Talk on Shojo Manga with Artist HAGIO Moto and Editor FURUKAWA Asako | Japan House London Japan House London 2019-06-07 | A special evening featurig one of the foremost and most beloved artists of shojo manga, HAGIO Moto. Hagio is joined in conversation with editor FURUKAWA Asako who will provide a special behind-the-scenes perspective on the role of the editor in the collaborative, fast-paced and complex manga industry.
Exhibition — Looks Delicious! Exploring Japan’s food replica culture | Japan House London Japan House London 2024-10-17 | ''Looks Delicious!' offers a glimpse into the uniquely Japanese phenomenon of 'shokuhin sanpuru' — surprisingly realistic food replicas displayed outside restaurants across Japan. Visitors can explore the history, materials, and processes of the craft, and discover its educational role and future potential. The exhibition also reveals the regional diversity of Japanese cuisine, with 47 newly commissioned replicas, one for every prefecture. Other highlights include an interactive area where you can create and share your own bento box of replica food. Join our free events, including demonstrations, workshops, and talks on Japanese food culture. Looks Delicious! Exploring Japan’s food replica culture' runs from now until 16 February 2025 at Japan House London. Book your free tickets: bit.ly/3UdeChn-#japanesecraftsmanship #japaneseculture #食品サンプル #japanesecraft
HYBRID | The Fruits of Wakayama’s Ume Heritage: Umeshu Liqueur and Umeboshi Pickles Japan House London 2024-10-13 | Learn about the cultural and historical importance of ume (often translated as Japanese plum or apricot) through a special event held in collaboration with Wakayama Prefecture, Japan’s leading ume producing region. Long celebrated in classical Japanese art and poetry for their delicate blossoms, ume trees are also cultivated for their fruits which are used to make a variety of food and drinks. These include dried and pickled umeboshi, often enjoyed on top of a bed of white rice or inside an onigiri rice ball, and umeshu, a fruit liqueur. This event explores the rich heritage of ume in Wakayama, highlighting the prefecture’s distinctive climate and farming methods which have earned it recognition by the United Nations as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System. Following an introduction to the fruit by Wakayama Prefectural Government’s Nosaka Atsushi, attendees have the opportunity to hear from representatives of key ume industries in Wakayama. Ikuta Tomiya, president of Baijuen Co., Ltd., shares insights from his family’s 100-year legacy of producing umeboshi. Yoshida Tomohiro, representing the long-established Nakano BC Co., Ltd., discusses the company’s dedication to crafting premium umeshu using local Nankō ume from Minabe. About the speakers Ikuta Tomiya Ikuta Tomiya is president of Baijuen Co., Ltd., a company with over 100 years of experience in umeboshi (pickled ume) production. Baijuen is renowned for creating ‘Katsuo-ume’, a distinctive flavour combining ume with katsuo (bonito), and for popularizing the practice of adding ume to warm shōchū, now a staple in Japanese izakaya (dining bars). Continuing his predecessors’ legacy, Ikuta is dedicated to exploring new flavours. He actively takes on new challenges including cultivating organic ume and producing umeshu, with a focus on delivering exceptional taste and health benefits to customers. Yoshida Tomohiro Yoshida Tomohiro joined Nakano BC Co., Ltd. in 2016, a manufacturer of alcoholic drinks including shōchū, sake, and umeshu. Initially starting as a soy sauce maker in 1932, Nakano BC is recognized for its expertise in fermentation. The company began making umeshu 45 years ago and now offers over 30 different varieties. Committed to preserving the natural taste and aroma of ume, Nakano BC ensures that freshly harvested Wakayama ume are soaked on the same day they arrive, with all staff participating. In addition to traditionally crafted umeshu, Nakano BC also focuses on developing innovative varieties incorporating flavours such as yuzu and green tea.
HYBRID | Legacy of Food Replicas: Talk by Iwasaki Tsuyoshi Japan House London 2024-10-04 | Discover how food replicas took over Japan and became a striking hallmark of its restaurant culture in this talk by Iwasaki Tsuyoshi, the president of leading food replica company Iwasaki Co., Ltd. (Tokyo). Food replicas, or shokuhin sanpuru, are displayed in front of many restaurants across Japan, acting as an alluring and indispensable guide to what can be eaten inside. The often unexpected realism of food replicas lies in the craft, techniques and materials used in their production, which have evolved to conjure the crunch of tempura, or gleam of a cold glass of beer. In his talk, Iwasaki charts the rise of Japan’s food replica culture, beginning with the story of Iwasaki Takizō who established Japan’s first food replica business in 1932 – the predecessor of the modern Iwasaki Group. Drawing on the rich history of the company, he looks at how food replicas grew to become an essential part of Japan’s landscape in everyday life, alongside the evolution of Japanese food cultures across its diverse regions. About the Speakers Iwasaki Tsuyoshi was born in Tokyo in 1954, he graduated from Tamagawa University’s Faculty of Agriculture with a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture. He joined Iwasaki Co., Ltd. (Tokyo) in 1978 and in 1989 he led the rebranding from Sanpuru no Iwaksaki to Iwasaki Be-I. He strengthened the company’s restaurant business under the concept ‘help to thrive’ and was appointed President and Representative Director in 2001. While protecting the 92-year-old goodwill of the company, he is focusing on reforming the business structure with a view to making Iwasaki a 100-year-old company.
HYBRID | Disaster Recovery Across Borders: Japan and UK Firefighters Reflect on the 2011 Great Ea… Japan House London 2024-09-18 | Join us for a special event in collaboration with Atlantic Pacific International Rescue, featuring Chiba Yoshihiro, captain of the Ōfunato City Fire Brigade in Iwate Prefecture. A fishing city on the Pacific coastline of northeastern Japan, Ōfunato was devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake which struck the Tōhoku region on March 11, 2011. This 9.0-magnitude earthquake was the most powerful ever recorded in Japan’s history. The earthquake triggered a massive tsunami, with waves reaching heights of up to 40 meters, causing immense destruction, loss of life, and widespread displacement. In the wake of the disaster, Japanese emergency services, including firefighters like Chiba, led extensive rescue and recovery efforts, supported by international search and rescue teams from countries including the UK. During the event, Chiba shares his firsthand experiences, providing valuable insights into the emergency response, cleanup, and recovery operations that followed. The event also includes a presentation by a representative from the UK search and rescue team who contributed to the international relief efforts. Following the presentations, both speakers discuss the challenges and successes of international disaster recovery collaboration, reflecting on the lessons from 2011 and recent collaborative initiatives to enhance disaster preparedness. About the speaker Chiba Yoshihiro Chiba Yoshihiro has been a firefighter since 1993, with 32 years of experience in fire, emergency, and rescue operations, becoming an emergency medical technician in 2008. He founded a local lifesaving club in 2003 and, since 2005, he has served as a Red Cross instructor, promoting first aid courses and water accident response. After training in the U.S. for disaster preparedness in 2010, he participated in rescue operations during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and collaborated with international teams to carry out rescue activities. In 2021, he established a water rescue team. Currently, he trains firefighters, passing on his extensive knowledge and experience from the earthquake and other emergencies. About Atlantic Pacific International Rescue Atlantic Pacific’s mission is to combat global drowning through search and rescue, education and training, community outreach, and by designing sea safety solutions. The organization’s roots trace back to the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan, in which 15,000 lives were lost. In 2016, they established Japan’s first volunteer-run lifeboat service in Nebama Bay, Kamaishi, an area severely damaged by the tsunami. The program continues to evolve, with plans to create a sea safety centre where people from Japan and beyond can train in search and rescue, first aid, and disaster preparedness. For more, visit their website. #Japan #japanhouselondon #liveevent #hybridevent
