JCC E-Magazine April 2019

Sakura Matsuri 2019

Overview

During the month of March, Spring was in the air. Beautiful floral arrangements in the style of Ohara decorated the spaces of JCC, and gorgeous cherry blossoms surrounded our All Japan Booth at Gardens By The Bay's Sakura Matsuri. It was also a month of imagination and creativity as we welcomed many visitors to a talk by Mr Takuya Takei of teamLab.

In April, JCC will showcase 'Tsukiji with Love', a photography exhibition by Singaporean and Fujifilm X-Photographer/Ambassador Derrick Ong that showcases over 30 selected works featuring the last moments of Tsukiji Fish Market. Do drop by JCC to take a look at the different and intriguing moments that were captured of the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world!

Director's Message

Konnichiwa!

The cherry blossom season has arrived in Japan. JCC was pleased to have collaborated with the Gardens by the Bay as Programme Partner of Sakura Matsuri again this year. The event gave Singaporeans and international travellers the rare opportunity to experience a magnificent springtime atmosphere under the canopy of cherry blossom trees. JCC participated in the festivities with a booth to showcase charms and disseminate information of Japan in...(Click here to read more)

JCC Events

		Envisioning Future World with teamLab: A talk by Mr Takuya Takei of teamLab JCC had the honour of hosting Mr Takuya Takei of teamLab on 15 March 2019 to share with the attendees their vision, ideation and creative process. Best known in Singapore for their large scale interactive installations such as “Story of the Forest” at National Museum of Singapore and “Future World: Where Art Meets Science” at the Art Science Museum. The audience...(Click here to read more)

		JCC Cinema 71: Mary and The Witch's Flower Our JCC Cinema 71: Mary and the Witch’s Flower was screened at Woodlands Regional Library’s Auditorium last Saturday, 16 March with a good crowd of audience. We welcomed many parents bringing their children, as it was the first day of a school holiday! This is also our second collaboration with the library. The event was introduced by Mr. Xavier Lim from the Library. He also touched on collaborative effort by the library, where he made a special...(Click here to read more)

		"Spring Sonata": Ohara School of Ikebana, Singapore Chapter 35th Anniversary Ikebana Exhibition The opening ceremony of “Spring Sonata ~ Ohara School of Ikebana, Singapore Chapter 35th Anniversary Ikebana Exhibition ~” was held at JCC (Japan Creative Centre) on Wednesday, 20 March 2019. Members of the Ohara School of Ikebana, Singapore Chapter, as well as members of the ikebana community attended to celebrate the occasion. Deputy Director of JCC Mr Gaku...(Click here to read more)

JCC Related Events

		Sakura Matsuri VIP Viewing Ambassador Jun Yamazaki and Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong launched the Sakura Matsuri on 9 March 2019. Over 400 Sakura trees are brought to the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay to give visitors in Singapore a taste of hanami (flower viewing). Sakura Matsuri will run until 31 Mar 2019. In addition to the Sakura blossoms...(Click here to read more)

		Talk on Japanese Culture at St. Anthony's Canossian Secondary School On Wednesday, 13 March 2019, JCC (Japan Creative Centre) visited St. Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School for a talk on Japanese Culture. Speaker Ms Junko Osamura introduced 116 students from four different Co-Curricular Activities to Coming-of-Age Ceremony, Manga and Anime, Sumo Culture, and Onsen Culture. Third Secretary from the Embassy of Japan in Singapore...(Click here to read more)

		Taiko Performance by Hibikiya and tsugaru-shamisen player Mr Nobuto Yamanaka A panoramic Japanese Taiko performance was held on 24th March (14:00-15:00 and 16:00-17:00) at the Canopy of the Gardens By The Bay. The performance was put up by Hibikiya, a well-known local Japanese taiko performing group, and Tsugaru Shamisen player Mr Nobuto Yamanaka, a master of...(Click here to read more)

Visits

		Visit by Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology Students of Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology visited JCC on Friday, 8th March 2019. They were welcomed by Third Secretary Ms Chihiro Ono and Event Team Manager Mdm Keiko Soeda, and had an introduction about Singapore, the local Japanese community, as well as the activities of Embassy of Japan in Singapore and JCC. The students are under an overseas career programme offered by the university, where they have...(Click here to read more)

