Dear Friends of JCC,

Konnichiwa!

It was a vibrant start to 2026, and I had the privilege of visiting several art and cultural events in Singapore, including the exhibition Salt Tongues / Far Shores Near which opened at Objectifs – Centre for Photography and Film as part of the Singapore Art Week, and the NUS Japanese Cultural Festival and Night, organised by students of the NUS Japanese Studies Society. It was ...(Click here to read more)

Opening Ceremony of Drawing Japan and Singapore with Lines Alone ~ An exhibition of cultural exchange and fusion by ballpoint artist Kaoru Hashimoto ~

The opening ceremony of “Drawing Japan and Singapore with Lines Alone” was held at JCC on Friday, 30 January 2026. Presented jointly by JCC and Innoplan Singapore Pte Ltd, the exhibition features around 70 artworks by artist Ms Kaoru Hashimoto, drawn solely with ballpoint pens on paper. The collection...(Click here to read more)

Conferment Ceremony of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays to Professor Lai Ah Keow

Ambassador Ishikawa bestowed the decoration of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays upon Professor Lai Ah Keow, President of the Japanese Cultural Society, Singapore (JCS) at his residence on 30 January 2026. The prestigious decoration, announced in November 2025, recognises Professor Lai’s outstanding contributions to fostering friendship...(Click here to read more)

Hatsugama Tea Ceremony 2026 by Chado Urasenke Tankokai Singapore Association

H.E. Ambassador Hiroshi Ishikawa attended the Hatsugama at the The Japanese Association, Singapore organised by Chado Urasenke Tankokai Singapore Association. JCC Director Kawabe Akiko also joined the event. The kanji of Hatsugama (初釜) mean “first/new” (初) and “kettle” (釜) – and this term refers to the first tea gathering of the New Year. President of Chado...(Click here to read more)

Study in Japan Presentation at Hwa Chong Institution

On 29 January 2026, Education Attaché Mr Aihara Yuko, along with Ms Torigoe of OJEIC (Okayama University Japan Educational Information Center) and Ms Ngyuen of JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization) visited Hwa Chong Institution to share with some students about the MEXT Scholarship and information about studying in Japan! Thinking about...(Click here to read more)

Onomichi: A Historic Port City Perfect for Wandering

Onomichi has been dubbed a “miniature garden city” for its setting surrounded by hills, with narrow streets and stone paths meandering between the houses, temples, and gardens that fill the confined space down to the coast. Onomichi has retained its historic charm, and the view from the hills out toward the islands of the Setonaikai Sea has inspired countless writers, artists, and film-makers to use the city as a setting for their work...(Click here to read more)

Kaki Zoni

"Kaki zoni" is a "sumashi-jiru" (=clear soup) made with dried sardines, kombu (=kelp), and bonito soup stock. The soup contains oysters, yellowtail, and vegetables. Sometimes, miso is used for the soup. Yellowtail is fatty and remains fresh for a long time, which is why it is used for "zoni" eaten during the New Year holidays. An entire yellowtail is used to make sashimi and "zoni" with the leftover fish. In the coastal areas of Hiroshima Bay, salted...(Click here to read more)

Mr Natsume Tomoki moved to Singapore in 2020 after being accepted at the SSO, but once upon a time he was a salaryman working in a bank in his hometown of Osaka. He graduated with a Bachelor of Economics in 2015 at the Kwansei Gakuin University - a path which was chosen out of practicality - but music had never left Mr Natsume's life, having played the tuba since he was 13 years old. Despite his long work hours at the bank...(Click here to read more)

Setsubun and Bean-Throwing

Japan has four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The term setsubun originally referred to the days marking the change from one season to the next, so that there were four of them, but today only the day before Risshun (the beginning of spring in the traditional Japanese calendar) is called by that name. Setsubun comes on either February 3 or 4, depending on the year.

On the night of Setsubun, many...(Click here to read more)