HYBRID | In Conversation with Designer and Metalworker Kathleen Reilly Japan House London 2024-09-15 | Join artist and metalworker Kathleen Reilly in conversation with Japan House London Director of Programming (and the curator of Biology of Metal: Metal Craftsmanship in Tsubame-Sanjo exhibition), Simon Wright, to discuss the evolution of her award-winning knife design, Oku. The discussion will explore the Japanese influences behind the design, the future of the product and Reilly’s career. During the talk, audiences can see samples and prototypes of Oku, demonstrating the design and production process, and there will be the opportunity to ask questions at the end. In 2018 Kathleen Reilly visited Japan House London’s Biology of Metal: Metal Craftsmanship in Tsubame-Sanjo exhibition held as part of the London Design Festival. That exhibition inspired Kathleen to move to Japan to study Japanese metalworking traditions and techniques with a scholarship funded by Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation. During her study, Kathleen created Oku – an innovative butter knife design that would go on to win Dezeen Award in 2022. Produced in collaboration with craftspeople in Tsubame-Sanjo, Oku is being launched on the first day of London Design Festival six years later. About the speaker Kathleen Reilly Kathleen Reilly is a Scottish artist and metalworker with over ten years of experience whilst living in the UK and Japan. She graduated from The Glasgow School of Art Silversmithing & Jewellery department in 2015 and completed her Masters in Jewellery & Metal at the Royal College of Art in 2018. Her journey creating Oku began in 2018 when she visited the ‘Biology of Metal: Metal Craftsmanship in Tsubame-Sanjo‘ exhibition at Japan House London and discovered the skills of their craftspeople. In 2019, she moved to Japan on the Daiwa Scholarship. From 2020-2022, she trained with artisans in the Tsubame-Sanjo and developed Oku, which won Dezeen Awards Homeware design of the year in 2022. #Japan #design #designdiscoveries #japanhouselondon #liveevent #hybridevent
Design Discoveries Spotlight Tour by Chika on cutlery designed by Yanagi Sōri Japan House London 2024-08-27 | Learn about the design process behind product designer Yanagi Sōri's cutlery collection from Chika, our Visitor Experience Assistant.Design engineer Tagawa Kinya presented his research on Yanagi’s creations in the 'Design Discoveries' exhibition. He resonated with Yanagi's principle of always keeping the end user in consideration throughout the design process.'Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN' is on display at Japan House London from 14 May to 8 September 2024. bit.ly/4bv6JL1
HYBRID | Pushing the Boundaries of Textile Design: 40 Years of NUNO Japan House London 2024-08-18 | As part of our series of events in conjunction with Sudō Reiko’s visit to Japan House London, we are delighted to present a special livestreamed talk highlighting the creative innovations of her leading textile design firm NUNO, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. Sudō Reiko, one of Japan’s most influential contemporary textile designers, is known for her innovative textiles, sustainable manufacturing practices, and dedication to preserving Japanese textile heritage. As the Design Director of NUNO, founded in 1984, she integrates Japanese dyeing and weaving traditions with cutting-edge technology, creating unique textiles from materials like cotton, silk, metal, and paper. In this talk, chaired by Japan House London Programming Director Simon Wright, Sudō discusses her groundbreaking career in textile and design, including her collaboration with the late textile planner Arai Jun’ichi, renowned for his innovative textiles admired by designers like Issey Miyake and Kawakubo Rei (Comme des Garçons). With Arai, she founded NUNO with the shared aim of pursuing textile innovation by combining Japanese craft traditions and modern technology. After Arai stepped back in 1987, Sudō became the Design Director. Her work spans functional lifestyle items to individual works of art, and often involves collaborations with regional craftspeople across Japan. Her practice regularly introduces more experimental methods to textile manufacturers, developing new techniques with them and building long-lasting relationships with small, family-run workshops. About the speaker Sudō Reiko Born in Ibaraki Prefecture, Sudō is president of textile design firm Nuno Co Ltd. and Professor Emerita at Tokyo Zōkei University. Since 2008, she has worked as a textile design consultant for various organizations including Ryōhin Keikaku (Muji), As Corporation and the Tsuruoka Textile Industry Cooperative in Yamagata Prefecture, among others. In 2016, she joined the advisory board of Ryōhin Keikaku. Sudō’s awards include the Mainichi Design Award, the ROSCOE Design Prize, the Japan Interior Design Association (JID) Award, and the Enku Award. She uses a wide range of techniques from Japanese dyeing and weaving traditions to state-of-the-art technology to make her new textiles. Sudō’s works have been included in the permanent collections of The Museum of Modern Art and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; National Crafts Museum, Tokyo and other institutions.
Design Discoveries Spotlight Tour by Amy on 3D Sportswear #craft #japaneseculture #fashiondesign Japan House London 2024-08-16 | Amy, our Senior Visitor Experience Assistant, introduces 3D sportswear presented by textile designer Sudō Reiko at 'Design Discoveries'.Sudō researched the official Japan team shirts created for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The shirts, made with cutting-edge 3D moulding technology, are inspired by the Tsuzawa Yotaka Andon Festival of Oyabe City in Toyama Prefecture.Join our weekly spotlight tours led by our team members every Tuesday, 18:30 -19:00 and take a closer look at each of these 'design treasures'. Book your place: japanhouselondon.uk/whats-on/design-discovery-of-the-week
Design Discoveries Spotlight Tour by Sakura on haburagin ceremonial attire Japan House London 2024-08-03 | Hear about the fascinating introduction of 'haburagin', the ceremonial attire worn by female priestesses in Amami Ōshima by Sakura, our Visitor Experience Assistant. Morinaga Kunihiko, fashion designer and founder of ANREALAGE, researched this garment worn by young priestesses, known as 'noro', on this southern island in Kagoshima Prefecture. Haburagin is made from cuttings sourced from different kimonos forming a patchwork of triangles, each representing a butterfly or moth and symbolising the presence of departed spirits. The coat thereby invokes the collective strength of the spirit realm to protect its wearer.Join our weekly spotlight tours led by our team members every Tuesday, 18:30 -19:00 and take a closer look at each of these 'design treasures'. Book your place: japanhouselondon.uk/whats-on/design-discovery-of-the-week
Making Design Discoveries: An Interview with Exhibition Producer Kuramori Kyōko Japan House London 2024-07-26 | Kuramori Kyōko, Senior Producer at NHK Educational Corporation and Exhibition Overseer of the 'Design Discoveries' exhibition, explains how the idea of creating a design museum for Japan began more than a decade ago, and shares her aspirations for the project. NHK, Japan’s public media broadcaster, has led the ‘Design Museum Japan’ project, inviting leading creators from diverse fields, including architecture and film, to collectively imagine a national design institution for Japan. The exhibition, which has been designed to travel, takes on a new iteration at Japan House London, bringing together seven major designers to consider what they would include in a permanent collection of design treasures. 'Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN' runs until 8 September 2024 at Japan House London. Book a free ticket here:
