What's On

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.

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.

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.

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: 21 November 2023 - 8 December 2024

Venue: The Ashmolean Museum

Click here for details

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first ever Godzilla film, the Barbican Centre, in collaboration with the Japan Foundation, is screening the wildest Japanese monster movies from across seven decades with introductions from historians and experts.

In 1954, the first ever Godzilla, a dark, thrilling movie masterpiece, was released in Japan. It was a box office phenomenon, and launched a franchise that has continued to this day. While these films featuring kaiju (literally “strange beasts”) have long been beloved in Japan, until relatively recently the reception in the west has been inconsistent, where releases with crude dubbing and savage edits to running times, making the stories incoherent, have led to mockery.

Featuring Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah and even a toxic smog monster, this summer kaiju season is full of the same inventiveness and sheer joy that led Godzilla Minus One to win its Oscar.

Line-up
Mothra Vs. Godzilla (7 Aug)
Destroy All Monsters (14 Aug)
Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (18 Aug)
Shin Godzilla (20 Aug)
Godzilla Vs. Hedorah (25 Aug)
Mothra (28 Aug)

For more information and to book your tickets, click here to visit the Barbican's website.

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