Events category: Talk

17 January 2020

Ainu Art in Contemporary Life

The Ainu are an indigenous people in Japan native to the regions of Hokkaidō, Northern Tōhoku, and Karafuto, among others, that have developed their own original identity, culture, and language over the past centuries. Despite their ancestral roots, the Ainu people have historically suffered from various forms of discrimination and disputes with the rest of Japan, being officially recognised as indigenous to the country only as recently as 2008. Their unique language and traditional culture are at serious risk of being lost and only a few Ainu artists remain. In this talk, Mr Kohei Fujito, an emerging Ainu artist from a young generation based in Akan, Hokkaido, gave a talk along with a small demonstration of his artworks. He spoke about the history & future of Ainu art based on his recent artworks.

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12 September 2019

Noh 120919

Noh X Contemporary Music

In this seminar, Ryoko Aoki talked about Noh and her collaborations with contemporary classical musicians. Ryoko studied Shite-kata (lead role performance) with the Kanze school of Noh, and she is currently working with contemporary composers to create and perform new works that use “Utai” (recitation) – the vocal music of Noh. 

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9 May 2019

Japanese crafts and the challenge of translation

Japanese crafts are highly regarded and valued. However, translating specific craft-related terms is challenging and many of these terms are poorly translated and lack standardization. In this talk, two specialists explored the fascinating world of Japanese crafts. They looked at what makes Japanese crafts so special, discussed how they are viewed in an international context and debate translation issues. The audience then had the chance to judge actual translations, based on a case study, and determined if they were accurate explanations or required improvement.

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22 February 2019

Re-imagining Akutagawa

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa was one of Japan’s great writers – author of the stories ‘Rashōmon’ and ‘In a Bamboo Grove’, most famously – who lived through Japan’s turbulent Taishō period, including the devastating 1923 Earthquake, only to take his own life at the age of thirty-five in 1927. In this talk, David Peace read from his novel ‘Patient X’ and discussed the life and work of Akutagawa with Damian Flanagan.

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17 January 2019

Industry-academia partnerships: collaborations between UK universities and Japanese enterprises

This talk looked at collaborations between industry and academia, discussing how these partnerships contribute to industrial innovation and the challenges in creating these partnerships. Professor Mikael Adolphson, University of Cambridge, and Kiyomi Hashimoto, CEO of Dojima Sake Brewery, used the example of collaboration between the University of Cambridge and Japanese enterprise to explain how UK universities and Japanese enterprises can effectively work together to promote innovation.

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28 January 2019

Portland Japanese Garden: An American Interpretation of a Japanese Artform

In this talk, Steve Bloom, Chief Executive Officer of the Portland Japanese Garden, explored the past, present, and future of the Portland Japanese Garden. He looked at how it is leading a global dialog about the Japanese Garden as a platform for spreading the ideals of peace and mutual understanding between peoples. The talk was chaired by the radio broadcaster Nick Luscombe.

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4 December 2018

2.5D Theatre: staging Anime, Manga and Video Games in Europe

In Japan, anime, manga and video games generate their own live shows and the 2.5D theatre brand is ever growing. In the West, Japanese franchises have yet to make real inroads on the stage. But looking at the history of Western fandom and the growing interest in East-Asian entertainment, there are signs that the balance is beginning to shift. In this talk Helen McCarthy and Alexandra Rutter looked at the potential of staging anime in European theatres.

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8 November 2018

Shōjin Ryōri and the Power of Vegetables

Shōjin ryōri is monastic vegetarian cuisine which has existed in Japan since the 6th century, becoming widespread from the 13th century onwards. In this talk, Toshio Tanahashi explained the philosophy and history of shōjin while also demonstrating some practical cooking techniques. Tanahashi’s style of cooking goes beyond the traditional, offering a new and unique style, which is simultaneously both the oldest and latest food innovation from Japan.

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23 November 2018

The Wonders of Urushi

Urushi, the sap from the urushi tree from which authentic lacquerware is made, has been used in Japan since ancient times. In this talk Suzanne Ross discussed the origins of Japanese urushi culture, how urushi is extracted from trees and the methods used to create lacquerware. She also discussed the dangers which are facing urushi and why it is necessary to preserve this cultural asset.

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26 October 2018

The Forgotten War 1914-18

October 4 1918, the Hirano Maru, a Japanese vessel, was torpedoed by the German U boat, UB91 in the Irish Sea . Of the 320 Japanese sailors on board, only 29 survived. In this talk, David James discussed the sinking of the Hirano Maru. He also talked about his efforts to restore the memorial in Angle, Pembrokeshire, which is dedicated to the Japanese sailors who lost their lives. The new memorial was unveiled in Angle on October 4th 2018.

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