Events
January - December 2012
Arts & Culture

Business & Government

Education

Lectures

LifestyleSpecial Events

For more information or to book for Japan Society events,
please visit the website or contact the office.

The Japan Society, Swire House, 59 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AJ

tel: 020 7828 6330 fax: 020 7828 6331 info@japansociety.org.uk www.japansociety.org.uk
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Registered Charity No. 1063952 VAT Registration No: 241 5505 89.

Collecting Japanese Ceramics for the
British Museum in the later 19th Century

Tohoku: Images of a Disaster
Sainsbury Institute for the Study of JapaneseArts - Cultures

Monday 16 January 2012
6.45pm

24 January - 24 March 2012
Open Tuesday - Saturday 10.30pm - 17.00pm(Thursdays late night up to 20.00pm)

Nicole Rousmaniere

Garden Room
Oriental Club
11 Stratford Place
London W1C 1ES
Free – booking recommended

Augustus Wollaston Franks (1826-1897), Keeper of the
British Museum from 1866-1896, was responsible forwhat became in due course the Department of Oriental
Antiquities (now the Department of Asia) at the British
Museum. He amassed a large collection of Japaneseceramics during this time. This talk will illustrate someof his more interesting purchases, chart recently
discovered documents, such as letters from Ernest
Satow and examine his in-depth search for what Franksbelieved was an ‘authentic’ representation of Japaneseceramic production from prehistory to present.
Dr Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere is Research Directorof the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of JapaneseArts and Cultures. She received her PhD from Harvard
University in 1998. Her research interests include
Japanese contemporary craft expression, Japanesemanga, early modern to contemporary ceramics in East
Asia and trade networks, the history of archaeology andcollecting things Japan in Asia and in Europe. She iscurrently seconded to the British Museum as a curator
in the Department of Asia working on their extensive
ceramic collection.

Brunei Gallery
School of Oriental and African Studies
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
Free
Tohoku: Images of Disaster is a collaborative venture
amongst the Sainsbury Institute for the Study ofJapanese Arts and Cultures, the School of Oriental andAfrican Studies and Zen Foto. The exhibition comprises
images by Japanese and international photographersrevealing the terrifying drama and damage wreakedby the earthquake and tsunami along Japan’s northeastern coastline on 11 March 2011. The work is a mixof art, documentation, reportage and interpretation, firstshown in Tokyo earlier this year by Mark Pearson at Zen
Foto Gallery. The exhibition will be in place on the firstanniversary of the disaster, providing an opportunity forremembrance and commemoration.

In the immediate aftermath of the Tohoku Earthquake
and Tsunami, Zen Foto Gallery in Roppongi, Tokyo
coordinated an exhibition of photographs taken by
photographers immediately after the earthquake. Taking
place during the aftermath of the disaster, this exhibition
included many images of devastation, as they weretaken at a time when people were simply struggling
to survive an unprecedented natural disaster. Life goeson in Tohoku, but some things have been affected forever. In this exhibition, we consider how the people in
the region and Japan as a whole have responded to theevents of 11 March 2011.
This event is co-organised by the Sainsbury Institute for
the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, the School ofOriental and African Studies, and Zen Foto. This event iskindly supported bt the Empassy of Japan in the UK and
the Japan Society.

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Prospects for the Coalition
Philip Stephens, Financial Times

The Crucible of Seld: A Critical Analysis
of War Diaries by Japanese Soldiers, 1937-1945
Aaron William Moore

Wednesday 15 February 201212.30pm

Monday 20 February 2012
6.45pmThe National Liberal Club
Whithall Place
London SW1A 2HE(nearest tube: Embankment Station)
Cost: £50 per head for members of the Japan
Society and JCCI
Philip Stephens is our guest at the first joint JCCI andJapan Society lunch of 2012. This very experienced andperceptive speaker can be expected to give us muchto think about as the British Government faces criticalissues at home and in Europe.
Rarely does a day go by without further speculation on
the future of the coalition. There is a focus on disunity anddifference rather than an emphasis on commonality.
The impact on domestic policy is significant, but thequestion of the UK’s role within Europe is the mainconcern for the moment.
The coherence of the coalition remains vital forthe government; its success dependent on plans
formulated within a 5 year election cycle. But will thisslightly one-sided partnership hold strong until 2015?
Common aim, compromise, accommodation andpersonal relationships are key.

Philip Stephens is associate editor of the Financial
Times and also its chief political commentator. The
author of twice weekly columns on global and British
affairs, Philip Stephens travels widely in Europe, Asia,
the Middle East and the United States. In addition, he
is a regular contributor to political and foreign affairs
journals, radio, television news and current affairs
programmes. In 2008, he received the British Press
Award for Political Journalist of the Year.

The Oriental Club
Stratford House
11 Stratford Place
London W1C 1ES

Free - booking recommended
Touching on research conducted for his forthcoming
book, The Peril of Self-Discipline (Harvard University
Press, Fall 2012), Aaron William Moore will analyze how
Japanese soldiers came to write ‘war diaries’ (jinchu nikki/ jugun techo) during the period of total war in East Asia.
The completion of this project required the reading ofover two hundred diaries by Japanese, Chinese andAmerican soldiers in the Asia Pacific theatre, providing
the first truly comparative study of the ordinary soldier’s
experience outside Europe. Japanese wartime diaries
were not unique, and thus the project demonstrates
transnational aspects of battlefield diary writing bysoldiers.
Dr Aaron William Moore is Lecturer in East Asian History,
School of Arts, Histories, and Cultures at the Universityof Manchester. He received his PhD from Princeton
University and has held Postdoctoral appointments
at the University of Oxford and the Harvard University
Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies. Researchsupport includes grants awarded from the British
Academy and the Sasakawa Foundation. Dr Moore’s
work focuses on transnational social history andincludes documents in Chinese, Japanese and Russian,as well as research in British and American archives. His
second book concerns the wartime writings of children
and adolescents in China, Japan, the UK and the USSR.

