Events & Programmes Archive

Recent polls have shown that Japanese workers have the least night-time sleeping hours in the world, yet visitors are often surprised to see many people sleeping during the day. Dr Brigitte Steger will explore this practice of sleeping in situations not meant for sleep, known as inemuri 

Post 3.11 is a series of talks showcasing the activities of artists who through various ways, have been engaged with the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in the Tohoku region of Japan

Discover how to teach Japanese language to primary level pupils...through learning Japanese yourself! As of September 2014 it is compulsory for all maintained primary schools in England to teach at least one foreign language at Key Stage 2. In response to this, the Japan Foundation London is holding a series of workshops and events to help prepare primary teachers who are teaching, or would like to teach, Japanese language. In this two day course, primary school teachers with little or no prior knowledge of Japanese will have the opportunity not only to learn the basics of Japanese language and culture, but also how to impart their new knowledge on to their pupils. The course will include content from 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. We will also give advice on funding, resources and other assistance available to get Japanese classes up and running at your school. On the second day, you will even be able to have the chance to practise your Japanese while making authentic sushi! This is an incredible opportunity for primary school teachers to learn new language skills that will benefit your entire school – don’t miss out!   “The teacher was brilliant and the course was well prepared and delivered.” (Rishi Gohil, 2014 participant) “I loved the writing aspect- this really helped to clarify the different alphabets and their uses.” (Kimberley Devonshire, 2014 participant) Fee: £20.00 (includes all course materials and ingredients for sushi-making) Click here to register your place Please note that spaces are limited – first come, first served. This course is for teachers with absolute beginner level, or those who have only studied a little Japanese. Priority will be given to teachers, or those training to teach, at a primary school.  Timetable available to download below. Please note that spaces are limited – first come, first served. This course is for teachers with absolute beginner level, or those who have only studied a little Japanese. Priority will be given to teachers, or those training to teach, at a primary school.  Timetable available to download below

This event takes the form of a half-day session for primary and secondary school teachers around Edinburgh, organised in order to give an introduction to the potential of teaching Japanese in primary schools in Scotland. We will be showcasing ways in which Japanese language can be approached in the classroom, how an interest in Japanese can develop into a career, and the commonalities that are shared between Japan and Scotland. This event includes student-led presentations introducing the J-CLan Initiative and the personal reflections on studying Japanese at a higher education level, speeches by leaders in the field of Japanese education in Britain, cultural demonstrations in the form of hands-on workshops, and a traditional Japanese performance.  The running order of the day as follows: 12:45 - 13:30 Registration open (Lunch provided) 13:30 - 13:35 Welcome from the University of Edinburgh 13:35 - 14:05 Talk from Anne Rajakumar (Head of Japanese, Hockerill Anglo-European College) 14:10 - 15:00 Presentations on learning Japanese from current students of Japanese from the University of Edinburgh.  15:00 - 15:20 Coffee break (Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a number of traditional craft workshops during this break) 15:20 - 16:05 Hanko stamp making workshop run by Mio Tsunematsu (Japan Foundation London) 16:05 - 16:25 Demonstration by the University of Edinburgh's Shorinji Kempo Doko. 16:25 - 16:40 "What Japanese can offer you and your students" Talk from Dr Yoko Matsumoto-Sturt (The University of Edinburgh) 16:40 - 16:45 Closing Remarks

Join the eminent Japanese Benshi Ichiro Kataoka as he discusses with Professor Markus Nornes, some of the issues surrounding screen translation in Japan. Through a series of short films and extracts in English and Japanese, Professor Nornes and Ichiro Kataoka will illustrate the challenges of translating both silent and sound film, and how Benshi, as performers, were an important part of the film viewing experience in their own right. Speakers: Markus Nornes is Professor of Asian Cinema at the University of Michigan.Ichiro Kataoka is one of the top professional Benshi in Japan. He tours globally and accompanies Japanese silent films. With live piano accompaniment by Cyrus Gabrysch.

Sculpture continues to be a focal part of contemporary Japanese art, and many world-renowned Japanese artists employing the medium have participated in exhibitions and art festivals around the world. A medium which has globally undergone many radical transformations in past decades, Japanese artists have similarly attempted to challenge its notions, endeavouring to reinvent and redefine the practice, and employing a wider range of materials and processes to create dynamic works. On the occasion of the exhibition Logical Emotion: Contemporary Art from Japan* taking place in Germany, the Japan Foundation London has invited two participating artists, Noe Aoki and Teppei Kaneuji – artists with vastly different styles and approaches to sculpture. Together with Mark Rappolt(chair), editor of ArtReview, and Professor Edward Allington, Slade School of Fine Art, they will explore the way artistic practice with the medium of sculpture has evolved in Japan, referring to the artists’ works and the concepts behind them, while questioning what the future may hold. Noe AokiNoe Aoki is considered to be one of Japan’s most respected sculptors, renowned for making large structures from iron and steel which surround people and spaces often appearing as if they are floating in the air. Teppei KaneujiTeppei Kaneuji is an artist producing sculptures, installations and collages from found objects and playful assemblages of everyday commodities, fashioned from familiar items such as helmets, scissors, and plastic toys.

