Dear Friends of JCC,

Konnichiwa!

With the summer heat climbing up in both Singapore and Japan, JCC was bustling with excitement last month. On the first day of July, we invited visitors to rediscover Kyoto through immersive cultural experiences, ranging from Zen meditation to captivating live performances by geiko and maiko. While Kyoto is definitely a popular tourist destination, we hope that...(Click here to read more)

Discovering Kyoto in Singapore ~ A Special Evening Celebrating SJ60 ~

JCC held a special Kyoto promotional event on 1 July in partnership with Kyoto City Tourism Association (DMO Kyoto Visit Kyoto) and Kyoto Convention & Visitors Bureau. Guests were transported to the heart of Kyoto City through truly immersive experiences: a Zen meditation session (Zazen) led by Head Priest Toda Seizan and Monk Toda Souzen from Daijin...(Click here to read more)

Melodious Collaboration between Singapore and Japan ~ Artiste and Creator Talk: Sachiyo × Evan Low ~

JCC held an exclusive talk session on 9 July featuring singer-songwriter and music producer Sachiyo and Singaporean music producer and director Evan Low. As key collaborators behind the upcoming SJ60 commemorative concert Resonance Across Borders, the two discussed the varying perspectives, opportunities, and challenges of creating music...(Click here to read more)

Japanese Speech Contest 2026

15 finalists from the Secondary School, Junior College (JC) and Open categories wowed the audience at the SJ60 Japanese Speech Contest 2026, which took place at the The Japanese Association, Singapore on Sunday, 12 July 2026. The event was graced by Guest-of-Honour Mr Loh Khum Yean, Chairman for the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) Board, who completed his undergraduate studies in Japan. He delivered an...(Click here to read more)

Orientation & Farewell Reception for the 2026 JET Programme

The Orientation & Farewell Reception for the 2026 participants from Singapore was held on 15 July 2026 at Japan Creative Centre. The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, launched by the Government of Japan in 1987, is one of the world’s largest international people-to-people exchange programmes. It aims to enhance foreign language education and promote grassroots exchanges between Japan...(Click here to read more)

Two-day workplace experience programme at JCC

We had the pleasure of welcoming two students from the Japanese Secondary School for their two-day workplace experience programme (16 and 17 July) at JCC! During their time with us, they learnt about the mission and work of JCC and the Embassy of Japan in Singapore. Putting their knowledge into action, the students also crafted and delivered proposals (in English!) on how to promote Shimane and Shiga – two of Japan’s hidden...(Click here to read more)

JCC Cinema 100 X Shaw Theatres X SFS Special Screening: KOKUHO

In commemoration of SJ60 and in celebration of JCC Cinema 100, Japan Creative Centre (JCC), together with Shaw Theatres and Singapore Film Society (SFS), hosted the exclusive screening of KOKUHO (国宝) on 18 July at Shaw Theatres Lido before its commercial release. The highly anticipated screening of the Kabuki epic was attended by over...(Click here to read more)

Opening Ceremony of The Spirit of Tea in Clay: A Dialogue Between Shigaraki and Raku Ceramics

The Opening Ceremony of “The Spirit of Tea in Clay” was held at JCC on 28 July, featuring Shigaraki and Raku ceramics by two ceramic masters, Honiwa Rakunyu III and Yoshimura Rakunyu III. JCC Director Ms Kawabe Akiko welcomed the guests, noting that their works demonstrate a shared richness of expression and the beauty of utility that Japanese ceramics embodies...(Click here to read more)

Singapore Sogetsu Association 60th Anniversary Charity Gala Dinner

The Singapore Sogetsu Association marked its 60th Anniversary with a spectacular Charity Gala Dinner on 18 July, highlighted by a live ikebana demonstration by Ms Akane Teshigahara, Iemoto (Grand Master) of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana. Ambassador Ishikawa Hiroshi, accompanied by Madam Ishikawa Yuko, attended the celebration as Guest of Honour...(Click here to read more)

Launch ceremony of “Kodo 2026” (Pulsation)

Ambassador Ishikawa Hiroshi and Madam Ishikawa Yuko attended the launch ceremony of “Kodo 2026” (Pulsation) – a bamboo installation by Sogetsu Iemoto Akane Teshigahara in commemoration of the dual milestone of the 60th Anniversary of the Singapore Sogetsu Association (SSA) and the 60th Anniversary of Singapore–Japan diplomatic relations (SJ60). The launch was held on 19 July at the Gardens by the Bay...(Click here to read more)

Study in Japan Presentation at NJC Higher Education Fair

Japan was proudly represented at the National Junior College Universities Fair 2026 on 29 July! Together with Vice President Mr Augustine Lim and Committee Member Mr Jay Wong of JUGAS (Japanese University Graduates Association of Singapore), Ms Torigoe of OJEIC (Okayama University Japan Educational Information Centre), First Secretary and new Education Attaché Ms Ishii Izumi passionately promoted Japan to visitors...(Click here to read more)

Visit by Dr Iskandar Jalil

We were honoured to welcome Dr Iskandar Jalil and his two children to JCC for a visit to our exhibition, The Spirit of Tea in Clay: A Dialogue Between Shigaraki and Raku Ceramics, on Thursday, 30 July! JCC Director Ms Kawabe Akiko, together with the two exhibiting artists, Mr Yoshimura Rakunyu III and Mr Honiwa Rakunyu III, personally guided Dr Iskandar through the exhibition, sharing the inspirations, traditions, and techniques behind...(Click here to read more)

300 Years of Weaving - The Silk District of Tango

The northern part of Kyoto Prefecture ⎯ an area previously known as Tango ⎯ is famous for silk weaving. For centuries this industry was vital to the livelihoods of local people, and Tango artisans came to specialize in a type of raw silk crêpe known as chirimen: a fabric with a distinctive bumpy texture that is made by twisting the weft about 3,000 times. Tango’s silk weaving...(Click here to read more)

Kamo-nasu no Dengaku

"Kamo-Nasu" is one of the most popular traditional vegetables in Kyoto. Characterized by its round shape with a diameter of over 10 cm, the eggplant has a firm, heavy weight, and does not fall apart when cooked, thus it is called "The queen of eggplants" in the Kyoto area. According to one theory, the "Kamo-Nasu" was originally produced in "Serikawa", "Shimotoba" Village, but was introduced to "Kamigamo" in the north...(Click here to read more)

National High School Baseball Championship

The national high school baseball championships started in 1915, and high school baseball teams gather from all over Japan. It is held the latter half of August when the weather is hottest in Japan. Because games are played in Hanshin Koshien Stadium, the tournament is often called “Koshien”. All high school baseball players dream of playing in this stadium. Those who are very serious about this dream practice very hard in junior high school so that they can enter high schools that have a...(Click here to read more)