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This event is co-organised with:This event is associated with:KABUKI, a Photographic Exhibition
by Frederic Aranda

Gender, Power and the Erotic Body in theTale of Genjiby Rajyashree Pandey

10 - 16 March 2012
10.00am - 7.00pm(Special Event 11 March 2012 3 – 6pm)

Monday 19 March 2012
6.45pmThe Hospital Club Gallery
24 Endell St
LondonWC2H 9HQThe Oriental Club
Stratford House
11 Stratford Place
London W1C 1ES

Free

Free – booking recommended

Kabuki, a Photographic Exhibition will run at The
Hospital Club’s iconic gallery from 10 – 16 March
2012, featuring a stunning set of images of Kabuki’s
brightest young actors, photographed by acclaimed
portrait photographer Frederic Aranda over thelast five years, during performances and backstageat London’s Barbican and Sadler’s Wells theatres.
Limited edition prints of photographs in the
exhibition will be available for sale.
This exhibition will provide a unique opportunity
to catch a glimpse into a closed and rarefied world;
this is the first time that backstage pictures of Kabuki
have been exhibited or put up for sale, even in Japan.

This is a charity exhibition which will provide awelcome boost to long-term fundraising and media
activities to provide crucial ongoing support tothe people who have been affected by the Great
East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Thanks to the
support of the partners in this event, all proceedsfrom the sale of photographs will go to the Japan
Society Tohoku Earthquake Relief Fund.
On 11 March, 3 - 6pm, the anniversary of theearthquake, there is a special programme of events:
An Introduction by photographer, Frederic Aranda
The Making of a Kabuki Star – talk by Ronald Cavaye
The Wisteria Maiden: Poetry in Motion – talk by Paul M Griffith
An Echo from London – piano recital by Waka Hasegawa

To register attendance for 11 March, please email:rsvp@thehospitalclub.com

This lecture argues that that the erotic body in theTale of Genji does not belong to the realm of a pureaesthetics, divorced from relations of power and freeof political consequences. Through close textual
readings, Rajyashree Pandey explores the politics ofbodily performance by focusing on the centrality ofgender and status to the ways in which the erotic
body, desire and affect come to be constituted in thetext.
Dr Rajyashree Pandey is Reader in Asian Politics at
Goldsmiths, University of London. Her work focuses
on issues surrounding gender, body and sexuality
in medieval and modern Japan. Additional researchinterests include examining contemporary popular
culture, particularly manga and anime, looking at
the intersection between pre-modern Buddhist
forms of understanding the world and Japan’s ‘postmodern’ condition. She has published numerous
articles including ‘Reconfiguring sex, body anddesire in Japanese Modernity’ which was publishedin the journal Postcolonial Studies. Her book entitledWriting and Renunciation in Medieval Japan: The
Works of the Poet-Priest Kamo no Chōmei waspublished as part of the University of Michigan
Japanese Monograph Series.

A pay bar is available before the lecture. Please notethat the Oriental Club rules require gentlemen towear jacket and tie.

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This event is associated with:‘Catch the Blossom’ - A Haiku Workshop
with Sho Otaka

BADA Antiques and Fine Art Fair

Saturday 24 March 2012
3.00 - 5.00pm

Monday 26 March 2012
6.00pmThe Triangle Space
Chelsea College of Art and Design
16 John Islip Street
London SW1P 4JU
Free – Booking essential (places are limited)
Explore the beauty of haiku through a writing
workshop with poet Sho Otaka. The cherry is oneof the most frequently used seasonal references(kigo 季語) for spring and will form the focus for thissession. Sho Otaka will read spring haiku and discuss
their structure and references, paying attention
to the subtle ways in which mood and meaning isconveyed through allusion to this flower.
Working with British haiku poet, Paul Conneally, Sho
Otaka will encourage and assist participants to create
their own haiku in English or in Japanese.

Sho Otaka has been writing haiku since the age of
13 and published her first collection「ひとりの聖域」(hitori no seiiki) at 18years old. Her recent book「親子で楽しむ こども俳句塾」(oyako de tanoshimu kodomo haiku juku) (2010, Meiji Shoin) encourages
parents to write haiku with their children. Since
2004, Sho Otaka has made it her mission to organize
haiku workshops for beginners, both adults andchildren. As well as working on her own haiku, shegives lectures, appears on television and judges
competitions.

Duke of York Square(Off Sloane Square)
London SW3 4LY£12 for Japan Society Members
Booking deadline: Monday 19 March
A reception and special talk at the British Antique
Dealers’ Association Fair has been organised for Japan
Society members and guests. The cost of booking
includes attendance at the reception, champagne andgallery talk. A BADA Handbook and voucher for a return
visit the following day is also included.
With approximately 100 members of BADA exhibitingfrom throughout the UK, this is the leading annual
national art and antiques fair in the country. A visit is a‘must’ for anyone interested in art and antiques, wherea dazzling array of top quality furniture, paintings,
clocks, ceramics, jewellery and silver can be viewed andbought. The group will be entertained to drinks andshown the special loan exhibition. The Fair is open to
the public daily at 11.00am between Wednesday 21 –Tuesday 29 March. Standard admission is £10 for single
entry, £15 for double.

This event is organised in conjunction with an
exhibition ‘Catch the moon, Catch the blossom’ at
the Triangle Space, Chelsea College of Art & Design.
Open daily (including weekends) 11.00am - 6.00pm,
21 - 29 March.

