Events & Programmes Archive

This event will bring together seminal figures in the anime industry to discuss the practical aspects of their respective positions in the business

The Japan Foundation are once again delighted to be exhibiting this July at HYPER JAPAN- the UK’s biggest J-Culture event. Come and visit our stand to learn how the Japan Foundation can help you learn about Japanese language and culture, get Japanese language started at your school, or simply get involved in events and activities related to Japan. We’ll also be giving away some exclusive free gifts, as well as holding a Japan Quiz with some fantastic prizes! For more information and to buy a ticket, please click here to visit the official Hyper Japan website. Tickets on sale now!

The brewing of sake is a craft steeped with tradition, but one which has risen to many new challenges in modern times. Philip Harper has a unique perspective on tradition and innovation in the world of sake, having worked for nearly 30 years in the industry, and being the only non-Japanese to have earned the prestigious title of ‘toji’ or master brewer. Japanese sake has played an important role in Japanese culture since ancient times, but in recent times social change had pushed sake towards the periphery of Japanese lifestyle. In response to this, innovative efforts have been made to revitalise the sake market within Japan, as well as to widen its appeal internationally. In this special talk, through sharing his own experiences of learning the complex and sometimes arcane traditions of sake-brewing, Philip Harper will also shed light on how the sake industry has responded to recent challenges, preserving traditional methods and wisdom, while adopting new modern techniques in production and marketing. Philip’s own range of sake embodies this marriage of innovation and tradition, bucking modern trends to brew to traditional forgotten recipes, and using adventurous techniques to create new flavours. At this special seminar, held in the grand Conway Hall, guests will not only have the rare opportunity to put questions to a toji, but they will also be able to sample some of Phillip’s sake from the award-winning Kinoshita Brewery in Kyoto. Also joining us will be Rie Yoshitake who will introduce the activities of the Sake Samurai association, an organisation formed by young sake brewers in Japan which works to protect sake traditions and to promote sake in overseas markets.

The next Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) will take place on Sunday 5th July 2015. It will be held at SOAS, University of London, and the University of Edinburgh. Both sites are now open for applications. If you wish to take the test at SOAS in London, please click here to apply via the SOAS website.   If you wish to take the test at the University of Edinburgh, please click here to apply via the University of Edinburgh website.   The deadline for applications will be Friday 10th April at 6:00pm or when the test centre has reached its maximum capacity. For more information about the JLPT please click here to visit the official JLPT website.

The Japan Foundation will be at London Anime & Gaming Con on 4th and 5th July 2015. Visit our stand for information about studying Japanese, freebies and the chance to enter our quiz and win some great prizes!

In January 2014, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated that ‘Japan should be the place that gives women the opportunity to shine. Thirty per cent of leadership positions should be occupied by women by 2020’. This promise seemed to herald a new era for women in the workplace in Japan. 30 years ago, the Equal Employment Opportunity Law was introduced in Japan which was intended to enable companies to fully utilise human resources regardless of gender. Despite this, even in 2013, the proportion of female leaders in large corporations was only 10.2 percent.  Although the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) does vary greatly from country to country, the number of Japanese women in these fields remains particularly low, and the proportion of female researchers in science and technology is still one of the lowest (14.4 percent) among OECD countries. Why so few? In this seminar, Dr Naonori Kodate (University College Dublin) will try to answer this question, by shedding light on historical developments and the current gender equality situation in Japan through the lens of women in STEM. He will explore how gender equality policy in science has been intertwined with social norms, family and individual life decisions and other policies. He will also look into measures the government, universities and research institutes are taking to address this issue, and explore whether these measures have led to an increase in female representation in these fields. During this special seminar, we are also delighted to welcome Dr Ekaterina Hertog (University of Oxford), an expert on Japanese family trends, who will join Dr Kodate in conversation to explore the effect of changes in Japanese family structure on the position of Japanese women in STEM.  Contributors: Dr Naonori Kodate is a Lecturer in Social Policy at University College Dublin, Ireland. His main research area is comparative social policy, particularly in health care. His book, Japanese Women in Science and Engineering: History and Policy Change (co-authored by Professor Emeritus Kashiko Kodate) will be published in July 2015 by Routledge. Dr Ekaterina Hertog is a family sociologist in the Department of Sociology and the School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies at the University of Oxford. Her current research interests include contemporary Japanese society, marriage and childbearing trends in industrialised countries, and marriage partner selection.  Image: Peter Close/Shutterstock.com

The Japan Foundation Japanese Studies Student Survey is part of the Japan Foundation’s periodic assessment of the state of Japanese Studies in the UK which has been conducted once every 3-4 years since 1996. The Japan Foundation is Japan’s principal organisation for promoting international cultural exchange worldwide and through our funding programmes we offer support to organisations and individuals working in the field of Japanese Studies throughout the UK. In order for us to consider future plans for the enhancement of Japanese studies, we are eager to learn the views of Japanese Studies students in the UK, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level, so that we can continue to support you and the field of Japanese Studies as effectively as possible. Please note that the deadline for completing the survey has been extended to 30th September 2015. Who can take part in the survey: Any students undertaking Japan-related study at a higher education institution in the UK. Whether you are at undergraduate level or postgraduate, undertaking a single or joint honours Japanese Studies degree, or simply taking a module in a Japan related subject, we would be delighted to hear from you. Taking the survey: The survey can be accessed through the following link:https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/jssurvey_students    We estimate that the entire survey can be completed in around 15 minutes.  Deadline and Publication:  Please fill out the survey before 30th September 2015. The results of the survey will be published in late 2015, and individual answers will remain anonymous. You can find the results of the Japanese Studies Students Survey 2010 on the Japan Foundation Japanese Studies Survey website here.  Prize draw: If you choose to provide us with your name and e-mail address, you will be entered into a prize draw, for a chance to win one of up to 10 Japan-related book tokens worth £20 each.  If you have any questions about the survey, please email Julie Anne Robb, Programme Officer for Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange, Japan Foundation London: julieanne.robb@jpf.org.uk   Japanese Studies Institutions Survey As part of our overall assessment of the state of Japanese Studies in the UK, the Japan Foundation is also conducting a survey of higher education institutions in the UK which provide opportunities for Japan related study. If you are a member of staff at a higher education institution which offers Japan related study please get in touch with Julie Anne Robb to take the survey: julieanne.robb@jpf.org.uk

Renowned Japanese architect Endo Shuhei will give a special talk to contextualise his work within the contemporary architectural scene.

Due to popular demand, we are running our Japanese from Scratch: Sweet-Talk your way in Japan workshop again in June! Learn some basic Japanese while exploring Japan’s culture of regional sweets and snacks...and get to try some for yourself! In this workshop especially for those interested in learning Japanese and travelling to Japan, you will have the chance to learn: All about Japan’s culture of omiyage – regional souvenirs usually in the form of tasty treats What kind of sweets and snacks you can find in Japan   Essential Japanese language skills for describing omiyage and other sights and experiences in Japan. You’ll even get the chance to try some authentic Japanese omiyage yourself! We hope this event will give participants a taste for studying more Japanese language, and a craving to visit Japan themselves! This workshop will feature the same content as the May Japanese from Scratch workshop, which you can read about here. When: 23rd or 24th June 2015 (content is the same each day),  19:00 – 20:30    Participation fee: £5.00 (including samples of Japanese local delicacies) Click here to register your place Japanese from Scratch is for those who are interested in learning Japanese but haven't started yet, or those who have just started learning Japanese.  Instructions and explanations will be in English. Advance booking is essential.  

Come and see the UK’s most talented young students of Japanese language at the Finals Day of the Nihongo Cup – the Japanese Speech Contest for Secondary School Students!

This year's lineup for the Japan Foundation-supported Edinburgh International Film Festival includes a number of UK premieres of contemporary Japanese films, including Masaharu Take's 100 Yen Love starring Sakura Ando, Nobuhiro Yamashita's latest film La La La at Rock Bottom, Yuya Ishii's Our Family (pictured) and more.

SHIMURAbros are the sister and brother artist duo of Yuka and Kentaro Shimura, currently researchers at Studio Olafur Eliasson and exemplifying a new breed of Japanese contemporary artists