Translated literally as “flowers at the crossroads”, tsujigahana refers to a sophisticated stitched- and tied-resist dyeing technique that was especially popular from the late Muromachi (1338–1573) to early Edo (1603-1868) period. This complicated and time-consuming decorative process was a way of creating magnificent visual imagery and resulted in fabrics that were exceptionally beautiful, very expensive, and highly revered. In this illustrated talk, Dr Jacqueline M. Atkins, will introduce the history of this very special design technique and expand on its development and subsequent mysterious disappearance around a hundred years after its inception. Dr Atkins’ discussion of Itchiku Tsujigahana, a rejuvenated contemporary version of this ancient art created by kimono artist Itchiku Kubota as he sought to replicate the technique’s elusive beauty, will also focus on Kubota’s documented style and reflect on how his methods encouraged an evolution in the traditional tsujigahana processes for application in the 20th century. Dr Atkins curated the exhibition Kimono Transformed: The Textile Artistry of Itchiku Kubota that travelled to Moscow and St. Petersburg last year and is now a consultant for the museum in Japan named after the artist. She recently completed The Textile Artistry of Itchiku Kubota, a volume featuring many of the most important kimono designed by Kubota, who died in 2003.

Japan has a rich tradition of textile production, crafting remarkable fabrics that reveal the country’s considered aesthetics. From century to century, decorative fabrics have been used to adorn the body and bring pleasure not only to those who wore them, but also to all who saw them. One period of history, however, highlights a remarkable change in the visual design of Japanese textiles. Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, The Japan Foundation, London has invited Dr Jacqueline M. Atkins, to give a special illustrated talk on the capacity of cloth to communicate the persuasive power of Japanese propaganda of the time. While presenting various examples of the striking designs used in garments from children’s kimonos to adult attire, Dr Atkins will map the evolution in pattern design during a time of conflict that produced a new look in fashion. She will also discuss the meanings behind the distinct graphics represented in the textiles, and why these unique visual references symbolised the social, cultural, and even political interest and patriotism of this period in Japanese history. Dr Jacqueline M. Atkins, a textile historian, was Chief Curator and the Kate Fowler Merle-Smith Curator of Textiles for the Allentown Art Museum in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She has lectured extensively on Japanese modern textiles, Japanese and American quilts, and American folk art. Her publications include Wearing Propaganda: Textiles on the Home Front in Japan, Britain, and the United States, 1931–1945, based on her exhibition of the same name, and “Japanese Novelty Textiles” in The Brittle Decade: Visualizing Japan in the 1930s. She holds a Ph.D. from Bard Graduate Center for Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Culture.

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 different parts of 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... When: 11th or 12th May 2015 (content same each day),  19:00 – 20:30    Participation fee: £5.00 (including samples of Japanese local delicacies) For more information and to register your place, please click here 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.  

Seminar exploring community design in Japan and the UK

Kabuku is a fascinating documentary offering a behind-the-scenes view of the unique theatrical genre of Japanese kabuki. Focusing on the rehearsal process and lead up to the performance of the contemporary kabuki play Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura (Yoshitsune and the 1,000 Cherry Trees) - a version of which was also performed at Sadler's Wells in London in 2010 - the documentary follows the preparations by the play's well-known and respected actor, Kamejiro Ichikawa II, now inheritor of the prestigious stage name Ennosuke Ichikawa IV.The film is an often unseen glimpse into the many backstage preparations involved; including kabuki stage make-up as well as the rarely unveiled traditional but very innovative routines and special effects behind some of the play's spectacular character shifts, exits and entrances. It will also reveal the meticulous, demanding and even daring tasks required by performers and set up by dedicated backstage staff, providing a colourful introduction to contemporary kabuki performances.The screening will be introduced by Dr Alan Cummings, Senior Teaching Fellow in Japanese at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and followed by a discussion with the film's director, Yoshitaro Saito.In Japanese with English subtitles

Chim↑Pom, a Japanese artist collective known as the enfant terrible of Japan’s art scene, will discuss their work and the philosophy behind their activities that are inspired by contemporary social issues.