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From West to East: Testing the ‘Re-balance’
by Robin Niblett

Zen: Its Practice and Philosophy for
Everyday Lifeby Sukon Tsushimoto

Thursday 26 April 201212.30pm

Thursday 26 April 2012
6.45pmThe National Liberal ClubWhitehall Place
London SW1A 2HE(nearest tube: Embankment Station)

The Oriental Club
Stratford House
11 Stratford Place
London WC1 1ES£50 for members of the Japan Society
Booking deadline: Monday 23 April

Free - Booking recommended

Robin Niblett is our guest at this joint JCCI and Japan
Society lunch. In this lecture, the Director of Chatham
House will look at the shifts of power and influence
across the globe. In particular, he will consider how
Japan, the United Kingdom and the Western worldmust adjust.

In this talk, Sokun Tsushimoto, a Zen master of the
Rinzai School and qualified medical doctor, will
provide insight into the essence of Zen, its traditional
practices and discipline. He will also discuss his role asboth clinician and priest in the context of birth, aging,sickness and death.

The impressive growth rates of Brazil, India, Russia
and China (labelled the ‘BRICs’ as a group) compare
very favourably with the near-recessionary conditionof most Western economies. The latter sometimes
seem to be tired and their politicians grapple withmany global concerns, often not as effectively as theywould like. On the other hand, the former struggle
with corruption, extremes of wealth and poverty, anda lack of sophisticated infrastructure, but are starting
to invest heavily and find their feet politically as wellas in global forums such as the G20.
One sign of the BRICs new confidence is an increased
ability to articulate more forceful opinions withregard to territorial disputes as illustrated in theincident two years ago surrounding the Senkaku
Islands between China and Japan. Once seen as theleader in Asia, Japan will have to be ever mindful ofan emerging China and the influence it seeks to exert
as the country increases trade not only within Asia
but around the world.

Zen is one of the main schools of Buddhism andoriginally came to Japan from China in the 13th
century. Over time, a distinctly Japanese form of
Zen developed. Today, what the world commonly
understands as Zen is without a doubt a Japanesetradition. It is not an overstatement to say that theessence of Zen goes right to the heart of many
Japanese cultural traditions.

To understand the essence of Zen will give a richer
understanding of Japanese culture. As a doctor andpriest, Reverend Tsushimoto is concerned with boththe physical and spiritual; this talk about his ideas andexperiences promises to offer fascinating insights.
Reverend Sokun Tsushimoto studied the philosophyof religion at Kyōto University and spent 15 years
training at Tenryuji in Kyōto. In 1993, he wasappointed Chief Abbot (kanchō), the highest
position in Rinzai-shu, and became involved in Zen
training within Japan as well as in Europe. Later, heswitched to medicine and graduated from Kyōto
University Medical School in 2006. Since then, he
has been active as a doctor priest with a specialism
in internal medicine. He has been in London since2010, engaged in the study of clinical uses ofcomplimentary medicine.

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Japan Society Japanese Course

Exclusive Tour – Yayoi Kusama at Tate Modern

Wednesday 9 May - Wednesday11 July 2012
6.30pm - 8.00pm

Friday 11 May 2012
8.45am for 9.00am start

Toray Industries
Verulam Gardens
70 Gray’s Inn Road
London WC1X 8NH

Tate Modern
Bankside
London SE1 9TG£60 for 10 weekly sessions
Booking essential - places are limited£12 - booking essential (places are limited)
Booking deadline - Monday 7 May

The Spring 2012 course in pre-intermediate Japanese
will begin in May and run for ten weeks, until
Wednesday 11 July. This course will be taught byteachers from the SOAS Japanese language teacher
training programme.

Courtesy of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation,
Japan Society members are invited to an exclusive
exhibition tour of Yayoi Kusama at Tate Modern.
Richard Thomas, one of Tate’s art specialists, will givea guided tour of the exhibition outside normal public
opening hours from 9.00 – 10.00am. After the tour,
Japan Society members are welcome to remain in
the exhibition after the gallery opens to the generalpublic.

This is a pre-intermediate level course. Students needapproximately Level Three of the Japanese Language
Proficiency Test: basic grammar, approximately 300
kanji, approximately 1500 vocabulary items; an ability
to carry out conversation in everyday situations andto read and write simple sentences. The focus of thecourse is on communication in daily life. The classes
will start from Lesson 8 Minna no Nihongo Chukyu I.
Classes take place from 6:30pm on Wednesdays at
the offices of Toray Industries, Inc. At 8.00pm thelesson will end and participants move to a nearby
pub to practise Japanese conversation in a morerelaxed setting.
We are grateful to Toray Industries, Inc. and SOAS
Language Centre for making it possible to continue
these very popular classes.

To book a place, or register an interest in this course,
please contact Hiroko Kimura, email: hiroko.kimura@japansociety.org.uk or tel: 020 7828 6330

This is the largest collection of Yayoi Kusama’s work
ever exhibited in the UK. It reflects nine decadesof her life, from rural Japan to the New York art
scene to contemporary Tokyo. This retrospective
illustrates how Kusama has continuously re-invented
herself and her artistic style throughout a long anddistinguished international career. Yayoi Kusama
continues until Tuesday 5 June 2012.
Yayoi Kusama The Passing Winter 2005 (detail) ©
Tate. Presented by the Asia Pacific Acquisitions
Committee 2008. Photo: Tate Photography.

