Contact Us Sitemap

What's On


Lecture and workshop - Beyond Tatami: Agriculture and Crafts in Oita new
Talk event - The Birth of Fashion: Trends, Aesthetics, and Edo Kimono with NARUMI Hiroshi new
KABUKI KIMONO: Costumes of Bandō Tamasaburō V
JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL ONLINE 2024
Art Without Heroes: Mingei

Lecture and workshop - Beyond Tatami: Agriculture and Crafts in Oita   org

Oita Prefecture's Kunisaki Peninsula and its Usa area are deemed a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in recognition of their sustainable agricultural traditions, and are home to various local plants, including shiitake mushrooms and shichitoi (a type of tatami grass/soft rush). Shichitoi in particular is unique to the region and is revered for its superior sturdiness and durability; as such, this special plant is widely used for tatami-making, as well as other craftworks.

In this very special event, HAYASHI Hiroaki, President of the Kunisaki Peninsula Usa Area GIAHS Promotion Association, will begin by giving an overview of the importance of agriculture in the region, introducing some of the materials harvested there.

This will be followed by expert craftsperson IWAKIRI Chika demonstrating the making of enza (small, round cushions) using shichitoi, after which workshop ticketholders will have the unique opportunity to get hands-on with this special material as they make their very own miniature shimenawa (a type of traditional rope) and, time permitting, misanga (a type of good luck charm).

This event has limited availability – book now at the link below to secure your place.

Click here to book on the Panorama Journal website


Date: 28 July 2024 from 2.00pm to 4.00pm
Venue:

Frankopan Hall, West Court, Jesus College, Cambridge, CB5 8BL


Price: £5/£20* per person - limited availability
*£5 to attend the lecture/demonstration and observe the workshop.
£20 to attend the lecture/demonstration and participate in the workshop.

Co-organised with Jesus College, University of Cambridge; Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature; and Oita Prefecture.
In collaboration with the ‘Spotlight on Local Japan’ project by Japan House London and the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).

Back to Top

Talk event - The Birth of Fashion: Trends, Aesthetics, and Edo Kimono with NARUMI Hiroshi   org

Have you heard about V&A Dundee’s ongoing kimono exhibition? Perhaps you attended our online talk on kimono back in 2020? The kimono is an object of national pride in Japan, long beloved by Japanese people and influential even within the western world. Yet, unfortunately, kimono in modern Japan have been relegated to a sort of costume, worn only on specific special occasions. Perhaps the kimono, now overshadowed by western attire, is no longer considered a driving force in fashion – indeed, fashion itself is a concept generally considered to have been born in western Europe, from where it spread to the rest of the world, Japan included. But is that really the case?

 

Keeping this question in mind, sociologist and Japanese fashion theorist Prof. NARUMI Hiroshi will discuss how trends and aesthetics surrounding kimono came into being and changed over the course of the Edo period (1603-1868), a period during which many notable cultures flourished. Paying close attention to the trends seen among the groups active at the time – those in power, industry insiders, creators, performers, and young people – NARUMI will also explore in what ways kimono constituted fashion, and just how trail-blazing a fashion culture emerged.

 

To book your place, please click here to access the booking form.

Please note that the confirmation email system is not automated and is subject to office opening hours.


Date: 4 July 2024 from 6.30pm
Venue:

The Hall, Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA


Images 1, 2, and 4 © The Trustees of the British Museum

Back to Top

KABUKI KIMONO: Costumes of Bandō Tamasaburō V   org

Step into the world of Kabuki with six stunning kimonos worn by the legendary actor BANDO Tamasaburo V, known for his renowned onnagata roles (male actor who performs female roles). Experience the intricate artistry of these garments, highlighting a diverse range of complex textile techniques, encompassing weaving, dyeing, embroidery, and hand-painting. We are delighted to collaborate with the Ashmolean Museum.

 

Date: 21 November 2023 - 8 December 2024

Venue: The Ashmolean Museum

Click here for details


Date: 21 November 2023 - 8 December 2024
Back to Top

JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL ONLINE 2024   org

Following on from the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2024 (JFTFP24) in February and March, we are delighted to announce that JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL ONLINE, first launched in 2020, will now also be held in the UK from 5 June at 4am until 3 July at 4am (all times BST).

For the first two weeks of the festival, 18 Japanese films will be available for streaming, with 2 television drama series that were popular in Japan being made available for the festival’s second half.

Enjoy the diverse world of Japanese cinema in person and also online this year!


Date: 5 June 2024 - 3 July 2024 from 4.00am to 4.00am

For more information, please click here.
Back to Top

Art Without Heroes: Mingei   JPsupported

In collaboration with William Morris Gallery, we're proudly presenting the UK's most wide-ranging exhibition dedicated to Mingei, the influential folk-craft movement originating in Japan during the 1920s and 1930s. Showcasing a diverse array of works including ceramics, woodwork, textiles, and more, this exhibition explores Mingei's cultural significance and its enduring relevance in contemporary craft and consumerism.

Date: now on, until 22 September 2024
Venue: William Morris Gallery
Click here for details


Date: 23 March 2024 - 22 September 2024
Back to Top
Text Size: | A | A | A | A

Sign up here for our monthly e-bulletin.