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The idea of holding a Japan exposition overseas that would present Japanese arts and culture to the world was proposed during three meetings between October 2015 and April 2016 of the "Beauty of Japan" Comprehensive Project Advisory Panel chaired by the late actor Masahiko Tsugawa and organized by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Prime Minister Abe then suggested the idea to H.E. Mr. François Hollande, President of the French Republic, at the Japan-France Summit Meeting in May 2016. During the summit, the two leaders confirmed their agreement to hold a large-scale event showcasing the essence of Japanese culture in Paris and other parts of France in 2018, the year marking the 160th anniversary of Japan-France diplomatic relations. Under this agreement between the two nations, an extensive cultural season was held in France under the name Japonismes 2018. The Japan Foundation Secretariat for JAPONISMES handled project proposals and administration for Japonismes 2018.

Opening Ceremony for Japonismes 2018

Reverence for nature and respect for harmony between differing values together provide a foundation for the aesthetics that inform Japanese culture, from traditional culture to contemporary culture. Taking such "aesthetics" as a theme, Japanese and French government agencies and related organizations collaborated on this initiative under the title of Japonismes 2018 : les âmes en résonance.

Japonismes 2018 took place from July 2018 to February 2019. The exhibitions presented included art from the Jomon period, which represents the origin of Japanese culture, Rinpa, Itô Jakuchû, and the latest media art, anime and games. Performing arts ranged from Kabuki, Noh, Kyogen, and Gagaku to contemporary theater and Hatsune Miku. There were also a wide range of cultural exchange and other projects that focused on various aspects of culture rooted in the daily lives of Japanese people, including food & saké, film, matsuri (traditional festivals), Zen, martial arts, tea ceremony, and ikebana.

One aim of arranging these projects was to communicate the attractions of various areas of Japan to the people of Paris, and through Paris to the rest of the world. Japonismes 2018 was held in the run-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in the hope that the initiative would lead to growing numbers of people throughout the world gaining interest in Japan, and greater international demand for Japan's superb commodities including food, saké, and craft products.