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Photography and Japan’s 1960 Anpo Crisis
by Julia Adeney Thomas

Monday 21 May 2012
6.45pmThe Oriental Club
Stratford House
11 Stratford Place
London W1C 1ES

Free – booking recommended(Oriental Club rules require gentlemen to wear jacket and tie)

When the protests against the 1960 Japan-America
Security Treaty (Anpo) erupted and sixteen million
people nationwide took to the streets, photographer
Hamaya Hiroshi was among them, documenting
the mayhem, hope, and ultimate defeat of the
opposition. Julia Adeney Thomas will explore thepurpose served by his photographs, asking whether
they opened up a new civic space or memorialized its
closure. Using images and drawing on contemporary
theories of photography, this lecture considers thenature of the photograph as a political space.

Dr Julia Adeney Thomas writes about nature, politics,
historiography, and photography in Japan andcomparatively. Her interest in how we grapple with
the natural world has led to work on the Korean
DMZ, a comparison of Maruyama Masao’s ideas withthose of Frankfurt School philosophers, a manifesto
on the future of environmental history for Munich’s
Rachel Carson Centre, and Reconfiguring Modernity:

Concepts of Nature in Japanese Political Ideology(winner of the 2002 John K. Fairbank prize fromthe American Historical Association) as well as theforthcoming edited volume Japan at Nature’s Edge
with Brett Walker and Ian Miller. Articles on Japanesephotography during and after the war haveappeared in The American Historical Review, History
and Theory, and The Journal of Asian Studies among
others. Trained at Princeton, Oxford, and Chicago,
she has taught at the University of Illinois at Chicago,
the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and, currently,
the University of Notre Dame where she is associate
professor of history.

Globe to Globe: Chiten – Coriolanus

Tuesday 22 May 2012
7.30pm Performance
at Globe Theatre

10.15pm Reception
at Bankside Theatre

Globe Theatre
21 New Globe Walk
London SE1 9DT

Tsuru Bankside
4 Convey Street
London SE1 9AN£25 – Coriolanus£20 – Reception with Chiten Theatre Company£45 – Coriolanus and Reception

Booking deadline – Thursday 9 April
Join the Japan Society at the Globe Theatre for
Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, performed by Chiten
Theatre Company. Under the direction of Motoi
Miura, one of Japan’s most imaginative artists,
this Kyoto-based company has gained a strong
reputation for its interpretation of Chekhov inparticular. Working together with actors, stage artists,
lighting artists and others, Chiten performances
explore the dynamics of expression with words,
movement, lighting, sound and video. Celebrated fortheir innovative minimalist vision and restructuringof original playwrights’ works, they will present theirinterpretation of Shakespeare to England for the firsttime at the Globe to Globe Festival. Coriolanus will
be performed in Japanese with scene synopsis in
English.
Meet the Chiten Theatre Company at the postperformance reception. Japan Society members
will have the opportunity to meet the members of
the Kyoto company and their select Globe Theatre
guests while enjoying drinks and food preparedby Tsuru Bankside, just a short walk from the Globe
Theatre.
The Globe to Globe Festival is part of the World
Shakespeare Festival and London Festival 2012. 37
Plays. 37 Languages. All of Shakespeare’s plays will
be performed, each in a different language, each bya different international theatre company. Every day
for six weeks, the world will celebrate performing
Shakespeare in London within the architecture
Shakespeare wrote for.

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Ninagawa Company – Cymbeline

The New Japan and the Last Samurai
by Lesley Downer

Friday 1 June 2012
7.15pmMonday 18 June 2012
6.45pmBarbican Theatre
Barbican Centre, Silk Street
London EC2Y 8DS

The Oriental Club
Stratford House
11 Stratford Place
London W1C 1ES

Prices include 20% group discount for Japan Society Members£40 – SPECIAL OFFER premium seats (stalls & circle)£32 – SPECIAL OFFER stalls

Booking deadline: Wednesday 25 April‘YukioNinagawa’s
Japanese
Shakespeare
productions have been among the experiences of alifetime.’- The GuardianInternationally renowned for his visually powerfuladaptations, celebrated director Yukio Ninagawa
returns to the Barbican Theatre with Shakespeare’s
romantic tragedy, Cymbeline. Starring two of Japan’s
most talented and successful actors, Hiroshi Abeand Shinobu Otake. The play will be presented inJapanese with English surtitles.
Ninagawa’s previous directorial credits at the
Barbican include the samurai tale Musashi, Hamlet,
Coriolanus and the sell out Kabuki performance of
Twelfth Night.

Cymbeline is part of the World Shakespeare Festival
produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company for
London 2012 Festival.

Free – booking recommended(Oriental Club rules require gentlemen to wear jacket and tie)Lesley Downer’s new novel, Across A Bridge ofDreams, is set immediately after the Meiji Restoration,
when well-off Japanese were experimenting withall things western. Rickshaws clattered through thestreets, women wore bustles and bonnets and men
ate beef, cut off their topknots and wore boots andInverness capes. But there were many who opposed
the radical changes transforming their society. Primeamong them was Saigo Takamori with his desire to
maintain samurai values and return to the purity ofthe old ways. Down in the south he prepared to dobattle to defend all that the samurai stood for. In alast twist this would involve a clash between thenorthern and southern clans who had fought tocontrol Japan and would finally give the defeatednortherners their chance of revenge.
Lesley Downer is an internationally best-selling
author, translated into 30 languages. Her books
include Geisha: The Secret History of a Vanishing

World; Sadayakko: The Geisha who Seduced theWest, the story of the geisha on whom Puccinimodeled Madam Butterfly; and two novels, The Last
Concubine and The Courtesan and the Samurai.
Across A Bridge of Dreams is the Romeo and Juliet
story of Taka, the daughter of a great southern
general (modeled on Saigo), and Nobu, who hails
from the defeated Aizu clan.

Image from the Ninagwa Company’s production of Coriolanus.

