The Activities of the Japan Foundation

The Isola del Cinema film festival was held again after a two-year hiatus as a collaboration between the Embassy of Japan in Italy, the Japan National Tourism Organization Rome Office and the Japan Cultural Institute in Rome. Under the theme "Shikoku," the event featured the screening of Belle, an animated film set in Kochi, as well as a workshop and an Awa Odori dance performance by Takarabune. Attendees also had the opportunity to practice calligraphy, wear yukata and obtain tourism information about Shikoku and other popular destinations in Japan. The enthusiastic involvement of many residents of all ages made the event a resounding success.

During the months of January and February 2023, the Japan Cultural Institute in Cologne organized a special program highlighting Japanese food. With the support of local Japanese companies, the program featured eight interdisciplinary events that covered the fields of arts and culture, Japanese-language education and international dialogue. These events included a poster exhibition called Graphic Design of Food (co-sponsored by the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion), which introduced the food-related works of over 20 Japanese graphic designers. There were also film screenings, talks about food, academic lectures and Japanese-language classes. The event successfully showcased the broad appeal of Japanese food culture, which is popular in Germany.

For the first time outside of Japan, the Japan Cultural Institute in Paris hosted a screening of the complete Otoko wa Tsurai yo (It's Tough Being a Man) series of 50 Japanese films. Over the course of more than a year, the 300-seat venue consistently drew a nearly full house. The subtle nuances of human emotions resonated strongly with the French audience, creating lively screenings filled with cheers and laughter at every show. A video message from director YAMADA Yoji was shown to the audience, who responded with enthusiastic applause. As part of the screenings, short events were also organized to introduce the regions featured in the films, showcasing the multifaceted charm of Japan.

(c) The Japan Cultural Institute in Paris
(c) Shochiku Co., Ltd.

In preparation for the upcoming revision of Korea's education curriculum, set to be fully implemented in 2025, the Japan Foundation, Seoul organized in-person workshops primarily for Japanese-language teachers at junior and senior high schools. The program included examining Japanese-language textbooks used in secondary education from four countries worldwide, as well as a lecture given by the author of the Australian textbook. This initiative was presented at academic conferences on Japanese-language education in Korea. Additionally, the office also provided advice and guidance on the actual revised curriculum for Japanese language subjects, as well as on ongoing Japanese-language textbook manuscripts.

Amid the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japan Foundation, Beijing organized events to mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-China relations. This included organizing and hosting online symposia related to the Beyond Borders: Architectures of Japan exhibition of contemporary Japanese architecture, creating and releasing the "Fifty Years of Japanese Studies in China" interview series in video and written formats, and arranging a traditional tea ceremony demonstration and workshop led by the Urasenke school at a private commercial facility. These initiatives used this milestone year as an opportunity to increase mutual understanding.

In collaboration with the University of Sumatera Utara, Mahasaraswati Denpasar University and BINUS University, the Japan Foundation, Jakarta co-hosted online lectures and workshops on five themes: Gyojishoku (seasonal event food), Kimono, Kumihimo (Japanese braids), Wagashi (Japanese confectionery) and Nihon Buyo (Japanese dance). The instructors were renowned experts including KOMIYA Rimi (chairperson, Gyojishoku Association), KINOSHITA Beniko (co-founder, Kinoshita Kimono Lab), HATTA Shun (Showen Kumihimo), IRIE Mai (Wagashi artist) and FUJIMA Etsuko (dancer). The series attracted a total of approximately 2,000 participants, enabling them to have a deeper understanding of Japanese culture.

The Japan Foundation, Bangkok invited OKADA Kaori, the 18th-generation owner of Kamebishi-ya, a well-established soy sauce maker in Kagawa prefecture, Japan, to Bangkok and Khon Kaen to give a special lecture and demonstration workshop entitled Shoyu Tasting and My Shoyu Making. Shoyu in Japan and Nampla and Pladaek in Thailand are traditional fermented seasonings that have been loved by both countries for centuries. The goal of the events was to share insights into Japanese fermentation methods and recent innovations, as well as to explore the food cultures of Japan and Thailand with local experts.

The Nihongo Fiesta, which aims to invigorate the Japanese-speaking community in the Philippines, was held in-person after a three-year hiatus. This was the 50th year that the highlight of the event, the Nihongo Speech Contest, was held, introducing a new category for teachers to showcase the diversity of Japanese-language speakers. As part of the cultural introduction program, world-renowned taiko drummer Leonard Eto was invited for a collaborative performance with Tusa Montes, a percussionist playing the Kulintang, a traditional Philippine instrument. Despite the long period of time since the last Nihongo Fiesta was held in person, the venue was lively with over 300 spectators gathering, creating a vibrant and enthusiastic atmosphere.

As part of the Look East Policy's 40th-anniversary celebration (co-organized by the Embassy of Japan in Malaysia), popular anime song artist SUZUKI Konomi was invited to perform and host two meet-and-greet sessions at Malaysia's largest anime festival, Comic Fiesta, which was attended by approximately 60,000 people. The live performance was a tremendous success, completely filling the 2,000-person venue. It greatly contributed to promoting Japanese anime culture to the Malaysian audience. The performance and meet-and-greet sessions were also streamed via STAGE BEYOND BORDERS.

Photo credit DevLee Photograph

Photo credit DevLee Photograph

Ningyō: The Art and Beauty of Japanese Dolls, an authentic Japanese doll exhibition, was held for the first time in Myanmar. This exhibition and event series also included talk sessions about Hinamatsuri (girls' festival) Hina dolls and figurines. Origami workshops for creating Hina dolls and an exhibition of Japanese figurines owned by Myanmar's otaku groups were also held. To increase people's understanding of Japanese dolls, an exhibition tour was also offered, mainly for Japanese-language learners, which attracted a large number of visitors.

To promote interactions between people through Indo-Japanese cooperation, the Japan Caravan event was held in three cities in Northeast India (Imphal, Guwahati and Dimapur) to introduce people to Japanese culture. This intersectional event, ranging from culture to Japanese language, included screenings of SHINKAI Makoto's animated films, calligraphy workshops, a voice actor contest and a Yukata wearing class. Approximately 5,000 people participated in the events over the course of six days. For many participants, this was their first Japanese culture and language experience, having provided them with great joy.

The Storymakers in Contemporary Japanese Art exhibition was held from July 2022 to January 2023. Curated collaboratively by Japanese and Australian curators MURAI Mayako and Emily Wakeling, the exhibition presented a total of ten art pieces by five Japanese contemporary artists, working with different types of media, including drawing, video and sculpture. The program also included a panel discussion that included the Australian curator and artists, as well as a film screening related to the artists' workshop exhibition.

KASHIWABA Sachiko, a prolific writer of children's and young adult fantasy, was invited to the Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA). During the festival, a panel discussion was held with KASHIWABA and Canadian author Kenneth Oppel, co-hosted with TIFA. In conjunction with the discussion, the Japan Foundation, Toronto organized a range of events, including an online book club for Temple Alley Summer, discussions of Japanese legends and folklore that are frequently featured in KASHIWABA's writing, and a screening of the film The House of the Lost on the Cape. These events were well-attended and received a lot of interest. When asked by children for advice on becoming a writer, KASHIWABA captivated the audience by emphasizing the enjoyment of creating stories.

The Japan Foundation, New York organized a series of retrospective screenings featuring actor MIFUNE Toshiro, director SUZUKI Seijun and director MORITA Yoshimitsu. The special retrospectives on MIFUNE and SUZUKI toured 17 movie theaters and universities across the United States. MORITA's works were shown for ten days at Film at Lincoln Center in New York City. MISAWA Kazuko, MORITA's public and private partner, also appeared to introduce his films. The opening film, The Family Game, played to a full house, setting the tone for the successful and well-attended screenings that followed.

In recent years, Japanese authors have garnered significant attention in the United States, with a steady stream of English translations now being made available. In celebration of the recent English-language publication of MIURA Shion's Kamusari series, the Japan Foundation, Los Angeles hosted a discussion event with MIURA and her novel series' translator. The conversation delved into various themes, including the background behind the work which is connected to forestry in Japan as well as Japan's religious beliefs, and it also offered many insights into the translation process. The video features footage from the town of Misugi, the setting for the series, in Mie Prefecture (now part of Tsu City). Additionally, the video includes interviews with local forestry workers, making the content engaging and captivating for readers.

A curated selection of Japanese talkie films from 1935 to the 1940s was showcased at Cineteca Nacional México. The program, spanning approximately two weeks in each of the two cities, featured nine films, including Tange Sazen and the Pot of One Million Ryo directed by YAMANAKA Sadao. The works, which were produced by talented directors during the early years of talkie cinema, attracted a total audience of 3,695 with some sessions sold out. The diverse audience, including the noticeable participation of younger viewers, highlighted the entrenched popularity of Japanese cinema in Mexico, where the Japan Foundation, Mexico has been presenting classic Japanese films in collaboration with Cineteca Nacional México for more than twenty years.