HYBRID | Talk and Demonstration - A Woven Heritage: Agriculture in Oita Japan House London 2024-07-26 | Discover the centuries-old farming traditions and diverse ecosystem of the Kunisaki Peninsula-Usa region in Oita Prefecture, recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) in 2013 by the United Nations. Hayashi Hiroaki, Chairman of the Kunisaki Peninsula-Usa GIAHS Promotion Association, reveals the distinctive features of this remarkable landscape and explains how a symbiotic system of kunugi (sawtooth oak) forests and over 1,200 interlinked irrigation ponds sustain agriculture in this water-scarce region. The ponds, developed since the 11th century, secure essential water resources, while the forests help retain soil moisture and provide log beds for the region’s famous shiitake mushrooms. In addition to shiitake mushrooms, the integrated agricultural system supports a number of high-quality crops, including paddy field rice and Kunisaki shichitōi, a type of grass used to craft tatami mats, which today is produced only in the Kunisaki Peninsula. Following the talk, local artist and craftswoman Iwakiri Chika demonstrates another use for shichitōi, showing how the material can be woven to craft an enza (lit. ‘round seat’) floor cushion. This event is held as part of the Spotlight on Local Japan Programme which accepts applications from potential collaborators based in Japan to co-create cultural events presenting Japan’s regional diversity at Japan House London. About the Speakers Hayashi Hiroaki Chairman of the Kunisaki Peninsula-Usa GIAHS Promotion Association Hayashi Hiroaki was born in Kunisaki, Oita Prefecture, into a family of rice and shiitake farmers. He graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Tokyo and served as an assistant professor in the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences from 1995 to 2003. In 2004, he returned to Kunisaki and began to cultivate shiitake mushrooms, rice, and shichitōi. Since the Kunisaki Peninsula-Usa region’s designation as a GIAHS site in 2013, he has led conservation and promotion activities as the chairman of the Kunisaki Peninsula-Usa GIAHS Promotion Association. Since 2010, he has also served as the president of the Kunisaki Shichitōi Promotion Association, during which time Kunisaki shichitōi achieved protected geographical indication (GI) status. Iwakiri Chika Shichitōi craftsperson and artist Iwakiri Chika is an artist and craftsperson specializing in weaving with Kunisaki shichitōi. In 2014, she founded the Shichitōi Studio Nanatsumugi in Kunisaki city, where she creates and sells various items and accessories for daily life using the material. Recently, she has also begun cultivating shichitōi herself. Iwakiri actively promotes her craft through workshops across Japan, including on the luxury JR Kyushu sleeper train, Nanatsuboshi in Kyushu. Her shichitōi light fixtures, inspired by firefly baskets, adorn the rooms of Kai Yufuin, a ryokan inn by Hoshino Resorts designed by architect Kuma Kengo. #Japan #design #designdiscoveries #craft #japanhouselondon #liveevent #hybridevent
Design Discoveries Spotlight Tour by Naomi on Hakata Gion Yamakasa Festival Japan House London 2024-07-19 | Naomi, our Visitor Experience Assistant, introduces the presentation of fashion designer Hirokawa Tamae in our Design Discoveries exhibition. Hirokawa observes how the floats seamlessly bridge the past, present and future, passing on design traditions, and igniting a passion for the craft of creating festival floats among new generations.Join our weekly spotlight tours led by our team members every Tuesday, 18:30 -19:00 and take a closer look at each of these 'design treasures'. Book your place here: bit.ly/3y6Z2vO
HYBRID | Art without Heroes: A Conversation on Mingei with Róisín Inglesby Japan House London 2024-07-18 | In conjunction with the exhibition Art without Heroes: Mingei currently on display at the William Morris Gallery, Japan House London is delighted to invite the exhibition curator Róisín Inglesby for an event exploring the concepts behind the exhibition and highlighting some of the key elements of the influential Japanese Mingei (‘Folk Craft’) movement. Originating in Japan in the 1920s, Mingei sought to spread the principle that beauty is inherent in handmade, everyday objects created by craftspeople. She will be joined in conversation by Sam Thorne, Director General & CEO of Japan House London, who has contributed to the major new publication ‘Art without Heroes: Mingei’ by Yale University Press accompanying the exhibition, to explore Mingei’s origins, interpretations and contemporary implications. The conversation also touches upon the Mingei Film Archive project by filmmaker and producer Marty Gross, which restored and digitized archival footage on Japanese craft. Footage from this project is part of the exhibition at the William Morris Gallery, and a selection of the Archive’s short films will be shown at Japan House London in July. About the Speaker Róisín Inglesby is curator at William Morris Gallery. She is a curator, historian and writer who specialises in craft, design and material culture—the objects that make up our world but aren’t usually considered art. After curatorial roles at the V&A, Tower of London, and Teien Museum, Tokyo, since 2018 she has been Curator at the William Morris Gallery in London, where she has curated exhibitions including William Morris and the Bauhaus (2019), Distant Fellowship: Morris and South Asia (2020) and Young Poland 1890-1918 (2021), which was awarded the AAH Curatorial Prize. Her main focus is on international Arts and Crafts movements, and she is the curator of Art Without Heroes: Mingei, a largescale reappraisal of the Japanese Mingei movement (opened in April 2024). #Japan #design #designdiscoveries #craft #japanhouselondon #liveevent #hybridevent
Design Discoveries Spotlight Tour by Ying on Yamahas TransAcoustic Piano Japan House London 2024-06-28 | Ying from our Visitor Experience team introduces one of the most intruiging exhibits in 'Design Discoveries' - Yamaha’s TransAcoustic Piano.An experience architect and former Sega video game designer, Mizuguchi Tetsuya chose the piano as his 'design treasure' to include in the exhibition.The piano uses transducers to convert digital audio signals into vibrations, enhanced by the resonance of an acoustic soundboard. This creates a unique sound experience that is not just heard but felt throughout the body.Join our weekly spotlight tours every Tuesday, 18:30 -19:00, led by the Visitor Experience team members to take a closer look at each of the 'design treasures'. Book your place here: bit.ly/3y6Z2vO
Design Discoveries Spotlight Tour by Miyuki on Jōmon period village design Japan House London 2024-06-20 | Miyuki, a Senior Visitor Experience Assistant, talks us through the presentation of Jōmon period village design by architect Tane Tsuyoshi in the 'Design Discoveries' exhibition. Tane's architectural philosophy, “Archaeology of the Future”, emphasises the importance of memories within places. His architectural practice aims to create structures with lasting impact by honouring the history of their location and capturing memories of the place. Join our weekly spotlight tours every Tuesday, 18:30 -19:00, led by the Visitor Experience team members to take a closer look at each of the 'design treasures' chosen by the designers. Book your place here: bit.ly/3y6Z2vO
Design Discoveries Spotlight Tour by Naoko, Visitor Experience Assistant of Japan House London Japan House London 2024-06-12 | Naoko, Visitor Experience Assistant, gives a brief introduction to how folk toys, particularly 'koma' (spinning tops) from Japan Toy Museum, inspired filmmaker Tsujikawa Kōichirō in his contribution to 'Design Discoveries'.What does design mean to you? Join the conversation at Japan House London, where seven of Japan’s leading creators share inspirational design that spans disciplines, regions and eras.'Design Discoveries: Towards a Design Museum Japan' runs from 15 May to 8 September. bit.ly/4bv6JL1
Kabuki Performance and Interview with Tanaka Denzaemon XIII and Tanaka Denjirō VII Japan House London 2024-06-12 | Kabuki musicians Tanaka Denzaemon XIII, head of the Tanaka School, and his brother Tanaka Denjirō VII introduce the music of kabuki theatre and share their expertise and passion for the art form. Kabuki theatre, added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008, originated in the Edo period (1603–1868) from songs and dance performed by female artist troupes.Learn more about the history of Kabuki and the speakers at Japan House London's website.
Design Discoveries - Flying Spinning Top from Japan Toy Museum Japan House London 2024-06-05 | Founded in 1974 by the current director Inoue Shigeyoshi, JAPAN TOY MUSEUM (@JapanToyMuseumChannel) in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture has the mission to preserve toy cultures of previous eras from being lost.Among the 90,000 toys and materials from more than 160 countries, the museum has a rich collection of 'koma' (spinning tops). Film Director Tsujikawa Kōichirō researched some of these tops and introduces them in the 'Design Discoveries' exhibition, currently on display at Japan House London. He remarked, “A toy is the first designed object a human comes into contact with”.Visit 'Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN' at Japan House London: bit.ly/4bv6JL1Video courtesy of JAPAN TOY MUSEUM.
Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN Trailer Japan House London 2024-05-27 | What does design mean to you? Join the conversation at Japan House London, where Japan’s leading creators share inspirational design that spans disciplines, regions and eras. While Japan is synonymous with exemplary design it doesn’t yet have a dedicated national museum. This exhibition brings together seven major designers, from filmmakers to architects, to consider what they would put into a permanent collection of design treasures. Their personal responses capture Japan’s regional diversity and 10,000 years of history. Design Discoveries: Towards a Design Museum Japan runs from 15 May to 8 September. Learn more: bit.ly/4bv6JL1
HYBRID | Toast to Recovery. Noto Sake Masterclass with Kenichi Ohashi MW Japan House London 2024-05-23 | Discover the brewing traditions of sake from the Noto Peninsula and learn how the earthquake which struck the region on 1 January 2024 affected the local industry. On 1 January 2024, when many Japanese families were celebrating New Year’s Day, a magnitude-7.6 earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula located in Ishikawa Prefecture. The earthquake, followed by landslides, fires and a tsunami warning, took the lives of 245, left 1191 people injured. It also caused widespread destruction to housing and infrastructure in the region, including in the towns of Wajima and Noto famous for their lacquerware and sake making traditions, and had a devastating effect on many local businesses, such as renowned lacquer studios and sake breweries. The road to recovery is going to be a long one. This event, bringing together the best sake experts in the world, is jointly organized by Japan House London, International Wine Challenge and Sake Samurai Association. The event starts with an opening address by Matsuda Yasuhiro, Minister for Financial Affairs from the Embassy of Japan in the UK and a short introduction about the impact of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake on the local sake industry by the Chairman of Sake Samurai Association, Kitahara Tsushima. They will be followed by a masterclass on Noto sake by wine and sake expert Kenichi Ohashi MW. After the IWC judges and co-chairmen Simon Hofstra and Beau Timken have given the audience a closer look at the six brands of sake featured in the evening tasting, all four speakers sit together to take questions from the audience.
HYBRID | Designing a Design Museum: In Conversation with Kuramori Kyōko and Johanna Agerman Ross Japan House London 2024-05-14 | In anticipation of the opening of the exhibition Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN, Japan House London is delighted to host a special conversation featuring the exhibition overseer Kuramori Kyōko and Chief Curator of the Design Museum in London, Johanna Agerman Ross. This event follows a talk by Kuramori Kyōko on 10 May providing behind-the-scenes insights into the concept and creation of the upcoming exhibition. Although Japan is renowned for its excellent design, with many works by Japanese creators considered iconic across the globe, there is not yet a national collection or museum dedicated solely to Japanese design. During this event the two experts discuss the role such an institution could play, the challenges (and the rewards) of exhibiting and curating design, as well as their respective efforts and involvement in the popularization of design. The discussion is moderated by Simon Wright, Director of Programming at Japan House London. Audience members will also have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the event. About the Speakers: Kuramori Kyōko Senior Producer, Art & Culture Group, Content Production & Development Centre, NHK Educational Corporation. Kuramori Kyōko joined NHK in 1987, when she was posted to Okayama Broadcasting Station as a director. After a stint in the Social Information Programme Department, in 1996 she began managing ‘Sunday Museum’ and other art programmes at NHK and NHK Educational Corporation, developing art and design-related programming as well as associated events. She produced major programmes, including the NHK Special ‘Katsura Imperial Villa’; the 4K programmes ‘Issey Miyake: Design Sensation’ and ‘Beautiful Slow Life’; and the 8K programmes ‘Musée du Louvre’, ‘Musée d’Orsay’ and ‘Introducing our National Treasures’. She was also responsible for series such as ‘Techne: The Visual Workshop’, ‘BijuTune!’, ‘The Yamato Nuns: a Pure Food Diary’, and ‘TAROMAN: Tokusatsu Action à la Okamoto Tarō’. Currently she is working on ‘Design Museum Japan’, a project which incorporates programmes and exhibitions. Johanna Agerman Ross Johanna Agerman Ross is Chief Curator at the Design Museum in London. Before taking her current role, she worked as the Curator of Twentieth Century and Contemporary Furniture and Product Design at the Victoria & Albert Museum. In 2011 she founded and has since then, continued to direct, the leading quarterly design journal Disegno. Johanna serves also as a member of the advisory board at the V&A Research Institute in London and Chart Design in Copenhagen. She lectures widely and has taught at the Royal College of Art and Central Saint Martins in the UK; guest-lectured at HEAD Geneve and been part of crits at ECAL in Switzerland; Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands and the School of the Art Institute Chicago in the US. #Japan #hybridevent #design #japanhouselondon #designdiscoveries #event #talk
Ainu Oral Literature: Voices, Songs, Stories Japan House London 2024-04-24 | Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr
ジャパン・ハウス ロンドン『The Carpenters’ Line 飛騨の匠・伝統は未来を拓く』展 Japan House London 2024-04-16 | ジャパン・ハウス ロンドンは、2022 年 9 月 29 日（木）から 2023 年 1 月 29 日（日）まで、『The Carpenters’ Line: Woodworking Heritage in Hida Takayama 飛騨の匠、伝統は未来を拓く』展を開催しました。約1300年前の奈良時代、飛騨国（現在の岐阜県 飛騨地域）では、優れた技術を持つ木工職人を都に派遣する代わりに、当時の納税義務である租庸調のうちの庸と調が免ぜられていました。都造りのために徴用された飛騨国の木工集団は、奈良や京都に現在も残る幾多の神社仏閣の建立に携わり、いつしか「飛騨の匠」と呼ばれるようになりました。本展では、豊かな森林に囲まれた岐阜県飛騨地域で1300年にわたり現代まで脈々と受け継がれてきた「飛騨の匠」と呼ばれる木工職人たちの技術や伝統を紹介しました。From 29 September 2022 to 29 January 2023, Japan House London presented 'The Carpenters’ Line: Woodworking Heritage in Hida Takayama' . Explore 1,300 years of master woodworking from the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture in central Japan with Japan House London's Director of Programming, Simon Wright. The city of Takayama in Gifu Prefecture has maintained a vibrant woodworking tradition for over 1,300 years, developing in that time an international reputation for its highly skilled carpenters. First recorded in the eighth century CE, the woodworking skills of these craftspeople were provided to the imperial capital in place of taxation, such was the importance placed upon the carpentry techniques originating in Hida. It was the extraordinary skill of these Hida craftspeople that built many of the famous shrines and temples still seen in the ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto today. Visit the virtual exhibition of The Carpenters' Line here: japanhouselondon.uk/whats-on/the-carpenters-line-virtual-exhibition
Making an Ainu ita with Ainu woodcarver Hiramura Daiki Japan House London 2024-03-28 | Discover the intricate process of creating an Ainu 'ita' with young woodcarver Hiramura Daiki.Hiramura was born in Biratori and learned woodcarving techniques from expert Nibutani craftspeople. In his second year of carving, he entered his first Ainu crafts competition and won his first prize. His aim is to use woodcarving to make more people aware of the fascinating nature of Ainu culture.The production of carved wooden plates or trays called Nibutani 'ita' has been named an ‘Official Designated Traditional Craft’, one of only two in Hokkaido. Evidence of this striking craftsmanship is found on everyday objects, and items used in ritual celebrations.Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr
HYBRID | Ainu Woodworking: Nibutani ita and inaw Japan House London 2024-03-22 | Discover the background and woodworking processes in Nibutani with a special demonstration by Ainu craftsmen Kaizawa Mamoru and Kawanano Toshiya. In the community of Nibutani, located within Biratori, Hokkaido, the production of carved wooden plates or trays called Nibutani ita has been named an ‘Official Designated Traditional Craft’, one of only two in Hokkaido. Evidence of this striking craftsmanship is found on everyday objects, and items used in ritual celebrations. Shaved sticks called inaw are important elements used in ceremonies to honour kamuy (Ainu spirit-deities). There are different lengths and thicknesses of inaw depending on the purpose. An inaw is made by first stripping away bark and then repeatedly making curled shavings using a knife called an inawke-makiri. During the demonstration, Kaizawa Mamoru introduces the process of making Nibutani ita from the pattern drawing to carving techniques, while Kawanano Toshiya demonstrates the rare opportunity to witness the process of carving inaw. Kaizawa and Kawanano are also joined in conversation by Yamasaki Kōji, Professor at the Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies, Hokkaido University. The demonstration is a part of a programme of events in conjunction with the exhibition Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River. Visitors to the exhibition can see a range of Ainu decorative woodcarving, including Nibutani ita by both Kaizawa Mamoru and Kawanano Toshiya and a plate design drawing by Kaizawa Mamoru. About the Speakers Kaizawa Mamoru Kaizawa grew up surrounded from childhood by the carvings produced by his woodcarver father Moriyuki (died 1977). Kaizawa was 12 when his father died and, although he did live in Sapporo for a while after graduating from high school, he returned to Nibutani at the age of 21, having been working to continue Ainu woodworking techniques ever since. The legacy of past generations of craftsmen live on in ita (plates or trays) of Nibutani, and he pours his energies into creating original works while also passing on that tradition. He is particularly noted for his delicately beautiful ram-ram noka (fish-scale pattern) carvings. His leather goods embossed with Ainu patterns and mobile phone straps with owls carved out of antlers are also popular. In 2010 he was the only Ainu craftsman selected as a ‘Master of the Forests’ from among 80 people nationwide. He is the owner of Kaizawa Mingei. Kawanano Toshiya Born in Biratori Town, Hokkaido, Kawanano has been engaged in Ainu cultural preservation activities as a member for the Biratori Iwor Restoration Project since 2008. He belongs to the Nibutani Craft Cooperative Association and practises Ainu woodworking. In 2020, he participated in the Hokkaido Ainu Traditional Crafts Exhibition organized by the Ainu Association of Hokkaido. Yamasaki Kōji Professor at the Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies, Hokkaido University, Yamasaki Kōji specializes in cultural anthropology and museum studies. His research while collaborating with members of the Ainu community focuses on contemporary interpretation and use of museum material. He also conducts research on representations of indigenous peoples, the promotion of Ainu crafts, and overseas Ainu collections. Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr#event #hybridevent #japan #talk #japanhouselondon #demonstration #woodworking #crafts #ainu #nibutani #ainustories
HYBRID | Chatham House Event - Bridging the gap: how can the G7 work with the Global South Japan House London 2024-03-19 | This event, held in partnership with Chatham House, invites a panel of experts to Japan House London to discuss how Japan, the UK and other close partners can work together to improve relations with the Global South. Japan and the UK are increasingly deepening their cooperation through the G7 across a wide range of issues including technology, climate change and competition with China. But, if the G7 members are to maintain global influence, they need to work more closely with developing countries from the Global South and tackle the perception that they are a self-interested club for the US and six wealthy allies. As China intensifies its outreach to the Global South, how can Japan, the UK and other close partners work together more effectively to improve relations with developing countries and help them tackle the emerging problems they face, from climate change to economic development? This is the final event in a three-part series held in partnership with Chatham House. You can watch recordings of the previous events on the Chatham House website: the first looked at Southeast Asia and the US-China rivalry, the second the CPTPP and the economic order in the Indo-Pacific. About the Speakers: Professor Suzuki Kazuto Professor of Science and Technology Policy at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo Dr Chietigj Bajpaee Senior Research Fellow for South Asia, Asia-Pacific Programme, Chatham House HE Nimisha Madhvani High Commissioner, Uganda High Commission About the Chair Ben Bland Director, Asia-Pacific Programme, Chatham House Introduced by Sam Thorne, Director General & CEO, Japan House London #event #hybridevent #japan #japanhouselondon #policy #asia #relations #talk #globalsouth
HYBRID | Playing Biwa: Talk and Performance by Kubota Akiko Japan House London 2024-03-13 | Biwa is a plucked stringed instrument used in Japan to play gagaku (lit. ‘elegant music’) at the Imperial Court and in selected important Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. It was also played by travelling monks, biwa hōshi, who performed tales and narrative songs that chronicled the achievements of warriors in battle. It is generally played using bachi, a fan-shaped pick, rather than the fingers, and several types of biwa have been developed to suit different genres and performance styles, from classical to modern: gaku-biwa, gogen-biwa, mōsō-biwa, heike-biwa, satsuma-biwa, chikuzen biwa and nishiki-biwa. In March 2024, internationally-acclaimed satsuma biwa performer Kubota Akiko is touring the UK with On an Endless Road: Itō Noe and the Women Composers of her Time, a programme of music by Japanese women composers, contemporary to feminist writer and anarchist Itō Noe (1895-1923). Japan House London welcomes Kubota Akiko and British composer Francesca Le Lohé for a special talk and demonstration exploring the history of biwa, the different types of the instrument and demonstrate how the characteristic sounds of the biwa are made. During the event, Kubota performs a work from the satsuma biwa’s classical repertoire as well as an extract from a new work specifically written for her by Le Lohé, Itō Noe: On an Endless Road. This piece highlights the life and work of Itō Noe: a contributor and later editor of feminist magazine Seito and publisher of social worker periodicals with her anarchist partner Osugi Sakae. Itō wrote prolifically throughout her short life before her tragic murder at the age of 28. Kubota and Le Lohé illustrate why this is the perfect subject for a new piece for biwa and discuss their artistic collaboration. About the Speakers Kubota Akiko is a satsuma biwa performer from Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Her wide range of activities include performing narrative songs from the biwa‘s classic repertoire, collaborating with theatre groups, playing contemporary music with instrumental ensembles and featuring on anime and TV soundtracks. Through her work, Akiko aims to challenge perceptions and discover new modes of expression for the biwa. She has performed extensively across Asia, South America and Europe and performed Takemitsu Tōru’s concerto November Steps for biwa and shakuhachi with the Brussels Philharmonic and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. She is a performing member of Ensemble Muromachi and Pro Musica Nipponia. Francesca Le Lohé is a composer active in Japan and the UK. Her operas include: How Was It For You? (2022) and THE KEY: an immersive, site-specific opera inspired by Tanizaki’s novella which was awarded the prestigious 2019 Keizo Saji Prize. Her work has featured in festivals including Sonorities, Tama Music & Arts and the London Festival of Architecture. She has held artist residencies at Co.iki (Japan), Elektronmusikstudion (Sweden), Hospitalfield (UK) and was a 2015 Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Scholar. #culture #event #hybridevent #japan #talk #japanhouselondon #performance #music
HYBRID | Exploring Japanese Collections in the UK: Stories from Professor Yoshi Miki Japan House London 2024-03-06 | ...
HYBRID | TALK: Preserving and Promoting the Ainu Cultural Landscape in Biratori Japan House London 2024-02-28 | Join us for a special talk to learn about how local government and community organizations work together with the people of Biratori to ensure that Ainu culture and the Ainu cultural landscape are preserved and passed on for future generations.During this event, three Biratori-based presenters –Shimano Kenji, Nagano Tamaki, and Kimura Misaki – introduce their current activities, the challenges they face and their visions for the future.Key to many of these activities is the preservation and restoration of the Ainu cultural landscape and the iwor, the Ainu term for the natural environment that sustains the Ainu way of life. In Biratori this includes the area surrounding the Saru River, the forests and the Ainu kotan (village space) in Nibutani, environments which have historically supported various resources for the continued transmission of Ainu culture. Current activities include maintaining areas for the conservation of plants and vegetables used for medicinal, culinary and craft purposes; re-establishing a river culture rooted in the community; and creating a biodiverse forest which can welcome the return of the kotan-kor-kamuy, the kamuy or spirit-deity which guards the local environment and appears in this world as a large owl.The event also includes a presentation by Professor Katō Hirofumi, Professor of Archaeology at the Centre for Ainu and Indigenous Studies, Hokkaido University. During the event there is an opportunity for guests in the Hall and joining on Zoom to ask questions to the speakers.The exhibition Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River is on display in the Gallery at Japan House London until 21 April, 2024.About the SpeakersNagano TamakiBorn in Nibutani in 1963, Nagano Tamaki joined the Biratori Ainu Culture Preservation Association after her children began attending Ainu language classes in 1993. After serving as officer, treasurer, and secretary general, she became the chair of the Biratori Ainu Culture Preservation Association in 2022. She has a deep passion for performing Ainu dance although she has be reluctant to appear in public since childhood. Within the Association, she prefers to provide support behind the scenes for its members rather than appearing on stage herself.Since 2005, Nagano Tamaki has been actively involved in researching cultural conservation measures for the Biratori Dam area. From 2012 onwards, she has taken on a leadership role in the research activities. Currently, she is dedicated to conducting surveys related to the impact of river channel excavation work.Kimura MisakiBorn in Nibutani in 1992, Kimura Misaki grew up immersed in Ainu culture from childhood. After securing a job in Tokyo, she later returned to Nibutani and assumed the position as Head of the 21st Century Forest Section at Biratori Ainu Culture Public Corporation. She is dedicated to the regeneration of the local forests with the aim of reconstructing the iwor, the Ainu term for the natural environment that sustains the Ainu way of life.Shimano KenjiBorn in 1976, Shimano Kenji joined the Biratori Town Office in 1994 and has been engaged in planning and taxation. He has worked at the Ainu Policy Promotion Division since 2019, while also serving as the Secretary General of the Ainu Association of Biratori and working on general Ainu policy-related tasks. Since 2023, he has been working at the Ainu Cultural Environment Conservation Research Office.Katō HirofumiBorn in Yūbari, Hokkaido, Katō Hirofumi completed his doctoral degree at the University of Tsukuba’s Graduate School of History and Anthropology in 1996. After working at the Graduate School of Area Studies, University of Tsukuba, and the Institute for Northeast Asian Research, Shimane University, he began teaching archaeology at Hokkaido University in 2001, becoming a Professor of Archaeology at the Centre for Ainu and Indigenous Studies, Hokkaido University in October 2010. In April 2020 he was appointed as Director of the Centre.#culture #event #hybridevent #japan #ainu #talk #japanhouselondon
HYBRID | A Taste of Ainu Food Culture Japan House London 2024-02-27 | Discover the characteristics and ingredients of Ainu food culture from the Saru River region and sample one of Ainu cookery’s signature dishes by joining one of a series of special talks, demonstrations and tasting sessions led by members of the Biratori Ainu Culture Preservation Association. During each event in this series, Oikawa Naomi and Nagano Tamaki introduce the ingredients and principles of Ainu food culture and demonstrate how to make ohaw, a soup made by simmering meat or fish in a base of wild seasonal vegetables. Guests then have the opportunity to try the dish themselves. The cuisine of the Ainu, an indigenous people of northern Japan, is distinct from other parts of the Japanese archipelago. Its key ingredients are local game and fish obtained through fishing and hunting such as salmon and deer, seasonal wild plants foraged in the mountains as well as various millets and root vegetables obtained through farming. Imbued with a strong respect for the sustainable use of resources and the environment, an important principle of Ainu food culture is only to take what you need and, when harvesting mountain vegetables, always to ensure that the roots remain. Following a period of decline in Ainu culinary traditions, as a result of assimilationist policies and drastic changes in agriculture since the late 19th century, there has been in recent years a resurgence of interest in the traditions, ingredients and techniques of Ainu cuisine. Vital to this revitalization are organizations like the Biratori Ainu Culture Preservation Association which aim to preserve Ainu food traditions for future generations by leading Ainu cooking workshops and compiling Ainu recipes and adapting them to contemporary tastes. About the Speakers Oikawa Naomi Born in 1969, for the last 20 years Oikawa has been researching Ainu food culture at the Ainu Cultural Environment Conservation Research Office in the Ainu Policy Promotion Section of Biratori Town Office. Her work involves the gathering of ingredients and cultivation of millets as well as the creation of recipes and manuals to pass on Ainu food culture to future generations. She is also responsible for promoting Ainu food culture within the Biratori Ainu Culture Preservation Association where she holds workshops on Ainu cooking several times a year for Biratori residents and visitors. During the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, she was selected as sub leader of the Ainu dance performance and was in charge of the upopo song performance during the opening ceremonies of the marathon and race-walk events held in Sapporo. Nagano Tamaki Born in Nibutani in 1963, Nagano Tamaki joined the Biratori Ainu Culture Preservation Association after her children began attending Ainu language classes in 1993. After serving as an officer, treasurer, and secretary general, she became the chair of the Biratori Ainu Culture Preservation Association in 2022. She has a deep passion for performing Ainu dance despite her reluctance to appear in public since childhood. Within the Association, she prefers to provide support behind the scenes for its members rather than appearing on a stage herself. Since 2005, Nagano has been actively involved in researching cultural conservation measures for the Biratori Dam area. From 2012 onward, she has taken on a leadership role in the research activities. Currently, she is dedicated to conducting surveys related to the impact of river channel excavation work.Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr #culture #event #hybridevent #japan #ainu #talk #japanhouselondon #food #demonstration
Kaizawa Yukiko on 50 years of weaving Ainu attus fabric Japan House London 2024-02-01 | Kaizawa Yukiko has more than 60 years' experience in weaving 'attus', a kind of fabric made from tree bark fibre. She dyes the 'attus', which is made from elm, with flowers and plants that grow locally like marigolds, madder and walnuts. She sometimes works more than 12 hours a day but says, "it's no hardship because I love weaving". The more she weaves, the more she wants to create good items, and she says her work is a "life-long study". Kaizawa has won many awards, including recognition as "an excellent craftswoman" by The Ainu Association of Hokkaido in 2011. More recently in November 2023 she was awarded The Order of the Sacred Treasure by the Japanese government. Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr
Ainu singer Harada Rino on singing as a part of her everyday life Japan House London 2024-02-01 | Harada Rino was born and raised in Nibutani in Biratori, on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. As a member of the Biratori Ainu Culture Preservation Association, she is deeply involved in working to keep alive the tradition of Ainu dancing and singing. In 2022, she formed the singing duo Ankes with Shinmachi Seiya. She is an Ainu language speaker and assists in teaching children in Nibutani who attend the Biratori Nibutani Ainu Language Class.Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr
Professional Hunter Mobetsu Atsushi on Ainu Spirtuality Japan House London 2024-02-01 | Monbetsu Atsushi came into contact with Ainu culture through his father, and as his awareness grew he began learning how to hunt with friends while working as a landscape gardener. He became an independent professional hunter after obtaining his gun hunting licence in 2012. He joined the Biratori Ainu Culture Preservation Association and is now actively involved in ceremonies and rituals as Head of the Department of Daily Life Rituals. Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr
HYBRID | A Master of Human Experience: Talk on Mizoguchi Kenji by Alexander Jacoby Japan House London 2024-01-31 | Mizoguchi Kenji is considered one of Japan’s greatest filmmakers, and one of its most politically acute directors in the early to mid-20th century. Engaging both with Japan’s cultural and political history and with its tumultuous present, he avidly explored the contrasts between tradition and modernity in a fast-changing country, blending a piercing criticism of dominant social values with the intimacy of domestic struggles, and often elevating the personal tragedies of his characters to symbols of anguish for societal oppression. To coincide with a new season of film screenings highlighting the finest achievements of Mizoguchi’s latest years, Japan House London is delighted to invite film scholar and Japanese film critic Alexander Jacoby, who has curated this season’s selection, to give a talk illustrating this iconic director’s life and creative career. During this talk, Jacoby expands on Mizoguchi’s work in the 1950s, which balanced period films with contemporary, political subject matter. His later films respond to the situation of a devastated Japan emerging from war and occupation into an era of liberal democracy. He sensitively dramatized female experience, highlighted in his depictions of the expected role and exploitation of Japanese women. He also engaged with Japan’s literary heritage, adapting and creatively transforming classics of Japanese literature: from Ihara Saikaku to Mori Ōgai and Chikamatsu Monzaemon, many of Mizoguchi’s films took inspiration from some of Japan’s most renowned writers, novelists and dramatists. Japan House London’s film season Focus on Mizoguchi Kenji, specially curated by Alexander Jacoby, runs on multiple dates from February to June 2024. About the Speaker Alexander Jacoby lectures on Japanese cinema at Oxford Brookes University, and is the author of A Critical Handbook of Japanese Film Directors (2008, Stone Bridge Press) and a forthcoming monograph on Hirokazu Koreeda (British Film Institute / Bloomsbury). He has curated retrospectives of Japanese film at BFI South Bank, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, Il Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna and the Giornate del Cinema Muto in Pordenone, Italy. #culture #event #talk #hybridevent #Japan #cinematography #film
Ainu Stories: Ainu Singing and Dancing in Biratori, Hokkaido Japan House London 2024-01-17 | Dancing and singing have a range of social and ceremonial functions in Ainu communities. Each region’s dance has its own characteristics. The dances from the Biratori region often refer to the birds found by the banks of the Saru River: 'Chak piyak' represents the flight of swifts; 'Huntori hunchikap' portrays ravens bathing in the water; 'Hararaki' is the dance of the crane playing in the wetlands and 'Anna hore' (Bird dance) recalls birds flapping their wings. Taking part in dance accompanied by singing, is an important element in the transmission of Ainu culture in the community. Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr
Ainu Stories: Ainu Food Preparation Japan House London 2024-01-17 | Dishes in the Ainu tradition are predominantly made from wild vegetables and seasoned with fish oil and animal fat. Soups – 'ohaw' and 'rur' – contain plants such as wild onions cooked together with flesh of salmon or deer; 'rataskep' are reduced simmered dishes that can contain beans or root vegetables such as potatoes; and 'sito' are dumplings made from 'si-puske-p', glutinous millet. A key source of starch is taken from boiled 'turep', the bulb of a wild lily, which is then dried to be eaten later. One of the fundamental etiquettes of Ainu food culture is to only take what you need when gathering in the wild and, when harvesting mountain vegetables, to ensure that the roots remain.Learn more about Ainu food culture at 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr
Ainu Stories: Attus Weaving in Nibutani, Hokkaido Japan House London 2024-01-17 | 'Attus' is the fabric woven from the inner bark fibres of elm and linden trees. Clothing made from this fabric is also called 'attus'.Examples of such fabric can be found throughout Hokkaido, and the necessary raw materials grow in abundance in the Saru River basin, leading the area to become well known for 'attus' production. Because of its durability, breathability and water resistance, in the past the fabric became a popular choice in workwear for fishermen and an important trade commodity. There are few 'attus' weavers in Nibutani today. The production of 'attus' has been named an ‘Officially Designated Traditional Craft’, one of only two specific to the island of Hokkaido. The other is the carving of Nibutani 'ita', carved wooden trays. Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr
Ainu Stories: Embroidery of Ainu Robes Japan House London 2024-01-17 | A vivid expression of Ainu identity can be seen in Ainu robes, or 'amip', the designs of which vary from region to region. Today, these robes are worn for certain ceremonies and for performances of song and dance. Most often worn in the Saru River area is the 'kapar-amip' (thin robe), distinguished by the extent of white cotton appliqué patterns on an indigo blue robe. It is a relatively recent type of robe, having only been made in the region since the late 19th century. It is made by cutting out shapes from a large piece of white cotton. In Nibutani, the appliqué designs tend to cover the whole of the back of the robe. Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr
HYBRID | Keeping the Ainu Language Alive Japan House London 2024-01-17 | Learn about the distinctive characteristics of aynuitak, the Ainu language, and hear from the people of Biratori who are dedicated to ensuring its continued life, in a special talk event at Japan House London. The Ainu language is in its own language family, a language isolate that is distinct from the Japanese language with a number of regional variations. Passed down by word of mouth over generations it has been central to the transmission of Ainu culture. Ainu is today classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ by the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger with few fluent speakers, however in recent years revitalization activities by local communities have led to a resurgence of interest in the language. This is particularly the case in the town of Biratori in Hokkaido where the Ainu culture advocateactivist and former Japanese National Diet Member Shigeru Kayano first opened an Ainu- language school in 1983, and where today the Ainu language is taught in the local primary school in Nibutani and announcements on local bus routes can be heard in the Ainu language. During this event, Biratori-based Ainu language teachers and advocates Sekine Kenji and Sengoku Yuko discuss the current state of Ainu- language education in Biratori and introduce various initiatives for its revitalization. The event also features a short presentation by Professor Julia Sallabank, Professor of Language Policy and Revitalisation at SOAS, University of London who reports on the outcomes of a closed workshop held earlier in the day bringing together Ainu- language advocates with representatives of regional and minority languages in the British Isles and enabling them to learn from each other’s activities and experiences. The talk is a part of a programme of events connected with the exhibition Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River on display in the Gallery at Japan House London from 16 November 2023 until 21 April 2024.Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr #event #hybridevent #japan #ainu #language #culture
Ainu Stories: Sekine Kenji leading a childrens Ainu language class in Nibutani, Hokkaido Japan House London 2024-01-13 | The Ainu language is in its own language family, and as a 'language isolate' (with no known related languages) is distinct from Japanese. In the past it has largely been passed down by word of mouth and has been central to the transmission of Ainu culture. Today, Sekine Kenji leads the children’s Ainu language classes in the Nibutani Community Centre each week. The language is learned through games, songs, written exercises and dances. Sekine also travels around Hokkaido teaching Ainu at schools and other institutions. He has held Ainu-language study camps in Nibutani to further revitalize the learning of the Ainu language. Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr
HYBRID | Ainu Oral Literature: Voices, Songs, Stories Japan House London 2024-01-13 | As speakers of a language that is received, preserved, and transmitted verbally, the Ainu people have been relying on the oral transmission of folklore as the primary mode of exposure to their native language. After the Meiji era (1868-1912), occasions to incorporate the Ainu language in everyday use diminished significantly due to substantial pressures of assimilation and modernization, resulting in Japanese becoming the predominant language. Opportunities to engage with Ainu oral literature consequently dwindled and many efforts have had to be made within the community to document and safeguard the Ainu language and its oral literary heritage. In recent times there has been an accumulation and preservation of audio recordings and written accounts of Ainu oral literature by museums and various other institutions. Numerous materials, catalogued and transcribed by both researchers and members of the Ainu community, remain unpublished, although portions do exist in printed form and on online platforms, as well as in tape recordings which are used today as teaching materials. During this event, specialists in Ainu language and members of the Biratori Nibutani Ainu Language Class present an overview of the principal genres within Ainu oral tradition and discuss the involvement of the Biratori Ainu community in expanding the number of speakers. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy a performance of kamuy yukar — one of the many mythic epics recounting tales of kamuy (spirit-deities) in which a chanter impersonates the kamuy who appear in the world as a Bear, Fox or Owl and so forth —and uepeker, prose stories which can be serious, mysterious or humorous, and which depict ordinary human experiences. The talk is a part of a programme of events connected with the exhibition Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River on display in the Gallery at Japan House London from 16 November 2023 until 21 April 2024.Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr #Japan #japanhouselondon #event #hybridevent #ainu #culture
Ainu woodcarving master Kaizawa Tōru on his family history and creative journey Japan House London 2023-12-30 | Born in Nibutani, Kaizawa Tōru grew up alongside his craftsman father, Tsutomu, and other Nibutani craftspeople. His great-grandfather, Kaizawa Utorentoku was well known outside his community for his woodcarving skills in the 19th century. While valuing the traditions inherited from his great-grandfather, today Kaizawa Tōru creates new works that are both rooted in Ainu tradition and reflections of his own personality. Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River': bit.ly/49VZsCr
Ozaki Tsuyoshi on the practice of Ainu cise construction in Biratori, Hokkaido Japan House London 2023-12-23 | Ozaki Tsuyoshi is a leading expert on 'cise' (thatched house) construction and a well-known woodcarver.Even in Nibutani, the practice and techniques of 'cise' construction had been under threat. Ozaki's dream is to build rows of 'cise' in the grounds of the Nibutani museums and bring back the bustling vitality of the past. His activities are fuelled by his pride in his hometown, and a desire to pass on traditions and train successors.Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River': bit.ly/49VZsCr
Exhibition curator Simon Wright introduces Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River Japan House London 2023-12-18 | Simon Wright, Director of Programming of Japan House London and curator of 'Ainu Stories', introduces the concept of the exhibition and how it explores the contemporary lives of this indigenous people of northern Japan.The exhibition runs at Japan House London until 21 April 2024. Learn more at our website: bit.ly/49VZsCr
Ainu Stories: Ainu Wood Carving in Biratori, Hokkaido Japan House London 2023-12-16 | Decorative woodcarving plays an important role in the transmission of Ainu artistry from generation to generation in Biratori, and remains a crucial element of the area’s tourist industry.Nibutani 'ita' are carved wooden plates or trays found mainly in the Nibutani area and once used for serving food. The production of 'ita' has been named an ‘Officially Designated Traditional Craft’, one of only two in Hokkaido. The other is the weaving of Nibutani 'attus', barkcloth textiles.Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River': bit.ly/49VZsCr
HYBRID | Carving Ainu Art: In conversation with Kaizawa Tōru and Katō Hirofumi Japan House London 2023-12-13 | Join us for an evening of conversation with influential Ainu artist and master woodcarver Kaizawa Tōru whose work fuses Ainu woodcarving traditions with his own personal style and contemporary sensibility. Kaizawa Tōru has been working as a carver for decades at his studio in Nibutani opened by his craftsman father in 1970. His great-grandfather, Kaizawa Utorentoku was one of two Ainu artisans renowned for their skill in the Meiji Era who first began selling Nibutani ita, decorative carved plates or trays, in Sapporo in the 1890s. Influenced by the traditions he has inherited from his predecessors, Kaizawa Tōru has established his own distinctive creative style. His work includes both craft items such as Nibutani ita which keep alive the traditions of his ancestors, and original Ainu art expressing his own personality and ideas His skilful yet free works have been not only bringing awareness to contemporary Ainu lives and culture, but also inspiring younger Ainu generations and even informing visuals in the popular manga series Golden Kamuy. During the event Kaizawa Tōru is joined in conversation by Katō Hirofumi, Professor of Archaeology at the Centre for Ainu & Indigenous Studies, Hokkaido University, to delve into Kaizawa’s roots and his creative journey as a woodcarver and artist. The event also includes an opportunity for guests to ask questions to the speakers. About the Speakers Kaizawa Tōru Born in Nibutani in 1958, Kaizawa Tōru grew up in the company of his craftsman father (Tsutomu) and fellow artisans. His great-grandfather, Kaizawa Utorentoku was one of two Ainu artisans renowned for their skill in the Meiji Era. While valuing traditions inherited from his great-grandfather, he combines them with his unique sensibility and techniques, energetically grappling with the creation of original Ainu art that expresses his own personality and message. He has won many prizes, including the Hokkaido Governor's Award at the Hokkaido Ainu Traditional Craft Exhibition. He is the owner of the workshop Kita no Kobo Tsutomu. Katō Hirofumi Born in Yūbari, Hokkaido, Katō Hirofumi completed his doctoral degree at the University of Tsukuba's Graduate School of History and Anthropology in 1996. After working at the Graduate School of Area Studies, University of Tsukuba, and the Institute for Northeast Asian Research, Shimane University, he began teaching archaeology at Hokkaido University in 2001, becoming a Professor of Archaeology at the Centre for Ainu and Indigenous Studies, Hokkaido University in October 2010. In April 2020 he was appointed as Director of the Centre.Learn more about 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' here: bit.ly/49VZsCr #Japan #japanhouselondon #event #hybridevent #craft #ainu #culture
Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River Trailer Japan House London 2023-11-28 | Visit 'Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River' to experience Ainu culture as it exists today in northern Japan.The exhibition is a UK-first exploration of the contemporary lives of this indigenous people in collaboration with the community of Biratori, located in the southern Hokkaido region.The exhibition runs at Japan House London until 21 April 2024. Learn more about 'Ainu Stories' at our website: bit.ly/49VZsCr
HYBRID | TALK AND DEMONSTRATION: The Costumes of Kabuki Japan House London 2023-11-23 | Discover the splendour and beauty of kabuki costumes through a talk and demonstration of kitsuke, the technique of dressing kimono, by Ōkubo Hiroyoshi and Sakaguchi Midori. Kabuki is one of the four forms of classical Japanese theatre, along with Noh, kyōgen (comic theatre) and bunraku (puppet theatre). Lavish and intricately decorated costumes are a signature feature of kabuki, and together with stunning make-up, sophisticated wigs and bold acting style are a real treat for the eyes of spectators. Kabuki is a theatre form in which only male actors appear on stage. Female roles are performed by male actors called onnagata, who specialize and excel in capturing femininity through subtle gestures, movements and manner of speaking. The costumes presented during the event belong to one of the most acclaimed and celebrated onnagata actors, Bandō Tamasaburō V. The event offers a rare opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how kabuki actors are dressed in their stage costumes. There is an opportunity for audience members to ask questions and marvel at the original costumes of one of kabuki’s most cherished actors, who has been designated a ‘Living National Treasure’ in 2012. The event at Japan House coincides with the exhibition Kabuki Kimono: The Costumes of Bandō Tamasaburō V at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford organized in collaboration with the Japan Foundation and supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, The Shikanai Foundation, D-T Ltd, IndigoRose Project, British Airways, Japan Airlines, and Hugh Fraser Foundation. About the speakers Ōkubo Hiroyoshi was born in 1979 into a family of craftsmen specialising in costume making for classical Japanese dance. He started learning classical dance at the age of three and at the age of 14 he was certified by the Sōke Fujima school in November 1993. He has performed, among others, on the stage of National Theatre of Japan. Since March 2002, he has been involved in the making, maintenance, management and kitsuke of kabuki costumes. He has worked on costumes for numerous classic and new kabuki productions. Currently, as a classical dance costume designer, he is working on the preservation and development of this art form. Sakaguchi Midori was born in 1979 into a family of Noh performers of the Kanze school. She debuted on stage at the age of three and graduated from the Department of Traditional Japanese Music of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, majoring in Noh theatre. As a student she received the Ataka Prize, awarded to students with outstanding academic achievements. She has also received a master's degree in performing arts from Goldsmiths, University of London. After working as a secretary for writer Hayashi Nozomu, her former teacher at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and the author of England is Delicious, she has been involved in numerous Noh and kabuki performances in Japan and abroad, as well as in the promotion of classical performing arts. #Japan #japanhouselondon #event #hybridevent #kabuki #theatre #costume
How to Make Momiji (Maple Leaf) Origami Japan House London 2023-11-15 | Momiji-gari (紅葉狩り) is the term used to describe the custom of going out to view the autumn colours in nature, translating literally as ‘autumn colour-hunting’.Although the kanji (Chinese characters) for the term ‘autumn colours’ (紅葉) is usually pronounced ‘kōyō’, in this expression it is read as ‘momiji’ which is the word for Japanese maple. This is because, in Japan, ‘momiji’ is synonymous with autumn colours.Celebrate Origami Day (11 November) by following the steps to make a 'momiji' (maple leaf) in this autumn season. Tag @japanhouseldn and share your creations with us.
Celebrating 5 Years of Japan House London Japan House London 2023-11-14 | From 13 September 2023, Japan House London celebrates five years of bringing the best of Japan to London and beyond. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has visited and supported Japan House London over the last five years and to extend a warm welcome to those who are discovering us for the first time.
