Events & Programmes Archive

Join us for a discussion event and documentary screening on Ageing and Care in Japanese Society, with Dr Jason Danely!

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!

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)   ------- 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）  

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. --- 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 --- 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. --- 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. --- 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. --- 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 --- 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) --- 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.

We are delighted to support the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures in presenting a giant replica of the Dai Miei Daigajiku scroll from Hasedera - Hase Temple - in Japan, created using high-resolution scanning of the original. The scroll depicts the bodhisattva Kannon, known as the bodhisattva of compassion, and was originally created during the Edo period (1603–1867) as a model for reconstructing the Kannon statue in the temple, which had been destroyed by fire in 1495. Accompanying the scroll will be a programme of performances, discussions, and presentations, including a special series of shomyo chanting performances by the Karyobinga Shomyo Kenkyukai Ensemble.

Tsumugi weaving is a traditional Japanese craft inspired by the Mingei movement and developed by Living National Treasure MUNEHIRO Rikizo.   As part of William Morris Gallery's May Family Day, join Rikizo's granddaughter YOSHIZAWA Tomo for a hands-on deep dive into the design process of these unique textiles, as she showcases sketchbooks, weaving designs and sample threads alongside fabric from the MUNEHIRO workshop.

Join curator Roisin Inglesby and key exhibition partner YOSHIZAWA Tomo for a guided tour of the exhibition Art Without Heroes: Mingei at William Morris Gallery. Drawing on their respective areas of expertise, Roisin and Tomo will give further insight into the context surrounding the objects featured in the exhibition.

Join curator Roisin Inglesby, along with contributors KIKUCHI Yuko, Aaron Angell, and Dasom Sung, for an exciting evening exploring and expanding on the themes of the book Mingei / Art Without Heroes, chaired by YOSHIZAWA Tomo.   Originating in Japan in the 1920s, the Mingei movement was based on the principle that beauty is inherent in handmade, everyday objects created by anonymous craftspeople. Spearheaded by the philosopher YANAGI Soetsu, and potters HAMADA Shoji and Bernard Leach, the movement sought to elevate the status of folk craft in a rapidly modernising society.   Mingei / Art Without Heroes covers a wide range of objects associated with Mingei, from ceramics and furniture to textiles and toys, alongside a series of profiles of leading designers and makers working in Japan today. Contributors from a variety of backgrounds explore Mingei’s origins, interpretations and contemporary implications, shedding new light on the ways in which the principles of the movement remain relevant to today’s personal, social and environmental concerns.

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.

(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 11th 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):

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 8th 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 7th 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  

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. 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. 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)