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Recent Developments in Corporate Japan
Glen S Fukushima

Thursday 12 July 201212.30 – 2.30pm
The National Liberal ClubWhitehall Place
London SW1A 2HE(nearest tube: Embankment Station)£50 per head for members of the Japan
Society and JCCI
Booking deadline - Friday 6 July

An old friend of the Japan Society, Glen S Fukushima
will talk about recent developments in Corporate
Japan. He is well qualified to do so, as his CV shows.

Mr Fukushima was appointed Chairman, Airbus
Japan K.K. in July 2010, before which he served
as President & CEO (2005-2010). Prior to this,Mr Fukushima served as President of the Japan
operations of NCR Corporation, Cadence Design
Systems Inc., and Arthur D. Little Inc. Until 1998, he
was Vice President of the Japan operations of AT&T
Corporation. Before embarking on his businesscareer in 1990, Glen S. Fukushima, who is a US citizen
and who attended Stanford and Harvard Universities,
was based in Washington, D.C. as Director forJapanese Affairs (1985-1988) and Deputy AssistantUnited States Trade Representative for Japan and
China (1988-1990) at the Office of the United States
Trade Representative (USTR), Executive Office of the
President. He began his career as an attorney at aprominent Los Angeles law firm.
Glen S Fukushima served two terms as Presidentof the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan(ACCJ), 1998-1999, and Vice President, 1993-1997.
He has served on numerous corporate boards andgovernment advisory councils in the United States,
Europe, and Japan.
Following a two-course lunch, Glen S Fukushima will
speak for about 20 minutes, after which there will betime for questions until 2.30pm.

re:new Tohoku: Japan Society Private View

Friday 13 July 2012
6.30pmAsia House
63 New Cavendish Street
London W1 7LP

Booking essential
Booking deadline - Monday 9 July
Japan Society members are invited to a special
private view of re:new Tohoku: a Tradition of
Perfection Brought to Life for You followed by adrinks reception featuring a performance fromreknowned percussionist Joji Hirota.

Devastated by the 2011 earthquake and the tsunami
which followed, Tohoku, a region of outstanding
natural beauty, was home to a thriving community of
manufacturers, designers and craftsmen. As it fights
to recover, the area is becoming a testing ground for
exciting partnerships between Japanese designers,
craftspeople and the manufacturing industry andoverseas businesses, organisations and individuals.

re:new Tohoku: a Tradition of Perfection Brought
to Life for You, will bring an astonishing array of

products from the area affected by the disaster to a
British audience – from furniture, fashion, cookware
and technology to traditional craft items unique tothe region. Together they showcase an extraordinary
kaleidoscope of creativity and the quintessential
Japanese drive for perfection in craftsmanship – aswell as the importance placed on creativity andinnovation. Individually each object embodies abelief in the future of the region and commitment
to overcoming the daunting challenges of the 2011
disaster.

Product highlights on show at Asia House range from
Calligraphy watches made in Iwate to Music boxinspired handbags from Miyagi.

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In association with:
Supported by:
In association with:

Carmen Blacker Lecture – Paragons of Culture:
The Soft Power of the Japanese Emperors

Monday 16 July 2012
6.45pmKhalili Lecture Theatre
London WC1H 0XG
AndThursday 19 July 2012
6.00pmNorwich Cathedral Hostry (Weston Room)
Norwich NR1 4EH
In this third annual Carmen Blacker Lecture Series,
Professor Ben-Ami Shillony will examine the role ofthe imperial family in Japan.

The Carmen Blacker Lecture Series honours thememory and scholarship of Carmen Blacker (19242009). Each year a senior scholar will lecture ona theme related to Japanese religion or folklore.
Professor Ben-Ami Shillony was twice awarded theMichael Milken Prize for Excellence in Teaching. In
2000 the Emperor of Japan, through the Japaneseambassador to Israel, bestowed on him the Order of
the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver star (Kun-nitō
Zuihōshō). In October 2010 he received the JapanFoundation Award and was granted an audience
with the emperor and empress. The Japan Society
and Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts
and Cultures are pleased to have the opportunity topresent Professor Ben-Ami Shillony as part of thisseries.

Admission is free and all are welcome. A drinks
reception will follow each lecture. Booking is
recommended and seats will be provided on afirst come first serve basis. For the London lecture,please contact the Japan Society office on tel: 020
7828 6330 or email events@japansociety.org.uk. For
the Norwich lecture, please contact the Sainsbury
Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultureson tel: 01603 597507 or email sisjac@sainsburyinstitute.org. The lecture in Norwich will be given in
conjunction with the Third Thursday Lecture Series.

Children’s lost landscapes in Tohoku
by Helen Woolley

Monday 20 August 2012
6.45pmThe Oriental Club
Stratford House
11 Stratford Place
London W1C 1ES
Free – booking recommended
A pay bar will be available before the lecture(Oriental Club rules require gentlemen to wear jacket and tie)

In April of this year, Helen Woolley visited Japan
to begin to understand the situation of children’s
outdoor environments in the post-disaster Tohoku
area. She visited sites in Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushimameeting playworkers, Principals of schools and some
Prefecture staff. This visit was in collaboration withProfessor Isami Kinoshita from Chiba University inJapan and funded by the Daiwa Anglo-JapaneseFoundation.
Helen will discuss some of the findings from her
visit, giving insights into where children would haveplayed before the triple disaster; some of the issues
and outdoor places children are playing in while
they are in temporary housing, and some of theinterventions in place to support children’s play. Hertalk will explore current initiatives and their reception
by children, parents and teachers in the area.
Helen Woolley is a Chartered Landscape Architect
and Reader in Landscape Architecture and Society
at The University of Sheffield. Helen worked inpractice for both the private and public sectors
before returning to academic life. Helen also has astrong belief that sharing knowledge is importantand has a track record of working with policy makers,
local government; practitioners, charities and thecommercial sector.

