Events & Programmes Archive

This year's Japan Matsuri has moved online! The Japan Foundation will be participating in the onlune event, with a short video explaining all of our resources to kick-start or support your Japanese language learning journey. The video will be up for the whole of Japan Matsuri on the website, so please check it out! For more information about Japan Matsuri, please see their official website at JapanMatsuriPresents.com. Japan Matsuri will run online from 26th September to 27th September.

  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. 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.   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

  We are delighted to announce that the 16th 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 6th March 2021. :: 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: 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: 9th November 2020 (15:00)   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: 7th December 2020 (15:00)   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: 14th December 2020 *Details of JF Standard can be found here: http://jfstandard.jp/pdf/jfs2015_pamphlet_eng.pd   Videos from the 15th 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 - Speech Category Application Form - Speech Category Rules and Guidance - Individual Presentation Category Application Form - Group Presentation Category Application Form We are delighted to announce that the 16th 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 6th March 2021. :: 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: 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: 9th November 2020 (15:00) 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: 7th December 2020 (15:00)   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: 14th December 2020 (15:00)  *Details of JF Standard can be found here:http://jfstandard.jp/pdf/jfs2015_pamphlet_eng.pd Videos from the 15th 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- Speech Category Application Form- Speech Category Rules and Guidance- Individual Presentation Category Application Form- Group Presentation Category Application Form

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 Tetsu Taoshita 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.

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 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2021, 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.

Stunning 17th-century Japanese garments, international haute couture and costumes from Star Wars come together in a major V&A exhibition on kimono fashion. The V&A has created Europe’s first major exhibition on kimono. The ultimate symbol of Japan, the kimono is often perceived as traditional, timeless and unchanging. Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk will counter this conception, presenting the garment as a dynamic and constantly evolving icon of fashion. The exhibition will reveal the sartorial and social significance of the kimono from the 1660s to the present day, both in Japan and in the rest of the world. Rare 17th and 18thcentury kimono will be displayed for the first time in the UK, together with fashions by major designers and iconic film and performance costumes. The kimono’s recent reinvention on the streets of Japan will also be explored through work by an exciting new wave of contemporary designers and stylists. Highlights of the exhibition include a kimono created by Living National Treasure Kunihiko Moriguchi, the dress designed for Björk by Alexander McQueen and worn on the album cover Homogenic, and original Star Wars costumes modelled on kimono by John Mollo and Trisha Biggar. Designs by Yves Saint Laurent, Rei Kawakubo and John Galliano will reveal the kimono’s role as a constant source of inspiration for fashion designers. Paintings, prints, film, dress accessories and other objects will feature throughout the exhibition, providing additional context to the fascinating story of the style, appeal and influence of the kimono. Over 315 works will be featured, including kimono especially made for the show, half drawn from the V&A’s superlative collections and the rest generously lent by museums and private collections in Britain, Europe, America and Japan. Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk begins in the mid-17th century when a vibrant fashion culture emerged in Japan. The increasingly wealthy merchant classes demanded the latest styles to express their affluence, confidence and taste, while leading actors and famous courtesans were the trend-setters of the day. The simple structure of the kimono focussed attention on the surface, allowing for the creation of sumptuous patterns using sophisticated techniques. The first section of the exhibition will explore these designs and shine a light on a fashion-conscious society not dissimilar to today’s, in which desire for the latest look was fed by a cult of celebrity and encouraged by makers, sellers and publishers. Kimono were first exported to Europe in the mid-17th century, where they had an immediate impact on clothing styles. Foreign fabrics were also brought to Japan and incorporated into kimono. Rare survivors from this early period of cultural exchange, including garments made in Japan for the Dutch and kimono tailored from French brocade and Indian chintz, will be displayed to reveal the fluid fashion relationship between East and West that resulted from the global trade network. The late 19th century saw a world-wide craze for Japanese art and design. Kimono bought from department stores such as Liberty & Co. in London were worn by those wishing to express their artistic flair. Japan responded by making boldly embroidered ‘kimono for foreigners’, while the domestic market was transformed by the use of European textile technology and chemical dyes. The kimono’s biggest impact on western fashion came in the early 20th century, when designers such as Paul Poiret, Mariano Fortuny and Madeleine Vionnet abandoned tightly-corseted styles in favour of loose layers of fabric that draped the body. The final section of the exhibition will show how the kimono has continued to inspire fashion designers around the world. The potential of the garment to be translated and transformed is seen in designs by Thom Browne, Duro Olowu and Yohji Yamamoto. The kimono’s timeless, universal quality has also made it the ideal costume for film and performance. The display will include the outfit worn by Toshirō Mifune in Sanjūrō, Oscar-winning costumes from Memoirs of a Geisha, and the Jean Paul Gautier ensemble worn by Madonna in her video Nothing Really Matters. Japan itself is currently witnessing a resurgence of interest in kimono. Jōtarō Saitō designs kimono couture for the catwalk, Hiroko Takahashi seeks to bridge the divide between art and fashion, and more casual styles are created by small, independent studios such as Rumi Rock and Modern Antenna. Anna Jackson, curator of Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk at the V&A, said: ‘From the sophisticated culture of 17th -century Kyoto to the creativity of the contemporary catwalk, the kimono is unique in its aesthetic importance and cultural impact giving it a fascinating place within the story of fashion.’

  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 The objects represented in the image above are not necessarily the ones which will be discussed during the event.   Please note that this session will be hosted on Zoom.

The next JLPT will take place on Sunday, 5th 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.     SOAS University of London (https://www.soas.ac.uk/languagecentre/awards/jlpt/) The University of Edinburgh      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! 

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.

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.

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). 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. The closing date for applications is: 20th March 2020

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. The capacity for this event is 100 people. You can sign up by filling out the Google Form. Please click here to register for this event using our Google Form. We will send you an e-mail notifying you if you have been successful and explaining how to access the Zoom meeting. The deadline for applications is 19th June 2020 (Friday). 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.