The Activities of the Japan Foundation

Culture: Arts and Cultural Exchange
Presenting Japan's Diverse Arts and Culture Overseas

We carry out numerous projects to introduce to people around the world the diverse charms of Japanese culture, from traditional performing arts to contemporary arts, including performances, exhibitions, translation and publication, film screenings and television broadcasts. We also engage in activities such as dispatching and inviting experts as well as holding workshops for human resources development and networking in arts and culture.

Exhibitions

16th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia (c) Andrea Sarti/CAST1466

The Japan Foundation organized Architectural Ethnography, the Japan Pavilion's exhibition, at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, which attracts a high level of attention globally. Curated by architect Momoyo Kaijima and her team, this exhibition drew 173,000 visitors during the exhibition period. Meanwhile, in Madrid, we presented Yokai: Iconography of the Fantastical. The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons as the Source of Supernatural Imagery in Japan as an exhibition commemorating the 150th anniversary of Japan-Spain diplomatic relations. The exhibition mainly displayed picture scrolls as well as ukiyo-e prints, netsuke miniature sculptures and kimonos, and related lectures and guided tours also proved to be highly popular. In Japan, Going Away Closer: Japan-Cuba Contemporary Art Exhibition, which was previously held in Havana, Cuba, was reconfigured and held as a homecoming exhibition in Tokyo in June 2018.

(c) Andrea Sarti/CAST1466

Stage Performances

In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China, dance performances by Sankai Juku and Tokyo Gegegay were held in Shanghai and Beijing, China, respectively. The performances by the Sankai Juku dance troupe, which enthusiastically introduced Butoh dance from Japan for the first time in China, as well as by Tokyo Gegegay, which featured local dancers in performing its newest work, were events especially suited to Japan-China relations. In Indonesia, the Japan Foundation held the Jak-Japan Matsuri and Indonesia-Japan Music Festival to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Japan. The festival featured three J-POP musical groups especially popular among young people, and these performances drew audiences of more than 27,000 people during the two-day festival period. In Europe, we presented Kagura performances in Hungary and Poland entitled Kagura: Dancing with the Gods – Kagura Performance in Central Europe – Traditional Folk Theater from Tohoku Region.

Kagura: Dancing with the Gods – Kagura Performance in Central Europe – Traditional Folk Theater from Tohoku Region
Photo: Yuki Ida

Japan-Russia Film Exchange Program in the "Year of Japan in Russia"

To commemorate the "Year of Japan in Russia," which aims for the further development of Japan-Russia ties, the Japan Foundation held the Japanese Film Festival in eight cities in Russia. In Moscow, a special screening of The Prisoner of Sakura (Sorokin no Mita Sakura), a Japan-Russia joint-work, was held in advance of the film's release in Japan. Additionally, directors Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Sang-il Lee visited from Japan and took the stage for a Q&A session with the enthusiastic audience. There was also a retrospective screening, which introduced the works of director Yasujiro Ozu, as well as a Bakuon screening*, the first such screening in Russia. These events attracted a total audience of approximately 22,000 persons.

* A Bakuon screening uses audio equipment for live music rather than sound equipment for normal film screening and is a novel attempt for watching and listening to films amid loud sounds.

Japan-China Film Exchange Program

As a program marking the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China, film screenings were held in 14 cities in both countries and these attracted more than 22,000 passionate film fans. The world premier screenings of Fly Me to the Saitama were held in Shanghai and Chengdu. Director Hideki Takeuchi took the stage at these screenings, filling the sold-out venues with excitement. Additionally, appearances were made by FLOWER AND SWORD director Tetsuo Shinohara, in Chongqing, The Great Passage director Yuya Ishii in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and Goodbye, Grandpa! producer Kazuyuki Kitaki in Beijing, where they engaged in dialogues with their audiences.

Fly Me to the Saitama director Hideki Takeuchi with the audience demonstrating the "Saitama pose."

Introducing Japanese Television Programs

We implement projects for introducing Japanese television programs that promote an understanding of Japan in countries and regions where there is difficulty in broadcasting Japanese content. In FY2018, 341 Japanese television programs, including dramas, anime, variety shows, films and documentaries, were broadcast in 53 countries and regions.