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In association with:

In association with:

Blossoms and Shadows
Lian Hearn

Wednesday 5 September 2012
6.15pmThe Mayfair Library
25 South Audley Street
London W1K 2PB
Free – booking recommended
Light refreshments will be provided

Books will be available for purchase and signing by the author

As an extension to its monthly book club meetings,
the Japan Society will host a discussion withinternationally acclaimed author Lian Hearn at
the Mayfair Library. The writer will be delving into
her latest novel, Blossoms and Shadows, and theinspiration behind the story. Following the talk, theaudience will be invited to take part in a question andanswer session.

Blossoms and Shadows is a compelling tale of love
and war, men and women, and the rise of modern
Japan. It shines a brilliant light on a period of history
that few have known about until now, though thechanges it brought continue to this day.
The story begins in Japan, 1857. For centuries acountry has stood alone; isolated by choice from therest of the world. But the Western powers are now at
its shores demanding to be let in, the government is
crumbling and revolution is building. The age of thesamurai is coming to an end and in its place a newJapan will be born.
Lian Hearn studied modern languages at Oxford
University and worked as a film critic and arts editor
in London before settling in Australia. A lifelong
interest in Japan led to the study of the Japanese
language, many trips to Japan, and culminated in her
writing Across the Nightingale Floor, an international
bestseller. The book was the first in the Tales of the
Otori series, which has sold over 4 million copies
around the world.

Global Warming and Energy Challenges forJapan and the UK

Monday 10 September 2012
2.00pmJETRO London
MidCity Place
71 High Holborn
London WC1V 6AL
Free for Japan Society members and thoseinvited by JETRO and the JCCI
Booking essential (places are limited)
Booking deadline - Thursday 6 September
This seminar, arranged by JETRO and the Japan
Society, will look at the energy and climate policies
of Japan and UK and discuss their implications forinvestment and industry for both countries. In his
keynote presentation, Professor Morihiro Kurushima,of Toyo University, will spell out the technical andinternational issues involved. Following this, seniorspecialists will talk about the two national strategies
and their implications: Mr Jun Arima, Director
General of JETRO and a specialist in this sector, andMr Ben Golding, Deputy Director of Strategy in the
UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change.
They will be then be joined in a panel discussion
by representatives of companies which are directly
affected by these policies and who can discuss thechallenges facing modern investors. There will beample time for discussion, questions and answers.
Whether you are an investor, an academic or a user ofenergy, the issues to be discussed are of fundamental
importance. National governments are putting into
practice the necessary actions at varying speeds but
all are affected.
The seminar will conclude at 4.00 pm when tea will
be provided.

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In association with:

In association with:

Natural and Biodynamic Wine Tasting – Tsuru

Tuesday 18 September 2012
6.45pmTsuru Restaurant
201 Bishopsgate
London EC2M 3AF

Japan Society Annual Dinner 2012

Monday 1 October 2012
7.00 for 7.30pm
Hotel Russell
Russell Square
LondonWC1B 5BE£30 per head
Booking essential (places are limited)
Booking deadline – Friday 14 September
After the success of last year’s event, Tsuru are once
again offering Japan Society members the chance
to sample six of the finest organic wines on offerfrom Les Caves de Pyrene. The wines will be pairedwith freshly prepared Japanese dishes from Tsuru’s
kitchen and introduced by wine guru, Phil Barnett.
Aperitif
Moussamoussettes NV Petillant Natural, Rene Mosse, Anjou, France
Reserve de Gassac, Languedoc, France, 2011
withCornish Crab & Avocado Maki
Montlouis Minerale +, Franz Saumon, France, 2011
with
Salmon and avocado maki with tobiko
SP68 Bianco Arianna Occipinti, Sicily, 2011
withPrawn Tempura
Raisins Gauloise, France, 2010
with
Tuna nigiri sushi

Members and guests: £55/ticket
Non Members: £90/ticket
Members under 30 (first 30 to apply): £30/ticket
Once again, the Japan Society Annual Dinner willtake place in the splendid surroundings of thehistoric Hotel Russell. Built in 1898, the Hotel Russell
was designed by Charles Fitzroy Dolls, the mainarchitect for the interior of the Titanic.
The Japan Society Awards 2012 will also beannounced and presented during the evening.
The dinner is traditionally a black tie event and many
guests will wear formal dress, but for those who
prefer lounge suits, this is perfectly acceptable. Most
people will be sitting at round tables of 10. If you
have any seating preferences, please specify withwhom you wish to be seated. Please also inform us ofany special dietary requirements. Tickets will be sent
to all those attending.
The cost includes drinks on arrival, 3 course dinner,wine and coffee.
We are very grateful to JTI for their support whichenables us to offer discounted tickets to all members
and a further discount to members under 30,
ensuring that the event can be enjoyed by everyone.

Les Galets Rouge, France, 2011
with
Chocolate Ice Cream Mochi...........................................................................................................................................
In association with:

Supported by:Combined Lunch for his Excellency The Japanese
Ambassador

Images of Japan 1885-1912: Scenes, Tales and Flowers
by Sir Hugh Cortazzi

Monday 19 October 2012
6.45pmMonday 15 October 201212.30 for 1.00pm
The National Liberal ClubWhitehall Place
London SW1A 2HE(nearest tube: Embankment Station)£50 per head for members of the JCCI andJapan Society, and their guests
Booking deadline – Wednesday 10 October
The speaker at the next combined lunch of the Japan
Society and Japanese Chamber of Commerce in the
UK will be His Excellency the Japanese Ambassador,
Mr Keiichi Hayashi. Since his appointment as
Ambassador of Japan to the UK on 11 January, 2011,
Mr Hayashi has overseen dramatic events, from thedevasting news of the Great East Japan Earthquake
in March 2011 to this year’s Diamond Jubilee andOlympic festivities in London.
The Ambassador will be reviewing his time in office
to date and looking at the overall state of UK Japan
relations.
Mr Hayashi was Political Counsellor and thenPolitical Minister at the London Embassy from 1996
– 1999 and was appointed Minister Plenipotentiery
and Deputy Head of Mission here in 2010. He also
has extensive experience working on Japanesediplomatic missions in areas as diverse as SouthEast
Asia, North America and Ireland.
Following a two-course lunch, Mr Hayashi will speak
for about 20 minutes, after which there will be timefor questions until 2.30pm.