		Visit by National Institute of Technology, Nara College 22 students from National Institute of Technology, Nara College visited JCC on 13th March 2019. They were welcomed by Third Secretary from the Embassy of Japan, Ms Chihiro Ono. She gave an introduction on Singapore, the local Japanese community and explained to them about the functions and activities of the Embassy of Japan and JCC in Singapore. Many students also asked intuitive questions on Singapore’s culture and education...(Click here to read more)

		Visit by Koshi Junior High School 14 students from Koshi Junior High School visited the Embassy of Japan in Singapore on 15th March 2019. They were greeted by Ms Chihiro Ono, the Third Secretary from the Embassy of Japan, who gave a warm introduction about Singapore, the local community and explained to them about the functions and activities of the Embassy and JCC in Singapore. Mr Kiyoshi Shimonishi, the Second Secretary from the Embassy of Japan was also...(Click here to read more)

		Visit by BRIDGE Challenge Trip 2019 (from Fukuoka Prefecture) A group of 15 students from Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan along with their homestay families in Singapore visited Japan Creative Centre (JCC) on 27 March 2019. The students’ visit is organized by “Asian-Pacific Children’s Convention in Fukuoka”. They were greeted by H.E Ambassador Jun Yamazaki who gave a welcome and introduction speech to all the students. Third Secretary Ms Chihiro Ono then explained the functions of the Embassy...(Click here to read more)

Featured Article of the Month

Report of “JapaNitch Tour” By JENESYS Student Ambassadors

In December 2018, we hosted “JapaNitch Tour”, which aims to introduce hidden attraction of Japan to international students. We guided exchange students at Osaka University to Minoh Park (箕面公園), an attractive sightseeing spot in Japan which is not well-known to foreign people. This is a brief report of our tour. Minoh Park is a natural park in the northern part of Osaka. During...(Click here to read more)

Japanese Cultural Fact for April

Hanami (Cherry-Blossom Viewing)

The arrival of cherry blossoms signals the end of chilly winter weather in Japan. The blossoms appear first in Kyushu around the end of March and spread northward as the weather warms, reaching Tokyo in early April and Hokkaido in mid-May. The three main weather bureaus issue forecasts of where the "cherry-blossom front" is moving, and newspapers report the process from first flowering to full bloom. People celebrate the flowering of cherry...(Click here to read more)

Upcoming Events at JCC

	Calling for participants for Japanese Speech Contest 2019!
09.04.2019	Inspired by Nature, Perfected by Science ~ Discover rice power whitening technology pioneered by KOSÉ laboratory ~
06.04.2019 - 20.04.2019	Tsukiji with Love: A Photography Exhibition on Tsukiji Fish Market by Derrick Ong
14.03.2019 - 13.04.2019	Water Conservation Through The Lens: SIS/JCC/PUB Photo Contest 2019 \| Rules & Regulations

Supported Events

26.04.2019 - 05.05.2019

A Golden Jubilation Ikebana Exhibition 2019 @ Paragon Main Atrium

Related Events

20.09.2019 - 02.11.2019	Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan
20.04.2019 - 21.04.2019	Iwami Kagura: Slaying of the Eight-Headed Serpent @ Esplanade Outdoor Theatre
19.04.2019 - 20.04.2019	Iwami Kagura: Heroes and Demons @ Esplanade Outdoor Theatre
	Digital Light Canvas @ Marina Bay Sands

Notice

■ Japanese Speech Contest 2018 Homestay Report

■ YOU ARE THERE: A Feature Film by Nicole Midori Woodford (シンガポール・日本合作長編映画　キャスト募集 / Searching for actors to act in a Japanese Film)

■ The Japan Foundation grant program for FY2019 (Japanese / English)

■ Enjoy Free Japanese Lessons here on NHK World!

■ Latest information on visiting Iwate: IWATE CLASSIC ROAD Tourism Magazine (Click to download)

■ Youkobo Art Space calling for artist-in-residence