup are now CLOSED.

Date:

27 June 2020

Nihongo Cup is organised by the Association for Language Learning (ALL) and the Japan Foundation London.

Events at the Flatpack Festival 2019

In partnership with the Flatpack Festival, the Japan Foundation is delighted to be bringing a series of satellite events to the festival's programme.

Bento Workshop:

Showing two of her short stop motion animations films, Konigiri-kun Music Box and Konigiri-kun Shopping, Mari Miyazawa will be giving two Kyara-ben workshops. Mari will be demonstrating how to mark incredible looking, edible characters using food.

Date: May 5th 2019, 12:30-13:50 (Intended for younger participants)
16:30-17:50 (Intended for adult participants)

Venue: Kanteen,
The Custard Factory,
Gibb Street,
Birmingham, B9 4AA

Booking: To book your tickets, please visit the Flatpack Festival Website

Japanese Language Taster Session:

If you have ever wanted to try your hand at speaking some Japanese, this is the perfect opportunity. Staff from the Japan Foundation will be offering a free and fun Japanese Language Taster Session.

Date: 5th May 2019, 14:45 - 15:30

Venue: Kanteen,
The Custard Factory,
Gibb Street,
Birmingham, B9 4AA

Booking: This event is free to attend, but book is essential. Please book here to claim your place.

Origami Workshop

There will also be a drop in workshop enabling you to take a look into the world of Origami. Come and learn how to fold beautiful objects with the Japan Foundation Staff and impress your friends with your paper folding prowess.

Date: 5th May, 12:00 - 15:00 (Come and go as you please)

Venue: The Framers (Opposite Kanteen)
The Custard Factory
Gibb Street
Birmingham, B9 4AA

Booking: There is no need to book this session, feel free to drop in at any time.

Date:

5 May 2019

Unite Wales and Japan: Experience Japan and the Rugby World Cup

We are working with the Old Penarthians Rugby Club and Cardiff University to run an upcoming event on 6^th October celebrating the Rugby World Cup.

There will be two identical sessions taking place on the day and participants choose which one to take part in. The event is open to participants aged eight to fourteen along with their parents or guardians.

Session One: 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Session Two: 4:00pm to 5:30pm

The maximum number of participants per session is 40.

Activities planned:

- Warm-up exercises while learning some Japanese.

- Rugby-themed Japanese language activity.

- Japanese culture session learning about the Welsh rugby team’s training camp in Japan, origami, and Japanese tea.

Please note: This event is open only to members of the Old Penarthians Rugby Club

Organised with:

Date:	6 October 2019
Venue:	Old Penarthians Rugby Club, St Mark’s Road, Penarth, CF64 3PF

Nihongo Cup 2019 - Finals Day

Come and see the UK's talented young students of Japanese language at the Finals Day of the Nihongo Cup - the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary Schools!

Students from all levels of secondary education – Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 – will showcase their amazing talent and hard work in their Japanese language studies while competing for some fantastic prizes – including a trip to Japan!

Entry is free – No booking required.

To read our report about last year's finals day, click here.

Schedule

12:00 – 12:30 Arrival and registration

12:30 – 12:35 Welcome Speeches:

Eiji Taguchi, Director General, Japan Foundation London

Professor Sho Konishi, Director of the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies

12:35 – 12:40 Introduction to Programme: Anne Rajakumar, JLC, Master of Ceremonies

12:40 – 13:00 Speeches from Key Stage 3 Finalists

13:00 – 13:15 Interval (Holbrook Primary School performance)

13:15 – 13:40 Speeches from Key Stage 4&5 pre-GCSE finalists

13:40 – 14:00 Interval

14:00 – 14:05 Presentation on the Japanese Speech Awards:

Kei See (former pupil of Hockerill Anglo- European College)

14:05 – 14:55 Speeches from Key Stage 4&5 post-GCSE finalists

14:55 – 15:15 Interval

15:15 – 15:20 Comments by Chair of Judges

15:20 – 15:40 Prize giving ceremony

15:40 – 15:45 Closing Speech: Toshinori Sano,

Embassy of Japan

15:45 – 16:30 Refreshments

16:30 Close

To download a poster for this year's Finals Day, click here

Date:	22 June 2019 from 12.30pm - 4.30pm
Venue:	Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies, University of Oxford 27 Winchester Road, Oxford, OX 2 6NA
For more information, please click here.

The Nihongo Cup is co-organised by the Japanese Language Committee of the Association for Language Learning (ALL) and the Japan Foundation London.

In collaboration with the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies, University of Oxford

Supported by:

Call For Applications: Europe-Japan Intellectual Exchange Session 2019

The Japan Foundation and the Centre Européen d'Études Japonaises d'Alsace (CEEJA) are now accepting applications for the Europe-Japan Intellectual Exchange Session 2019 in Alsace, scheduled for September 30th - October 1st 2019. The Japan Foundation and CEEJA have carried out a series of seminars since 2007, with an aim to encourage networking among young researchers on Japan in Europe and further promote Japanese studies in Europe.

The title of this year's study seminar is "Representations of Japanese Culture and Arts in Europe: from 'Japonism' to 'Cool Japan'. （ヨーロッパにおける日本の文化・芸術のイメージ　－「ジャポン二スム」から「クールジャパン」へ）Please note that the language of this event will be Japanese with no interpretation.

Applicants from Europe are being sought from a wide range of fields including Sociology, Arts, Literature, History, Language, Philosophy, Political Science, Economics etc.
Applicants must currently be on a graduate or post-graduate scheme or hold a junior teaching/research position at an academic institution in Europe.

For more details and applications, please click here. (Japanese version).

The deadline for applications is July 12th 2019.

Date:	30 September 2019 - 1 October 2019
Venue:	Centre Européen d'Études Japonaises d'Alsace Kientzhein France

MODE 2019 - Performances by Yosuke Fujita and ASUNA

As part of an annual series of artist-curated sonic and interdisciplinary events in extraordinary spaces, MODE 2019 (produced by Thirty Three Thirty Three), the Japan Foundation is delighted to partner on welcoming artists Yosuke Fujita and ASUNA as they create distinct live sonic performances.

Yosuke Fujita presents NOISEEM

Yosuke Fujita creates distinct live sonic performances that are inspired by traditional Japanese Gagaku music; incorporating flowing water, the human voice and analogue reel tapes to create spatial and sonic compositions that are designed to stimulate and embrace the eye and the ear. For the European premiere of NOISEEM, he will employ synthesised water tanks interconnected with a unique pipe organ fabricated by Fujita to construct an immersive environment that aims to elicit embodied multi-sensory experiences.

In conjunction with his performance work, Fujita has featured in numerous exhibitions including INVISIBLE LAKE (2015), presenting a sound installation that focused on underwater sounds, and CELL (2017) at the Sapporo International Art Festival, which comprised of a sonic work that amplified the sounds of black soldier fly larvae buried in the soil.

ASUNA: 100 KEYBOARDS

Japanese sound artist ASUNA has been creating experimental music and installation work since the late 1990s. He is a pioneer in the experimental ambient/drone/ improvisation scene in Japan and has collaborated with both Japanese and international electronic musicians.

ASUNA will be using 100 battery-powered analogue keyboards to create waves of overlapping sound in the Clore Studio.

The instruments sit in concentric circles, each one playing a single note to produce an electronic chorus in this site-specific listening experience.

Date:	19 September 2019 - 2 October 2019
Venue:	Camden Arts Centre at Cork Street, 5-6 Cork Street, London W1S 3NY and South London Gallery, 65-67 Peckham Road, London SE5 8UH

Celebrating:

Author Talk: Kyoko Nakajima

Kyoko Nakajima is a Japanese fiction writer and essayist, who started her career as a novelist with “FUTON” in 2003. Nakajima’s highly acclaimed novels have won multiple prestigious literary prizes in Japan including the Izumi Kyoka Prize for “When My Wife Was a Shiitake” (Tsuma ga Shiitake data koro), the Naoki Prize for “The Little House” (Chiisai Ouchi), the Shibata Renzaburo Literature Prize for “One-Horn!” (Katazuno), and the Chuo Koron Literary Prize for “The Long Goodbye” (Nagai Owakare).

This event has been organised in conjunction with Japan Now 2019 and will celebrate the publication of the first English translation of Nakajima’s “The Little House”, a novel for which Nakajima tactfully took in huge volumes of research materials in order to vividly depict the life of a middle-class family in prewar Japan.

Nakajima will discuss her view of the world and Japanese society, and her sources of inspiration which make her novels versatile and unique, yet which also make them resonate in our lives regardless of the space and time she sets her stories in.

Kyoko Nakajima will be accompanied by Ginny Tapley Takemori, the translator of “The Little House” and many other Japanese contemporary novels, and the evening will be moderated by Megan Bradshaw, the former UK editor of the Asymptote Journal.

The English translation of “The Little House” is out on 31 January. Japan Foundation is supporting the publication through the Japan Foundation Translation and Publication Support Programme.

Date:	22 February 2019 from 7.00pm
Venue:	London Review Bookshop.
For more information, please click here.

Dance Beyond Movement: Talk with Saburo Teshigawara & Rihoko Sato (KARAS)

Saburo Teshigwara is one of the most influential Japanese performers and choreographers to date and highly acclaimed for his innovative forms of physical expression that break away from conventional stylistic techniques. Starting his creative career in 1981 after studying plastic arts and classic ballet, he soon went on to form his performance company KARAS. Since then, Teshigawara and KARAS have enjoyed the international fame and accreditation, regular performances at prominent venues such as Sadler’s Wells and Southbank Centre. They have also collaborated with principal dance companies including Frankfurt Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theatre, to name only a few. Teshigawara’s keenly honed sculptural sensibilities, powerful sense of composition, command of space and decisive dance movements all come together to create his unique world. He is also a keen advocate of the potential that dance can hold outside established techniques, engaging in people of all kind of life and abilities and facilitating journeys of self-discovery through the medium of dance.

Celebrating his and Karas’s 2019 European tour of their new work “The Idiot” and the performance at the Print Room at The Coronet, London, this special talk, inviting Teshigawara and Karas‘s leading dancer, Rihoko Sato will discuss the development of their movement style as well as their creative vision while revealing the working process for “The Idiot” and others.

Saburo and Rihoko will be joined in conversation by Sanjoy Roy, the dance writer for the Guardian.

Date:	29 March 2019 from 9.00pm - 10.00pm
Venue:	The Print Room at The Coronet, 103 Notting Hill Gate, Kensington, London W11 3LB

The price of the ticket for the talk is £5, you can book the following ways:

By Phone Box Office: 020 3642 6606

Online www.the-print-room.org

In person Box Office Opening Hours Monday – Saturday: 10.00 am – 6.00 pm

UK Premiere of Teshigawara’s ‘The Idiot’ is performed at the Print Room at The Coronet between 20^th – 30^th March, 2019

To book visit https://www.the-print-room.org/

This event is co-orgainised in conjunction with Print Room at The Coronet

Anime's Human Machines

In 1963 Osamu Tezuka’s TV series Astro Boy brought a new kind of robot to Japan. The robot child with a loving heart began a line of compelling, conflicted cyborgs whose existence challenges humanity.

Japanese animation has embraced robotics, cybernetics and artificial intelligence as major themes. More interestingly, it uses these themes to explore complex moral and social questions: humanity’s responsibility for its actions, response to the other, greed, short-termism, failure to care for the ecosystem that sustains us.

The Japan Foundation is delighted to be associated with Barbican's season which examines the challenge of the man-machine interface through eight films on various aspects of humanity’s response to technological change. One interesting factor to emerge from these films is how our own view of technology has changed since the earliest was released. Another is how humanity still refuses responsibility for the impact of our actions. These films give no answers, but suggest responses.

Date:	12 September 2019 - 30 September 2019
Venue:	Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS
For more information, please click here.

Artist Talk by Kohei Nawa

Award-winning artist, Kohei Nawa, is currently one of the most prominent names in the world of contemporary art. His iconic PixCell series – sculptural installations in which objects such as deer are overlaid with transparent glass beads – stormed the world at the beginning of the century, with Nawa becoming a well-known name among prestigious exhibitions, in either solo or group shows. His work entitled Foam was presented at the Aichi Triennale 2016 in Japan, featured in the FUKAMI exhibition held at Hôtel Salomon de Rothschild, Paris in 2018, while his monumental Throne was housed at the Musée du Louvre, Paris, until last February, to list only a few prominent projects.

After graduating from Kyoto City University of Art, he attended a sculpture course at the Royal College of Art in London where he was exposed to stimulating contemporary influences such as Antony Gormley. Ever since, Nawa has been a forerunner of his generation of creators, not only due to his mind-bending sculptures but also through his constant experimentations as an artist pushing the boundaries of his own comfort zones. This may be witnessed in his collaborations with like-minded and cutting edge artists, in the spheres of design, architecture, fashion, and performing arts.

Celebrating his involvement in the expressive dance piece VESSEL at Sadler’s Wells on 16th and 17th April, the Japan Foundation is proud to host a very special artist talk where Kohei Nawa will introduce his most representative concepts to date, his inspiration, as well as some pioneering works inspiring a new generation of Japanese creative minds. Divulging his aims in rejecting popular stereotypes linked to Japanese contemporary arts such as manga and anime, he will also explain his method of transforming lifeless industrial materials into dynamic, aesthetically pleasing works of art, sometimes offering delightful sensory experiences.

Date:	18 April 2019 from 6.45pm
Venue:	Royal Society of Arts (RSA) \| Durham House Street - off The Strand \| WC2N 6HG London
For more information, please click here.

This event celebrates Kohei Nawa's VESSEL show at Saddler's Well on April 16th and 17th, supported by the Japan Foundation's Performing Arts Japan for Europe Grant Programme. For more information and tickets to VESSEL please click here

Japan Information Day 2019

The Japan Foundation are proud to be a co-organiser of Japan Information day 2019. Along with other Japan related organisations and universities, we will be introducing our programmes, grants, and the work that we do in the fields of Japanese Language and Japanese Studies.

With an increasing number of tourists as well as international students choosing Japan as their destination, British interest in Japan, including its higher education and research institutions, has been growing. The day aims to provide relevant professionals with information about various opportunities for graduates in teaching, studying and conducting research in Japan. This is the only annual event in the UK where attendees can learn about the diverse programmes in these fields.

For more information including the event timetable, please click here.
(Please note that this event is not suitable for students)

Date:	17 May 2019 from 12.15pm - 4.30pm
Venue:	The Embassy of Japan in the UK, 101-104 Picadilly London W1J 7TJ

Registration for this event has now closed. For any equiries please contact scholarship@ld.mofa.go.jp

Manga Speaks Japanese!

Do you like manga? Are you interested in language? If so, why not come join our free interactive session on Japanese used in manga on 27^th July!

We’ll be talking about the linguistic features of manga, such as the varied and ubiquitous onomatopoeia that appear in manga and how a character’s region, gender, age and more, influences their speaking style.

Taking inspiration from the “Seto and Utsumi” film screening on the same day, we will also invite participants to explore the world of Kansai dialect as spoken in the film and its source manga. The Kansai dialect of Western Japan is very different from standard Japanese and is famous as the dialect of Japanese comedians and straight-talking, sardonic manga characters. This is a chance to learn about an aspect of Japanese that you won’t find in a traditional text-book and to get a glimpse of the regional diversity of the Japanese language.

As global interest in manga boomed, the genre has served as a window into Japanese life and culture. This presentation will help people to better appreciate manga through deeper understanding of the words used in manga and their cultural meanings. They say that manga is 50% images and 50% words, and we want to give everyone, from absolute beginners to fluent speakers, a chance to dive deeper into the language used by manga artists and what it means.

This is a relaxed, fun event and we welcome those with no Japanese ability all the way up to people fluent in the language: all you need to bring is an interest in Japan. For manga fanatics who are interested in the Japanese used in the medium, this is a definite must-attend. And if you are planning a trip to Western Japan in the future, why not brush up on your knowledge of the unique speaking style, values and sense of humour of the region?

We look forward to seeing you at our event!

Advanced booking is required - please book using the links below:

We will be running the same session twice:

Session 1: 14.10-14.50 (40 min) - Book Now!
Session 2: 16.20-17.00 (40 min) - Book Now!

Date:	27 July 2019
Venue:	Knowledge Centre, The British Library, 26 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB
For more information, please click here.

Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) December 2018

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a test which evaluates and certifies the Japanese-Language proficiency of non-native speakers of Japanese. The test is conducted twice a year in Japan and various locations around the world. More than one million people in eighty-one countries and areas worldwide registered for the JLPT exam in 2017. Please visit the JLPT website for more information about the test. You can try sample questions here.

The next JLPT will take place on Sunday, 2 December 2018 at the three locations in the UK: SOAS, the University of London, the University of Edinburgh, and Cardiff University.

- Applications to take the JLPT have now closed at all test sites.

Date:

2 December 2018

Application deadlines: - Applications to take the JLPT have now closed at all test sites.

Japan Now 2019

Japan Now returns this February with a series of events around the UK celebrating the most exciting Japanese literature and culture.

On 23^rd February there will be a day of keynote talks at the British Library in London; novelist Yu Miri and filmmaker Hikaru Toda will discuss how Japan confronts taboo subjects, Kyoko Nakajima, David Peace, Sayaka Murata and Yuya Sato will discuss their novels, and photographer Tomoko Yoneda will relate her global perspective to her home country of Japan.

In parallel with Japan Now, Japan Now North once again will be held in Sheffield for a week of exhibitions, talks and readings from artists and authors including Yurie Nagashima, Risa Tsunegi, Louise Rouse, Rie Iwatake, David Peace and Yu Miri.

Regional events will also take place in Bath, Nottingham, Manchester, Cambridge, Norwich and Cardiff from 19-21 February and will feature many authors for Japan Now.

There is also a dedicated Translation Day at the Free Word Centre on the 22^nd February. Japanese literature is now the fourth most translated into English, and the new generation of Japanese translators will discuss the challenges and rewards they face in their work.

Date:	19 February 2019 - 23 February 2019
Venue:	Venues around the UK.
For more information, please click here.

A Timeless Pallette:
The Story of wa no iro - Japanese Colours

Over centuries, Japan has developed a colour palette unique to its nation and with deep connection to its inimitable nature. Owing to the very subtle distinctions in the shades and grades of these colour schemes, 450 hues of wa no iro have been catalogued. These have been developed within and cherished by, not only Japanese art spheres such as textiles, pottery and even literature, but also by the Japanese people’s values and lifestyles, underlining their rich sense of beauty.

In conjunction with the Living Colours: Kasane – the Language of Japanese Colour Combinations exhibition at Japan House, the Japan Foundation has invited Sachio Yoshioka, a master dyer, colour historian and author of many books on the topic of Japanese colours – including Nihon no Iro Jiten (Dictionary of Japanese Colours) – to define what the term ‘Japanese colours’ means to him. Focusing on several colours which signify the indigenous character, Yoshioka will explain their derivations as well as the way they have been utilised, adapted and, in some cases, even forgotten throughout the passage of time. He will also discuss the application of Japanese colours to contemporary society, demonstrating the method of achieving the mesmerising blends.

Date:	8 April 2019 from 6.45pm
Venue:	Royal Society of Arts (RSA) \| Great Room \| 8 John Adam Street \| WC2N 6EZ London \| United Kingdom

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential. Please note that booking is by return tickets only.

To visit Eventbrite and join the waiting list please click here

In association with IndigoRose Project.

This talk event is supported by Japan House.

More information on the Living Colours: Kasane – the Language of Japanese Colour Combinations exhibition can be found here.

Japanese Children's Day in Orkney

The Japan Foundation, London is proud to be co-organising the Japanese Children's Day family event at King Street Halls in Orkney.

The event is organised by Orkney Islands Council, Orkney Japan Association, The Consulate-General of Japan in Edinburgh, The Japan Society of Scotland and blue earth works.

There will be many fun activities, including origami, traditional dance and calligraphy, as well as delicious snacks to eat.

Plus! There will be an ikebana demonstration and flower workshop for children from 11:00am to 12:00pm for primary school children aged seven and older. You can download a flyer with more information by clicking here.

Please note that prior registration is required to take part in the ikebana workshop. Please contact OJAinfo@btinternet.com by close of day Tuesday 30 April 2019.

The Japanese Children's Day is FREE to take part in.

Download a flyer for the event

Date:	4 May 2019 from 11.00am - 4.00pm
Venue:	King Street Halls, Kirkwall East Church, King Street, Kirkwall, KW15 1JF

Japanese Photography Revisited:
Talk by Dr Lena Fritsch and Miho Kajioka

Japanese photography is without doubt one of the most admired art forms from Japan and has established its name as a respectable artistic genre from its introduction into the country. It has constantly evolved in technique, subject matter and even perception, both from the side of its creators as well as viewers. Photography in Japan today is extremely diverse, open to interpretation, and in constant flux, raising multiple questions about its definition.

In celebration of Photo London 2019, Dr Lena Fritsch – Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Ashmolean, specialist in 20th and 21st-century Japanese art and photography, and author of the book Ravens & Red Lipstick: Japanese Photography since 1945 (published in 2018) – will talk about notable moments in the history of Japanese photography and the diversity of the medium. She will present her most recent research and reflect on her encounters with photographers in Japan.

She will be joined by Miho Kajioka, a Japanese artist dealing in the medium of photography whose works are fast becoming well-recognised in the European market. Explaining her definition of the art form in question, she will divulge why she chose to utilise the camera in her creations, as well as trace the journey that this particular medium will take in Japan going into the future.

Date:	17 May 2019 from 6.45pm
Venue:	Royal Society of Arts (RSA) \| Durham House Street - off the Strand \| WC2N 6HG London
For more information, please click here.

This event is held in celebration of Photo London’s exhibition of Miho Kajioka’s work (16-19 May 2019), with special thanks to IBASHO gallery.

Kansai Yamamoto: More is more

One of the most renowned fashion designers of our time joins us for an exclusive talk.

Best known for era-defining designs for David Bowie on the 1972 Ziggy Stardust and 1973 Aladdin Sane tours, Kansai Yamamoto’s collections developed a following among the most iconic names in pop culture.

In this special talk, for which the Japan Foundation is proud to partner with V&A Dundee, the seminal designer will discuss his notable career, his motto of ‘more is more’, and the concept of costumes as a medium for liberated expression of identity. Yamamoto will reveal the inspirations behind his design philosophy and how he draws on the art history of Japan to produce his elaborate creations.

Rejecting the visual stereotype of Japanese minimalism (wabi-sabi), and embracing the aesthetics of basara, a love of colour and stylish extravagance, Yamamoto’s avant-garde, theatrically decorative and abstract designs are instantly recognisable for their recurring features such as Asiatic prints and sculptural forms. His influence continues to inspire today’s most cutting edge designers and leading fashion houses, from Nicholas Ghesquiere to Gucci and Valentino.

Date:	3 July 2019 from 1.00pm
Venue:	V&A Dundee \| Juniper Auditorium \| 1 Riverside Esplanade \| Dundee DD1 4EZ
For more information, please click here.

Co-presented with V&A Dundee:

Part of:

Nihongo Cup 2018 - Finals Day

Come and see the UK's most talented young students of Japanese language at the Finals Day of the Nihongo Cup - the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary Schools!

Entry is free – No booking required.

To download a poster for this event, click here.

To read our report about last year's finals day, click here.

Date:	16 June 2018 from 12.30pm - 4.30pm
Venue:	Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL

The Nihongo Cup is co-organised by the Japanese Language Committee of the Association for Language Learning (ALL) and the Japan Foundation London.

Supported by: Nihongo Cup 2018 Sponsors

Wakan: The Colourful Life of Japanese Herbs
From Organic Dyeing to Bath Salts

Japanese herbalism, or wakan, has an intricate origin and development story. Extracted from organic flora, the natural benefits of plants and roots native to Japan have long been applied to medicine, food as well as fragrance. More recently, as contemporary interest in harnessing the power of nature is on the up rise, herbs have also started to be utilised in spheres ranging from cosmetics and bath salts to fashion, revitalising people’s life in Japan. Another fact that is not as well-acknowledged, however, is that such contemporary applications share their indigenous herbal ingredients with the Japanese tradition of textile dyeing which had contributed to the aesthetic beauty of the country’s culture for many centuries.

Following the event focused on native colours of Japan on 8 April, in this special talk, Kakuro Sugimoto, a dyer as well as a third generation chemist of the Sugimoto wakan pharmacy, will delineate the development and philosophy of Japanese herbs, referring to some of the most representative plants – in particular those of which use is shared by the health and dyeing cultures. He will also illustrate the great versatility of Japanese herbs and their potential effect on our body and life.

This talk provides a rare opportunity to obtain a first-hand glimpse into the hidden world of Japan’s rich and colourful health culture from one of Japan’s most progressive herbalists. Together with Tetsuo Sugimoto, he will also hold a small demonstration to showcase the close relationship between dyeing and Japanese herbs.

Date:	10 April 2019 from 6.45pm
Venue:	Royal Society of Arts (RSA) \| Durham House Street - off The Strand \| WC2N 6HG London

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential. Please note that booking is by return tickets only.

To visit Eventbrite and join the waiting list please click here

In association with IndigoRose Project and Supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation

Japan Foundation and British Association for Teachers of Japanese Spring Seminar

The JF/BATJ Spring Seminar, Participatory Approaches and Drama for Learning, will take place on Saturday 27th April.

This will be a hybrid seminar – participants may join in either in-person or online.

Workshop Leader: Kumiko Uehara (The Japanese-German Centre Berlin)
Facilitator: Yuko Fujimitsu (Japan Foundation, London, BATJ Member)

Presenters: The 2017 and 2018 cohort of the Training Programme for Japanese Language Education in Europe (voluntary speakers)

Hiroko Tanaka (Japan Foundation, London, BATJ Member)
Miho Tokimoto (Sapienza Universita di Roma)
Kaori Nishizawa (University of Oxford, BATJ member)
Sawako Nemoto (L’Association Franco-Japonaise Paris-Sud, Cours de Japonaise)
Nozomi Yamaguchi (University of Manchester, BATJ member)

To see the provisional programme and to book your place, please click here

Discounted fee applies until 10th April.