The Oriental Club
Stratford House
11 Stratford Place
London W1C 1ES
Free – booking recommended
A pay bar is available before the lecture
Please note: Oriental Club rules require gentlemen to wear jacket and tie
Drawing from extensive research, Sir Hugh Cortazzi
will discuss his latest book Images of Japan 18851912: Scenes, Tales and Flowers, published by the
Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts
and Cultures. This introduction to the multiple formsof visual material, created in Japan from the latterpart of the Meiji era and intended for European andAmerican consumption, presents a wide variety ofrare and exquisite prints depicting diverse subject
matter. In particular, he will address the research
process that led to its publication and share a numberof examples not included in the book. The author will
be availbale to sign books after the lecture.
Sir Hugh Cortazzi was born in 1924 and educated at St
Andrews and London Universities. He began to learn
Japanese in 1943 in the RAF. He joined the diplomatic
service in 1949 and was the British Ambassador to
Japan between 1980 and 1984. He was chairman of
the Japan Society between 1985 and 1995 and wasclosely involved with the Japan Festival in the United
Kingdom in 1991 which marked the centenary of theSociety.
Sir Hugh Cortazzi has written various books relating
to Japanese history and culture. He has also acted as
editor and compiler of a number of volumes in theseries Britain and Japan: Biographical Portraits. Histranslation of the Japanese Crown Prince’s memoirof his two years at Oxford, The Thames and I, waspublished in 2006.

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In association with:

In association with:.

Japan Society Special Visit to Kew Gardens

Wednesday 24 October 20122.30 - 6.00pm
The Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Richmond
Greater LondonTW9 3AB£5.00 (price includes tea & cake in the library)
Booking essential (places are limited)
Booking deadline – Monday 22 October
The Japan Society is delighted to offer its members
an exclusive tour of Kew Garden’s rarely seen
Japanese collections.
Kew’s Economic Botany Collection, Library andArchives hold many treasures from Japan including
19th century lacquer and washi (handmade paper),decorative wood panels, rare botanic books andprints. Visitors will have the opportunity to admire
objects as diverse as 19th century botanicalillustrations and a waterproof coat made entirely outof paper. The collection reveals a story of botany inJapan, and contact between Europe and Japanesescientists, artists and craft makers. For highlights fromthe collection please visit the Kew website.
The tour will be led by Chris Mills, Head of Library, Art& Archives and Mark Nesbitt, Curator of the Economic
Botany Collection. Japan Society members will meetat the entrance to the Herbarium and then split into
two groups, taking turns to visit the Archives and theEconomic Botany Collection. The day will conclude
with tea and cake in the Library.

Japanese Culture in Practice:
An evening of calligraphy

Thursday 1 November 2012
6.45 for 7.00pm
Large Meeting Room
Nippon Club
2nd floor
Samuel House
6 St. Albans Street
London SW1Y 4SQ£12 (£18 for non-members)

Booking deadline – Monday 29 October

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at traditional
Japanese calligraphy? Join the Japan Society for acalligraphy workshop with artist Yoko Takenami.
The workshop will begin with a brief introduction
on the history of calligraphy, but will largely focus onpractical demonstrations and a chance to hone yourskills. The session will conclude with instruction on
caring for the calligraphy equipment used.
This is a wonderful opportunity to try thisquintessential Japanese art under the tutelage of aprofessional calligrapher. Beginners are welcome.
Yoko Takenami gained a licence to teach calligraphy
in 1990 and has since authored the English language
publication The Simple Art of Japanese Calligraphy(Cico Books, 2004) which has also been translated
into French and German. She is involved in a wide
range of activity, conducting workshops anddemonstrations in both the UK and Monaco while
also giving lectures including at the British Museumand London University.

*Any guests wishing to arrive earlier in the day andview the gardens should notify the Japan Society
when booking.

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In partnership with:

Nurturing the children of tomorrow a new Japanese pre-school education system

Monday 19 November 2012
6.45pmThe Oriental Club
Stratford House
11 Stratford Place
London W1C 1ES
Free – booking recommended

A pay bar is available before the lecture
Please note: Oriental Club rules require gentlemen towear jacket and tie

In this lecture Shizuka Suzuki will look at recentchanges to pre-school education in Japan and discuss
the challenges presented, drawing particularly on
the experience of the Sakado Azuma Kindergarten.
Pre-school education in Japan is based on two
different institutions, kindergarten (yochien) andnursery school (hoikuen), and the choice madeis dependent on the needs of the child’s parents
or guardians, on the economic situation and thefacilities provided in their particular municipality.
However, with increasing economic uncertainty andfalling birth rates in Japan, the current institutional
structure is inadequate to deliver a satisfactory preschool education.
In response to this, a new type of pre-school
facility, known as Nintei Kodomo-en (approved
kindergarten) was introduced from 2006. Thisbrought together the features of the existing yochienand hoikuen, and made it possible to deliver a more
flexible service and education to meet the needs ofboth children and their guardians.
Sakado Azuma Kindergarten opened in Sakado,
Saitama Prefecture in 1974. There are currently 303
pupils in the kindergarten, 21 pre-school and 15 in
the new Nintei Kodomo-en Rapan. The kindergarten
aims to foster children’s academic development
through specially devised ‘project work’. It has threelarge allotment style areas and other varied facilities
to provide multi-faceted learning experiences on adaily basis.

