Events & Programmes Archive

Koichi Makigami is an internationally acclaimed musician and avant-garde vocalist with a very distinct voice. Also the leader and vocalist of the now legendary band Hikashu, Makigami regularly performs and records solo vocal experiments, combining elements of Japanese theatre traditions and presenting an exciting and energetic array of vocal acrobatics and personalities. Makigami’s compositions and improvisations have gained him numerous fans around the world and have inspired collaborations both within and beyond the field of music. A musician with a colourful and eclectic career, Makigami will talk about his inspirations, the basis of his work and his career as a solo artist as well as the leader of Hikashu, while reflecting on Tokyo’s underground music scene in the late 70s through to today. Joined in conversation by Dr Alan Cummings, music journalist and lecturer at SOAS, Makigami will talk about his international collaborations, discussing the potential of these practices and suggesting how music can be a connecting force between different cultures and disciplines. During the event, there will be a short performance by Koichi Makigami.

The Japan Foundation are proud to support the London International Animation Festival (LIAF). This year, the festival returns with an expansive selection of premieres, classics, retrospectives, Q&A's with filmmakers and workshops. LIAF boasts an impressive range of Japanese animation including works from renowned abstract animation director Mirai Mizue, Kenzo Masaoka’s 1943 Spider and Tulip, Tochka’s signature torchlight animation, Koji Yamamura’s playful take on Erik Satie and Sayaka Kihata’s award-winning I Can’t Breathe.

Hanafuda (flower cards) is a Japanese deck of cards quite unlike any other. Based heavily on image association, Hanafuda remain popular across the world. Nintendo, now famous for their digital games, was originally founded to produce Hanafuda and continues to print the beautiful cards - including limited edition Mario and Pokemon decks. This November, the Japan Foundation has invited Japanese board game expert Nobuaki Takerube to provide you with the unique opportunity to experience Hanafuda at beginner level. Try your hand at this addictive combination of skill, luck and speed. At the beginning of the workshop, Takerube will briefly touch on the origins of Hanafuda and other traditional card games to explore how they relate to the vast world of Japanese gaming. Nobuaki Takerube Nobuaki Takerube (Tak) is a Japanese Game designer, translator and writer. He is also the director, writer and main designer of RPG Tokyo NOVA and has translated many foreign boardgames into Japanese. Takerube founded Japon Brand to bring awareness and knowledge of Japanese games to the wider world. For ages 7 and above (Children under 11 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.)

Can you speak Japanese? Are you keen to promote the language to young people around the UK? If so, the Japan Foundation needs YOU!

Expert Hisakazu Hirabayashi will discuss the characteristics of Japanese digital gaming – from immersive role-playing games to casual smartphone affairs

The Japan Foundation are proud to present, in partnership with TFF (Tuning for the Future) and Life Science Centre, a special day of Japanese culture. Try your hand at the Japanese language, a Kokedama workshop and traditional Japanese magic tricks. Programme: 11.00am - Play and Toy Talk – Hisakazu Hirabayashi, game analyst will explain the characteristics of Japanese toys and games including card games, ‘Role Play Games’ (RPG) and even the famous Pokémon. 11.30am - Let’s play Hanafuda (Japanese Playing Cards) with Nobuaki Takerube - playing cards were first introduced to Japan by the Portuguese almost 500 years ago. Since then, Japanese playing cards have been in a state of constant evolution and designers continue to innovate in a number of ways. In this workshop, participants can learn how to play Hanafuda, a Japanese traditional card game that has clear ties with contemporary card games such as Pokémon. 11.30am - 1.30pm - Moss balls – make a living planter the traditional Japanese way. Places are very limited and offered on a first come, first served basis. 12.00 noon - 3.30pm - Japanese Language Taster – drop in and try your hand at learning some basic Japanese and see if you have an aptitude for the language. 1.00pm - 2.00pm - Tezuma Traditional Magic Show and Workshop – watch a performance by Taijyu Fujiyama, a master of Japanese magic, then take part in For more information, please visit: http://www.life.org.uk/whats-on/japanese-culture-day 

In association with the Japan Foundation, the Tate Research Centre will host an evening of artistic exploration. As part of Tate Research Centre: Asia’s Visiting Fellowship Programme 2016, Eva Bentcheva and Yohko Watanabe present the culmination of their research, promising to deepen awareness and understanding of the challenge that Asian art presents to the UK. The seminar will focus on two international ‘contact points’ between artists in the twentieth century: the 1970 Tokyo Biennale and David Medalla's performance practice in London and the Philippines. The event will comprise of two panels:  Panel One: A Stitch in Time? Situating David Medalla’s ‘Participation-Performance’ between British and Philippine Performance Art History  ​Chair: Eva Bentcheva Speakers: David Medalla and Adam Nankervis Panel Two: Tokyo Biennale 1970 as Contact Point Chair: Yohko Watanabe Speakers: Toshiaki Minemura and Susumu Koshimizu Booking: Full price - £8                Concessions - £5 Group bookings for students are available, please email trc.asia@tate.org.uk for more details. To find out more, please visit:  http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/talk-and-lecture/contact-points

The Experience Japan Exhibition will be back in London this November for the sixth time, bringing information on the growing range of exciting study, work and research opportunities available in Japan to a UK audience.  The event which is hosted by Keio University and co-hosted by the British Council will allow participants to meet representatives of Japanese universities and receive information on the various programmes of study offered for international students. There will also be a chance to find out about the variety of scholarships and research funding available to enable students to take advantage of these learning opportunities. The event will introduce other programmes that allow young people in the UK to experience Japan, such as the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET). Experts on working in Japan will also be taking part in the event to provide information on the job market and the opportunities available including internships. The seminar line-up offers participants the chance to hear directly from people with experience of studying and working in Japan. Guest speakers will also be delivering sessions that will provide insight on Japanese language and popular culture. This year’s seminar line-up includes a talk by the Japan Foundation’s own Chief Japanese Language Advisor Makoto Netsu who will be discussing ‘Insights into Japanese culture through language’ Throughout the day the Japan Foundation will also be introducing our support programmes and resources for Japanese Studies and Japanese language learning at an information stand at the exhibition, so do come and visit us for advice on your Japanese studies!

The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), in partnership with the Japan Foundation, present a retrospective season highlighting the essential documentaries of Shinsuke Ogawa (1936-1992) and the filmmaking collective Ogawa Pro, founded in the late 1960s under his direction. Documenting the student struggles and the Sanrizuka protests from the late 1960s until the mid-1970s, these films recorded major political and social upheavals in Japan with remarkable dedication and commitment and their influence is still felt today in Japanese and other Asian documentary filmmaking.

Public seminar exploring challenges and strategies in cross-cultural education

The third instalment of a series of events introducing to UK audiences the work of some of Japan’s most outstanding playwrights

The Japan Foundation, in collaboration with V&A, are proud to invite Genbei Yamaguchi X to deliver an illustrated talk on the art of obi (sashes worn with kimono), on Wednesday, 9 November 2016 at Asia House. The tenth-generation head of a Kyoto family that specialises in making obi, Yamaguchi will discuss his career and collaborations with artists, architects, actors, fashion designers and clothing manufacturers.