In Brazil, Japanese festivals and various other events are held by Japanese organizations throughout the country, recognized as a significant occasion to experience traditional Japanese performing arts and pop culture. Responding to the organizers' strong desire to introduce new content at the events, the Japan Foundation, Sao Paulo set up a booth in which we exhibited original virtual reality (VR) video on the theme of Japan-Brazil friendship, music and stars. The VR video received acclaim from a diverse audience totaling 7,435 viewers in nine cities. It has also sparked ongoing interest through the organizers' network, which contributed to continuous offers to exhibit the video from them in FY2023.

The 18th Japanese Speech Contest for University Students was held in person for the first time in three years, after it had been held online annually even during the pandemic. Many students who diligently continued their Japanese studies, despite the challenges of the pandemic, applied to participate in the contest. On Finals Day, the selected finalists showcased their academic achievements before an audience of over one hundred people. The audience was wowed by the Japanese skills of the finalists as well as the content of their speeches and presentations.

In 2021, the Instituto de Alexandre Deulofeu in Catalonia became the first school in Spain to offer Japanese-language education as an elective subject in the secondary compulsory education curriculum. Subsequently, the Japan Foundation, Madrid has undertaken various support activities, including hosting a taiko drum workshop and a commemorative ceremony at the school which was attended by the Consul General of Japan in Barcelona, the mayor and officials from the Ministry of Education. These initiatives proved successful, leading to a decision by the Ministry of Education to expand Japanese-language courses to an additional ten schools starting in the fall of FY2023. This development highlights the significant growth of Japanese-language education in the field of secondary education in Spain.

As part of the program of the inaugural Far Eastern Classical Music Festival held in September 2022, the Japan Foundation, Budapest invited KANEKO Sumie, a koto and shamisen player, to perform for two days at the House of Music Hungary, which was designed by architect FUJIMOTO Sosuke and opened in 2022. KANEKO performed with Norbert Kael, a Hungarian jazz pianist, and KURODA Reison, a shakuhachi player, and their fluid music conveyed the charm of traditional Japanese instruments to an audience of over 500 people.

(c) Mohai Balázs, House of Music Hungary, Far Eastern Classical Music Festival

(c) Mohai Balázs, House of Music Hungary, Far Eastern Classical Music Festival

The Japanese Culture Department "Japan Foundation" of the All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature hosted the Japanese-Language Teachers' Day online seminar for Japanese-language teachers. This event featured lectures by advanced Japanese-language experts and discussions between the participating teachers, all with the aim of improving skills and addressing challenges in language education. In FY2022, ten sessions were held, attracting a total of 98 participants from 24 cities. Upon the successful conclusion of each seminar, participating Japanese-language teachers were awarded a certificate of participation.

The Japan Foundation, Cairo resumed inviting artists, which had been suspended due to the pandemic, and invited ARIMOTO Shinya to organize a lecture and workshop. In collaboration with an organization of Egyptian photographers, ARIMOTO and photographers from Egypt participated in an initiative to critique images taken on the streets of Cairo. This exchange, facilitated through photography, was an opportunity for Egyptian and Japanese perspectives to intersect. The photos taken by ARIMOTO and the participants were exhibited at the Foundation's Library, delighting the many visitors.

A commemorative report conference was held online to celebrate the publication of the Vietnamese edition of Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture coursebook at all levels. The meeting discussed reports on how the book has been implemented in Vietnam, information on teaching methods and supplementary materials and practical feedback from institutions that have utilized it. By sharing case studies and helpful information with teachers and educational institutions, the conference offered a platform for addressing inquiries and exchanging ideas related to Marugoto.

In response to the challenges posed by the pandemic, the Phnom Penh Liaison Office successfully carried out cultural outreach initiatives in six regions, focusing on art and film. Notably, it organized art classes in local elementary schools using art educational materials created jointly with an art school run by a Japanese artist. The art classes were attended by approximately 250 students. In Cambodia, where public institutions have struggled to promote art education, this initiative had a significant impact, receiving approximately 2,000 reactions on the office's Facebook activity report.

TBS Holdings, Inc. organized the qualifying round for the 24th DigiCon6 ASIA contest in Laos. This contest aims to identify outstanding short film and animation creators in 16 countries and regions throughout Asia. The top three entries were then submitted to the final competition. The top two creators from Laos were invited to the finals held in Tokyo on November 19. Among them, Siliyoupha Keosavang received the Rising Star Award. This is a remarkable achievement for a Laotian creator in an international event in this field.