Date:	27 April 2019 from 10.30am - 5.30pm
Venue:	Room G3, SOAS, University of London 10 Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG

For all enquiries, please contact Ms Kaori Nishizawa: seminar@batj.org.uk

Summer Explorers 2019! Manga based film mini season

Our annual Summer Explorers season is back – this time taking place at the British Library!

From over the top, offbeat narratives of psychic teenagers and upstart political wrangling in a high school environment, to spectacular battles between good and evil, and stories of tender friendships Summer Explorers 2019 : Manga Comes To Life – Live Action Japanese Film Based on Manga showcases the range of plotlines that manga has provided film creatives over the years.

Come and see the versatility of the influence that manga has had on Japanese cinema!

Click on the individual titles of the films in this year's lineup for screening details and ticket booking:

Saturday, 27 July

Inuyashiki

Seto and Utsumi

TEIICHI: Battle of Supreme High

Sunday, 28 July

TEIICHI: Battle of Supreme High

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (a.k.a. Psychic Kusuo)

Inuyashiki

Date:	27 July 2019 - 28 July 2019
Venue:	British Library \| Knowledge Centre Theatre \| 96 Euston Road \| St Pancras \| London NW1
For more information, please click here.

Presented and Curated by the Japan Foundation, in collaboration with the British Library:

Part of:

Nihongo Cup 2019

Nihongo Cup is the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School students across three categories: Key Stage 3, Pre-GCSE Key Stage 4/5, and Post GCSE Key Stage 4 and 5.

Finals day will take place on 22nd June 2019 (Saturday). Finals will take place at the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies, University of Oxford.

You can also find articles about previous Nihongo Cup finals on our News Page.

To find out more and for application forms, you can download the Zip file linked below.
Please note that the application deadline has now passed

Date:	22 June 2019
Download NC2019 Application Pack

Nihongo Cup is organised by the Association for Language Learning (ALL) and the Japan Foundation London.

Artist Talk: Mari Katayama

In the photographic self-portraits of Mari Katayama, the artist’s body features prominently, surrounded by painstakingly arranged objects, both in intimate settings or set against vast landscapes. The recipient of the Grand Prize at Art Award Tokyo Marunouchi 2012, Katayama was born with various developmental challenges, and had both legs amputated at age nine and has since lived with prosthetics. Using her body as a living sculpture, Katayama photographs herself among intricately embroidered objects, hand-sewn mannequins and her prosthetic legs. Katayama’s photography has been exhibited at museums such as the Gallery J, Arts Maebashi and the Museum of Modern Art in Gunma, Traumaris Gallery in Tokyo and Kitchen Gallery in Paris, and has also featured in group exhibitions at the Metropolitan Art Museum and the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo and La Criée in Marseille, amongst others.

In conjunction with her solo exhibition at the White Rainbow Gallery, Katayama will be delivering a talk on her artistic process, touching on how her physical difficulty has informed her work and influenced her body images, along with having a conversation with Simon Baker, director of the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris.

Date:	24 January 2019 from 6.45pm
Venue:	Royal Society of Arts
For more information, please click here.

This event has been organised in collaboration with White Rainbow Gallery, where Mari Katayama's solo exhibition will run from 24 January 2019 to 2 March 2019, and it is celebrating the Embassy of Japan's Season of Culture.

Japanese Youth Conference in Scotland

There will be a Japanese Youth Conference in Fife on 6^th March. 82 P6 and P7 pupils will enjoy activities such as Japanese language lessons, karate, calligraphy, origami and radio exercises.

Co-organised by:

The Japan Foundation, London
Japanese Language and Culture Group for Scottish Schools
Crossgates Primary School
Hill of Beath Primary School

Supported by: The Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh

Date:	6 March 2019 from 10.30am - 12.30pm
Venue:	Crossgates Primary School

A Visual Feast - The Culinary Microcosm of the Japanese Lunch Box

The traditional Japanese lunch box, or bento, has undergone a number of metamorphoses over the long course of its history, becoming a staple and a unique point of pride in Japanese cuisine. Depending on the occasion, bento can range from a mass-produced lunch container available from railway stations, to lovingly hand-crafted compartmentalised meals set in equally stylish lacquerware. However, the most notable transformation may be perceived in the category of home-made lunch, the ingredients of which not only form an appetising meal but also, with increasing intricacy, a visually engaging one. This is known as kyara-ben (character bento) and it is particularly enjoyed by children, who will often receive bento bearing the likeness of famous manga and anime characters.

In collaboration with the Flatpack Festival, we are happy to welcome Mari Miyazawa — a leading bento arranger and animation filmmaker whose work includes short films such as Twins in Bakery (2013) — to talk about the development of vibrant bento creations in Japan. Herself having invented a similarly illustrative genre of oekaki-ben (picture bento) in which food is arranged to resemble an intricately decorated scene or landscape, Miyazawa will also provide an introduction to turning ingredients into edible characters, revealing how her ideas attain the balance between nutrition and visual appeal.

This event is aimed at showing our audience that creating an edible work of art is something enjoyable everyone can do and be proud of!

Date:	3 May 2019 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Royal Society \| Dining Room \| 6-9 Carlton House Terrace \| SW1Y 5AG London
For more information, please click here.

This event is run in partnership with the Flatpack Film Festival as part of which two of Miyazawa's film shorts will be screened in the Trailblazers collection in Birmingham, and where she will run two workshops demonstrating how to create Character Bento.

Leicestershire Young Ambassador Japan Conference

On Wednesday 3^rd of July, Year 5 pupils from various schools in Leicestershire will take part in a day of sports and Japanese culture to celebrate the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. As part of the Leicestershire Young Ambassador Japan Conference, the children will enjoy Japanese radio exercises, taiko drumming, Japanese lessons, origami, haiku, dancing and MORE!

The children will also get a chance to meet a real-life Paralympian: Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby team member, Nick Cummins, and his coach Rob Tarr.

It promises to be a fantastic day highlighting the links between sports and culture. Stay tuned for our report from the event!

Date:	3 July 2019 from 9.00am - 2.30am
Venue:	Fraser Noble Building (Education Department) of the University of Leicester

Organisers:

Supported by:

The 14th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students

We are delighted to announce that the 14th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is open for applications!

This contest gives students the chance to make their voices heard in Japanese, and win some fantastic prizes! Finalists will all perform their speeches on Saturday 2nd March 2019 at King’s College London.

:: Who can apply?
The contest is aimed at undergraduate students who are currently studying Japanese as a foreign language at a university in the UK or Ireland.

There are three different categories:

Application Deadline: 22nd November 2018 (applications for this category have now closed)

Application Deadline: 10th December 2018 (applications for this category have now closed)

Application Deadline: 17th December 2018 (applications for this category have now closed)

*Details of JF Standard can be found here:

http://jfstandard.jp/pdf/jfs2015_pamphlet_eng.pd

Videos from the 13th Contest Finals Day can be viewed here

Please see the files below for contest poster, FAQ and application forms for each category.

- Frequently Asked Questions

- Contest Poster

- Speech Category Application Form

- Speech Category Rules and Guidance

- Individual Presentation Category Application Form

- Group Presentation Category Application Form

Date:

24 August 2018 - 17 December 2018

The 14th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is generously supported by:

Composing for Ninagawa: A Talk by Yasuhiro Kasamatsu

Yasuhiro Kasamatsu is Japan’s acclaimed composer who has a wide-ranging repertoire from chamber music, to opera, to musicals. However what has made him stand out the most is his involvement in theatre productions, in particular the staging of the works by Yukio Ninagawa who sadly passed away in 2016. Keeping close contact with the theatre giant, Kasamatsu composed music pieces for Ninagawa’s “Hamlet”, “Pericles” and “The Twelfth Night” among many others, which played a significant role towards their stage success. His credits also extend to film and TV dramas such as Hirokazu Kore-eda’s 1998 film “After Life”.

In this special talk, Kasamatsu will share his insights into his creative process when composing music, as well as reflecting on the prolific partnership between him and Ninagawa. With representative pieces on board, he will also discuss the way his music attuned to Ninagawa’s spellbinding stages, helping convey the narratives and how it complimented the mood and flow.

This will provide a rare opportunity to uncover the hidden stories of the Ninagawa production process from a musical perspective which you might have never witnessed before.

Date:	21 January 2019 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Kings Place, London N1 9AG
For more information, please click here.

Yasuhiro Kasamatsu has been sent to the UK by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan as a cultural envoy. There will be a special concert on Yasuhiro Kasamatsu's music pieces including the second movement from String quartet No.4, “Sone-zaki” for string quartet, based on Bunraku (Japanese traditional puppet theater), at The Grosvenor Chapel on 27 January from 17:30.

Japan Foundation and British Association for Teachers of Japanese Seminar

The Japan Foundation and British Association for Teachers of Japanese Seminar will take place on 23rd February 2019 at Manchester University.

The theme of the seminar is: "Theory and Practice to Connect Japanese Language Education”

The speaker will be Chihiro Kinoshita Thomson, a Professor of Japanese Studies at New South Wales University.

The seminar is open to both BATJ members and non-members.

Please note the seminar will be held in Japanese.

Participation fee: £5 (flat fee for both BATJ members and non-members; pay at the door)

Online participation: This seminar will also be available online as a partial live-streaming test for BATJ members ONLY. There is no fee for those wishing to participate online.

To see the abstract and to book your place, please click here (Japanese) or here (English)

(Currently online registration is open only for in-person participation. The registration for online participation will be opened shortly).

Date:	23 February 2019 from 2.00pm - 5.00pm
Venue:	University of Manchester Student Union, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR

Enquiries: seminar@batj.org.uk

Hand in Hand

Hand In Hand is choreographed by Chisato Minamimura and is produced by Nicole Vivien Watson of Surface Area Dance Theatre and Paul Miller of Rory Studio and supported by Moving Art Management.

Join Dance City for a sharing of work by international deaf dance choreographer Chisato Minamimura, presented in Dance City’s Theatre, in collaboration with visual artist Graham Patterson and musician Tom White. The sharing is the finale of a week-long project led by Chisato with 20 extraordinary deaf and hearing dancers, who are inspired to respond to Chisato’s unique creative practice.

Post Show Social: Join Dance City in the 'Dance City’s Café' for an informal post-show discussion and social gathering from 7pm.

Hand In Hand is supported by Arts Council England, Dance City, Surface Area Dance Theatre, Rory Studio, Moving Art Management and The Japan Foundation.

Date:	22 March 2019 from 6.00pm
Venue:	Dance City Temple Street Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 4BR

Tickets cost £6 and are available through Dance City's website.

Artist Talk by Nobuko Tsuchiya

Nobuko Tsuchiya is a Japanese artist best recognized for her eclectic sculptures, seemingly freely assembled almost entirely out of discarded scraps of familiar household objects such as plastic tubing, disused cables, mop buckets and even a disused bath tub. Having studied art at the Accademia di Belle Arte in Florence and Goldsmiths, University of London, she has since exhibited internationally, with her first major show at the 50th Venice Biennale, and most recently with Roppongi Crossing 2019 at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo.

In conjunction with her solo exhibition at the Leeds Art Gallery as part of Yorkshire Sculpture International 2019 which the Japan Foundation proudly supports, Nobuko Tsuchiya will reveal what particular elements of an everyday object attract her when putting together her pieces, as well as her process in unlocking the potential of an object as a storyteller. She will also talk about her journey to the international stage of art, explaining what she wishes to convey when turning her objects into enigmatic sculptures.

Date:	28 June 2019 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Impact Hub King's Cross, 34b York Way, King's Cross, N1 9AB London
For more information, please click here.

This event is held in collaboration with Yorkshire Sculpture International 2019 and the Leeds Art Gallery where Nobuko Tsuchiya’s work will be exhibited.

Music & Manga: A Vision of Sound

Shinichi Ishizuka is an award-winning manga artist who uses his personal experiences and pursuits to inspire the subject matter of his works. Together with his editor, Katsuki Dai (who has edited a number of manga magazines and worked with top manga artists), Ishizuka has created a wildly popular graphic series BLUE GIANT and BLUE GIANT SUPREME. The series centers around a young saxophonist and his passion for jazz, as modelled on Ishizuka’s own familiarity with the instrument.

In celebration of the Citi exhibition Manga at the British Museum (23 May – 26 August 2019), the Japan Foundation is proud to partner with Asia House for their event welcoming Ishizuka and Dai who will discuss the challenges and pleasures in creating a story manga and explore how integral the depiction of sound is in the series. The discussion will include insights into the collaborative processes and relationship of the artist and editor in the creation of story manga. The moderator for the evening will be Professor Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere, IFAC Handa Curator in Japanese Arts at the British Museum and lead curator of the Manga exhibition.

This event is held in collaboration with the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, The British Museum, and supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.

Date:	11 July 2019 from 6.45pm
Venue:	Asia House, 63 New Cavendish Street, W1G 7LP London
For more information, please click here.

In collaboration with:

And Supported by:

Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2019

Love, in all its semblances and dimensions, is a state so universally experienced by humankind that it has provided a perpetual source of inspiration in the long history of global cinema. Japanese cinema is no different. Love and the associated feelings of passion, affection, and destruction, in equal measure have all been channelled into a pivotal driving force behind the rise of many Japanese filmmakers, crystallising in timeless works which form part of the nation’s artistic repertoire.

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2019 features thoughtfully selected works, all focusing on this theme in one way or another. As the conventional binaries defining what it means to love continually give way to new understandings of this sweeping emotion, so too does this year’s curation aim to provide insights into a wider context of love in Japanese society.

Embracing other complicated emotions that go hand in hand with love, the programme aims to provide a more comprehensive picture of Japanese relationships, ranging from conventional love stories, LGBT issues, familial devotion, compassion for the fellow man, transgressive attractions, to profound renderings of the devastation felt with the loss of love

Date:	2 February 2019 - 28 March 2019
Venue:	Cinemas across the UK.
For more information, please click here.

For all information on the selected films and participating venues, please visit our dedicated website by following the link above.

Born in Okinawa

Celebrating the UK premier screening of Born Bone Born as part of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2019, join us for an evening dedicated to Okinawa, Japan’s tropical southern paradise. Dating back to the time of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawa developed a beautiful and colourful history and fascinating cultures, including unique food, music and language.

The evening will be led by Dr Vicky Young (University of Cambridge), who will give an overview of Okinawa, its history, culture and language. The evening will also feature live performances from the London Okinawa Sanshinkai, showcasing traditional Okinawan music and dance.

This is a free event but spaces are limited and book is essential, to book your place please click here.

Born Bone Born directed by Toshiyuki Teruya (Gori) will be screened at Institute of Contemporary Arts in London on 10 February and further 6 UK venues between February and March 2019. For more information and other screenings, please visit the special website Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme.

Date:	25 January 2019 from 6.30pm - 7.30pm
Venue:	Japan House, London 101-111 Kensington High Street London W8 5SA

With thanks to the London Okinawa Sanshinkai and Okinawa Kenjinkai of UK for their co-operation and special thanks to Japan House London.

The 14th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students - Finals Day

This event is FREE to attend, but prior registration is required.

To register to attend, please click here.

(The deadline to register is 27th February, Wednesday)

The Fourteenth Japanese Speech Contest for University Students is organised by the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language (BATJ) and the Japan Foundation London in joint partnership. The event provides an opportunity for students from the UK and Ireland to demonstrate their Japanese speaking skills.

Download our event poster!

Date:	2 March 2019 from 1.00pm - 6.00pm
Venue:	Great Hall, King's College London, Strand Campus, Strand, London WC2R 2LS

There will be a reception from 6:00pm to 7:00pm.

The 14th Japanese Speech contest is generously supported by:

Pre-Summer Explorers! 2019

Come and enjoy a prelude to summer with us by immersing yourself in our feel-good comedy film season!

From wacky time-travel to ancient Rome (Thermae Romae) and a musical extravaganza set in feudal Japan (Princess Raccoon), to a slapstick twist on the film noir genre of the 60’s (Murder Un-Incorporated) – our annual Pre-Summer Explorers season aims to make you shake and cry with laughter while presenting the multi-faceted and unique sense of humour in Japanese cinema!

Click on the individual titles of the films in this year's lineup for screening details and free booking:

26 June

Night is Short, Walk on Girl

*** NEW ADDITION *** Night is Short, Walk on Girl *** NEW ADDITION ***

29 June

Fukuchan of Fukufuku Flats

Princess Raccoon

Thermae Romae

Getting Any?

30 June

Murder Un-Incorporated

Date:	26 June 2019 - 30 June 2019
Venue:	Screen 1, The Soho Hotel, 4 Richmond Mews, W1D 3DH London and Prince Charles Cinema, 7 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BY London

Noh Reimagined 2018: Sublime Illusions

After the success of Noh Reimagined in 2016, we're pleased to accounce its return for 2018 - Noh Reimagined: Sublime Illusions.

This year's edition will showcase Mugen ("phantasmal") Noh - a genre of Noh in which the main actor appears as a ghost in the dream of a travelling monk, who is played by the supporting actor. The ghost then tells the tragic story of its past life, expressing deep regret and lamentations, hoping to find peace through the monk's prayers for it.

Bringing together top Noh performers from Japan with British artists and neuroscientists, join us for this two-day festival, with its interdisciplinary performances, workshops, and talks, to explore time, space, and symbolism in Noh theatre.

Date:	29 June 2018 - 30 June 2018
Venue:	Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9AG
For more information, please click here.

Curated and produced by mu:arts and International Noh Project Committee, Tokyo, in partnership with Kings Place, Japan Foundation, and the Noh Theatre Research Institute, Hosei University

Japan Foundation/BAJS Japanese Studies Postgraduate Workshop 2019: Career Progression

We are delighted to announce that the 2019 Japan Foundation and British Association for Japanese Studies (BAJS) Postgraduate Workshop will be held at Cardiff University.

This workshop aims to assist the development of the next generation of Japanese Studies researchers and academics currently studying in the UK. Every year it provides a great opportunity for students to receive practical advice on their own research from senior colleagues, and to get to know fellow postgraduate students and members of the Japanese Studies Community.

This year's interactive workshop will centre on career development in academia/research in the UK, Japan and abroad. It will include several sessions by senior academics addressing concerns and challenges faced by at the early stages of an academic career and how to take full advantage of the opportunities available. There will be a chance for students to present their research and receive feedback from both peers and senior colleagues. There will also be an opportunity to hear from organisations and the funding they can offer for current and future research.

Eligibility: Registration is open to postgraduate students in Japanese Studies as well as those undertaking Japan related research in other disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. Priority will be given to Ph.D candidates.

This year the Japan Foundation are able to provide partial travel grants: please e-mail the below address for more details.

BAJS are also offering a grant to help cover the cost of accommodation please click here for details.

Registration for this workshop has now closed. If you would like to be the first to hear about all of our events in the future, please sign up for mailing list.

Date:	8 March 2019 from 10.30am - 5.45pm
Venue:	Cardiff University, Wales

*Doors will open from 10:00AM.

To register, or if you have any questions, please e-mail Programme Office Michael Salter at michael.salter@jpf.org.uk

Art that Speaks: Meiro Koizumi

Meiro Koizumi (1976, Gunma, Japan) investigates the boundaries between the private and the public, a domain of specific importance to his native Japanese culture. His videos are often based on performances and constructed scenarios. He places characters, played by himself or others, in awkward situations. Often starting harmoniously he gradually heightens the tension manipulating the situation from humorous to painful. His performances focus and enlarge the moment when a situation gets out of control, becomes embarrassing or breaks social rules. His distinguished approach is demonstrated in his video work Confessions (2014), in which he interviews a Japanese man that had left for Paris to join the French Foreign Legion in hopes of experiencing battle. Through his variety of media from film to sculptures and collages, he often centres on the uneasy and awkward interactions that question socially acceptable stereotypes of behaviour.

In conjunction with his solo show and White Rainbow Gallery, Meiro Koizumi will, in this special talk, introduce his representative works to date and his challenging attitude towards the subject. He will also discuss to what degree art should speak and what it should speak about.

Koizumi's works have been exhibited worldwide including Mexico City, Texas, Amsterdam, London, New York, Burgos (Spain), Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam),Sydney and Tokyo. His works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Kadist Art Foundation, Paris, and the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam.

Date:	22 November 2018 from 6.45pm
Venue:	Royal Society of Arts (Durham Street Auditorium), Durham House Street (off The Strand), London, WC2N 6HG

This event is free to attend, however booking is essential. To book your free place via eventbrite, please click here

Inclusive Bodies - Creation in dance with different physicality

According to the European Youth Portal 'Dance is a universal human activity'. In spite of this all-encompassing notion, it is only in recent years that all body types have been given access to similar levels of training for performance (although these opportunities are still not widespread). While words such as 'diversity' and 'inclusivity' have been the key to opening the doors of performing arts in the 21st century, there are still questions as to how these buzz words are applied in the creative process to all physicality - disabled and non-disabled, Asian and European, in order to both embrace and celebrate their differences.

In this special seminar, the Japan Foundation has invited Stopgap Dance Company, a UK-based company of disabled and non-disabled dancers, to deliver a short presentation of research undertaken with internationally acclaimed Japanese choreographer and dancer, Yukio Suzuki, and Japanese disabled dancer, Kenta Kambara. The research sought a way for the disabled and non-disabled dancers involved (from Europe, UK and Japan) to use their bodies to portray what is in their minds during their performances, exploring similarities of approach between Stopgap's inclusive creative processes and that of Butoh. Joined by UK-based choreographer Adam Benjamin, they will explore in discussion the way they understand physical and cultural differences, and how these differences contribute to creativity in dance making.

In this special seminar, the Japan Foundation has invited Stopgap Dance Company, a UK-based company of disabled and non-disabled dancers, to deliver a short presentation of research undertaken with internationally acclaimed Japanese choreographer and dancer, Yukio Suzuki, and Japanese disabled dancer, Kenta Kambara. The research sought a way for the disabled and non-disabled dancers involved (from Europe, UK and Japan) to use their bodies to portray what is in their minds during their performances, exploring similarities of approach between Stopgap's inclusive creative processes and that of Butoh. Joined by UK-based choreographer Adam Benjamin, they will explore in discussion the way they understand physical and cultural differences, and how these differences contribute to creativity in dance making.

Date:

11 June 2018 from 7.00pm

Venue:

Sunley Pavilion, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX

Photo Credit: Chris Parkes

The research project between Stopgap Dance Company and the Japanese artists, Yukio Suzuki and Kenta Kambara is supported by the Japan Foundation through the Performing Arts Japan for Europe grant programme.

This event is free to attend but booking is essential (places are limited). To book your place via Eventbrite, please click here. If you have any accessibility requirements please let us know when booking by contacting info@jpf.org.uk. Unfortunately we are unable to provide sign language interpreting.

Photo Credit: Chris Parkes

Photo Credit: Chris Parkes

The research project between Stopgap Dance Company and the Japanese artists, Yukio Suzuki and Kenta Kambara is supported by the Japan Foundation through the Performing Arts Japan for Europe grant programme.

Booking:

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To book your place via Eventbrite, please click here. If you have any accessibility requirements please let us know when booking by contacting info@jpf.org.uk. Unfortunately we are unable to provide sign language interpreting.

Author's Talk: Satoshi Kitamura

One of the UK's most admired children's authors, Satoshi Kitamura has been winning the hearts of children (and adults) for over three decades with his lovingly drawn animations and wonderfully imaginative books. Despite no formal training, Kitamura's first book, Angry Arthur, published in the UK by Andersen Press and with words by Hiawyn Oram, earned him the prestigious Mother Goose Award. His quirky characters, bewildering beasts, and lovingly-detailed landscapes have made Kitamura's style iconic and beloved by many. As an author and translator, Kitamura has been behind many famous books such as, Millies Marvellous Hats, Me and My Cat, and David Mckee's Elmer. His new book, Hat Tricks (ScallywagPress), will be released next year.

In partnership with The Children's Bookshow, the Japan Foundation will welcome Kitamura back to the UK to talk about his career as both an author and an illustrator, as well as his unique writing and artistic style. He will also discuss the world of children's books in the UK and Japan and what inspires both young readers and himself.

He will be introducing his lively and fascinating characters through live painting and Kamishibai, a traditional Japanese storytelling theatre style which uses illustrated paper for visual aids.

Date:	11 October 2018 from 6.30pm
Venue:	House of Illustration, 2 Granary Square, London, N1C 4BH

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To book your place via Eventbrite please click here

In adition his London talk, Kitamura will also be making other UK appearances:

8 October Warwick Art Centre (Visit their website for details)

12 October The Lake International Comic Art Festival (Visit their website for details)

This Event is organised with The Children's Bookshow

In Partnership with The Lake International Comic Art Festival

Van Gogh & Japan: The Provence Years

For Van Gogh, Japan held great appeal, particularly its woodblock prints. In 1888 he left Paris and headed south, to the city of Arles in Provence. In its clear light, he developed as a landscape artist under the inspiration of Japanese artists. On his arrival, he wrote that “I feel I’m in Japan”.

Join Van Gogh specialist, Martin Bailey, author of Starry Night: Van Gogh in the Asylum and co-curator of Tate’s forthcoming Van Gogh exhibition (27 March-11 August 2019), will talk about his discoveries about the artist’s period in Provence—with a particular emphasis on his love for Japanese prints.

Date:	30 January 2019 from 6.45pm
Venue:	Asia House 63 New Cavendish Street London W1G 7LP
For more information, please click here.

The event is organised in collaboration with The Courtauld Institute of Art and Japan Foundation.

The Expression of Youth: Japanese Street Fashion in Post-War Culture

Thanks to its uniqueness, Japanese street fashion has made a name for itself in the couture world and has enjoyed global attention. Subcultures such as Cosplay, Lolita, and Gothic Lolita have been capturing imagination of people not only in Japan, but across America, Europe and the rest of Asia since the end of the 20th century and into the 21st century. Under what conditions, however, was such a unique fashion born and nurtured in Japan? How has fashion reflected the demands of the consumers, especially the young, trend setting generation?

In this special talk, Hiroshi Narumi, Professor of Kyoto University of Arts and Design, and the author of numerous books on contemporary fashion including Feel and Think: A New Era of Tokyo Fashion, will trace the fashion that emerged on the streets of Tokyo from 1945 up to the present day and examine how the desires of young people to express themselves have evolved over time. He will also discuss the role these trend setters have played in the creation of a unique and sometimes rather idiosyncratic mode, questioning what the heart of Japanese Post-War culture was.

Date:	7 November 2018 from 6.45pm
Venue:	Royal Society of Arts, Durham House Street, London, WC2N 6HG

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. This is event is currently waiting list only, please click here to joing the waiting list.

Artist Talk: Aida Makoto

Aida Makoto is a Japanese contemporary artist known for his provocative work. From mountains of dead salarymen, a blender full of young women, and harakiri (ritual suicide), his highly skilled workmanship shared with Japanese traditional paintings appear grotesque at first, but they tend to carry a scathing message towards contemporary culture and society.

Controversial though they may be, his works have been taken up by many prestigious exhibitions including his solo show at Mori Art Museum, Tokyo and have proved to be food for thought for its viewers. In addition to being an artist, he has also received respect for his novels and manga work as well as being involved in a number of art projects in Japan.

For this special talk, Makoto Aida will talk about his long standing career as an artist, introducing his remarkable body of work. Together with Lena Fritsch, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Ashmolean Museum (University of Oxford), they will discuss what it is that Aida wishes to deliver through the various media he uses and what art means to him, reflecting on the state of Japan as well as global art.

This is a rare opportunity to meet and hear from one of the leader artists from Japan who will stir your mind with his bold yet deeply profound art.

Date:	19 October 2018 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Banqueting Suite (Chelsea College of Arts), 16 John Islip Street, London, SW1P 4JU

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To book your place via Eventbrite please click here

Header Image Left:
Picture of Waterfall 2007-2010.
Photo: Fukunaga Kazuo
Collection of National Museum of Art, Osaka
© Aida Makoto, Courtesy Mizuma Art Gallery

Header Image Bottom Right:
A Picture of an Air Raid on New York City (War Picture Returns) 1996.
photo: Nagatsuka Hideto.
Takahashi Collection
© Aida Makoto, Courtesy Mizuma Art Gallery

Tanaka Kinuyo: Nation, Stardom and Female Subjectivity

Join the Japan Foundation for a series of events celebrating the publication of "Tanaka Kinuyo: Nation, Stardom, and Female Subjectivity" a look at the legendary actor and of the first prominent female film directors in Japan.

A Screening of two of her films, The Wandering Princess and The Ballad or Narayama will be shown in London will accompany a book presentation event. For this book presentation and discussion, Dr Irene González-López and Dr Michael Smith as well as Dr Alexander Jacoby, Alejandra Armendáiz-Hernández and Prof. Ayako Saito (From Japan) will explore the life and achievements of Kinuyo Tanaka, one of the most celebrated stars in the history of Japanese cinema and as a female film maker.

There will be an opportunity to purchase the book, "Tanaka Kinuyo: Nation, Stardom and Female Subjectivity" after the event. Payment by cash only

	The Wandering Princess: Date: 29 November 2018 from 6:30pm Venue: Prince Charles Cinema, 7 Leicester Pl, London, WC2N 6EZ
	Book Presentation and Discussion: Date: 30 November 2018 from 7:00pm (Doors from 6:30pm) Venue: Royal Society of the Arts (Durham Street Auditorium), Durham House Street (Off the Strand), London, WC2N 6EZ
	The Ballad of Narayama Date: 1 December 2018 from 3:30pm Venue: Curzon Cinema Soho, 99 Shaftesbury Ave, London, W1D 5DY

Date:

29 November 2018 - 1 December 2018

All of these events are free to attend but booking is essential. Please click on the title of each event to book your place.

Organised by: The Japan Foundation, Kingston School or Art and Edinburgh University Press

Pre-Summer Explorers!

From anime to 70's horror, drama to eye-opening documentaries, discover something for everyone with our brand new season of free Japanese cinema screenings.

Saturday 4 August 2018: Soho Hotel Cinema - 4 Richmond Mews (via Richmond Buildings), London, W1D 3DH

	NHK WORLD-JAPAN Double Bill (Part 1) 5.15pm (English Subtitles) A Tale of Love & Honour: Life in Gion Dir. Maki Kubochi, 2017, 49min \| Image: © NHK Living Ninja Legend Masaaki Hatsumi 2016, 49 min \| Image: © NHK
	House 7:20pm (English subtitles, suitable for ages 15+) Dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi, 1977, 88min \| Miyuki (Kimiko Ikegami) decides to take six of her friends to her aunt’s house in the countryside, and one by one, strange things start happening to them.

Sunday 5 August 2018: Courthouse Hotel Cinema - 19-21 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7HL

Summer Wars 2.15pm (suitable for ages 12+) Dir. Mamoru Hosoda, 2009, 114min

Maths genius Kenji is invited by his crush Natsuki on a summer trip. He receives a strange, coded message on his cell phone from an unknown sender who challenges him to solve it. Will Kenji be able to crack the code and save the world from danger?

NHK WORLD-JAPAN Double Bill (Part 2) 4.30pm (English subtitles)
My Small Steps to Hiroshima 2016, 50min Image © NHK
The Phone of the Wind 2016, 49 mins | Image © NHK

Kikujiro 6.40pm (English subtitles, suitable for ages 12+) Dir. Takeshi Kitano, 1999, 122min
Young Masao decides to embark on a journey to find his long-lost mother. His elderly neighbour Kikujiro (Takeshi Kitano) decides to accompany him on his trip.

Saturday, 11 August 2018: Soho Hotel Cinema - 4 Richmond Mews (via Richmond Buildings), London, W1D 3DH

Only Yesterday 2.15pm (English subtitles, PG) Dir. Isao Takahata, 1991, 118min
Office worker Taeso decides to take a break from Tokyo during the summer to spend time in the countryside, somewhere she hasn't been for nearly two decades. Along the way, her childhood memories come pouring back to her.

Napping Princess 4.40pm (English subtitles, PG) Dir. Kenji Kamiyama, 1991, 111min
Kokone should be studying for her university entrance exams, but when she sleeps, her daily life is swapped for the fantastic world of Heartland.

Mitsuko Delivers 7.00pm (English subtitles) Dir. Yuya Ishii, 2011, 109min | © “Mitsuko Delivers” Film Partners
After being dumped by the boyfriend whose baby she’s carrying, Mitsuko decides to go back to her hometown to help those around her.

Short Japanese Language Taster Sessions
on 11th August!
3.30pm-6.30pm, Screen 2 @ Soho Hotel Cinema

Have you ever wanted to introduce yourself like a Japanese film character?
We will be running short language taster sessions for beginners focusing on
Japanese in Anime/Manga. Anyone can drop by and take part,
so please come along to get involved! Click here for more info.

Date:	4 August 2018 - 11 August 2018
Venue:	4 August - Soho Hotel Cinema, 4 Richmond Mews (via Richmond Buildings), London, W1D 3DH 5 August - Courthouse Hotel Cinema, 19-21 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7HL 11 August - Soho Hotel Cinema, 4 Richmond Mews (via Richmond Buildings), London, W1D 3DH

For more information, download our eflyer

Booking: These screenings are free to attend but booking is essential. To book a place via Eventbrite, please visit the following links:

Japan Conference for Schools 2018

Applications are now OPEN for the Japan Conference for Schools that will be held on Friday 12th October 2018.

This is a free one-day conference for teachers to network and share ideas about bringing Japan and Japanese into schools.

The event is open to schools or local authorities that are new to the study of Japan, schools already implementing Japanese in their curriculum, those involved with partnerships in Japan and schools looking to enhance or develop an existing programme of Japan-related study.

There will be general sessions as well as sessions specifically geared to Primary or Secondary teaching.

As part of the event, there will also be a Pearson A-Level CPD Workshop, covering the new A-Level syllabus. This workshop will run from 11:20 to 15:50 in three separate sessions with the cooperation of Pearson.

The Pearson A-Level CPD Workshop is aimed at teachers who are either currently teaching the Japanese A-Level in a UK school or will be in the near future.

This event is FREE but prior booking is essential.

The booking deadline is 5^th October 2018.

Numbers for this event are limited, so we strongly urge those interested to apply as soon as possible.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING PEARSON CPD A-LEVEL WORKSHOPS

Applications for the Pearson CPD A-Level Workshop are now CLOSED.

This is because applications have reached maximum capacity. We are sorry for any disappointment caused. You may still apply to attend other Conference workshops.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING PEARSON CPD A-LEVEL WORKSHOPS

Please note applications for the Pearson CPD A-Level Workshop are now CLOSED.

This is because applications have reached maximum capacity. We are sorry for any disappointment caused. You may still apply to be on the waiting list for the CPD A-Level Workshop using our application form. You may also still apply to attend other Conference workshops.

The main Conference workshops (session one, two and three below) are still open for applications.

The day will be divided into three "sessions". For each "session", participants can choose one workshop. Please note that participants can choose to attend EITHER the Pearson A-Level CPD workshop OR a combination of the other session workshops running throughout the day.

Workshops that will be running include:

NB: These workshop titles are TBC. Content may be subject to change.

Session One

- Designing and Managing Japanese Language Instruction for a Multi-level Class (Marina Sereda-Linley)

- Cross-Curricular Focused (Primary): Introducing Japan/Japanese at Primary Level (Roger Whitewick)

Session Two

- Language Focused: Manga as a gateway to learning: an approach to recruit and sustain students of Japanese (Emma McQuillan)

- Cross-Curricular Focused (Secondary): Enrichment and Curriculum Ideas to Engage Japanese Learners (Katy Simpson)

Session Three

- Maths Through Japanese (Clare Kuroishi)

- Cross-Curricular Focused (Secondary): Art in the Japanese Classroom (Sarah Phillips)

For more information on each workshop, as well as our provisional schedule, please click here.

Applications for the Japan Conference for Schools 2018 have now closed.

If you have any queries, please contact: info.language@jpf.org.uk

Date:	12 October 2018 from 10.00am - 4.15pm
Venue:	The British Council 10 Spring Gardens, London, SW1A 2BN

This event is co-organised by Japan Foundation London and the Japan Society with generous support from the British Council.

Author's Talk: Genki Kawamura

Genki Kawamura may be better known for his work as a producer on critically acclaimed films such as Your Name (Kimi No Na Wa) and Confessions (Kokuhaku), but he has been recently looming on the Japanese literature world and his literary repuation shows just how multi-talented he is. His debut novel, If Cats Disappeared from the World will be out in September this year.

To celebrate this new release, The Japan Foundation is proud to welcome Kawamura for this London debut at this special talk. Introducing his best-selling novel, Kawamura will talk about the different approaches needed for writing and film producing, take us behind the scenes of the creative process for If Cats Disappeared from the World, the secret to penning best-selling novels, including his 2014 and 2016, One Hundred Million Dollar man (Oku Otoko) and April Come She Will (Shigatsu ni nareba kanojo wa), and adapting books for film; both If Cats Disappeared from the World and One Hundred Million Dollar Man have been made into films, for which Kawamura wrote the screenplays.

Date:	4 October 2018 from 7.00pm
Venue:	London Review Bookshop, 14-16 Bury Place, London, WC1A 2JL

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve your place through eventbrite please click here

Author's Talk: Sayaka Murata

Japanese Author, Sayaka Murata, is arguably the current most-watched literary talent both in Japan and internationally. Her representative novel, Convenience Store Woman (KonbiniNingen) for which she drew on her own experience of working in a store, earned her Japan's most prestigious literature prize, the Akutagawa award, with a jury's fascinating comment that "it is very rare for the prize to go to such amusing literature". Recently translated into English, Convenience Store Woman has stormed the world with joyful surprise and received rave reviews. Her other titles include her debut work, Breastfeeding (Junyu, 2003) and Breeders and Killers (Satsujin Shussan, 2014).

In conjunction with her sell-out appearance at this year's Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literature Festival, Murata, in conversation with Megan Bradshaw, former UK Editor at Asymptote Journal will talk, for the first time in London, about her representative work and discuss her views on non-conformity within society, gender roles and parenthood in her work. Joined by the English version's translator of Convenience Store Woman, Ginny Tapley Takemori, who has previously translated for many Japanese authors including Ryu Murakami and Miyuki Miyabe, the event will also provide insight into the difficulties and intricacies of translating works across such a board cultural divide.

Date:	8 October 2018 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Foyles Bookshop, 107 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DT

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve your place through eventbrite please click here

Japan Foundation at the Language Show London 2018

Come and see the Japan Foundation at Language Show London 2018!

The Language Show London is the UK's largest language event for those who offer products and services to language teachers, learners, translators, linguists, language professionals and businesses.

This year, the Japan Foundation is once again giving visitors chances to learn about Japanese language and culture. We will be running Japanese language tasters, talks and an information stand!

Our attractions include:

The Japan Foundation Information Stand

When: 9-11 November (Fri-Sun) 2018

Where: Olympia London, Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UX.

Packed full of information about studying and teaching Japanese in the UK, our stand will be staffed with members of the Japan Foundation who would be delighted to give you advice on your Japanese studies.

Talk: "Snow Monkey - Science in the Language Class at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland" Sandie Robb

When: 10 November (Saturday), 15:30-16:15

Sandie Robb, senior education officer at RZSS, will give a talk about promoting the cross-curricular teaching of languages and science. With the help of a Japan Foundation grant, Sandie produced the "Snow Monkey Pack", a collection of fun learning materials centred on the Japanese macaque. Using the pack, pupils have been able to learn all about Japanese language as well as Japanese wildlife, georgraphy and culture. Cross-curricular teaching is an innovative way to help children encounter languages and simultaneously deepen their understanding of the wider world.

Japanese Language Tasters

When: 9 November (Friday), 17:15-17:45 and 10 November (Saturday), 16:30-17:00

Experience Japanese language first hand with our taster sessions!

Date:	9 November 2018 - 11 November 2018
Venue:	Olympia London, Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UX
For more information, please click here.

Japanese Taster for Schools (JTS) Programme – June 2014 Training Day for Volunteers

The next Volunteer Training Day for our Japanese Taster for Schools (JTS) Programme will take place on Thursday, June 26^th 2014.

Our regular Training Days at our London office are a great opportunity to meet other volunteers, get teaching ideas, and ask any questions you may have. We ask our volunteers who live within travelling distance from London to attend at least one Training Day before making a school visit), in order to get a full understanding of the JTS Programme. Those who are not yet members of JTS but are interested in joining are also welcome to sign up for the training day. You can read about our last London Training Day, held in February 2014, here.

Provisional Timetable: The day will begin with an induction for new attendees at 12:30 (registration starts from 12:15). Those who have been to a JTS Training Day before may attend from 13:00.

How to apply

To register, please click here to use our online application form.

The registration form uses Google Documents and is subject to Google's standard terms and conditions of use. If you would prefer to register in a different way or have difficulty in accessing the form, please email us at info.language@jpf.org.uk and we will send you a Word/ PDF application form.

If you are not yet a member of JTS, please click here for more information about the programme and to complete a membership application form.

The deadline for applications is Tuesday, June 24th. Please note that this is event is free, but prior booking for this event is essential for all attendees.

For more information about the JTS programme, please click here.

Click here to apply for our June 2014 (London) Training Day

Date:	26 June 2014 from 12.10pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Winds of Change - Japanese Contemporary Plays and Playwright Series

This September an exciting month-long festival brings to the UK a new series of contemporary Japanese plays by the country's most celebrated playwrights.

The Japan Foundation is proud to be in partnership for Series 1, the first two weeks of the month, with Yellow Earth Theatre, StoneCrabs, and One Two Works.

Friday 7th & Saturday 8th September
Reading of "Fallout" and "Meet the Writer"

Friday 7th September at Marylebone Theatre, 7:00pm
Play reading: Fallout
Written by Akihito Nakatsuru, translated by Jeremy Kuhles

For the synopsis, please download the flyer here.

Saturday 8th September at Free Word Centre, 3:00pm
Meet the Writer (talk): Akihito Nakatsuru

For Akihito Nakatsuru's biography, please download the flyer here.

Friday 14th & Saturday 15th September
Reading of "+51 Aviacion, San Borja" and "Meet the Writer"

Friday 14th September at Marylebone Theatre, 7:00pm
Play reading: +51 Aviacion, San Borja
Written by Yudai Kamisato, translated by Aya Ogawa

For the synopsis, please download the flyer here.

Saturday 15th September at Free Word Centre, 3:00pm
Meet the Writer (talk): Yudai Kamisato

For Yudai Kamisato's biography, please download the flyer here.

Date:	7 September 2018 - 15 September 2018
Venue:	Play readings (7th and 14th September): Marylebone Theatre (Regent's University London), 7 Garbutt Place, London, W1U 4RY Meet the Writers (talks): Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road, London, EC1R 3GA
Download Winds of Change 2018 Series 1 JPF

Booking: Tickets to play readings are £5.83.

Meet the Writer talks are free to attend, but booking is essential.

Please click on the event titles above to book tickets for each event.

Image credit:"+51 Aviacion, San Borja" (2015) at STspot (Yokohama) copyright Yuta Fukitsuka

Stop Motion Animation Which Never Stops - Animation Creators' Talk

Tsuneo Goda is a Japanese animation creator best known for creating Domo, the lovable monster mascot of Japan's biggest public broadcaster, NHK. Five years after the creation of Domo, Goda founded dwarf, an animation studio in Tokyo, specialising in stop-motion puppet animation and character design. Together with Hirokazu Minegishi, who was appointed lead animator on Domo, they have since created hundreds of characters and worked on the award-winning film series Komaneko.

For this special talk event, both Goda and Minegishi will present their epic character and animation work, in addition to other creations, revealing their ideas and the creative process behind them. Together with Abigail Addison, Co-Director of Animate Projects, they will discuss the reason for their on-going dedication to the painstaking work of hand-crafted stop-motion animation when the world is turning more and more to CG, and how they bring their endearing and recognisable characters to life in TV series, films and music videos.

This is a fantastic opportunity for anybody who loves Japanese animation to hear two of Japan's most popular and creative talents share their work.

Date:	25 September 2018 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Curzon Soho, 99 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 5DY

With special thanks to NHK Cosmomedia Europe, a few lucky attendees will receive Domo goods!

This event is free to attend but booking via Eventbrite is essential. To book tickets, please click here.

Film Screening: Your Name

Join us for a very special screening on Makoto Shinkai's Your Name (Kimi No Na Wa). This screening will be an amazing chance to meet one of the films producers Genki Kawamura, who will be answering questions on the film, his previous works, and on life in the anime and Japanese film industry.

Genki Kawamura is a writer and film producer. After joining Toho, one of the major film distribuition and production companies, he went on to produce his debut film "Train Man" (Densha Otoko) at the age of 26, which yiedled 3.7 billion yen at the box office. Since then, he has been involved in many Japanese films as a producer including, "Confession" (Kokuhaku), "Vilain"(Akunin) and many others that are also available on DVD in this country. For his achievements as a producer, Kawamura was nominated for the Next Generation Asia List 2010 run by The Hollywood Reporter. In 2012 he made his literary debut with "If Cats Disappeared from the World" which is out in English this month and is included in the prestigious Cheltenham Literature Festival

Date:	3 October 2018 from 7.00pm
Venue:	Prince Charles Cinema, 7 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7BY

This event has now sold out

Talk: Kengo Kuma on architecture and Identity

**Please note the venue has now changed due to overwhelming demand for tickets. The new venue is Old Theatre, LSE Old Building, Houghton Street, WC2A 2AE**

As his first UK building nears completion, acclaimed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma will speak about architecture and identity, exploring the relationship between place, building tradition and landscape. Opening in September 2018, The V&A Dundee is set to redefine the identity of the city and build upon its status as a UNESCO City of Design. Kuma will discuss his work in cities around the world, including London and Tokyo, where his National Stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is under construction.

A public lecture hosted by the London School of Architecture and LSE Cities, in partnership with The Japan Foundation

Date:	23 June 2018 from 6.00pm - 7.30pm
Venue:	Old Theatre, LSE Old Building, Houghton Street, WC2A 2AE
For more information, please click here.

This event is free to attend, but booking is essential. Booking opens on 8 June 2018, and can be done by clicking here.

Fumihiko Maki - Bodies of Thought

Born in 1928, Fumihiko Maki was educated at the University of Tokyo and Harvard University. Since establishing Maki and Associates in 1965, he has completed many international projects including Hillside Terrace Apartments in Shibuya, Tokyo, the Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto, the 4 World Trade Centre skyscraper in New York, amongst many others. Maki's first UK project, the Aga Khan Foundation, opened in King's Cross earlier this year.

The Japan Foundation is proud to be collaborating with RA for this special talk, which is the opening lecture for the RA's "Bodies of Thought" series. Maki will explore the concept of a "humanism of empathy" in response to this context and discuss the work of his early mentors, Josep Lluis Sert Hon RA and Kenzo Tange.

Please use the link below to visit the RA's website for more information and to book tickets.

Date:	24 September 2018 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Benjamin West Lecture Theatre, Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts
For more information, please click here.

Japanese Study Seminar in Alsace 2018: Call for Participation!

The Japan Foundation and Centre Européen d'Études Japonaises d'Alsace (CEEJA) are now accepting applications for participation in this year’s Japanese Study Seminar scheduled for 15 to 16 October 2018 at CEEJA, in Kientzheim, France. The official language of the seminar will be JAPANESE (no interpretation).

The Japan Foundation and CEEJA have carried out a series of seminars since 2007, with an aim to encourage networking among young researchers on Japan in Europe and further promote Japanese studies in Europe.

Participants will join a two-day intensive workshop in the cozy and intimate atmosphere of CEEJA's facility in Kientzheim where they will present and discuss their current research projects with fellow participants and a guest mentor.

The theme of this year’s seminar will be 'Transfiguration of employment at the time of globalization and technical innovation: A question about Japanese employment practice in the present and the future (グローバル化と技術革新の時代における雇用の変貌：日本型雇用慣行の現在・将来を問う).'

We are calling for applications from young researchers in Europe specialising in Sociology, Gender Studies, Literature, History, Arts, Language, Philosophy, Political Science, Economics, etc.

Please note the deadline for applications has now closed.

For further details including eligibility and application procedures, please visit the Japan Foundation Tokyo website here.

Date:	15 October 2018 - 16 October 2018
Venue:	Centre Européen d'Études Japonaises d'Alsace (CEEJA), Kientzheim, France

JAEFF 2018: Youthquake

This edition of the Japanese Avant-Garde Experimental Film Festival, in partnership with The Japan Foundation, riffs off the Oxford Dictionaries word of 2017: 'Youthquake'- defined as 'a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people.'

From 'sun tribe' delinquents in Bad Boys, psychedelic drag queens in Funeral Parade of Roses, and heat-of-the-battle political documentary, to films from the influential Art Theatre Guild (ATG) film studio, the festival will showcase classic avant-garde films from the 1960s and 1970s that examine youth counterculture, the student movements, and general currents of dissatisfaction and rebellion.

Showing alongside these films are short experimental works from contemporary filmmakers and video artists that engage with life in present-day Japan.

Date:	21 September 2018 - 23 September 2018
Venue:	Barbican Cinema, Close Up Film Centre, King's College London

For more information and to book tickets through the JAEFF website, please click here

Image: Diary of a Shinjuku Thief, Dir. Nagisa Oshima

Artist Talk: Noritake Kinashi

*Venue Change: Please note that the venue for this event has changed to Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL*

In June 2018, the work of anglophile and polymath Noritake Kinashi will be appearing in a new exhibition, introducing the latest phase of his ongoing creative project ‘REACH OUT’. Also an actor, musician and comedian, Kinashi will showcase a series of paintings created as a result of his unique observational point of view, with his dynamic and non-conformist, yet ever-evolving brush style.

To celebrate his first show in the UK, Kinashi, in conversation with Dr Lena Fritsch, a specialist in 20th and 21st century Japanese art and photography, will discuss how he draws inspiration from everyday life, and how his art activities influence his acting and comedy performance, and vice versa.

About speakers

Noritake Kinashi:

Kinashi started his professional career as a comedian in the early 80s. He quickly became a household name, not only as a comedian, but also as a singer and actor. Since making his artistic debut in 1994, his works have been exhibited in numerous museums including the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art Kanazawa (Japan) and the Ueno Royal Museum (Tokyo, Japan) as well as in a solo exhibition in New York in 2015. This year saw him take the leading role in the film INUYASHIKI, for which he was awarded the 2018 Golden Raven at Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival.

Dr Lena Fritsch:

Dr Fritsch is Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Ashmolean Museum (University of Oxford). Prior to joining the Ashmolean in 2017, she was Assistant Curator of International Art at Tate Modern, co-curating exhibitions on Agnes Martin in 2015 and Giacometti in 2017. Fritsch studied Art History, Japanese Studies, and English Studies in Bonn University, Germany and Keio University in Japan.

Noritake Kinashi's first solo exhibition in London '-moment-' will run at Protein, 31 New Inn Yard, Shoreditch, EC2A 3EY from 21st to 24th June, 11:00-19:00 (until 17:00 on the 24th).

Date:	19 June 2018 from 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	Conway Hall (Main Hall), 25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL

Booking:

MODE curated by Ryuichi Sakamoto

MODE is a new annual series of events, staged in collaboration with multiple organisations in different venues across London, featuring a diverse mix of music, visual art, performance and film.

The inaugural MODE programme has been curated by Japanese composer, pianist and electronic pioneer Ryuichi Sakamoto, and will present a range of emerging and established experimental artists from Japan who will perform with like-minded musicians from Europe, South America and the US.

Ryuichi Sakamoto himself will open the series, performing in collaboration with Alva Noto at the Barbican Centre on 20 June, with another performance later in the series yet to be announced.

Date:	19 June 2018 - 8 July 2018
Venue:	Various venues across London and the UK

For more information and the full programme of events, please visit: http://33-33.co/mode/

MODE is presented by Thirty Three Thirty Three (33-33) in partnership with the Japan Foundation London and other organisations

Countdown to Kickoff: Japan's rugby history one year out from the 2019 Rugby World Cup

Yokohama 1874, courtesy of the World Rugby Museum, Twickenham

With just one year to go before the Rugby World Cup 2019's first match kicks off in Japan; the Japan Foundation London is delighted to announce a special symposium "Countdown to Kickoff: Japan's rugby history one year out from the 2019 Rugby World Cup", in partnership with SOAS Japan Research Centre.

Japan will be the first Asian nation to host the Rugby World Cup and the lead-up provides a great opportunity to reflect upon the relationship between Japan, rugby, and sporting mega-events.

The symposium will look at Japan's rugby history, its place within society and culture, and the possible effects and challenges of hosting such a major sporting event in the current climate. There will be a chance to reflect on the rationale of Japan's bid for the tournament, as well as an analysis of the orgnaisational differences between Japan's previous sporting mega-events, i.e. the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, and the upcoming 2019 Rugby World Cup. There will also be reflection on Japan's perfomance at the previous tournament and their prospects for the upcoming tournament. The symposium will be chaired by Dr J. Simon Rofe, the Programme Director of MA Global Diplomacy at SOAS whose research has a particular focus on diplomacy in sport.

We are delighted to be hosting four speakers at the symposium, who will reflect on a wide range of topics:

Session 1:
Phil McGowan (Curator of the World Rugby Museum, Twickenham) and Mike Galbraith (De Montford University) will discuss Japan's rugby history and introduce key characters up until the Second World War, placing Japanese rugby in a wide social context.

Session 2:
Helen Macnaughtan (Chair of the SOAS Japan Research Centre) will be talking about Japan's post war rugby history up until the present day, reflecting on the place of Japan's university, and steel and iron industry teams.

Session 3:
Simon Chadwick (Professor of Sports Industry, Salford University Manchester) will reflect on bidding for international sporting mega-events and explore some of the key economic and business issues affecting the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Session 4:
Hilary Frank (Cornwall Council) will give a personal insight into some of Japan's previous mega-events such as the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. She will also reflect on Japan's 2015 World Cup Performance an the outlook for Japan as they prepare to become the host nation.

Please click here for a full list of the speakers' biographies.

With just one year to go before the Rugby World Cup 2019’s first match kicks off in Japan; the Japan Foundation London are delighted to announce a special symposium “Countdown to Kickoff: Japan’s Rugby History one year out for the 2019 world cup”, in partnership with SOAS Japan Research Centre.

Japan will be the first Asian nation to host the Rugby World Cup and the lead-up provides a great opportunity to reflect upon the relationship between Japan, rugby, and sporting mega-events.

The symposium will look at Japan’s rugby history and its place within society and culture, and the possible effects and challenges of hosting such a major sporting event in the current climate. There will be a chance to reflect on the rationale of Japan’s bid for the Rugby World Cup, as well as an analysis of the organisational differences between Japan’s previous sporting mega events, i.e. the 2002 FIFA World Cup and 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, and the current 2019 Rugby World Cup. There will also be reflections on Japan’s previous Rugby World Cup performance and their prospects as their role as hosts. The symposium will be chaired by Dr J. Simon Rofe, the Programme Director of MA Global Diplomacy at SOAS whose research has a particular focus on diplomacy in sport.

We are delighted to be hosting four speakers at the symposium, who will reflect on a wide range of areas surrounding Japanese Rugby and sports-mega events:

Session 1:

Phil McGowan (Curator of the World Rugby Museum in Twickenham) will discuss Japan’s rugby history and introduce key characters up until the Second World War, placing Japanese rugby in a wider social context.

Session 2:

Helen Macnaughtan (Chair of the SOAS Japan Research Centre) will be talking about Japan’s post-war rugby history up until the present day, reflecting on the place of Japan’s university, and steel and iron industry teams.

Session 3:

Simon Chadwick (Professor of Sports Industry, Salford University Manchester) will reflect on bidding for international sporting mega-events and explore some of the key economic and business issues affecting the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Session 4:

Hilary Frank (Cornwall Council) will give a personal insight into some of Japan’s previous mega-events such as the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. She will also reflect on Japan’s 2015 World Cup performance and the outlook for Japan as they prepare to become the host nation.

Please click here for a li

Date:	20 September 2018 from 5.00pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	SOAS (Alumni Lecture Theatre, Paul Webly Wing), London
Download Timetable

This event is now fully booked and we are unable to accept anymore registrations.

Organisers: Japan Foundation London and SOAS Japan Research Centre

Sponsor:

Supported by:

This event will be follow by a reception with:

For further details: please click here

Artist Talk: Taro Izumi

Taro Izumi, one of Japan's representative artists from the younger generation, inventively combines a vast array of media ranging from drawing and sculpture to performance and video to create thought provoking multimedia installations. His large structural works are often made up of simple, familiar objects, constructed in such a way as to transform everyday into the absurd. His playful, almost childlike works often conceal undertones of dark humour and irony which exist in our daily life. He has been invited to exhibit by numerous respectable art institutes such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Seoul Museum of Art and Art Basel, amongst others.

Celebrating his first solo show in London at White Rainbow Gallery, the Japan Foundation is delighted to hold this special evening with Taro Izumi, in which the artist will discuss his unique and collaborative approach to making art, and question the seemingly unfused relationship among images, body and consciousness. The talk will also explore how he constantly challenges the media and objects he works with, as well as the audiences who view them.

Date:	18 September 2018 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Jerwood Space, 171 Union Street, London SE1 0LN
For more information, please click here.

This event is co-organised with White Rainbow gallery, with special thanks to Jerwood Space.

Image: Exhibition view of Taro Izumi, << Pan >>, Palais de Tokyo (03.02 - 08.05.2017). Exhibition supported by SAM Art Projects. Photo by André Morin. © Taro Izumi, courtesy of Galerie Georges-Philippe & Nathalie Vallois, Paris and Take Ninagawa, Tokyo.

Pre-Summer Explorers Japanese Language Tasters!

We will be running six twenty minute language tasters for beginners, inspired by the Pre-Summer Explorers film screening event. These language tasters will run throughout the afternoon on 11 August. We will teach people how to introduce themselves as if they were a Japanese film or anime character!

You don't need to book and these sessions are completely free and are open to all, especially people who speak no Japanese! Whether you just feel like learning some Japanese, or you want to pop in before or after one of the film screenings, everyone is welcome.

Have you ever watched a Japanese film or cartoon and caught yourself wondering why all the characters sound so different? In Japanese films, anime (cartoons) and manga (comic books), characters all use a different style of Japanese based on their age, their gender, their job and more!

This is a rare opportunity to learn about a more unusual part of the Japanese language, unlike the standard Japanese that is usually taught in the classroom. The topic of the short tasters will be simple self-introductions. Whether you want to introduce yourself like one of Akira Kurosawa's tough samurai characters or you want to know how your favourite anime characters speak, this event is a great opportunity to learn about a really interesting aspect of the Japanese language.

Taster Timings:

Taster One: 3:30pm to 3:50pm
Taster Two: 4:00pm to 4:20pm
Taster Three: 4:30pm to 4:50pm
Taster Four: 5:05pm to 5:25pm
Taster Five: 5:35pm to 5:55pm
Taster Six: 6:10pm to 6:30pm

Date:	11 August 2018 from 3.30pm - 6.30pm
Venue:	Screen 2 @ Soho Hotel Cinema, 4 Richmond Mews (via Richmond Buildings), London, W1D 3DH

Japan Foundation at Hyper Japan 2014

The Japan Foundation are once again delighted to be exhibiting this July at HYPER JAPAN- the UK’s biggest J-Culture event.

Come and visit our stand to learn how the Japan Foundation can help you learn about Japanese language and culture, get Japanese language started at your school, or simply get involved in events and activities related to Japan.

We’ll also be giving away some exclusive free gifts, as well as holding a Japan Quiz with some fantastic prizes!

For more information and to buy a ticket, please click here to visit the official Hyper Japan website. Tickets on sale now!

Date:	25 July 2014 - 27 July 2014 from 9.30am
Venue:	Earls Court, London

Summer Explorers! 2018

Our popular Summer Explorers free film season returns! From puppetoon animation to Samurai comedy, and a film version of Japan's mega hit TV drama, we have something to suit all ages and tastes.

Sunday 12th August 2018: Courthouse Hotel Cinema - 19-21 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7HL

	His Master's Voice 2:00pm & 6:40pm Dir. Hiroyuki Itaya, 2014 \| 95 min In order to cheer up their little son, Sadakichi (Mayuta Fukuzaki) and his wife ask their gloomy looking neighbour, Taihei (Taihei Hayashiya), a former Rakugo storyteller, to give a performance for him. Sadakichi is deeply moved by his performance and hopes to become Taihei's apprentice.
	Giovanni's Island 4:15pm Dir. Mizuho Nishikubo, 2014 \| 104 min In the aftermath of World War Two, the tiny island of Shikotan became part of the Sakhalin Oblast. On this unhealed border, friendship among children from two different countries timidly blossomed, striving to overcome language barriers and the waves of history. Inspired by true events.

Saturday 18th August 2018: Regent Street Cinema - 309 Regent Street, London, W1B 2UW

	Chieri and Cherry 2:30pm Dir. Makoto Nakamura, 2015 \| 54 min The only friend Chieri has is a stuffed animal Cherry; it talks to her, helping her go through life in place of her late father. When she visits her grandmother's house, they find a stray dog giving birth to puppies, but a mean crow and strange monster come to steal them. Can Chieri and Cherry keep them safe?
	Cat Samurai 3:50pm Dirs. Takeshi Watanabe and Yoshitaka Yamaguchi, 2014 \| 100 min Masterless samurai Kyutaru Madarame (Kazuki Kitamura) is hired by a dog-loving gang to get rid of a rival gang's cat. The only problem - when Madarame comes face to face with the cat in question, he can't go through with it... and is now the target of both gangs!
	Oshin 5:50pm Dir. Shin Togashi, 2013 \| 109 min In 1907, 7-year-old Oshin is traded for 60kg of rice and sent to work in a lumber shop. Suspected of theft by the owners, she runs away into the mountains during a blizzard. Found by the kind Shunsaku, Oshin learns how to read and write, and the importance of independent thinking. A remake of the biggest hit drama in Japanese TV history.

Date:	12 August 2018 - 18 August 2018
Venue:	12 August - Courthouse Hotel Cinema, 19-21 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7HL 18 August - Regent Street Cinema, 309 Regent Street, London, W1B 2UW

To download the flyer, click here

These screenings are free to attend but booking is essential. To book your place via Eventbrite, please click below:

Image credits:
His Master's Voice - image: copyright His Master's Voice Film Partners
Chieri and Cherry - image: copyright Chieri and Cherry Partners
Cat Samurai - image: copyright Neko Samurai Production Committee
Oshin - image: copyright Oshin Film Partners

The Japan Webpage Contest for Schools 2014-15 - Award Ceremony and Presentation Evening

Come and see the work of the winners of the Japan Foundation’s Japan Webpage Contest for Schools!

Twenty schools in the UK have developed webpages to highlight to highlight the Japan-related work they have been doing, and to share their love and enthusiasm for Japan throughout the world, as participants in the Japan Webpage Contest for Schools. Now, over six months after the contest opened, a panel of judges have selected the winners of the Gold, Silver and Bronze Prizes, while members of the public have voted on the winners of the Primary and Secondary Public Vote prizes. The winners in alphabetical order are:

Bexley Grammar School – “Bexley Grammar Japanese Website”
Greenford High School – “Admire Japan”
Hockerill Anglo-European College – “Japanese at Hockerill”
Holbrook Primary School – “Japan Year at Holbrook Primary School”
Prince Rock Primary School – “Japanese Club”

We will reveal which schools have won which prizes at the Award Ceremony itself.

We are inviting members of the public to come to the Award Ceremony & Presentation Evening for the contest, to see the winning schools receive their prizes and present their website. You will also have the chance to meet with the teachers and students at the reception after the ceremony.

Click here to book your place

****

About the Japan Webpage Contest for Schools

This contest is open to any UK school that is teaching Japanese or doing any kind of project related to Japan. Your school does not need to be teaching Japanese to enter the contest.

To enter the contest, all you need to do is make a simple webpage about the work that your school is doing with Japanese or Japan. This could be a blog, a wiki, or a page that's part of your school's website.

The tentative schedule for the webpage contest is as follows:

Deadline to enter the contest January 12th 2015
Short-listed schools announced Mid January 2015
Online public voting February 2015
Announcement of contest winners Monday 2nd March 2015
Presentation Evening and Award Ceremony March 2015

Applications for this contest are now closed. For details on the Public Vote and Award Ceremony, please keep checking the Japan Webpage Contest for Schools website at www.japanwebpagecontest.org.uk .

Date:	28 March 2015 from 2.30pm - 3.50pm
Venue:	Room 642, Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL
Download JWCS14-Flyer2sides(lowres)

This contest is supported by the Association for Language Learning (ALL), the British Council, the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Japan Centre, JP BOOKS and the Japan Society.

The Influence of Japanese Architecture – Royal Academy Architecture Awards Week

As part of the Royal Academy’s Architecture Awards week, the Japan Foundation is working in partnership with the Royal Academy to present a panel discussion on the influence of Japanese architecture. This talk will cover Japanese housing design, building methods and architectural styles.

There will be speakers including:

Itsuko Hasegawa - winner of the inaugural Royal Academy Architecture Prize (translated by Sakiko Kohashi)
Rebecca Salter RA - Keeper of the RA Schools
Peter Salter - architect and Professor of Architectural Design at the University of Cardiff
Takeshi Hayatsu - founder, Hayatsu Architects

Date:	6 July 2018 from 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	The Benjamin West Lecture Theatre, Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly

Booking:

Please book your place via the Royal Academy website, please click here. Tickets cost £15 (£9 concessions).

Image: Yoshino Cedar House, Yoshino, Japan (2017), taken by Hisao Suzuki

Maeda Kamari calligraphy Performance and Workshop

Artist and calligrapher Maeda Kamari will be joining the Museum of Wales from Japan for a unique performance of his art in the Museum’s Main Hall on 4th August.

Following the performance, visitors will be invited to get involved and have a go themselves!

This performance will be part of the Kizuna exhibition, which explores the influence of Japanese design and the history of Japan's connection to Wales. Many of the works of art on display have come from major Japanese national museums especially for this exhibition and some have never been seen in the UK before.

Exhibition runs from 16 June - 9 September.

Date:	4 August 2018 from 11.00am - 12.30pm
Venue:	National Museum Cardiff, Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3NP
For more information, please click here.

Artist talk: Seiichi Hayashi in conversation with Ryan Holmberg

Seiichi Hayashi is an award-winning multi-disciplinary artist. After beginning his career as an animator at Toei Studios in 1962, Hayashi became a leading figure in the vibrant avant-garde cultural scene of late 1960s and early 1970s Tokyo. As a regular contributor to the legendary alternative manga magazine Garo, Hayashi became renowned for pioneering new territory in the medium of comics, with stories ranging from allegorical critiques of postwar Americanisation and the Vietnam War, to touching reflections on motherhood inspired by Japanese woodblock prints and pop music. Hayashi is perhaps best known for his graphic novel masterpiece Red Coloured Elegy (Sekishoku Erejii, 1970-71) and his distinctive character designs for Lotte Koume (Little Plum) candy drops, which debuted in 1974. His images of a young girl in kimono still remain on the sweet’s packaging today.

The Japan Foundation is delighted to host Seiichi Hayashi for this special event, exploring the significance of Hayashi’s achievements and introduce his multi-faceted work to a UK audience. In conversation with art historian Ryan Holmberg, who will begin with an introduction to the counterculture of the 1960s, Hayashi will speak about his comics, animation, and illustration work, as well as his central participation in this most innovative and turbulent era of postwar Japanese history. The event will be a rare opportunity to hear a Japanese artistic legend speak about his life and work.

Date:	1 July 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking:

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk.

This event is co-organised with Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures.

Coming soon! Pre + Summer Explorers!

Our ever-popular free film screenings are back this August! Due to the increasing popularity of our annual film showings, we've added an extra session this year - Pre-Summer Explorers!

Our language department will also be holding a free drop-in language/culture session on 11 August, no booking required!

Full film line-up and booking information to be announced soon, so watch this space...

Date:	4 August 2018 - 18 August 2018
Venue:	Soho Hotel Cinema (4 & 11 Aug); Courthouse Cinema (5 & 12 Aug); Regent Street Cinema (18 Aug)

Japan Foundation at Japan Matsuri 2014

The Japan Foundation will be exhibiting at Japan Matsuri 2014, at Trafalgar Square in London. This dynamic annual event brings people together to enjoy Japanese food, music, dance, family activities and much, much more.

Visit our stand for information about studying Japanese, freebies and the chance to enter our quiz and win some great prizes!

For more information about Japan Matsuri, please visit the official Japan Matsuri website at JapanMatsuri.com.

Date:	27 September 2014 from 11.00am - 6.00pm
Venue:	Trafalgar Square, London

Artist talk: Macoto Murayama on Botech Compositions - Where Botanical Art Meets Science

Macoto Murayama is a digital artist who creates intricate computer-generated botanical images. Much like a true botanist, Murayama gathers flowers and dissects them piece by piece, before accurately creating detailed illustrations of the flowers’ form as geometric and mechanical structures using 3D imaging software. Murayama’s unique botanical blueprints lend themselves to the fields of architecture and scientific illustration; a cohesion of botanical art and technology which also reveals the beauty and complexity of nature.

In this talk, Murayama, who has been conducting research in the UK and visiting various botanical gardens as part of the Metal residency programme, will introduce his findings whilst also exploring the concepts and technological aspects behind his work. Joined in conversation by Nathan Cohen, Artist and Director MA Art and Science, University of the Arts London, and Lucy Smith, botanical artist/illustrator, they will together discuss how the ancient tradition of flower illustration, a popular subject in both Japan and the UK, can evolve in the digital age. Using Murayama’s unique approach to botany as a starting point, this event will further explore the way art can be integrated with science in the 21st century and beyond.

Date:	10 July 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking:

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

This event is co-organised with Metal. As part of the Liverpool Biennial, the exhibition Botech Compositions: New Works by Macoto Murayama will be held at Metal Liverpool (5 July – 26 October 2014). For more information, please click here.

Public Seminar: Tracing Colours and Characters in the Work of HARUKI MURAKAMI

In this special seminar, Dr Gitte Marianne Hansen (Newcastle University) will explore some of the connections and meanings between colours and characters throughout the work of Haruki Murakami. She will begin by analysing Murakami's latest novel Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, before looking at earlier characters from well-known longer novels such as Norwegian Wood and 1Q84 as well as from short stories such as The Little Green Monster.

Following the talk, Dr Hansen will be joined in discussion by Dr Sebastian Groes, Senior Lecturer in English Literature, University of Roehampton.

Date:	26 August 2014 from 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking:

**This event is now FULLY BOOKED** If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk.

Public Seminar - Freeter, the Japanese Precariat: Youth and Labour Disintegration in Japan

In the first of two special talks at the Japan Foundation, David H. Slater (Sophia University), drawing on 25 years of ethnographic research, will explore the tangled relations between patterns of work, representation and politics in Japan. Following the talk Dr Slater will be joined in discussion by Dr Helen Macnaughtan (SOAS, University of London).

Abstract:

The rise of "freeter" on the Japanese scene in the early 1990's is in part the result of a shift in labour patterns among youth, and particularly young men, that had been occurring since economic growth began slowing in the 1970's. The term initially held the false promise of labour mobility, a certain "freedom" from the constrictions of Japan Inc institutionalized work patterns and the possibility of personal self-realization in diverse social domains. This momentary distraction from the neoliberal fragmentation of social identity lasted for a short period of time, mostly spurred on by a corporatist mass media and opportunistic academics.

Today the structural and policy patterns are familiar to late capitalist society around the world, but the cultural effects are somewhat more crushing. On the one hand, there is a desperate desire to return to the "suffocating embrace" of exploitative life-time employment in full-time work - work that is no long available after 25 years of labour degradation, and which seem to only accelerated with the rise of Abenomics. On the other hand, we also see glimpse of politicization, the rise of precariat-style mobilization here and there.

Date:	12 August 2014 from 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

Image by Lee Chapman

Introduction to new resources for the JF Japanese Scheme of Work for Key Stage 2

This event will introduce new resources that can be used alongside the Japan Foundation’s Japanese Scheme of Work for Key Stage 2. This will help give teachers of Japanese everything they need to start teaching primary level Japanese from September.

In this free workshop, primary school teachers at all levels of Japanese proficiency will find out about these new materials and how to use them to inspire their pupils. The resources follow the Japan Foundation Japanese Scheme of Work for Primary Schools, which is packed full of lesson plans, resources and exciting and fun ideas for teaching primary-level Japanese to Year 3 pupils. These teaching materials have been created by the Japan Foundation’s Chief Language Advisor Dr Seiji Fukushima, and have been tested with two classes of Year 3 pupils at Southfield Primary School. Participants will additionally have access to exclusive draft versions of the resources, and Dr Fukushima will give explanations about how he has used them, and how they might be adapted for other primary Japanese classes. The resources themselves include worksheets, plans, activities, games etc.

Dr Seiji Fukushima started his career as a Japanese teacher in Mexico in 1994. He has also worked at Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies in Uzbekistan (1997-2000), Novosibirsk State University in Russia (2000-2001), the Uzbekistan-Japan Center for Human Development (2003-2006), and the Japan Foundation Budapest in Hungary (2007-2010). He currently works as the Chief Japanese Language Advisor for the Japan Foundation London, and has been trialling the JFL Japanese Scheme of Work for Key Stage 2 with two Year 3 classes at Southfield Primary School near Hammersmith.

You can download samples of the resouces we will be introducing at this seminar below.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY!

(This booking form uses Google Drive and is subject to Google's Terms & Conditions. Alternatively, you may book a place by downloading and submitting the booking form below)

Date:	1 August 2014 from 2.00pm - 5.00pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation London
Download KS2SOWEvent-Flyer
Download Unit1 (Konnichiwa)
Download 1-Tanabata

Public Seminar: The Work of the Visual in Mourning the Dead in Post-Tsunami Japan

3.11 was probably the most minutely documented disaster in history. And yet for all of these images, the impulse to archive representations of loss points to another set of images that have themselves gone missing: hundreds of thousands of family photo albums that were washed away by the tsunami.

In this special talk, Dr David H. Slater (Sophia University) addresses the various issues that have been raised therein, including the anxiety and ambivalence surrounding the uncontrolled circulation and handling of other people's photos; issues of obligation and debt to both the living and the dead; the role of the visual in the larger project of the 'work of mourning;' and the problems of politics and representation when these pictures end up in galleries around the world. Joining Dr Slater to discuss these issues will be Dr Dolores Martinez, Emeritus Reader in Anthropology at SOAS, University of London.

Date:	13 August 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

Image: Collage by Y. Sasaguchi (2012), photographed by Saori Sasaguchi, Photo Kizuna Project

Japanese Film Screenings at the Japan Foundation

This summer the Japan Foundation will be hosting a number of special screenings of contemporary Japanese films, from animations, comedy films through to period dramas. For a full details of the films, please click here to download the flyer.

Saturday, 9 August, 2pm
After the Flowers (Dir. Kenji Nakanishi, 2010, 107 mins, English subtitles)
Saturday, 9 August, 6:30pm
Barefoot Gen (Dir. Mori Masaki, 1983, 85mins, English subtitles)
Friday, 15 August, 2pm
Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States (Dir. Keiichi Hara, 2002, 95 mins, English subtitles)
Friday, 15 August, 6:30pm
Waterboys (Dir. Shinobu Yaguchi, 2001, 91 min, English subtitles)
Saturday, 16 August, 2pm
Bushido Sixteen (Dir. Tomoyuki Furumaya, 2010, 109 mins, English subtitles)
Saturday, 16 August, 6:30pm
Jiro Dreams of Sushi (Dir. David Gelb, 2011, 81 mins, English subtitles)
Friday, 22 August, 2pm
Chibi Maruko-chan (Dir. Tsutomu Shibayama, 1990, 94 mins, English subtitles)
Friday, 22 August, 6:30pm
Hotel Hibiscus (Dir. Yuji Nakae, 2003, 92 min, English subtitles)

Date:	9 August 2014 - 22 August 2014
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking:

These screenings are free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please email your name and the

screening you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

Places are very limited (limited to 80 people per screening) – so book now to avoid disappointment!

Please note that it is only possible to book a maximum of four screenings per attendee. Any additional bookings

will be placed on a reserve list. When booking for more than two screenings, please advise which screening you

would like to prioritise.Booking:

These screenings are free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please email your name and the screening you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

Places are very limited (limited to 80 people per screening) – so book now to avoid disappointment!

Images: Clockwise from top left: Bushido Sixteen, (c) 2010 "Bushido Sixteen" Production Committee; After the Flowers, (c) Hana no Ato Associates; Chibi Maruko-chan (Movie); Hotel Hibiscus, (c) 1999 OFFICE SHIROUS/BANDAI VISUAL

Stamp Rally @ JF Library - Summer 2014

This summer holiday, we're launching a special campaign at the Japan Foundation London Library - a stamp rally, offering some lovely prizes!

Visit the Japan Foundation London Library from

22 July – 29 August to get your stamp card! Every time you visit the library during these dates, you’ll get a stamp!

Visit the Japan Foundation London Library from 22 July – 29 August to get your stamp card. Every time you visit the library during these dates, you’ll get a stamp!

Get 3 stamps = You'll receive a small prize
Get 5 stamps = You'll receive a special grand prize!

Library Opening Hours:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday:

10:00am – 1:00pm, 2:00pm – 5:00pm

Tuesday: 2:00pm – 7:00pm

Library Opening Hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 10:00am – 1:00pm, 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Tuesday: 2:00pm – 7:00pm

For more information about the Japan Foundation London library, click here.

Date:	22 July 2014 - 29 August 2014
Venue:	The Japan Foundation London Library

Out of Step - Artist talk by contact Gonzo

Contact Gonzo is an improvisational performance group from Osaka, Japan that disregard the framework of the prevailing definition and code of dance. Their pioneering style is a balance of elements from contemporary dance, performance art and urban culture mixed with influences from martial arts. The collective of four members with different backgrounds - Yuya Tsukahara, Keigo Mikajiri, Takuya Matsumi and Masakazu Kobayashi – use physical strength and agility to create experimental encounters with attacks of movement. Earning numerous invitations to perform at exhibitions and festivals worldwide, including MoMA in New York and the Sydney Biennale in Australia, they present their works not only through performances but also by means of art installations wherein photo and film is used.

Supported through the Japan Foundation’s Performing Arts Programme (PAJ), Contact Gonzo drops into the UK on their way home from a residency in Italy and Latvia to talk about the unique performance method and body expression that they have developed. Reflecting on the current state of performing arts and performance art in Japan, they will also discuss how important it is to be responsive to the environment they encounter in order to fulfil their artistic creed.

The group will be joined for a discussion by Prof Anna Furse, Head of Department of Theatre and Performance, Goldsmiths, University of London and founder member of Transitional Identity in the early 1980s, the UK's first Contact Improvisation touring company.

There will be a short performance by Contact Gonzo after the talk.

Date:	5 September 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Performances:

In addition to the talk and mini performance at the Japan Foundation, contact Gonzo will perform twice in London on Saturday, 6 September. Come to Russell Square Gardens (Russell Square, London) at 12:45pm and again at Cafe OTO (Dalston, London) at 4:30pm to see their exciting work! (No booking required for either performance.)

Image credit: OKA-Z

Young, Fearless & Limitless -
Artist talk - Yo Nakamura and Underground Airport

The Japan Foundation is dedicated to supporting performing arts from Japan and through the PAJ (Performing Arts Japan) programme, we have helped bring exciting, cutting-edge artists to Europe to both present and develop their work. Most recently, Underground Airport and Yo Nakamura, both of whom are representatives of a new direction for performing arts in Japan, have been invited by National Theatre Wales to take up a residency for future and further collaborations with the UK, supported by the Japan Foundation.

In this joint artist talk, Yasuro Ito of Underground Airport, a theatre group renowned for portraying society through their metaphorical works, and Yo Nakamura, an award-winning dancer and choreographer, will introduce their careers and work illustrating how they each utilise a variety of media to create their own unique style. Reflecting on their WalesLab project, where they have been able to take inspiration from the people, landscape and history of the area, they will look into how these encounters and experiences could influence their future work and activities, as well as the difficulties they have faced in the borderless and global performing arts world of today. Ito and Nakamura will also be joined for a discussion by Sioned Huws, independent choreographer and Artistic Director of the Aomori Project.

This event will provide the opportunity to discover the future for Japanese performing arts and meet some of the most thrilling young talents that Japan has to offer.

There will be a short performance by Yo Nakamura after the talk.

To download the full event flyer, please click here.

Date:	28 August 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Public Seminar - Always on and connected: young people and their mobile social media use in Japan, the US, and the UK

Smartphone use has seen a meteoric rise in the past few years. Indeed, it is now hard for most of us, especially young people living in cosmopolitan urban centres, to imagine a world without the smartphone – and, for that matter, without the social media apps it supports such as Twitter, Facebook and LINE. But how do people in different parts of the world use their smartphones? What do they share cross-culturally – and what do they choose not to share? Do cultural differences really matter when the technology is the same?

In this public seminar, Professor Toshie Takahashi (Waseda University) will present findings from a comparative study of digital media use amongst young people in Japan, the US and the UK, focusing on their practices of connectivity with intimate and distant others through social media on smartphones. Joining Takahashi to discuss these findings will be Dr Chris Davies, joint convenor of the Learning and New Technologies Research Group at the Department of Education, University of Oxford.

Date:	11 September 2014 from 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

Image by Lee Chapman

Talk: Speaking the Same Language - International Collaboration and Co-production in Performing Arts

With the increasing number of opportunities available, performing arts professionals have noted the benefits of international collaboration, and this has resulted in a growing number of projects being co-produced, even between the U.K. and Japan. Attributed to many factors, including arguably improved communication technology and the increased pace of globalisation, this established practice is not just about touring a one-off project; through combined efforts by producers and artists, multicultural understanding and artistic development is used to create new works that overcome barriers between nations, languages and companies. But what is the reality of international collaboration/co-production and why has there been a surge of the practice in recent years?

With over 40 years of experience as a producer for contemporary performing arts, Hiroshi Takahagi, Vice Director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre in Japan, will explore issues involved in international collaboration/co-production, in particular works linked with Japan. Illustrating some past examples, Takahagi will also explain the different modes and mechanisms of creating a joint work, and expand on the rewards and challenges of these international activities, as well as what the future holds.

Following Takahagi’s presentation, he will be joined for a discussion with Mark Ball, Artistic Director at LIFT and Michelle Carwardine-Palmer, Managing Director at National Theatre Wales.

This programme will provide hands-on knowledge about the state of international collaboration/co-production and will offer food for thought for anyone who is concerned about the formation of a multicultural performing arts project.

Date:	7 October 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Japan Foundation, London

Image credits: Left: The Opportunity of Efficiency, production by National Theatre Wales produced by New National Theatre Tokyo. Right: Shun-kin, production by Complicite, performed at the Barbican Centre, London. Photo by Sarah Ainslie

Public Seminar - NAGADORO: Rural Life after the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

Since the Fukushima nuclear disaster of March 2011, Prof Tom Gill (Meiji Gakuin University) has made some 26 field trips to Nagadoro, a tiny hamlet that has absorbed some of the highest levels of radiation in Fukushima prefecture. During the course of these field trips Prof Gill has got to know the people of Nagadoro as they undergo an agonizing series of trials and tribulations. In this special public seminar he tells their story and offers a glimpse of what life is really like for the residents of the nuclear disaster zone. Joining Prof Gill in discussion will be Prof Ian Neary from the University of Oxford.

Abstract

The Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011 will continue to affect millions of people for decades to come. The tremendous scale and complexity of this catastrophic event make it almost impossible to comprehend what is really going on in Fukushima. Any researcher must contend with the widely varying levels of radiation, the differing conditions for return to evacuated zones, the mixed fortunes of the decontamination programmes, the massive variation in compensation payments and many other challenges. I long since realized that my only hope of keeping abreast of events was to focus very tightly on a single small community that I could get to know reasonably well through a long series of field trips. That community is Nagadoro. Nagadoro is a tiny hamlet of 71 households, on the southern edge of Iitate village. After 3.11, it absorbed more radiation than any other hamlet in the village, and it is currently totally evacuated and barricaded with locked gates and sentries on all the four roads that lead into it. In three years and 26 field trips, I have slowly got to know the people of Nagadoro as they undergo an agonizing series of trials and tribulations. By telling their story, I hope to offer a glimpse of what life is really like for the residents of the nuclear disaster zone.

Date:	4 September 2014 from 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

Double Bill: Films by Makoto Shinkai

The Japan Foundation is pleased to present a double bill of films by Makoto Shinkai, one of the most exciting animation filmmakers in Japan today. Often cited as ‘the next Miyazaki’, Shinkai produces animations which are full of stunning scenes and visuals, combined with beautiful stories. The programme will included two of Shinkai’s films; his early film Voices of a Distant Star and his 2013 production,The Garden of Words.

To download the flyer for this event, please click here.

Date:	30 August 2014
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Public Seminar: 50 Years of the Shinkansen

The Japan Foundation is delighted to present this special public seminar marking the 50^th anniversary of the Tokaido Shinkansen. Joining us will be Yoshinori Hatta, General Manager of JR Tokai London Office, who will chart the history of the Tokaido Shinkansen, highlighting its strengths and achievements, while also looking to the future and the development of the new Chuō Shinkansen. Also joining us will be Dr Christopher Hood, Reader in Japanese Studies, Cardiff University, who will examine the regional differences in design and usage of the Shinkansen and how this in turn reflects the diversity of Japanese cultures.

Date:	31 October 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking:

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

Images: Top Left: Daylight9899; Centre/Top Right/Bottom Right: Dr Christopher Hood

Talk - Gekiga: The Evolution of Alternative Manga

The gritty genre of “Gekiga” was named by Yoshihiro Tatsumi in 1957. Based on “Komaga”, previously proposed by Masahiko Matsumoto, it aimed to differentiate itself from mainstream Manga and depict realism in daily life while pursuing a more systematic induction of the reader’s gaze.

The development of this visual expression by Tatsumi resulted not only in the growth of the comic rental market in Osaka, but once it had been picked up by publishers in Tokyo, it represented a new wave of Manga in late 1960’s Japan.

By rejecting the over simplistic, fantasy-based narratives of stereotypical Manga, Matsumoto and Tatsumi’s realistic mode created work from the viewpoint of the everyday man and minorities. Why did these artists move away from moralistic tales where good always defeated evil, and how did their experimental storylines and unique visual language evolve?

Mitsuhiro Asakawa, an award winning historian of Gekiga, will introduce some of Japan’s most influential Gekiga artists and reflect on his personal encounters with them, as well as explore the original source of creativity in Gekiga expression and the social circumstances that resulted in this style. Following the talk, Paul Gravett, a journalist and author specialising in comics publishing and promotion, will join the conversation.

This event will provide an intriguing and insightful scope into Gekiga and alternative comics to Manga in Japan.

**This event has been cancelled**

Date:	25 September 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking:

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk.

Public Seminar: Economic Policy and the Welfare State in Japan and the UK

In this public seminar political scientists Prof Nobuhiro Hiwatari and Prof Junko Kato from the University of Tokyo join us to discuss their latest research into social policy reforms during financial crises, and tax politics and the welfare state.

Abstracts

Are Neo-Liberal Reforms Undemocratic? Evidence from the OECD and cases from the UK and Japan

Prof Nobuhiro Hiwatari, University of Tokyo

In this paper I provide a new way of addressing whether spending cuts and social policy reforms are undemocratic. Although measures that weaken market protection and social safety nets are opposed by organized interests and are unpopular with the voters, what if they reflect the position of the democratically elected legislature and not just the incumbent government? To show this is a possibility, I hypothesize that, when faced with global recessions, party leaders competing for power must show that they have viable plans to revive the economy, and as such, they have strong incentives to persuade the median voter that such reforms are unavoidable in order to stabilize the economy and assure international investors. Evidence from 20 OECD countries shows that the major left and right parties tend to move rightward during global recessions, but not so much leftward during economic recoveries with the rise of economic inequality. In addition, I show that spending cuts do represent the policy position of the legislative centre rather than the government centre. The validity of the argument is further demonstrated by examining the cases of Japan and the UK.

Taxation and the Welfare State: Japan in a Comparative Perspective

Prof Junko Kato, University of Tokyo

Since the 1980s, the institutionalization of regressive taxes for effective revenue-raising during a period of high growth has helped industrial democracies resist welfare state backlash. Building on this observation, I argue that the funding capacity of a welfare state is path-dependent on a revenue shift from progressive to regressive taxation. Tax politics is a critical intervening factor. Japan has been regarded as a proto-typical example in which the government failed to introduce a strong revenue-raising machine during a period of high economic growth. Today, Japan has again accumulated a massive government debt that is greater than twice its GDP and recently managed to increase consumption tax rates (from 5 to 8 %) for the first time in seventeen years. Strong opposition to tax increases in Japan appears puzzling considering its relatively low tax level and extremely high debt compared with other industrial democracies. Yet, it is consistent with a comparative analysis of tax politics in mature welfare states. I will explain the current situation in Japanese tax politics in comparison with other industrial democracies, focusing especially on European countries.

Date:	17 September 2014 from 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

Art Meets Design -
Talk: Yuri Suzuki x Kouichi Okamoto with Alex Coles

Today, the names Yuri Suzuki and Kouichi Okamoto have become synonymous as fusion artists who can freely cross the boundary between design and art. While both have worked in product design creating functional objects, each has been involved in music and sound projects and their practices have started leaning towards the pursuit of creative expression in the field of art.

Bridging the gap between the two distinct domains, their work has been displayed in a number of institutions: UK-based Suzuki has collaborated with pop artist will.i.am on Barbican show Digital Revolution and Tate Britain for the exhibition JUKE BOX Meets TATE BRITAIN, whilst Japan-based Okamoto has exhibited at the V&A London as part of London Design Week 2012 and 2014.

In this special talk, Suzuki and Okamoto, joined in conversation with Alex Coles, art critic and editor specialising in the interface between art, design and architecture, will discuss the reason behind their move beyond the design parameters of utilitarian products, reflecting on their own experiences within the creative industry. They will also expand on the differences in practice, approach and mindset between design and art, and how this unique aspect of visual arts integration will evolve in the future.

Date:	22 September 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Public Seminar - Maths-As-It-Could-Be: The life and philosophy of Kiyoshi Oka

Kiyoshi Oka (1901-1978) was one of the greatest Japanese mathematicians of the 20th century. His contribution to mathematics was such that Carl Siegel mistakenly believed ‘Oka’ to be the name of a group of mathematicians. In Japan, Oka is known not only for his tremendous contribution to maths, but also as a great thinker and philosopher. His thoughts were shaped through the prisms of the Japanese language and culture and he was greatly influenced by traditional Zen Buddhist philosophy (in particular, that of Dōgen) and Japanese literature such as Matsuo Bashō and Natsume Soseki.

In this talk, independent scholar Masao Morita, will introduce Oka’s unique philosophy of mathematics, and the Japanese traditional thoughts underlying his ideas. He will also shed light on Oka’s life and thinking as a mathematician while examining how Oka pursued a "maths as it could be". Joining Morita in discussion will be Professor Tadashi Tokieda from the University of Cambridge.

Kiyoshi Oka was one of the greatest Japanese mathematicians of the 20th century. His contribution to mathematics was such that Carl Siegel mistakenly believed ‘Oka’ to be the name of a group of mathematicians. In Japan, Oka is known not only for his tremendous contribution to maths, but also as a great thinker and philosopher. His thoughts were shaped through the prisms of the Japanese language and culture and he was greatly influenced by traditional Zen Buddhist philosophy (in particular, that of Dōgen) and Japanese literature such as Matsuo Bashō and Natsume Soseki.

In this public seminar, independent scholar Masao Morita will introduce Oka’s unique philosophy of mathematics and the Japanese traditional thoughts underlying his ideas. He will also shed light on Oka’s life and thinking as a mathematician while examining how Oka pursued a "maths as it could be". Joining Morita in discussion will be Professor Tadashi Tokieda from the University of Cambridge.

Date:	17 October 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking:

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk.

Public Seminar: The Real Story Behind Japan's Marriage Crisis

In this special public seminar, sociologist and opinion-maker, Professor Masahiro Yamada (Chuo University) joins us to examine the reasons behind Japan’s falling marriage rate and what the future holds for the country's ‘parasite singles’.

Joining Prof Yamada in discussion will be Professor Joy Hendry, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, Oxford Brookes University.

ABSTRACT

It is not just that the rate of marriage per se is declining in Japan, relationships between men and women are not actively developing in toto. The reasons for this are 1) the expectation that men ought to shoulder the burden of paying for household expenses after marriage continues to be strong, 2) the incomes of young men have become increasingly unstable, and 3) almost all unmarried people continue to live in with their parents. In short, although people would like to form ‘traditional families’ (nuclear families) of their own, the economic circumstances will not allow this and the number of unmarrieds who continue to live in their parent’s home as ‘parasite singles’ is increasing instead. One consequence of this is that young people are increasingly attracted to ‘virtual romance’ in anime and with idols.

ABSTRACT

It is not just that the rate of marriage per se is declining in Japan, relationships between men and women are not actively developing in toto. The reasons for this are 1) the expectation that men ought to shoulder the burden of paying for household expenses after marriage continues to be strong, 2) the incomes of young men have become increasingly unstable, and 3) almost all unmarried people continue to live with their parents. In short, although people would like to form ‘traditional families’ (nuclear families) of their own, the economic circumstances will not allow this and the number of unmarrieds who continue to live in their parents' home as ‘parasite singles’ is increasing instead. One consequence of this is that young people are increasingly attracted to ‘virtual romance’ in anime and with idols.

Date:	6 November 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking:

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

**Prof Yamada will also be speaking at Manchester University on 4 November, 2014. Click here for more information

JF-BATJ Japanese Language Teachers' Seminar: Assessing Japanese with JF Standard - with Mayumi Mitsuya

[日本語]

A seminar for Japanese language teachers to learn more about using JF Standard for Japanese Language Education to enhance their teaching skills, organised by the Japan Foundation London and the British Association for Teaching Japanese as a foreign language (BATJ).

Part 1 (14:00-15:00): Lecture

JF Standard places emphasis on promoting competence in accomplishing tasks. But what is the best way to measure this? In this lecture, we will look at different tests for assessing competence in accomplishing tasks and examine what we should assess and by what criteria.

Part 1 of this seminar will be broadcast live on Ustream www.ustream.tv/channel/japan-foundation-london-language

Part 2 (15:20-17:00): Workshop:

Using JF standard, we will consider simple exam questions for measuring competence in accomplishing tasks and create a rubric to assess them. Participants will also have the opportunity to discuss what kinds of assessment can be used in their own classes and what form this assessment can take.

Part 1 (14:00-15:00): Lecture
JF Standard places emphasis on promoting competence in accomplishing tasks. But what is the best way to measure this? In this lecture, we will look at different tests for assessing competence in accomplishing tasks and examine what we should assess and by what criteria. Part 1 of this seminar will be broadcast live on Japan Foundation's Ustream channel

Part 2 (15:20-17:00): Workshop
Using JF standard, we will consider simple exam questions for measuring competence in accomplishing tasks and create a rubric to assess them. Participants will also have the opportunity to discuss what kinds of assessment can be used in their own classes and what form this assessment can take.

Participation fee: £5.00 for both BATJ members and non-members.
This seminar will be held in Japanese.

About the presenter - Mayumi Mitsuya, Japanese Language Senior Specialist at Japan Foundation Rome

Click here to apply online via the BATJ website

Japanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation Rome

Graduate of the Japanese Language section of the Foreign Language Department of Nanzan University Graduate School. Lectured at University of Marburg in Germany and Western Washington University in the USA and was a Japanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation Cologne before assuming her current role in 2012.Japanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation RomeGraduate of the Japanese Language section of the Foreign Language Department of Nanzan University Graduate School. Lectured at University of Marburg in Germany and Western Washington University in the USA and was a Japanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation Cologne before assuming her current role in 2012.

Mayumi Mitsuya

Japanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation Rome

Graduate of the Japanese Language section of the Foreign Language Department of Nanzan University Graduate School. Lectured at University of Marburg in Germany and Western Washington University in the USA and was a Japanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation Cologne before assuming her current role in 2012.Mayumi MitsuyaJapanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation RomeGraduate of the Japanese Language section of the Foreign Language Department of Nanzan University Graduate School. Lectured at University of Marburg in Germany and Western Washington University in the USA and was a Japanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation Cologne before assuming her current role in 2012.:

Mayumi Mitsuya

Japanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation Rome

Graduate of the Japanese Language section of the Foreign Language Department of Nanzan University Graduate School. Lectured at University of Marburg in Germany and Western Washington University in the USA and was a Japanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation Cologne before assuming her current role in 2012.Mayumi MitsuyaJapanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation RomeGraduate of the Japanese Language section of the Foreign Language Department of Nanzan University Graduate School. Lectured at University of Marburg in Germany and Western Washington University in the USA and was a Japanese Language Senior Specialist at Japanese Cultural Institute, the Japan Foundation Cologne before assuming her current role in 2012.

Date:	29 November 2014 from 2.00pm - 5.00pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Talk: Building Blocks: Curating Architecture

Despite the complexity and difficult curatorial challenge in exhibiting architecture as a medium, a number of such exhibitions have been held in a variety of settings. Often involving installations, sketches, photos and models, we are able to gain an insight into the minds, worlds and inspirations of architects and the environments they create, but what can be truly understood about architecture through such exhibitions?

Contemplating this question, the Japan Foundation has invited Kayoko Ota, a curator and editor specialising in architecture, to discuss the purpose of architecture exhibitions and how this format can help foster our understanding. Having been the commissioner for this year’s Japan Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale and with long and established career overseas, Ota will draw on her global experience to explore various issues involved in curating architecture exhibitions both on a practical and theoretical level, while looking into what aspects in Japanese architecture have been and can be examined keeping its history, characteristics and current state in mind.

Following Kayoko Ota's presentation, she will be joined for a discussion by Catherine Ince, Curator at Barbican Art Gallery.

Date:	20 October 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Japan Foundation, London

Image credits: Clockwise from top left: Overview of the exhibition at the Japan Pavilion 2014, "In the Real World", Photo by Keigo Kobayashi; Entrance to the Japan Pavilion 2014, "In the Real World", Photo by Keigo Kobayashi; Digital installation "Blurring Architecture" as part of Toyo Ito's exhibition "Vision and Reality" at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2000

LDF Digital Design Weekend: Magnetic Field Record, Kouichi Okamoto

The LDF Digital Design Weekend is a weekend of events celebrating collaborations in digital art, design and science, coinciding with the London Design Festival at the V&A. As part of this year’s programme, ICN Gallery and the Japan Foundation will present Magnetic Field Record by designer Kouichi Okamoto, a suspended device recording and visualising the earth’s magnetic and gravitational forces into drawings.

Date:	20 September 2014 - 21 September 2014 from 10.30am - 5.00pm
Venue:	V&A Museum, London

Image: Magnetic Field Record, Kouichi Okamoto, 2013.

Artist's Talk: Fujiko Nakaya

Artist Fujiko Nakaya is a pioneer of installation and video art in Japan. As a member of Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.) that promoted a new interdisciplinary approach towards art, technology and the environment, she opened Japan’s first video art gallery in Tokyo in 1980 and has since collaborated with renowned choreographers and artists including Trisha Brown, Robert Rauschenberg and Bill Viola. In 1970 she created the world’s first fog sculpture at the Pepsi Pavilion, Expo ‘70 in Osaka and subsequently developed her unique immersive installations around the world.

This talk is a unique opportunity to learn about Nakaya’s practice and influential explorations of nature and technology throughout her forty year career, coinciding with Nakaya’s Fog Bridge installation presented by In Between Time running from 13 to 22 February 2015 in Bristol.

Date:	17 February 2015 from 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	Starr Auditorium, Tate Modern, London
For more information, please click here.

Organised in association with Tate.

Talk: An Introduction to Sake

Sake, or nihonshu, is one of Japan’s most famous exports and is an increasingly popular fixture on menus

at bars and restaurants across the UK. But with such a dizzying array of classifications and often confusing

terminology it’s not easy for the uninitiated to know where to start.

Sake, or nihonshu, is one of Japan’s most famous exports and is an increasingly popular fixture on menus at bars and restaurants across the UK. But with such a dizzying array of classifications and often confusing terminology it’s not easy for the uninitiated to know where to start.

In this special talk, sake specialist Oliver Hilton-Johnson (Tengu Sake) joins us to demystify this ancient drink covering everything from the history of sake, how sake is made and its main classifications, to different flavours and suitable food pairings. Also joining us will be Rie Yoshitake who will discuss the recent fortunes of Japan’s sake industry, while also introducing the activities of the Sake Samurai Association, an organisation formed by young sake brewers in Japan that works to promote sake in overseas markets.

Following the talk, guests will have the opportunity to sample some of the varieties of sake discussed by our experts.

Date:	24 September 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking

**This event is now fully booked**

If you would like to be added to the waiting list please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

Supported by:

Teacher Training: WJEC Japanese Language Units (QCF)

Enhance your Japanese language lessons by giving your pupils the opportunity to gain formal recognition for their learning. The WJEC Language Units are small bite-sized qualifications which enable learners to demonstrate their competence and progress by producing evidence in the classroom.

The Benefits :

• Internally assessed by you in the classroom.

• Each qualification requires approximately 10 hours to deliver and complete. (20 hours for written Japanese)

• Ideal for building confidence – pupils can gain recognition in a positive “can-do” setting at a pace to suit them.

• Flexibility to adapt the context and focus of the evidence to fit in with your curriculum.

• Can be offered in lunchtime and afterschool Japanese clubs.

• Enhances the foreign language teaching in primary schools.

This workshop will be held in Japanese and English.

Internally assessed by you in the classroom.
Each qualification requires approximately 10 hours to deliver and complete. (20 hours for written Japanese)
Ideal for building confidence – pupils can gain recognition in a positive “can-do” setting at a pace to suit them.
Flexibility to adapt the context and focus of the evidence to fit in with your curriculum.
Can be offered in lunchtime and afterschool Japanese clubs.
Enhances the foreign language teaching in primary schools.

This workshop will be held in Japanese and English.

Schedule:

 10.00 Arrival and Refreshments

 10.30 Welcome & Introductions

Japanese Language Teaching in the UK and support available from the Japan Foundation

 11.00 Introduction to WJEC’s QCF Qualification in Japanese

 12.30 Lunch and Networking

 13.30 Continue Main training session and introduce free resources

 16:45 Final Questions, Summary, Evaluation Sheet

 17:00 Close

For forthcoming FREE CPD sessions in other areas of the UK, please see WJEC Website Language Units CPD Sessions or contact Claire Parry Claire.parry@wjec.co.uk

Schedule:
- 10.00 Arrival and Refreshments
- 10.30 Welcome & Introductions
Japanese Language Teaching in the UK and support available from the Japan Foundation
- 11.00 Introduction to WJEC’s QCF Qualification in Japanese
- 12.30 Lunch and Networking
- 13.30 Continue Main training session and introduce free resources
- 16:45 Final Questions, Summary, Evaluation Sheet
- 17:00 Close

To register for this event, please click here.

Schedule:

 10.00 Arrival and Refreshments

 10.30 Welcome & Introductions

Japanese Language Teaching in the UK and support available from the Japan Foundation

 11.00 Introduction to WJEC’s QCF Qualification in Japanese

 12.30 Lunch and Networking

 13.30 Continue Main training session and introduce free resources

 16:45 Final Questions, Summary, Evaluation Sheet

 17:00 Close

For forthcoming FREE CPD sessions in other areas of the UK, please see WJEC Website Language Units CPD Sessions or contact Claire Parry Claire.parry@wjec.co.uk

Date:	22 October 2014
Venue:	Japan Foundation, London

To register for this event, please click here.

For forthcoming FREE CPD sessions in other areas of the UK, please see WJEC Website Language Units CPD Sessions or contact Claire Parry Claire.parry@wjec.co.uk

Public Seminar: WORLD LITERATURE, Japanese perspectives

In recent years, there has been a growing trend to read literary texts as “world literature.” Some Japanese writers and critics welcome this trend as an opportunity to gain a larger readership beyond national and linguistic borders, yet others are wary of it. While these diverse responses today are symptoms of the increasing globalization of cultures, it is also important to take a historical look.

In this public seminar, Dr Shion Kono (Sophia University) will situate the current Japanese debates on world literature in the global circulation and reception of Japanese literature over the past century. He will also discuss the prospects of Japanese literature as world literature. Joining Kono to explore these issues further will be Dr Irena Hayter from the University of Leeds.

Date:	9 October 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking:

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk.

*Shion Kono will also deliver a lecture in Durham on Firday 10th October as part of Durham University's 'Celebration of Japan Week'. Click here for more details.

Shinjuku Culture in the 1960s -
Talk by Go Hirasawa and Jelena Stojković

The 1960s marks a crucial turning point culturally, socially and politically. When it comes to Japan, there were lots of countercultural activities at the time in the town of Shinjuku in Tokyo. This emblematic site was a hotbed of avant-garde art, involving such artists as Nagisa Oshima, Daido Moriyama and Shuji Terayama, to name but a few.

Reflecting the current resurgence of attention towards the arts and social expression of the 1960s, as well as the attempts at their critical evaluation, this talk event will explore how the town of Shinjuku played a significant role in the birth of the new wave movement, and why it still influences and interests us today.

Go Hirasawa, researcher at Meiji Gakuin University who specialises in political cinema, will delve into the various new activities that were created for and taking place both inside and outside of the various cultural venues in Shinjuku, and will analyse the artistic expression that was produced within such a chaotic urban space in the 1960s.

Jelena Stojković, an art historian, writer and curator based in London, will examine the role of photography in 1960s Japan while introducing some of the photographic projects that evolved from the vibrant Shinjuku cultural 'scene' at that time. She will also discuss the chief practitioners, their main subjects of interest and a wide range of images that they produced.

Presenting the new cultural forms, within and across disciplines, which emerged from Shinjuku, this talk will discuss the relationship between the town, art and the expression of creativity in the 1960s in Japan.

Date:	27 October 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Booking:

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk.

Images: Left: Ecstasy of the Angels, 1972, Dir. Koji Wakamatsu. Right: Diary of a Shinjuku Thief, 1969, Dir. Nagisa Oshima.

Artist talk by Satoshi Kitamura
in conversation with Nicolette Jones

Satoshi Kitamura is an award-winning children’s author and illustrator whose work includes over 20 of his own books, and many more collaborations. Using a glass dip pen that produces his individual, slightly uneven line, Kitamura is skilled in finding the delicate balance between words and pictures, and creating visual depictions of abstract concepts such as music and art. His aesthetic style, along with memorable narratives, has earned him numerous awards including the Mother Goose Award for the Most Exciting Newcomer to Illustration in 1983 for his involvement in Angry Arthur by Hiawyn Oram. Kitamura also works as a translator on projects such as Elmer the Patchwork Elephant by British author David McKee, and has collaborated with poets like Roger McGough and John Agard for their poetry collections and anthologies. In The Carnival of Animals he illustrated the poems of a dozen distinguished British poets who were inspired by Saint Saens' orchestral music with the same title.

In conjunction with The Children’s Bookshow, a national tour of writers and illustrators of children’s literature in which Kitamura has been selected to appear, this special talk event will highlight his innovative, varied, and long career. Having recently returned to live in Japan after spending many years nurturing his career in the U.K., Kitamura, in conversation with Nicolette Jones, will discuss the development of his style, whether or not working in a different environment has had any impact upon his work, all while exploring the appreciation of children’s literature in the markets of both the U.K. and Japan. Jones is a writer, critic and broadcaster specialising in literary and arts journalism. She has been the Children's Books Editor of The Sunday Times for more than two decades.

Date:	14 November 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Public Seminar: The Happy Youth of a Desperate Country

In this special public seminar, Japan’s leading young sociologist and author of the controversial book ‘The Happy Youth of a Desperate Country’ Noritoshi Furuichi (Tokyo University), joins us to explain why, despite fewer opportunities for long-term stable employment, the majority of Japan’s youth are in fact satisfied with their lives, and how this contentment challenges the dominant media discourse which portrays young adults as a disappointed and unhappy generation. Furuichi will also examine why young Japanese seem to be politically apathetic even in the face of rising social inequalities and an uncertain future.

Joining Furuichi in discussion following his presentation will be Dr Tuukka Toivonen from SOAS, University of London.

Date:	12 November 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Rm642, Institute of Education, University of London, 20 Bedford Way, WC1H OAL http://20bedfordway.com/how-to-find-us/

Booking:

This event is free to attend but booking is essential. To reserve a place, please e-mail your name and the title of the event you would like to attend to event@jpf.org.uk

**Noritoshi Furuichi will also be speaking at SEAS, University of Sheffield on Tuesday 11 November, 2014. Click here for more information

Image: masaru minoya

Bigakko: Anti-Academy - Talk by Alice Maude-Roxby

The alternative art school Bigakko was established in 1969 in the Jimbocho district of Tokyo by the publishers Gendaishicho-sha. Involving some of the most radical artists of the time and developed in opposition to the mainstream academy system, students at Bigakko experienced unorthodox teaching and workshops by Genpei Akasegawa, Natsuyuki Nakanishi, Hiroshi Nakamura and Mokuma Kikuhata, and the programme involved diverse approaches, ranging from vociferous political conferences to quiet meditation.

In this talk, Alice Maude-Roxby, Head of Photography at Falmouth University, will provide an overview of the activities of Bigakko students and artists, and its impact and influence upon the contemporary visual art world. Reflecting on the recent exhibition Anti-Academy at the John Hansard Gallery for which Maude-Roxby was the curator, she will analyse the activities of Bigakko within the context of the comparative unorthodox art education models in Iowa, USA and Copenhagen, Denmark while raising questions in consideration of contemporary development of fine art education in UK.

Date:	5 December 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

Image: Students in the class of Nakanishi Natsuyuki, Bigakko, Tokyo, 1970. Photograph by Morinago Jun.

Artist Talk by Aiko Miyanaga

Japanese artist Aiko Miyanaga creates sculptural pieces that are associated with transformation. Winning the Nissan Art Award 2013 Grand Prize, Miyanaga is most well known for her use of naphthalene to produce moulds of everyday items such as clocks and keys, which are then encased in clear resin. Recent successful international exhibitions, including at the Sapporo International Art Festival 2014 where her latest ceramic works were displayed, have reiterated the artist’s commitment to the idea of balance between weakness and strength, absence and presence, as well as the reflection of the impact of time on her work.

In this special artist talk, Miyanaga will discuss her object-orientated work and the concept behind her attempts and the medium she chooses to express her ethos as an artist. In discussion with Mark Rappolt, editor of ArtReview, she will also reflect on where the value lies in her art considering the form may change but the material and weight never do.

Date:	19 November 2014 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Japan Foundation, London

This event is organised in association with White Rainbow gallery.

Aiko Miyanaga’s first solo U.K. show, Strata: Origins, is currently at White Rainbow gallery until 22^nd November 2014.

For more information, please visit www.white-rainbow.co.uk.

Image: Courtesy of the artist

JF@London Anime & Gaming Con

The Japan Foundation will be at London Anime & Gaming Con on 7^th and 8^th February 2015.

Visit our stand for information about studying Japanese, freebies and the chance to enter our quiz and win some great prizes!

What's more, we will be giving a short Japanese taster session and a presentation on the resources and support available for Japanese language learners. This will take place on the Saturday from 5pm on the Downstairs Stage.

Booking details and more information about the convention, which is organised by Anime League, can be found on the official website, www.londonanimecon.com.

Date:	7 February 2015 - 8 February 2015 from 10.30am
Venue:	London Metropolitan University, 166-220 Holloway Road, London N7 8DB

Japan Conference for Schools 2015

This one-day conference is organised by the Japan Society, the Japan Foundation and the Embassy of Japan. The conference is free to attend, and open to schools or local authorities that are new to Japan work, schools implementing Japanese into the curriculum, those involved with partnerships in Japan and schools looking to enhance or develop an existing programme of Japan-related study. The aim is for people to network and share practical ideas about introducing Japan and Japanese in their schools. It also aims to give experienced schools ideas on taking their Japanese activities further.

To provisionally book your place on the course please click here.

Fee: Free (Registration required)
Lunch will be provided on the day

Draft Schedule:
10.00 – 10.30      Arrival, registration and coffee
10.30 – 10.40      Welcome message from the Embassy of Japan
10.40 – 11.30      Key Note Speech: Lorraine Cooper, Deputy Headteacher, Maryland Primary School
11.30 – 11.40      Break- Tea and Coffee
11.40 – 12.30      Workshop 1 (workshops will be practical sessions about Japan/Japanese culture)
12.30 – 13.20      Lunch and Networking - A buffet lunch will be provided
13.20 – 14.10      Workshop 2
14.15 – 15.05      Group discussion – Session one (each group will discuss a specific topic)
15.10 – 16.00      Group discussion – Session two
16.00 – 16.15      Closing remarks

Workshops:

Stephen Schwab- who will look at Japan and its place in the curriculum especially Geography (KS2/KS3).
Kamishibai- Japan Foundation
Flipped Learning, how to help improve GCSE results – Anne Rajakuma
Origami- Japan Society.

Discussions:

Helen Morris (Madley Primary School)- School linking/linking activities and projects
Japan Society, Japan Foundation, Embassy support
Secndary Japanese Language
Session 1- Sharing teaching ideas
Session 2- Teaching Japanese to dyslexic students
Primary Japanese Language
Session 1- New primary scheme of work – Makoto Netsu
Session 2- Sharing teaching ideas

Date:	3 March 2015
Venue:	Venue: The Embassy of Japan 101-104 Piccadilly London W1J 7JT

To provisionally book your place on the course please click here.

Potential of Japanese language education in primary schools

Date:	20 January 2015 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL

Click here to apply online or e-mail event.language@jpf.org.uk to reserve your place.

Contemporary Art History: Japan - A Book Talk by Hideki Nakazawa

Hideki Nakazawa's Contemporary Art History: Japan, is a foundational text in the international understanding of post-war art in Japan. First published in 2008 as part of an exhibition at Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, it offered a bi-lingual panorama of the diverse trends, movements and personalities in Japanese art from the 1950s to the present day, stressing their originality in relation to global discourses on Dada, Surrealism, Art Informel, Neo-Pop, Conceptualism and Neo-Expressionism, as well as introducing key works of Japanese art criticism. While the avant garde of the 1950s to 70s is beginning to be well mapped out by international art historians, later periods - of which Nakazawa has intimate autobiographical knowledge - remain less well known.

On the occasion of the re-publication by ART DIVER (artdiver.moo.jp) late last year of a fully revised, updated and re-translated version of this unique work, we are pleased to welcome Hideki Nakazawa to SOAS as part of his first ever visit to London. He will present his original explanation of Japanese contemporary art trends in terms of periodisation and cyclical history, in the company of three experts on Japanese art and culture.

To download the full flyer, please click here.

Date:	26 January 2015 from 7.00pm - 9.00pm
Venue:	Venue update: This event will now take place in the Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre The Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG

Images: Main images: The cover of the new edition of the book, which features a Baka CG work by Nakazawa with Tsuyoshi Ozawa "jizoing" on the forehead of performance artist Nakao Ikemiya during the Nakamura to Murakami exhibition in Seoul, 1992; Baka CG icon of Nakazawa. Bottom: Portrait of Hideki Nakazawa. All images courtesy of the author.

Japanese Studies Post-Graduate Workshop, 2015

We are delighted to announce that the annual Japan Foundation / BAJS Post-Graduate Workshop will be held on Wednesday 11^th March, 2015.

This workshop aims to assist the development of the next generation of Japanese specialists here in the UK, and to further strengthen the Japanese Studies community in this country. It is a great opportunity to receive some practical advice on your research from senior colleagues, and to get to know fellow post-graduate students and others in the Japanese Studies community.

This year’s workshop will include practical sessions on the following topics:

‘Getting Access to Interviewees’

Dr Peter Cave (University of Manchester)

‘Post-doctoral Career Development in Japan and the UK’

Dr Peter Matanle (University of Sheffield)

‘Funding your Research’

Representatives from the Daiwa-Anglo Japanese Foundation, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the Japan Foundation will give short presentations on their funding programmes.

This year’s workshop will include practical sessions on the following topics:

‘Getting Access to Interviewees’

Dr Peter Cave (University of Manchester)

‘Post-doctoral Career Development in Japan and the UK’

Dr Peter Matanle (University of Sheffield)

‘Funding your Research’

Representatives from the Daiwa-Anglo Japanese Foundation, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the Japan Foundation will give short presentations on their funding programmes.

‘Getting Access to Interviewees’

Dr Peter Cave (University of Manchester)

‘Post-doctoral Career Development in Japan and the UK’

Dr Peter Matanle (University of Sheffield)

‘Funding your Research’

Representatives from the Daiwa-Anglo Japanese Foundation, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the Japan Foundation will give short presentations on their funding programmes.

Date:	11 March 2015 from 11.00am - 6.00pm
Venue:	University of Leeds

The event will be followed by a dinner reception.

Eligibility: This workshop is open to PhD candidates in Japanese Studies/Japan-related disciplines. Japanese Studies Masters students who are thinking of doing a PhD are also welcome to attend.

Booking: E-mail Julie Anne Robb at julieanne.robb@jpf.org.uk to register your interest in attending or if you have any enquiries. The last event was over-subscribed so please get in touch as soon as possible if you would like to come along.

**Please note, travel expenses of up to £40 will be available to all participants**

This year’s workshop will include practical sessions on the following topics:

‘Getting Access to Interviewees’

Dr Peter Cave (University of Manchester)

‘Post-doctoral Career Development in Japan and the UK’

Dr Peter Matanle (University of Sheffield)

‘Funding your Research’

Representatives from the Daiwa-Anglo Japanese Foundation, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the Japan Foundation will give short presentations on their funding programmes.

Make Your Own Japanese Teaching Resources with PowerPoint

Learn how to bring your Japanese classes to life with Microsoft PowerPoint!

In this hands-on workshop, Hisaka Bunting (teacher of GCSE and A-level Japanese at Newstead Wood School and Teacher of Japanese at several other schools) will demonstrate how you can use Microsoft PowerPoint to enhance your beginner-level Japanese classes. Giving real life examples from her own classes, Bunting-sensei will provide step-by-step instruction on making effective and entertaining presentations, games and activities with PowerPoint. Participants will not only be able to make their own PowerPoint resources in the session, but will also have the opportunity to share their resources with each other.

PowerPoint for Absolute Beginners Session: 19^th February 2015 (Thur) 12:45 – 16:30
PowerPoint for Post Beginners Session: 20^th February 2015 (Fri) 12:45 – 16:30 (Please note: Friday session is now fully booked. All further bookings for Friday will be placed on a waiting list).

Attendance fee: Free. Advanced booking is essential. It is open to all teachers of Japanese.
使用言語：日本語 This seminar will be held in Japanese.

Participants MUST bring their own laptop, iPad or other device with Microsoft PowerPoint installed. The Japan Foundation is unable to provide laptops or other devices.

Timetable:

12：45 - 13：00 Welcome
13：00 - 13：15 Start (Greetings)
13：15 - 14：15 Introduction
14：15 - 14：30 Break
14：30 - 16：00 Workshop
16：00 - 16：30 Q&A

Capacity: 16 participants per day – first come, first served. Participants may register for both days if they wish. Application deadline: 17th February

Please click here to register your place

Date:	19 February 2015 - 20 February 2015 from 12.45pm - 4.30pm
Venue:	Japan Foundation London. Lion Court, 25 Procter Street, London. WC1V 6NY

Worn with Pride -- Textiles, Kimono, and Propaganda in Japan, 1925-1945

Japan has a rich tradition of textile production, crafting remarkable fabrics that reveal the country’s considered aesthetics. From century to century, decorative fabrics have been used to adorn the body and bring pleasure not only to those who wore them, but also to all who saw them. One period of history, however, highlights a remarkable change in the visual design of Japanese textiles.

Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, The Japan Foundation, London has invited Dr Jacqueline M. Atkins, to give a special illustrated talk on the capacity of cloth to communicate the persuasive power of Japanese propaganda of the time. While presenting various examples of the striking designs used in garments from children’s kimonos to adult attire, Dr Atkins will map the evolution in pattern design during a time of conflict that produced a new look in fashion. She will also discuss the meanings behind the distinct graphics represented in the textiles, and why these unique visual references symbolised the social, cultural, and even political interest and patriotism of this period in Japanese history.

Dr Atkins will be introduced, and later joined for a discussion by Anna Jackson, Keeper of the Asian Department of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Dr Jacqueline M. Atkins, a textile historian, was Chief Curator and the Kate Fowler Merle-Smith Curator of Textiles for the Allentown Art Museum in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She has lectured extensively on Japanese modern textiles, Japanese and American quilts, and American folk art. Her publications include Wearing Propaganda: Textiles on the Home Front in Japan, Britain, and the United States, 1931–1945, based on her exhibition of the same name, and “Japanese Novelty Textiles” in The Brittle Decade: Visualizing Japan in the 1930s. She holds a Ph.D. from Bard Graduate Center for Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Culture.

Date:	14 May 2015 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Swedenborg Society 20-21 Bloomsbury Way (Entrance on Barter Street) London WC1A 2TH For further details of the location, please visit: www.swedenborg.org.uk/contact

Image: Child’s kimono, Searchlights, Tanaka Yoku Collection. Photo: Nakagawa Taadaki, Artec Studio

To download the flyer please click here

Workshop: Rethinking 'Japanese' Pop Culture: A Topic for Academic Study?

We are delighted to announce that leading Japanese media and cultural studies scholar Professor Koichi Iwabuchi (Monash University), will be visiting Newcastle University in April to lead this special Japanese Studies workshop.

Recent years have seen an explosion of English language scholarship on the subject of Japanese pop culture such as manga, anime and video games. In this workshop, Professor Iwabuchi will encourage participants to explore the challenges and opportunities presented by this study. Can the study of Japanese popular culture lead to a deeper understanding of the diversity of Japanese society in an increasingly globalised world?

This workshop will seek to answer questions like this through a series of interactive and dynamic group discussions.

Professor Iwabuchi will be joined by Dr Gitte Hansen, Lecturer in Japanese Studies at Newcastle University, who will be on hand to facilitate the discussion.

This workshop is designed for any students with an interest in Japanese Studies.

Date:	15 April 2015 from 1.30pm - 4.30pm
Venue:	Old Library Building, Room 3.14 (Pybus room), Newcastle University

Nihongo Cup Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School Students 2015

Nihongo Cup, the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School students, is accepting applications across three categories: Key Stage 3, Pre-GCSE Key Stage 4/5, and Post GCSE Key Stage 4 and 5. Please download the attached documents below for full details.

You can read about the previous Nihongo Cup here.

Deadline to enter: 10th April 2015 (please note that this is an extended deadline; the former deadline is included in the application documents can be ignored)

Nihongo Cup is organised by the Association for Language Learning (ALL) with support from the Japan Foundation London.

Date:	19 March 2015 - 10 April 2015
Download Nihongo Cup Information and Application Forms

Reality Check: Artist talk by Chim↑Pom

Chim↑Pom, the six-strong artist collective known as the enfant terrible of Japan's art scene, create distinctive works that challenge contemporary social problems, and the realities that we choose not to see. Formed in Tokyo in 2005, the group's approach is underscored by the use of found objects, mass media, and chance. Chim↑Pom work mainly in video but their many mixed medium creations look beyond traditional aesthetic standards to construct coded narratives that drive compelling messages about limitations and boundaries, both literally and figuratively. Through critical thinking and creativity they tackle themes including urbanisation, celebrity, and more recently, the tsunami and nuclear incidents of 3/11.

Fresh off their success at this year’s Prudential Eye Awards, where they won not only “Best Emerging Artist Using Digital/Video” but were also named “Best Emerging Artist of the Year”, two members of this provocative collective, Ryuta Ushiro and Ellie, have been invited to map Chim↑Pom’s diverse career. Preluding their first group exhibition in London, by the mountain path held at the White Rainbow Gallery, they will explore how they came to be and why their work pushes the limits of contemporary Japanese art and the Japanese art scene.

After their presentation, Ushiro and Ellie will be joined in conversation by Dr Sook-Kyung Lee, Research Curator of Tate Research Centre: Asia-Pacific.

Date:	29 April 2015 from 6.45pm
Venue:	Free Word Centre 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA

Booking

This event is ticketed. To buy tickets please visit the Free Word website.

To download the flyer please click here

Post 3.11: What Can Art Do? Four Years On: Art and the Disaster

Post 3.11 is a series of talks showcasing the activities of artists who through various ways, have been engaged with the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in the Tohoku region of Japan. The series aims to re-examine the role of artists and art in the aftermath of such unprecedented events.

Four years have now passed since 3.11 and despite a new phase beginning in the areas affected, there are still a great number of problems to overcome. Marking the fourth anniversary of the disaster, the fourth session of this talk series will look into artists’ interactions with the affected areas a few years on, as opposed to the immediate response. Considering particularly the context of the ‘post’ aftermath, what does it mean for artists and cultural sectors to be involved at this stage, and what can they achieve themselves?

Broadening the focal point from specifically 3.11 to more global and historical events, the event will also explore how artists can be engaged once time has passed and the dust has settled, fundamentally questioning ‘what can art do’.

Panellists:

Yoi Kawakubo is an emerging artist and photographer, who has been tracing the social and historical impact of the disaster and subsequent nuclear meltdown through his artistic practice. Kawakubo’s interests lie in the themes of the ontology of photography and the boundaries of the medium. Kawakubo was selected as the Art Action UK residency artist for 2015 and will exhibit his work at the solo exhibition To Tell a (hi)Story at the Husk Gallery, Limehouse, London from 16 -30 May 2015.

Prof David Alexander is Professor at the Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction at University College London, and teaches emergency planning and management. Prof Alexander’s research interests include the relationship between the culture and the disaster in the aftermath, focusing on how cultural activities have contributed to the recovery of the disaster. Prof Alexander has conducted research into the Tohoku area and other global areas where disasters have struck.

Eiko Honda is a curator and Fellow of Overseas Study Programme for Artists, Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs. Her recent projects include Noodles Against the Machine: the Politics of Food and Artists’ Resistance in Contemporary Japan (2014), Unlocking the Diary: The Archiving of Nameless Memories (2014) and NOW&FUTURE: JAPAN (2012). She is currently working on Meiji-era naturalist Minakata Kumagusu and his relation to ecological thought today.

Dr Majella Munro is a writer and consultant with expertise on modern and contemporary Asian art. Dr Munro is currently completing a research monograph ‘Close to Nature? Japanese Artists and the Environment from Hiroshima to Fukushima’ focusing on Japanese contemporary artists’ response to 3.11.

Kaori Homma (chair) is Associate Lecturer at University of Arts London a coordinator of Art Action UK, a collection of artists, curators, gallerists and writers who are exploring various means to show solidarity and support for people who have been affected by disasters. The 2011 Japanese earthquake, tsunami and subsequent Fukushima nuclear fallout has been the catalyst for AAUK's activities.

Date:	28 May 2015 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Free Word Centre 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA

Public Seminar: People Make Places: Empowering Locals through Community Design

Ryo Yamazaki defines community design as 'the empowerment of locals through design to make them happy'. He is one of the speakers at this special seminar, which will discuss the principles behind community design and how they have been applied in projects in both Japan and the UK.

As CEO of community design company studio-L, and Professor and Director of the Department of Community Design at the Tohoku University of Art and Design, Ryo Yamazaki is involved in wide ranging activities throughout Japan which aim to facilitate local communities to not only create and improve public spaces, but also to seek their own solutions for the social problems that they are facing. Starting with the development of Japan’s first park managed through citizen participation, more recent projects have ranged from developing new ways to use open space in a department store, to helping an island community promote tourism.

At this public seminar Ryo Yamazaki will be joined by Sophia de Sousa, Chief Executive of The Glass-House, an independent charitable organisation which plays a leading role in the promotion of community led design in the UK. Sophia de Sousa will introduce the aims and activities of the Glass-House, which strives to put local people at the heart of making changes to their neighbourhoods. She will also join Ryo Yamazaki to discuss the development of community design in both Japan and the UK, and what can be learned from each other’s experiences.

Date:	7 May 2015 from 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	Brockway Room, Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL

The event will be followed by a drinks reception.

For more information:

studio-L

The Glass-House, Community Led Design

Screen Translation and the Benshi Tradition in Japan

Join the eminent Japanese Benshi Ichiro Kataoka as he discusses with Professor Markus Nornes, some of the issues surrounding screen translation in Japan. Through a series of short films and extracts in English and Japanese, Professor Nornes and Ichiro Kataoka will illustrate the challenges of translating both silent and sound film, and how Benshi, as performers, were an important part of the film viewing experience in their own right.

Speakers:

Markus Nornes is Professor of Asian Cinema at the University of Michigan.
Ichiro Kataoka is one of the top professional Benshi in Japan. He tours globally and accompanies Japanese silent films.

With live piano accompaniment by Cyrus Gabrysch.

Date:	21 May 2015 from 6.00pm - 7.30pm
Venue:	The British Academy 10-11 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AH

Organised by the British Academy

Artist talk by SHIMURAbros

SHIMURAbros are the sister and brother artist duo of Yuka and Kentaro Shimura, currently researchers at Studio Olafur Eliasson and exemplifying a new breed of Japanese contemporary artists. Working and exhibiting internationally, SHIMURAbros are known for incorporating elements of sculpture, installation and avant-garde filmmaking in their work. Film is the catalyst to all their creations and the artists employ different techniques to each work. As an exploration of the history of moving images approached from a fundamentally different perspective extending film beyond its two-dimensional limit - their installations are an intricate and playful re-working of film and cinematic language.

Programmed in partnership with Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, home to the British Artists' Film & Video Study Collection which holds a large amount of material for academic research in artists' moving image, this talk will highlight SHIMURAbros’ film and moving image installations, with a focus on the artistic content, formalistic qualities and contexts at play in working within the canon. The talk will be followed by discussion with Keith Whittle, researcher and Japan Foundation Fellow, exploring the role technology, cinematic history and popular culture has on the aesthetic and conceptual approach the artists' have to their work, in terms of research and exhibition.

SHIMURAbros have exhibited widely including at Art Basel Hong Kong; 798 Art Factory; The National Art Centre, Tokyo; NUS Museum Singapore; MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei); PICA(the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts Museum), Australia; Museums Quartier, Vienna. "SEKILALA" received the Excellence Prize (Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Prize) at the 13th Japan Media Arts Festival.

Date:	5 June 2015 from 6.30pm
Venue:	LVMH Lecture Theatre (E003), Central Saint Martins Granary Building, 1 Granary Square, King's Cross, London N1C 4AA

Image: SHIMURAbros, X-RAY TRAIN, 2007-2009, Installation, Image (black and white / X-Ray CT), Special liquid crystal film, Iron, Wire, PC, Control board, Projector, Railroad tie, Dimension variable. Courtesy of the artist and Tokyo Gallery+BTAP

Public Seminar: STEMming the Gender Gap: A New Era for Japanese Women in Science and Engineering?

In January 2014, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that ‘Japan should be the place that gives women the opportunity to shine. Thirty per cent of leadership positions should be occupied by women by 2020’. This promise seemed to herald a new era for women in the workplace in Japan.

30 years ago, the Equal Employment Opportunity Law was introduced in Japan which was intended to enable companies to fully utilise human resources regardless of gender. Despite this, even in 2013, the proportion of female leaders in large corporations was only 10.2 percent.

Although the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) does vary greatly from country to country, the number of Japanese women in these fields remains particularly low, and the proportion of female researchers in science and technology is still one of the lowest (14.4 percent) among OECD countries.

Why so few? In this seminar, Dr Naonori Kodate (University College Dublin) will try to answer this question, by shedding light on historical developments and the current gender equality situation in Japan through the lens of women in STEM. He will explore how gender equality policy in science has been intertwined with social norms, family and individual life decisions and other policies. He will also look into measures the government, universities and research institutes are taking to address this issue, and explore whether these measures have led to an increase in female representation in these fields.

During this special seminar, we are also delighted to welcome Dr Ekaterina Hertog (University of Oxford), an expert on Japanese family trends, who will join Dr Kodate in conversation to explore the effect of changes in Japanese family structure on the position of Japanese women in STEM.

Contributors:

Dr Naonori Kodate is a Lecturer in Social Policy at University College Dublin, Ireland. His main research area is comparative social policy, particularly in health care. His book, Japanese Women in Science and Engineering: History and Policy Change (co-authored by Professor Emeritus Kashiko Kodate) will be published in July 2015 by Routledge.

Dr Ekaterina Hertog is a family sociologist in the Department of Sociology and the School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies at the University of Oxford. Her current research interests include contemporary Japanese society, marriage and childbearing trends in industrialised countries, and marriage partner selection.

Image: Peter Close/Shutterstock.com

Date:	1 July 2015 from 6.30pm - 8.30pm
Venue:	The Swedenborg Society, 20-21 Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2TH

Japan Foundation at Hyper Japan Festival July 2015

The Japan Foundation are once again delighted to be exhibiting this July at HYPER JAPAN- the UK’s biggest J-Culture event.

We’ll also be giving away some exclusive free gifts, as well as holding a Japan Quiz with some fantastic prizes!

For more information and to buy a ticket, please click here to visit the official Hyper Japan website. Tickets on sale now!

Date:	10 July 2015 - 12 July 2015
Venue:	The O2, London

Nihongo Cup: The Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary Schools in the UK FINALS DAY!

Come and see the UK’s most talented young students of Japanese language at the Finals Day of the Nihongo Cup – the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School Students!

Students from all levels of secondary education – Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 – will showcase their amazing talent and hard work in their Japanese language studies while competing for some fantastic prizes – including a trip to Japan!

For the first time, the Finals Day is fully open to the public, so don’t miss out this chance to see the UK’s biggest Japanese speech contest for secondary school students. The contest will be followed by a reception, giving you a chance to meet the students.

Free entry, no booking required (seating first come, first served). The venue will open from 12:00 for a prompt 12:30 start, and early arrival is advised.

Date:	20 June 2015 from 12.30pm - 4.45pm
Venue:	Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London. WC1R 4RL

Nihongo Cup is organised by the Association for Language Learning (ALL) with support from the Japan Foundation London and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.

Japanese Study Seminar in Alsace 2015: Call for Participation!

The deadline for applications has been extended until July 15 2015.

The Japan Foundation and Centre Européen d'Etudes Japonaises d'Alsace (CEEJA) are now accepting applications for participation in Japanese Study Seminar: Everyday Life and Culture (日常生活文化) scheduled for 21^st and 22nd September, 2015 at CEEJA, in Kientzheim, France. The official language of the seminar will be JAPANESE.

This seminar aims to encourage networking among young researchers on Japan in Europe and further promote Japanese Studies in Europe.

The theme of this year’s seminar will be “Everyday Life and Culture (日常生活文化).” We are calling for applications from young researchers in Europe specialising in politics, history, sociology, literature, arts, language, philosophy, economics, architecture, religion, etc.

Please note that the deadlnie for applications has been extended to 15th July, 2015.

For further details including eligibility and application procedures, please visit the Japan Foundation Tokyo website here.

Date:	21 September 2015 - 22 September 2015
Venue:	Centre Européen d'Etudes Japonaises d'Alsace (CEEJA), Kientzheim, France

ENDO Shuhei | Architect for a New Era

Influenced by and interacting with landscapes, many modern Japanese architectural structures are characterised by an acute awareness of flows. Renowned Japanese architect Endo Shuhei is one such professional championing this concept. Endo treats materials as a fluid gesture to create distinctive, innovative, and appealing arrangements with a continuous interaction between form, material, and design. It is this creative interplay that has won him prestigious awards such as the ‘Surfaces’ title at the International Architecture Exhibition at the 2004 Venice Biennale, and has seen him publish numerous books including 2012’s 5-1 Design Peak: Shuhei Endo. Despite the playful qualities that his buildings invoke, Endo’s work reflects deeper levels of meaning and addresses ideas of sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

On the occasion of his first solo exhibition in the UK as part of London Festival of Architecture, as well as the 25th anniversary of the establishment of his studio, the Endo Shuhei Architect Institute, Endo will give a special talk hosted by the Japan Foundation to contextualise his work within the contemporary architectural scene. Together with Frédéric Migayrou, Chair and Bartlett Professor of Architecture at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, and Deputy Director of the National Museum of Art, Centre Pompidou in Paris, Endo will also discuss his design concept and reflect on the interrogative relationship concerning ideas of modernism, while questioning the potential balance between architecture and the environment.

Date:	25 June 2015 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Building Centre 26 Store Street, London WC1E 7BT

Japanese Refresher Course for Teachers 2015

This is a free, intensive language course for teachers who want to improve their Japanese language teaching skills, as well as their own language ability.

The theme for the 2015 course is 「日本の最新事情」- "The Latest from Japan." The aim of the course will be to update your knowledge about Japanese society and culture, while at the same time brushing up your own Japanese language ability. We will also explore various classroom activities and ideas for teaching Japanese.

This course will be held at two levels: Intermediate (approx. JLPT N3) and Advanced (approx. JLPT N2 & N1), which will both be held simultaneously in the same classroom, divided into two groups. If you have never passed the JLPT for N3 or above, you will need to take an online placement test within 1 week applying in order to determine which group will be best suited for you; those who cannot take the test online will have the opportunity to take it on the first day of the course before the lessons start.

When: 28^th, 29^th & 30^th July 2015, 10:30 - 16:00, with a lunch break between 12:45 - 13:45
Where: River Room, King’s College London, Strand Campus, Strand, London. WC2R 2LS
Participation Fee: This course is free, but participants must cover their own travel, accommodation and lunch costs.
Open to: This course is for non-native speaking teachers of approximately JLPT N3 level (or JF Standard B1 level) Japanese and above, as well as teachers and PGCE students who have the chance to offer Japanese in future. All the lectures and discussions will be held in Japanese. Please note that spaces are limited. Priority will be given to teachers based at UK schools.

Feedback from last year's participants:

“Very useful practice. Excellent tips from JF staff, especially on grammar and very resourceful participants.” (Olga Saburova, Rochester Grammar School)

“Very good balance of activities: song/dance/manga/grammar etc, targeting a wide range of age groups and abilities.” (Forum Mithani, Westminster Kingsway College)

“Overall, this was an excellent course. I would recommend it to all teachers of Japanese.”
(Robert Fox, Aston University)

>>> Click here to apply <<<

Date:	28 July 2015 - 30 July 2015 from 10.30am - 4.00pm
Venue:	River Room, King’s College London, Strand Campus, Strand, London. WC2R 2LS

Central and Local Governance in Japan and the UK: Lessons from Okinawa and Scotland

The coral reefs, white sand beaches and sub-tropical rainforests of Okinawa, a chain of islands stretching over 600 miles of ocean between Southwest Japan and Taiwan, seem a distant world from the misty mountains and lochs of Scotland, but recent political developments in Scotland have brought to light some surprising parallels.

The corareefs, white sand beaches and sub-tropical rainforests of Okinawa, a chain of islands stretching over 600 miles of ocean between Southwest Japan and Taiwan, seem a distant world from the misty mountains and lochs of Scotland, but recent political developments in Scotland have brought to light some surprising parallels.

Likes Scotland, Okinawa is a smaller, once independent, area incorporated within a far larger entity, which possesses its own distinct history, culture and political outlook. Debate on the balance between central and local governance has recently taken prominence in political discussion in Okinawa, and last September, intrigued by recent events in Scotland, several Okinawan journalists and researchers, including the founding member of a small but growing Okinawa independence movement, flew to Edinburgh to observe the independence referendum.

Professor Takayoshi Egami (Waseda University), is an expert in regional policy in Okinawa, having worked as a lecturer and researcher at the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa for over 26 years. Since last September, he has spent one year as a visiting researcher at the University of Edinburgh to draw lessons from developments in devolution in Scotland post referendum.

In this seminar Professor Egami will discuss the complex historical and political background of Okinawa prefecture, which lies behind recent interest in devolution in the region.

After his talk he will be joined for a comparative discussion on devolution in the UK and Japan by Professor Paul Cairney, Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the University of Stirling, an expert in both Scottish politics and UK-wide comparative public policy.

Recent discussion on devolution and regionalisation in the UK and Japan has not been confined to Scotland and Okinawa of course. Recent hot topics in the UK have included devolving more powers to Wales, ‘The Northern Powerhouse’ and the development of London as a city state, while in Japan, debate was recently ignited over plans to devolve more powers to Osaka City. Through exploring some of these issues, Prof Cairney and Prof Egami will discuss what can be learned from the experience of each country and how regionalisation may develop in future years.

The seminar will be followed by an opportunity to pose your own devolution-related questions to the experts, and a drinks reception.The coral reefs, white sand beaches and sub-tropical rainforests of Okinawa, a chain of islands stretching over 600 miles of ocean between Southwest Japan and Taiwan, seem a distant world from the misty mountains and lochs of Scotland, but recent political developments in Scotland have brought to light some surprising parallels.

Like Scotland, Okinawa is a smaller, once independent, area incorporated within a far larger entity, which possesses its own distinct history, culture and political outlook. Debate on the balance between central and local governance has recently taken prominence in political discussion in Okinawa, and last September, intrigued by recent events in Scotland, several Okinawan journalists and researchers, including the founding member of an Okinawa independence movement, flew to Edinburgh to observe the independence referendum.

Professor Takayoshi Egami (Waseda University), is an expert in regional policy in Okinawa, having worked as a lecturer and researcher at the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa for over 26 years. Since last September, he has spent one year as a visiting researcher at the University of Edinburgh to draw lessons from developments in devolution in Scotland post referendum.

In this seminar Professor Egami will discuss the complex historical and political background of Okinawa prefecture, which lies behind recent interest in devolution in the region.

After his talk he will be joined for a comparative discussion on devolution in the UK and Japan by Professor Paul Cairney, Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the University of Stirling, an expert in both Scottish politics and UK-wide comparative public policy.

Recent discussion on devolution and regionalism in the UK and Japan has not been confined to Scotland and Okinawa of course. Recent hot topics in the UK have included devolving more powers to Wales, the 'Northern Powerhouse’ and even the development of London as a city state, while in Japan, debate was recently ignited over plans to devolve more powers to Osaka City. Through exploring some of these issues, Professor Cairney and Professor Egami will discuss what can be learned from the experience of each country and how regionalism may develop in future years.

The seminar will be followed by an opportunity to pose your own devolution-related questions to the experts, and a drinks reception.

Image (left): Martin M303/Shutterstock.com

Image (right): (c)Tomo.Yun (http://www.yunphoto.net)

Date:	22 July 2015 from 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Venue:	The Swedenborg Society, 20-21 Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2TH

Riding the Current - Japanese Contemporary Art and its Curatorial Views

With the turn of the millennium being a tipping point for some, contentious questions have been raised in the direction of Japanese contemporary art. While borderless activities by Japanese artists - both in the media they work with and places they choose to live – are globally identified, it is also a truth that there are some whose interest it is to explore, rather introvertedly, their immediate surroundings as a contrast. One connecting factor is however that in the wake of the 3.11 Great East Japan Earthquake, artists and the art from Japan are for the first time in a long time regarded as being more politicised than before. Has contemporary Japanese art managed to re-set the existing framework, and are artists able to act as a tool to shift the paradigm of Japan? Where are the latest currents pulling Japanese art?

Hinted at by the most recent edition of the Dojima River Biennale in Osaka, Take me to the River which examines the current of contemporary art as influenced by the ancient Heraclitus quote “everything flows, nothing stands still”, the Japan Foundation has invited two distinguished art professionals, Tom Trevor, the Artistic Director of this year’s Dojima River Biennale as well as the former Director of Arnolfini, Bristol, and Mizuki Takahashi, Chief Curator of Art Tower Mito in Japan, to explore what they have observed is happening with this new era of Japanese contemporary art and artists through a series of presentations and conversation. These two established curators will also discuss how contemporary Japanese art is seen from both Japanese and British perspectives, examine the curatorial issues in presenting Japanese art, and explore what is to come in the Japanese art world flowing forward.

Date:	30 September 2015 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Lecture Theatre, the Courtauld Institute of Art Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN Nearest tube stations: Temple, Covent Garden, Charing Cross and Embankment

BUKATSUDŌ: Teaching Character in Japanese School Clubs

The bell rings for the end of the school day, but for children in schools across Japan it only signals the start of the next stage of their daily education.

Bukatsudō (extracurricular sports or cultural clubs), have played a formative role in the secondary school experience for school children around Japan for generations. On entry to junior high school, children are encouraged to pick a club, and stick with it though the rest of their time at school. Clubs demand huge time, effort and commitment from students, and from the teachers who take part as coaches. Practices at some schools can be held for up to two or three hours a day, up to six or seven days a week, after school, during weekends, and even school holidays, and are characterised by strict routine and ritual, group spirit, and hierarchical relationships between juniors and seniors.

In this special seminar, Dr Peter Cave, Lecturer in Japanese Studies at the University of Manchester, an anthropologist and Japanese education expert who has conducted extensive fieldwork and research in schools in Japan, will discuss the practice and origins of bukatsudō (including their surprising link to Victorian Britain), and the role they play in the Japanese school system today.

While Japanese educators have diverse views about clubs and their purposes, the practice of bukatsudō reflect the broad view that the Japanese school system is responsible not only for intellectual development of students but also for social and moral development, by teaching children basic values and social skills.

In the UK, 'character education' has been a subject of much recent debate with the Department for Education championing the idea that schools should not just focus on student’s academic achievement but also take responsibility for cultivating good character.

In this context, Dr Cave will consider what Britain might learn from Japanese school clubs, arguing that Britain could learn a lot from their example, but would need to adapt rather than copy them.

Following his talk, to continue to explore these themes, Dr Cave will be joined for a comparative discussion on education for character development in the UK and Japan by leading character education expert Professor James Arthur, Head of the School of Education and Director of the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham.

Chairing the discussion will be Professor Takehiko Kariya, Professor in the Sociology of Japanese Society at the University of Oxford, an expert in the sociology of education, social stratification, and Japanese educational policies.

Date:	16 September 2015 from 6.45pm - 8.15pm
Venue:	Mander Hall, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9BD (Close to Kings Cross, St Pancras and Euston stations)

Japan Foundation at Japan Matsuri 2015

Japan Foundation will be exhibiting at Japan Matsuri, London's annual festival of Japanese culture.

Come to our stand for freebies, our Japan Quiz, information about learning more Japanese language and culture, or just to say "konnichiwa!"

More information about the event can be found here.

Date:	19 September 2015 from 10.00am
Venue:	Trafalgar Square, London

Artist Talk by Hideyuki Katsumata

Hideyuki Katsumata is multi-disciplinary artist who creates murals, prints, and videos featuring way out characters and forms saturated with vivid colours. Whether he is producing a real time visual performance (VJing) synced to songs live in front of an energetic crowd or painting over a piece of sheet music paper, his almost irrational compositions where forms are placed around, in between, and in front of each other, highlight his brisk line work and freeform approach to image-making. Exhibiting worldwide since 2002, Katsumata's collection of loud, unashamed, and sometimes slightly indecent images reveal a glimpse into the inner workings and private imagination of this modern Japanese artist.

On the occasion of his largest exhibition to date, USO de HONTOU at Dundee Contemporary Arts, the Japan Foundation has invited Katsumata to discuss his impressive variety of work and his design practices. With a portfolio that includes commissioned artwork like designing album covers, or producing motion video works with over 800,000 hits on YouTube, this talk will provide a rare insight into the artist's fresh and spontaneous style; reveal his sources of inspiration as well as the trace the journey from idea to final execution.

Following his presentation, Katsumata will be joined in conversation by John O’Reilly, editor of Varoom illustration magazine.

Date:	5 October 2015 from 6.30pm
Venue:	LVMH Lecture Theatre (E003), Central Saint Martins, Granary Building, King's Cross, 1 Granary Square, London NC1 4AA

EXHIBITION:

The exhibition USO de HONTOU will be held at Dundee Contemporary Arts from 3 October to 15 November 2015, supported by the Japan Foundation. For more information, please visit: www.dca.org.uk/whats-on/event/hideyuki-katsumata

Primary Japanese - resources sharing workshop

In this free workshop, primary school teachers at all levels of Japanese proficiency will share teaching materials and ideas that can inspire their pupils.

Resource Sharing:
This event will bring together primary teachers of Japanese to share their ideas about what went well with their Japanese teaching over the last year. There will be information about how teachers have used the scheme of work, how they improved the resources, what worked best, as well as introduce other useful resources or ideas that they have tried in their classes.

The Japan Foundation Scheme of Work for Primary Schools:
This event will also introduce new resources that can be used alongside the Japan Foundation’s Japanese Scheme of Work for Key Stage 2 – for Year 4s. This will help give teachers of Japanese information and ideas to continue teaching Japanese for the second year.

The resources follow the Japan Foundation Japanese Scheme of Work for Primary Schools, which is packed full of lesson plans, resources and exciting and fun ideas for teaching primary-level Japanese to Year 3 and Year 4 pupils. These teaching materials have been created by the Japan Foundation’s Chief Language Advisor Makoto Netsu, and have been tested with two classes of Year 4 pupils at Southfield Primary School. Participants will additionally have access to exclusive draft versions of the resources, and Mr Netsu will give explanations about how he has used them, and how they might be adapted for other primary Japanese classes. The resources themselves include worksheets, plans, activities, games etc. We would also love to hear what you think of the Scheme of work so far. Please click here to tell us more!

Timetable (provisional and subject to change):
10:00 – 10:10 Introduction, greetings
10:10 – 11:40 Resource Sharing - Catherine Duke, Yoko Leedham and Helen Morris
11:40 – 12:10 Differentiation in Primary Japanese lessons - Marina Sereda-Linley
12:10 – 13:10 Lunch
13:10 – 14:10 Introducing the JF Scheme of Work for Year 4 - Makoto Netsu
14:10 – 14:40 Introduction to support from Japan Foundation - Josephine Austin
14:40 – 15:00 Q&A, Evaluation and extra time to share ideas

Cost of your travel to London:
We are keen to include primary teachers of Japanese from all over the UK, so we will be able to make a contribution to help cover the costs of your travel to London for this event. We will cover the costs of second class train tickets over £15, upto £80. You will need to cover the first £15, but we will cover the rest. For example, if your ticket costs £69, we will cover £54 of the costs. Please ask for a receipt when you book your ticket and bring it with you to this event.

Date:	8 September 2015 from 10.00am - 3.00pm
Venue:	UCL Institute of Education 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL

To sign up for this event click here.

This course is for teachers of any level of Japanese that would like some hints about how to get started and how to use the Japan Foundation Scheme of work for Key Stage 2 Japanese language lessons.

Spaces on this course are limited. Priority will be given to teachers or trainee teachers employed by a primary school.

Join the Club! Fandom in Japanese Theatre: Kabuki & Takarazuka

The Takarazuka Revue Company is a theatre company with a 100 year history in Japan and is well-known for its stylised musicals performed by an all-female cast. The lavish stage productions have been enthusiastically appreciated by tens of thousands of devoted fans who dedicate their time, money and energy to the company, and who make the tickets to Takarazuka notoriously difficult to obtain.

Reflecting on the fever pitch of Takarazuka fandom, Prof Naomi Miyamoto, Lecturer at Ritsumeikan University and author of the book Sociology of Takarazuka Fans will explore the characteristics of Takarazuka fans and the role that fandom has played in Takarazuka theatre, considering how vital its fan culture may be to its ongoing popularity.

As a comparison, Dr Alan Cummings, Senior Teaching Fellow in Japanese at the School of Oriental and African Studies will look into the nature of Kabuki's aficionados, examining fandom in Japan’s traditional, similarly stylised yet all-male theatre.

Offering an often unexplored aspect, this event is to provide an opportunity to compare and contrast how these distinct theatres keep attracting enthusiastic audiences for many decades, through social changes facing Japan.

Date:	25 September 2015 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Impact Hub Westminster 1st Floor New Zealand House, 80 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4TE Nearest tube stations: Charring Cross and Piccadilly Circus

The Lie of the Land - Rethinking Landscape Painting

Considered to be a category of art that is an objective and concrete representation of specific sites, landscape painting might be seen as quite a traditional art practice. The question of the relevance and necessity of the expression of the land and landscape paintings is however of pressing interest to many modern artists and critics. With the golden age of English landscape painting led by Turner and Constable and the heyday of Japanese ukiyo-e wood blocks prints representing nature now being seen in a nostalgic light, how can contemporary subjects and techniques associated with landscape art highlight modern society’s relationship with our environment? Has the all-important artist’s gaze towards their surroundings been devalued? Should landscape art just be deemed passé or be allowed to reconstruct itself?

Bearing these issues in mind, The Japan Foundation has invited artists from both Japan and the United Kingdom to discuss the current practices related to landscape art, and look at the legacy of this considered medium and its place in contemporary art history. Referring to the invited artists’ works and the concepts behind them, this event will raise questions about the way that landscape painting is appreciated by present audiences and artists, taking stock of how this genre has evolved, as opposed to other painting styles, as well as examine what the future may hold.