Joint Luch with JCCI: The Monarchy and its relevance tomodern day Britain - Lord Janvrin

Monday 3 December 201212.30 for 1.00pm
The National Liberal ClubWhitehall Place
London SW1A 2HE(nearest tube: Embankment Station)£50 per head for members of the JCCI andJapan Society, and their guests
Booking deadline – Wednesday 28 November

The JCCI and Japan Society are delighted to welcome
Lord Janvrin, Private Secretary to Her Majesty
the Queen until 2007, to offer his insights on therelevance of the Monarchy in modern Britain. The
Queen’s Private Secretary is effectively her closest
advisor and chief of staff and has reponsibilities
for advising on all aspects of Her Majesty’s public
life, including contacts with the Government,
constitutional issues, programmes at home andoverseas, speeches and media.
The Rt Hon The Lord Janvrin, GCB, GCVO. After
eleven years in the Royal Navy and twelve years in
the Diplomatic Service, Robin Janvrin became The
Press Secretary to the Queen 1987-1990 He was thensuccessively Her Majesty’s Assistant Private Secretaryand Deputy Private Secretary, until he became Her
Private Secretary, which key appointment he heldfrom 1999 to 2007. He is now Deputy Chairman of
HSBC Private Bank.
Following a two-course lunch, Lord Janvrin will speak
for about 15 minutes, after which there will be timefor questions until 2.30pm.

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In association with:

In association with:

Strong in the Rain with author David McNeill

Mariko Mori: breakfast and private view

Monday 3 December 2012
6.45pmTuesday 18 December 2012
8.00 to 10.00am

The Swedenborg Society
20-21 Bloomsbury Way
London WC1A 2TH(The lecture hall entrance is on Barter St)

The Royal Academy of Arts
6 Burlington Gardens
Piccadilly
London W1S 3ET

Free to all Japan Society members

Free for Japan Society members and their guests

Booking deadline - Friday 30 November

Booking essential (places are limited)

Sake and light refreshments will be served
The Japan Society is delighted to welcome journalist
and academic, David McNeill, to talk about his
new book Strong in the Rain: Surviving Japan’s
Earthquake, Tsunami and Fukushima Nuclear
Disaster, published in November 2012.

Strong in the Rain blends history, science and gripping
storytelling to bring the immediate aftermath of the
March 2011 triple disaster to life, through the eyes ofthe men and women who experienced it first-hand.
Following the narratives of six individuals, the book
traces the shape of a tragedy and the awe-inspiring
heroics it prompted. In addition to this beautifullywritten and moving collection of personal stories,
McNeill, and his co-author, Lucy Birmingham, lookat the wider consequences of what Japan enduredin 2011.
Following the talk, there will be an opportunity topurchase the book and have it signed by the author.
David McNeill writes regularly for the Independent,
the Irish Times, and Japan Times, while teachingat Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. His work has
appeared in Newsweek, New Scientist, The Face,
Marie Claire, New Statesman. He is a board memberof the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan andchair of The Foreign Press in Japan. He lives in Tokyo.

This special breakfast event for Japan Society
members will take place at the Royal Academy ofArts on Tuesday 18 December. Guests will have theopportunity to view the RA’s autumn exhibition,
Rebirth by Mariko Mori, outside normal opening
hours and enjoy a continental breakfast, courtesy ofJapan Tobacco International.
This will be the first major exhibition of Mariko Mori’s
work to be held in London in 15 years. It will focus on
recent and new works that engage with spiritualism
and the natural world, combining traditional
beliefs and contemporary technology to reflect on
mankind’s relationship to the natural environment.
Visitors will encounter a variety of material, ranging
from sculpture to sound works, and large-scale
immersive environments.
A video and photographic artist of extraordinaryinternational repute, Mariko Mori’s works often
juxtapose Eastern philosophy with Western culture;
pop culture with traditional Japanese identity.
Through computer-generated photographs andlarge scale multi-media installations, she has
produced renowned art pieces, featured in themost prestigious collections and exhibited acrossthe globe. Developed in close collaboration withthe artist, the exhibition’s title Re-birth is timed tocoincide with the winter solstice in 2012.
Mariko Mori, Tom Na H-Iu II, 2006. Glass, stainless steel, LED, realtime control system, 450 x 156.3 x 74.23 cm. Courtesy of MarikoMori Studio Inc. © Mariko Mori. Photo: Richard Learoyd...........................................................................................................................................
Supported by:Japan Society Christmas Party 2012

Wednesday 19 December 20126.30 to 8.00pm
Embassy of Japan
101-104 Piccadilly
London W1J 7JT
Price: £17 (Members) / £27 (Non members)
Booking Deadline – Friday 14 December

This year’s Christmas Party will be held, by courtesyof His Excellency The Ambassador, in the Ballroomof the Japanese Embassy. The party will be attended
by our new Chairman, Sir David Warren, and Lady
Warren, just returned from their four years in Japan.
Please bring guests but space may be well be limited
and places will be allocated on a first-come-firstserved basis. Please note that the significantly lower
price for members is once again thanks to generous
sponsorship by The Japan Centre, which is providing
the food.
Attendees will be sent a formal confirmation
notice. You will need to bring this, together withphotgraphic ID, in order to gain entrance to the
Embassy.

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Supported by: