Events & Programmes Archive

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The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme returns this year with 14 fantastic Japanese films, offering an all-encompassing introduction to Japanese cinema

With Shinji Sato, Director of the Japanese Language Programme at Princeton University

Manchester Central library are offering a glimpse into Wartime Japan with this exhibition of 50 picture diaries made by Japanese primary school children between 1944-1945. 

A special talk on the life and musical legacy of the great composer Toru Takemitsu

A special event delving deep into the topic of anime music

Term 2 of the Marugoto Japanese Language & Culture Course (Starter A1 Level) is now open for enrolment!  

Term 2 of the Marugoto Japanese Language & Culture Course (Starter A1 Level) is now open for enrolment!   This course is based on communicative approaches to learning, rather than traditional methods of language education that focus purely on grammar and sentence structure. It uses the Marugoto Coursebooks for Activities textbook series published by the Japan Foundation. This course is suitable for those who may wish to learn basic Japanese conversation, such as those going to Japan on holiday or for business purposes, or those who want to learn it just for fun! You can view the course syllabus here. The aim of this course is to use Japanese language skills to get to know people, order in Japanese restaurants and gain knowledge about Japanese customs. During the course, participants will be able to perform specific, practical tasks in Japanese. The course will not focus on language alone: learning about Japanese culture will also be an important element. More details of the course can be found here. This course is perfect for beginners of Japanese who would like to use their new language skills in practical situations, and to really connect with Japanese society. Term 2 Dates: 17 Jan 2017 - 21 Mar 2017 (every Tuesday), 19:00 - 21:00  Course Fee: £330 per ten-week term, including course textbook and materials HOW TO ENROL: Email japanese@soas.ac.uk to arrange assessments

Dartford Grammar School is inviting teacher of Japanese to attend their Japanese, Mandarin and European Languages IB Networking Event

Now open for applications!

The Japan Foundation, in collaboration with Yellow Earth and StoneCrabs Theatre Company present a monthly series of events, to introduce to UK audiences the work of some of Japan’s most outstanding playwrights, all of which will be heard in English for the first time. Part 4 THE SUN Written by Tomohiro MaekawaTranslated by James YaegashiDirected by Tanja Pagnuco Synopsis: Set in the early 21st century, The Sun is a post-apocalyptic dark vision of the near future. A population decimated by bioterrorism has now been divided into two classes: the genetically superior Nox, who developed miraculous powers after the world was destroyed but who live in darkness; and the weaker Curio, who remain unevolved and do the Nox’s bidding. One day, a Nox is brutally murdered by a Curio, sending the whole society into turmoil. With the dominant Nox about to subsume the Curio, can they overcome their differences and find the humanity to ensure their survival?   Playwright Tomohiro Maekawa's award-winning science fiction story, recently turned into a film, explores the tensions and inequalities of a society riven in half and at breaking point. Maekawa is one of the most sought-after and exciting playwrights Japan has produced in recent years. The reading will be followed by a Q&A with Tomohiro Maekawa. 

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 4 and 5s.  This will help give teachers of Japanese information and ideas to continue teaching Japanese for the second and third years. 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, Year 4 and Year 5 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. Book your place today 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.Draft Schedule: Timetable (provisional and subject to change): 10:00 – 10:15  Introduction, greetings 10:15 – 10:45  Helen Morris from Madley Primary School -  Momotaro Play 10:45 – 11:00  Share ideas/ discussion 11:00 – 11:30  Clare Kuroishi – Using kendo, and rajio taiso (teach parts of the body) 11:30 – 11:45  Share ideas / discussion 11:45 – 12:15  Aya Kamura Mirto - Teaching about the weather and making teru teru bozu 12:15 – 12:30  Share ideas / discussion 12:30 – 13:30  Lunch 13:30 – 14:30  Introducing the JF Scheme of Work for Year 4 – Year 5 14:30 – 15:00  Introduction to support from Japan Foundation 15:00 – 15:30  Q&A, Evaluation and extra time to share ideas