Artists:

Andrew Gifford is recognised as one of the most innovative British landscape painters working today. His paintings and light installations have been widely exhibited, including solo public shows at Leeds City Art Gallery (2004), Fruitmarket Gallery Edinburgh (2001) and Middlesbrough Art Gallery (2000). Collections include the New Art Gallery, Walsall and Chatsworth House and in private collections in Europe, USA and Japan. A monograph on the artist was published in 2005. This depth of interest in the natural world is also reflected in his painting style.

Masakatsu Kondo is an artist whose paintings draw on the natural world and symbolic imagery of contemporary media. Born in Nagoya, Japan in 1962, he graduated from the Slade School of Fine Art in 1993 and has continued to live and work in London. He has exhibited internationally, both solo and as part of group shows.

Miyuki Tsugami is a Japanese artist living and working in Japan who uses a combination of colours and forms, rather than narrative or sentiment. In 2013, she won the 24^th Gotoh Cultural Award Fine Arts Division, which led her to relocate to the United Kingdom where she was able to work on internalising landscapes through sketches of European scenery, drawing influence from notable British landscape artists and revisiting the actual sites that they depicted in their art. While Tsugami’s works are subjective renderings symbolic of a vague atmosphere, she is meticulous in her research of each location, observing all aspects of the spaces in order to create work that conveys a sense of connection and engagement.

The discussion will be chaired by Alastair Gordon, practising artist and part time lecturer at the Leith School of Art in Edinburgh, as well as founder/director of Morphē Arts and founder of Husk Gallery, London.

Date:	11 September 2015 from 6.30pm
Venue:	The Art Workers Guild 6 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AT

Image: Miyuki Tsugami, View-trees on the uphill, Nov.12-Jan.13, 2013, 218.2×333.3cm, pigment, glue, acrylic, and others on canvas, © TSUGAMI Miyuki, courtesy of HASHIMOTO ART OFFICE, photo by Tamotsu Kido, Private Collection

Japanese Taster for Schools (JTS) Programme 2015 Training Day for Volunteers

We are delighted to announce that our next Training Day for existing and prospective volunteers of our Japanese Taster for Schools (JTS) Programme will take place this November!

About the JTS Programme

Can you speak Japanese? Are you keen to promote the language to young people around the UK? If so, the Japan Foundation needs YOU!

JTS volunteers carry out school visits across the UK to introduce students at any level to the Japanese language. One of the main purposes of JTS is to give schools that do not teach Japanese the opportunity to find out what it is like to learn the language and to provide them with further information should they wish to start offering Japanese.

By joining the JTS Programme you will be a member of a UK-wide network of over 300 Japanese speakers who are keen to visit schools on a one-shot basis to carry out Japanese language tasters. JTS is as big a time commitment as you want it to be. If you are have time to spare, are keen and enthusiastic, it is a great opportunity to get some teaching experience.

You can read more about the JTS Programme here.

JTS Volunteer Training Day

Our JTS Volunteer Training Days are a great opportunity to meet other volunteers, get teaching ideas, and ask any questions you may have. Those who are not yet members of JTS but are interested in joining are also welcome to sign up for the training day. You can read about our last Training Day, held in September 2014, here.

You can download the provisional timetable for this November Training Day below.

How to apply for the Training Day

To register, please click here to use our online application form.

If you are not yet a member of JTS, please click here for more information about the programme and to complete a membership application form.

Please note that this is event is free, but prior booking for this event is essential for all attendees.

The training day will be held in both Japanese and English. A good understanding of both Japanese and English is required to take part in the Training Day and the JTS Programme.

Date:	16 November 2015 from 1.00pm - 4.00pm
Venue:	Brockway Room, Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London. WC1R 4RL
Download JTS 11-2015 Training Day Programme

Shojo manga: Girls' Comics from Japan

Date:

20 October 2015 from 1.15pm - 2.00pm

This event is part of the exhibition Shojo: The World of Girls’ Manga, to held at the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal.

Shojo manga: Girls' Comics from Japan

The Japan Foundation will co-present a gallery talk at the British Museum by Japanese shojo manga artist Akiko Hatsu and historian, critic and curator Paul Gravett. For further details about the event, please click here.

Date:	20 October 2015 from 1.15pm - 2.00pm
Venue:	Room 92, The British Museum Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG

This event is part of the exhibition Shojo: The World of Girls’ Manga, to held at the Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal.

Japan Foundation at Language Show Live 2015

Come and see the Japan Foundation at Language Show Live 2015!

Language Show Live is the UK’s largest language event and the show for those who offer products and services to language teachers, learners, translators, linguists, language professionals and businesses. This year, the Japan Foundation are giving visitors more chances than ever before to learn about Japanese language and culture. Our attractions will include:

The Japan Foundation Information Stand
When: 16th – 18th October (Fri-Sun) 2015
Where: Olympia Central, Hammersmith Road, London (Stand no. 709)
Packed full of information about studying and teaching Japanese in the UK, our stand will be staffed with members of Japan Foundation who would be delighted to give you advice on your Japanese studies. Our stand will also include:

A Japan Quiz, with the chance to win a goody bag full of Japan Foundation exclusive gifts
A name-writing corner – make your own Japanese name sticker!
Free little gifts to take home with you
The stand will be shared with JP Books, a supplier of Japanese books including learning resources for Japanese language.

Seminar: “How teaching Japanese can enrich a multi-lingual approach in primary school” with Catherine Rodrigues
When: Friday 16 October, 10.30 - 11.15
A case study of a UK primary school's mission to embed global learning into the curriculum by introducing a multi-lingual approach including Japanese. A language graduate, Catherine Rodrigues worked in the travel industry before becoming a primary school teacher eight years ago. She has recently introduced a multi-lingual approach at her primary school in Berkshire. She was awarded Primary Language Teacher of the Year 2015 by the Association for Language Learning (ALL). You can read a case study about her school here.

Japanese Language taster
When: Saturday 17 October 13:30-14:00
Experience Japanese language first hand by taking a taster lesson!

Presentation: “Teaching Primary Languages & Culture through Kami-shibai – Traditional Japanese Storytelling”
When: Sunday 18 October 13.15 to 13.45
Kami-shibai (“paper drama”) is a traditional form of storytelling in Japan, in which the storyteller uses large pictures to engage the audience and aid their understanding. In this presentation, we will demonstrate how kami-shibai can be used to make the learning of any language fun and effective, in addition to inspiring pupils’ creativity and cultural awareness. The presentation will include examples of how kami-shibai has been used to teach language and other subjects in UK schools, as well as a bilingual kami-shibai performance that we hope all audience members, young and old, can enjoy!

Don’t miss out on the UK’s biggest languages event – click here for more information and to book your place (entrance is free if registered in advance)!

Date:	16 October 2015 - 18 October 2015 from 10.00am - 6.00pm
Venue:	Olympia Central – Level 2, Hammersmith Road, London, W14 8UX (Stand No. 709)

What Girls Want - The World of Shojo Manga (Girls' Comics)

Shojo Manga – often translated as ‘comics for girls’ – is a genre of Japanese comic books which has a history spanning many decades in Japan. Contrary to its male counterpart ‘Shonen Manga’, Shojo Manga features narratives of sweet love stories, anguished romances and even real-life issues facing women across a vastly broad range of genres. Whether a sci-fi, fantasy or even period drama, the stories reflect the desires and dreams of its mainly female readership, showing truly what girls want.

In this talk Nozomi Masuda, Associate Professor, Konan Women’s University, Japan, will trace the origins of Shojo Manga from its beginnings in girls’ magazine through to its more recent transformations today, questioning what significance the genre has in Japanese society, and what it has been expressing over its diverse and complex themes.

Following the presentation, Manga artist Eiko Hanamura, one of the pioneers of Shojo Manga, will have a conversation with curator and writer on comics Paul Gravett and Masuda. Together they will look into Hanamura’s work, reflecting on her illustrious career of over half a century in the Manga industry, as well as discussing the phenomenon of Shojo Manga and the impact it has had upon Japanese culture and beyond.

Date:	14 December 2015 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Foyles Bookshop, Level 6 107 Charing Cross Rd, London, WC2H 0DT

For more information about Eiko Hanamura, please visit: www.eiko-hanamura.com

D.I.Y. Japanese Club! Extra-Curricular Japanese Resources & Ideas Sharing Workshop

Have you ever thought of starting up extra-curricular Japanese lessons but weren’t sure where to start?

Or are you running a Japanese Club and are looking for new ideas to inspire your pupils?

At this workshop, the Japan Foundation will give teachers the opportunity to learn more about developing extra-curricular Japanese lessons and Japan Clubs, by hearing directly from school teachers who are running their own successful extra-curricular Japanese language and culture lessons. You will also be able to receive resources that they can use themselves in their lessons, as well as take part in fun demonstrations of teaching plans and activities created by the Japan Foundation in order to inspire your own ideas for creating or enhancing your Japanese club.

This event will be held in English.

Click here to book your place

Date:	29 October 2015 from 2.00pm - 5.00pm
Venue:	Brockway Room, Conway Hall, London WC1R 4RL

Hatsune Miku - The Metamorphosis of Music and Technology

This October, the Japan Foundation will present a day of events exploring the musical phenomenon of Hatsune Miku, Japan’s most iconic and globally-recognised singer. Featuring in over 500,000 songs worldwide and appearing in some 170,000 uploaded YouTube music videos, what separates Miku from her contemporaries is that she is in fact a ‘virtual’ singer and the face of the music production software created by Crypton Future Media, software anyone can buy and use to make her music. As a character “singing” through vocal synthesizer technology, Hatsune Miku became a huge hit since the software’s launch in 2007 and inspired collaborations as diverse as Lady Gaga and Pharrell Williams. With Miku’s popularity continuing to skyrocket, she continues to change the course of music production, paving a new way for the future of pop music.

Immerse yourself in the world of Hatsune Miku by attending any of the following programmes:

Programme 1: Lecture by Hatsune Miku creator, Hiroyuki Itoh (2pm)

Hiroyuki Itoh, CEO of Crypton Future Media, the parent company of Hatsune Miku and maker of her software, will chart its rise in success, reflecting on how it came to be a worldwide phenomenon. Itoh will be joined in conversation with Dr Rebecca Fiebrink, Lecturer, Department of Computing, Goldsmiths University of London to discuss how music and technology can be integrated and what role a recording and performing artist like Hatsune Miku can play in pop music in the 21^st century.

Booking Essential! To book your free place for this event, please visit: hatsune-miku-programme1.eventbrite.co.uk

Programme 2: Hatsune Miku Live Concert Screening (4pm)

Hatsune Miku is not only a recording artist but has performed live to audiences around the world, and as part of the day of events we will screen a digest recording of some of Miku’s most iconic performances to her devoted fans all around the world. (Running time approx. 60mins)

Booking Essential! To book your free place for this event, please visit: hatsune-miku-programme2.eventbrite.co.uk

Programme 3: Hatsune Miku Workshops for Everyone! (Anytime between 1:30pm and 5:30pm)

Test your creativity by folding your very own Hatsune Miku origami, and colouring figures in!
Drop in Anytime! The workshops are free and suitable for all ages. No booking is required – please feel free just to drop in!

Date:	24 October 2015
Venue:	Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6LA Nearest stations: Shoreditch High Street (Overground), Liverpool Street (Central, Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan Lines)

Film screening and discussion: Samurai Warrior Queens

The Japan Foundation presents a special film screening of Samurai Warrior Queens followed by a Q&A featuring Urban Canyons Executive Producer, Sebastian Peiter.

The legends of the Samurai appear to be an all-male affair; but contrary to popular belief, Samurai women stood their ground in countless battles and castle sieges. Academic research from battlefield excavations in Japan confirms that almost 30% of uncovered fighters were female; proving the existence of the Samurai warrior women, whose dedication and suffering remains one of the world's great untold stories.

This film screening will tell the story of heroic female Samurai Takeko Nakano and her fight for her clans' independence in the final battle marking the end of the Samurai era. Through interviews, dramatic re-enactments, CG animation, original costumers and historical locations, the film will bring Takeko's amazing story of courage, tragedy and endurance back to life.

Directed by John Wate, 2015, 52min

Date:	21 November 2015 from 2.00pm
Venue:	Courthouse Cinema, London Courthouse Hotel, 19-21 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7HL

Temple Tastes - Talk by Rev. Kakuho Aoe

Japanese cuisine, Washoku, may be famous for items such as sushi, tempura, and miso soup, and is one of only two national cuisines to be recognised by the United Nations as an Intangible Cultural World Heritage. There is however a lesser known style of food home-grown in Japan that centres on vegetable-based dishes. With its origins in Buddhist temples, and passed down from generation to generation otera gohan or temple food, uses fresh seasonal ingredients to create perfectly balanced meals that are a feast for all the senses.

In this illustrated talk the Rev. Kakuho Aoe, a monk at Ryokusenji Temple in Tokyo, Japan will discuss the characteristics and history of this ancient cooking philosophy that forms the backbone of modern Japanese food culture, and also introduce the everyday ingredients and cooking techniques used to create these nutritious dishes. With recipes that are simple and have minimal seasoning, Aoe will explore the benefits, new developments, and applications this cooking style has in the modern world, and show how these Japanese recipes can be adapted in the West.

Date:	27 January 2016 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Foyles Bookshop, Level 6 107 Charing Cross Rd, London, WC2H 0DT

Additionally, Rev. Aoe will be taking part in some further events around Europe, as below:

[Rome, Italy]
Date: 25 January 2016 (Monday) from 18.30pm
Venue: Istituto Giapponese di Cultura in Roma
For more information, please click here

[Madrid, Spain]
Date: 30 January 2016 (Saturday) from 12.00pm
Venue: Biblioteca Pública Municipal Eugenio Trías
For more information, please click here

[Lisbon, Portugal]
Date: 31 January 2016 (Sunday) from 15:00pm
Venue: Museo do Oriente
For more information, please click here

[Barcelona, Spain]
Date: 2 February 2016 (Tuesday) from 19:00pm
Venue: Casa Asia Barcelona
For more information, please click here

JAPAN NOW

Japan Now is a day of talks and debate presenting literature, politics and wider culture of contemporary Japan and featuring writers and critics including Ian Buruma, Kyoko Yoshida, Takashi Hiraide, Fuminori Nakamura and Richard Lloyd Parry.

From the nation’s response to the Tsunami to writers’ fascination with crime and mystery, Japan Now will take the pulse of the contemporary nation, exploring its recent past and immediate future.

The Japan Foundation forms partnership with Modern Culture for the contemporary literature strand as part of the event.

Date:	27 February 2016 from 11.00am - 5.00pm
Venue:	British Library, Conference Centre 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB
For more information, please click here.

Japan Conference for schools 2016

A free one-day conference for networking and sharing ideas about bringing Japan and Japanese into schools.

The Japan Conference for Schools is open to schools or local authorities that are new to Japan work, schools implementing Japanese into the curriculum and those involved with partnerships in Japan, and schools looking to enhance or develop an existing programme of Japan-related study.

The day will include a series of speeches and workshops on Japan-related topics. This will include a message from Baroness Coussins, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Modern Languages Group in the house of Lords. The day will also include topics ranging from information from Pearson about the new GCSE exams for Japanese, to calligraphy and sushi workshops, and even a demonstration of shamisen music. You can find out more about the schedule here.

This conference aims to provide useful CPD for teachers of Japanese in both primary and secondary schools, as well as teachers who are interested in introducing Japan- related studies.

Open to: All teachers and local authority advisors
Fee: There is no charge for attendance, but prior registration is essential
You can sign up for the conference here.
Lunch will also be provided.
Please note the deadline for signups is Monday 29^th of February

Schedule:

10:00-10:30	Arrival, registration and coffee
10:30-10:40	Welcome message
10:40-10:50	Message from Baroness Coussins
10:55-11:10	Shamisen demonstration
11:15-12:05	Workshop 1 (practical sessions about Japan/Japanese culture)
12:10-12:50	Group discussion – Session one (each group will discuss a specific topic)
12:50-13:40	Lunch and Networking- A buffet lunch will be provided
13:40- 14:30	Workshop 2
14:35-15:15	Group discussion – Session two
15:20-16:00	Talk from Head Teachers about Japanese at their school
16:00-16:15	Closing remarks

Workshop 1:

1. Sushi workshop

2. Origami Workshop

3. Kamishibai workshop

4. Changes to the GCSE workshop

Workshop 2:

1. Primary Resources workshop

2. Calligraphy

3. How to make flipped learning videos

Group Discussion 1:

1. School linking

2. Clifton Scientific trust and their science exchanges

3. How to introduce Japanese to your school

4. Q&A about grants (teachers can sign up for a 10 min grant slot)

Group Discussion 2

1. Sharing resources

2. ORJAC- Online Resource for Japanese Archaeology and Cultural Heritage

3. How to prepare for exams

4. Q&A about grants (teachers can sign up for a 10 min grant slot)

When you sign up, you will need to choose 2 workshops and 2 group discussions. Information about this is available here.

Date:	7 March 2016 from 10.00am - 4.15pm
Venue:	The British Council 10 Spring Gardens, London, SW1A 2BN
Download Japan Conference for Schools 2016 workshops

Public Seminar: Female Entrepreneurship in Japan

The Japan Foundation, in collaboration with Kobe University, is delighted to present this special seminar exploring the rise of female entrepreneurship in Japan.

As part of recent economic revitalisation measures, the Japanese government has hoped to encourage business and career aspirations of women through a series of policies including promoting leadership roles for women in traditional business models, and also offering funding and support to nurture young female entrepreneurs.

Despite this, some reports indicate that the number of female entrepreneurs in Japan is still less than half that of men, and the 2015 Female Entrepreneurship Index, which assesses favourable conditions for women entrepreneurs, ranks Japan in forty-fourth place, substantially lower than other comparable economies. Why so low?

To explore the challenges facing emerging female entrepreneurs in Japan the seminar will feature a diverse panel including Professor Kazufumi Yugami (Kobe University) a specialist in labour economics who will explore contemporary employment and management practices and policies to explain why growing numbers of women may be more attracted to advancing their careers outwith the typical corporate environment; sociologist Professor Itsuko Kamoto (Kyoto Women’s University) who will explore the impact of changing family structure in Japan on the social advancement of women; and Mr Tatsuya Imoto, a representative of Ladies’ Entrepreneur Discussions (LED) Kansai, a new government led network which supports and promotes emerging female entrepreneurs.

Drawing from their extensive range of expertise the panel will explore how Japanese culture, society, and economy has encouraged - or discouraged - the growth of female entrepreneurship, and consider how best emerging female entrepreneurs can be supported in future to maximise their potential.

Joining the discussion will be Professor Ute Stephan, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Aston Business School who will offer some comparative comments from a UK/European perspective; and chairing the seminar will be sociologist Professor Kiyomitsu Yui, Executive Director of the Centre for EU Studies at Kobe University.

Date:	22 February 2016 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Mander Hall, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9BD (Close to Kings Cross, St Pancras and Euston stations)

Image (left): takayuki/Shutterstock.com

International Dialogues - Shigeru Ban

RIBA, in partnership with the Japan Foundation, will host a lecture by the 2014 Pritzker Prize Laureate Shigeru Ban. Speaking for the first time in the UK for seven years, Shigeru Ban will discuss his work with disaster relief projects through the NGO, Voluntary Architects’ Network (VAN), established by the architect in 1995 and other projects built worldwide.

His 2015 Nepal Project is currently on display in the 'Creation from Catastrophe' exhibition. The project demonstrates Ban’s unique approach to rebuilding after disasters using sustainable and vernacular building techniques and materials such as paper tubes, bamboo and brick rubble.

Born in Tokyo in 1957, Shigeru Ban graduated from the Cooper Union and started working for Arata Isozaki & Associates in 1982. He founded Shigeru Ban Architects in 1985 and became consultant to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1995.

Date:	23 February 2016 from 7.00pm - 8.40pm
Venue:	RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) 66 Portland Place London W1B 1AD

For more information and for details of how to book tickets, please click here

PARO - The Therapeutic Robot: Robotics for an Ageing Society

Cute, cuddly and resembling a baby seal, PARO is actually an advanced interactive robot designed to provide physical and emotional support to the sick and elderly.

Through a variety of sensors which react to touch, light and temperature, PARO can interact with people and respond as if it were alive, moving its head and legs, making seal like sounds, recognising names, and learning actions that generate a favourable reaction from the user.

Development on PARO began in 1993 and since then 4,000 PAROs have been used in hospitals and care facilities in more than 30 countries, and it has even been recognised as the 'World's Most Therapeutic Robot' by the Guinness World Records.

In this seminar, Prof Takanori Shibata, the creator of PARO, and Chief Senior Research Scientist at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan, will discuss the development of PARO and its practical applications through live demonstration. He will also look at the wider cultural impact of robotics in Japan's rapidly ageing society where every year there are more elderly people who need care and fewer working age people to provide it.

In the UK too, with dementia affecting approximately 800, 000 people and numbers estimated to double over the next 20 years, robotics have been identified as a possible strategy to deal with increasing pressures on the health and care services.

To explore the possibilities of robotics in the UK's ageing society, following his talk Prof Shibata will be joined in conversation with Dr Penny Dodds and Dr Kathy Martyn (University of Brighton) who are working in collaboration with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to understand the impact of introducing PARO into the everyday care of patients with dementia in the UK.

After the seminar guests will have the chance to interact with PARO!

Date:	9 March 2016 from 6.30pm
Venue:	Paget Room, BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JP

The seminar will be followed by a drinks reception.

Booking: The seminar in London on March 9 is now fully booked.

**Prof Shibata and PARO will also be visiting Sheffield Hallam University for a public seminar on the evening of Thursday 10 March 2016. Click here to view our EventBrite page for more information and to book your place. (booking now closed)

Attendees of this event may also be interested in a seminar to be held by the Japan Local Government Centre on 16 March 2016 entitled ‘Better Ageing in Japan-UK City Regions'. Please click here for more information

Artist Talk by Shun Ito

Japanese artist Shun Ito is a multi-hyphenate artist whose career spans from performing arts to moving images. His meticulously constructed kinetic sculptures projected by light or the power of gravity, produce complex colours, shapes, and sound though dynamic energy. As a former dancer and technical director of KARAS (founded by Saburo Teshigawara), Ito’s interest in theatrical art and physical expression has seemingly played a strong role in his body of work.

With Ito’s first major UK show Cosmic Birds premiering in Birmingham this May, the Japan Foundation has invited him to give a special talk about his work and his colourful career to date, as well as the uncover the source of inspiration in the creative process of constructing these dramatic installations.

Following his presentation, Ito will be joined in conversation by Prof Ravi Deepres, Film and Photographic artist and Professor in Moving Image and Photography, School of Visual Communication, ADM, Birmingham City University.

Date:	19 May 2016 from 7.00pm
Venue:	October Gallery, Theatre Showroom 24 Old Gloucester Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3AL

This talk is organised in collaboration with DanceXchange, producer of International Dance Festival Birmingham.

The exhibition Cosmic Birds will run from 2 - 20 May 2016 at International Dance Festival Birmingham 2016. For more information, please click here.

In A Landscape, a performance piece by Kei Miyata and incorporating Ito’s installation Cells, takes place from 12 - 14 May 2016. For more information, and to book tickets, please click here.

Image credit: Cosmic Birds Courtesy of the Artist (www.shunmetalworks.com)

Talk & Demonstration: Exploring the Music of Noh

Comprising drama, music and dance, Noh is Japan’s oldest surviving form of theatre with a history going back over 600 years. Among its performative elements, the music of Noh is considered an equally integral piece to the art and its ensemble of four musicians, known as the hayashi, create an atmosphere which gives Noh its distinguished dramatic power. Consisting of the nohkan (traverse flute) player and three percussionists, the highly trained musicians individually use their traditional instruments to evoke moods, expressions and enhance the performance on stage.

In this special talk, the Japan Foundation have invited three performers of classical Noh repertoire to introduce the pivotal sounds of this theatrical art. Featuring introductions and small demonstrations by Yukihiro Isso (nohkan flute), Tatsushi Narita (kotsuzumi shoulder drum) and Mitsuhiro Kakihara (otsuzumi hip drum), the performers will demonstrate the roles of their individual instruments and the vast array of expressions the music can convey in the performance.

Due to Noh’s symbolic and highly stylised nature, it can often be considered something difficult to appreciate or follow, but this event will give you an understanding through which to enjoy this traditional theatrical art, and will immerse you within the fascinating world of Noh.

Date:	15 May 2016 from 2.00pm
Venue:	20 BEDFORD WAY (Drama Studio, Level 1) 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL

This event is organised with mu:arts.

The speakers will also be taking part in Noh Reimagined - The Contemporary Art of Classical Japanese Theatre, a two-day festival taking place at Kings Place, London from 13-14 May 2016 supported by The Japan Foundation. For more information, and booking details, please click here.

Image credit: Know-Noh Office

Japanese Show & Tell! Online Resource Workshop for Independent Learners of Japanese

Are you studying Japanese on your own and don’t have time to go to regular Japanese classes?
Have you tried to study Japanese in the past and want to re-kindle your studies?
Do you want to learn more about free resources to help you?
This event is for you!

This workshop will give participants the opportunity to explore the wide range of online resources available for Japanese language learning, and to share information and ideas with each other. The workshop will include an in-depth explanation of Marugoto Plus A2, a free website created by the Japan Foundation designed for learning Japanese independently and following the same content as the Marugoto textbook series.

Following this, participants will be able to share ideas with each other and exchange tips regarding other useful websites and apps they have used to support their Japanese studies. A great way to gain really useful information for your learning, and network with fellow enthusiasts of Japanese language and culture!

When: Tuesday 26^th April or Thursday 28^th April, 18:30 – 20:30
Where: Language Resource Centre, King’s College London
Fee: £5.00
Open to: Speakers of beginner (A1) level Japanese of CEFR / JF standard

Click here to book your place!

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Date:

26 April 2016 - 28 April 2016 from 6.30pm - 8.23pm