Dear Friends of JCC,

Konnichiwa!

Last month was packed with exciting events and cultural exchanges, all of which added to the buzz and joy of the celebration of SJ60. From discovering the beauty and flavours of Kumamoto Prefecture to showcasing calligraphy at the Ship for Southeast Asia and Japan Youth Programme (SSEAYP) cultural booth, the events once again showcased the many facets...(Click here to read more)

Shogi Workshop ~ Commemorating the SJ60 Eiou Championship Singapore Match ~

JCC once again held shogi workshops for beginners and experienced shogi players, this time under the guidance of professional shogi players Mr Sasaki Makoto and Mr Takami Taichi, both ranked 7-dan. Co-organised with Japan Shogi Association, the full house event on 7 February began with an introduction to shogi, as well as the upcoming SJ60 Eiou Championship Singapore Match...(Click here to read more)

Kumamoto Prefecture - The Land of Water ~ The cultural and historical hub of sake and shochu ~

JCC held a special Kumamoto promotional event on 14 February 2025, focusing on the prefecture’s role as a cultural and historical hub of sake and shochu. Mr Yamaguchi Yuji, Director of the Kumamoto Representative Office in Singapore, introduced the beauty of Kumamoto, including how it is blessed by nature and exceptional water, which in turn...(Click here to read more)

JCC Cinema 96 x Japanese Film Festival: The Imaginary

JCC Cinema 96 x Japanese Film Festival featured the adventure fantasy The Imaginary (PG) at SFS Somerset, housed in Cineleisure close to the Orchard area on 28 February. Prior to the screening, we had the privilege of a special presentation by Mr Chang Sieh Yong, Principal of the Japanese Cultural Society (JCS) Japanese Language school. He introduced the opportunities of learning Japanese and his own experience of how studying...(Click here to read more)

Washoku Beyond Recipes – Why Japanese Food is a Way of Thinking –

JCC held an enlightening talk about Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese which is registered as an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, on 28 February. Dr Yanagihara Naoyuki, Executive Chef of Yanagihara Cooking School of Traditional Japanese Cuisine presented a comprehensive introduction to the history, characteristics, philosophy...(Click here to read more)

Oshi-e Craft Workshop

Two Oshi-e craft workshops were held at Yishun Library on Saturday, 28 February, attracting enthusiastic participants of all ages. Guided by passionate instructors of The Japanese Cultural Society Singapore (JCS) Creative Club, participants learnt the basic techniques and background of Oshi-e, a traditional Japanese pressed fabric art. In the first session, they made a horse motif to celebrate the Year of the Horse during the Lunar New..(Click here to read more)

SSEAYP Welcome Reception

H.E. Ambassador Ishikawa Hiroshi attended the Welcome Reception for the participants of the 49th Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Programme (SSEAYP) on 4 February at Marina Bay Sands Expo. The Guest of Honour, Mr David Neo, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Education, warmly welcomed the participants and shared that his Personal Assistant is an alumnus of this programme...(Click here to read more)

SSEAYP Homestay Matching Cultural Booth

Japan Creative Centre (JCC) took part in the Ship for Southeast Asia and Japan Youth Programme (SSEAYP) Homestay Matching Cultural Booth held at Suntec City on 6 February. Participants from ASEAN countries and Japan, along with Foster Family members, had the chance to enjoy a hands-on experience with Japanese Water Calligraphy at our JCC booth. They had fun writing not only Japanese characters, but also meaningful...(Click here to read more)

JET Programme Presentation at ASEAN CAREER FAIR with JAPAN

The ASEAN CAREER FAIR with JAPAN 2026 was held on 7 February 2026 at EXPO. Aimed at bringing talented youths from South East Asia and Japanese Companies together, this year’s iteration saw more than 600 young graduates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Singapore. Along with staff members from J.CLAIR, Second Secretary Ms Yazawa Akiko...(Click here to read more)

JENESYS Sharing Session

The group of Japanese students from Fukuyama Municipal Jr and Sr High School in Hiroshima Prefecture took the stage on 9 February at Japan Creative Centre (JCC) to share highlights from their Singapore exchange trip under the JENESYS Programme. Moderated by Ms Miyazaki Miyuki from Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) and opened by Second Secretary Ms Yazawa Akiko, the students spoke enthusiastically about...(Click here to read more)

The Reception to Celebrate the Birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan (2026)

Ambassador Ishikawa Hiroshi hosted a reception on 13 February to celebrate the 66th birthday of His Majesty the Emperor. He highlighted SJ60 – the 60th Anniversary of Japan-Singapore diplomatic relations, underscoring the strong mutual affinity between our peoples and the “Three C’s”: Common Interests, Collaborative Learning, and Cultivated Trust. His speech concluded with...(Click here to read more)

Opening Ceremony of “Salt Tongues / Far Shores Near”

JCC Director Ms Kawabe Akiko expressed her delight at the ongoing artistic collaboration showcased in the exhibition “Salt Tongues / Far Shores Near,” held at Objectifs - Centre for Photography and Film . Building on the 2024 exhibition in Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, which featured Singaporean artists, this current show brings Japanese artists and curators to Singapore...(Click here to read more)

Japanese Cultural Festival and Night (JCFN)

JCC Director Kawabe had the pleasure of visiting the Japanese Cultural Festival and Night (JCFN), organised by the NUS Japanese Studies Society, on 24 January. She was delighted by the wide array of Japanese cultural experiences showcased by the students, including cosplay, rock music, Japanese literature, kamishibai, wa-nage (ring toss), as well as traditional...(Click here to read more)

Visit by Japanese youths under JENESYS Programme

A group of Japanese students from Fukuyama Municipal Jr and Sr High School in Hiroshima Prefecture visited JCC on 4 February as part of their exchange trip to Singapore under the JENESYS 2026 Programme. The group was warmly welcomed by Second Secretary Ms Yazawa Akiko, who introduced Singapore and shared the roles, functions, and missions of both...(Click here to read more)

Ikebana International Singapore Chapter 135 Chinese New Year Celebration

H.E. Ambassador Ishikawa Hiroshi and Mrs Ishikawa attended the Ikebana International Singapore Chapter 135's Chinese New Year Celebration on 6 February 2026, engaging in the traditional "lohei" (prosperity toss) to mark the festive season. The celebration also included an Ikebana demonstration by Dr Leonard Lim, President of Ikenobo Ikebana Society, Singapore...(Click here to read more)

Visit by Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology students

4 university students and Professor Komatsu Toshiaki from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology visited JCC on 20 February 2026. The students are in Singapore as part of a Project-based Overseas Expedition Programme in Southeast Asia, and will be staying in Singapore for one month. Second Secretary Ms Yazawa Aiko gave a presentation about...(Click here to read more)

Visit by university students from Japan and NUS

Fifteen university students from Japan and the National University of Singapore visited JCC on 26 February. The Japanese students came from Kwansei-Gakuin, Waseda and Seikei universities. They were in Singapore to collaborate with Singaporean students on a marketing project for a local pharmaceutical company. Second Secretary Ms Yazawa Akiko delivered a...(Click here to read more)

JUGAS Lunar New Year Party

Ambassador Ishikawa attended the Lunar New Year party of the Japanese Universities Graduates Association (JUGAS) as the Guest of Honour on 1 March. 2026 marks the 55th anniversary of JUGAS as well as the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Japan (SJ60). We sincerely appreciate the enduring cooperation and friendship with JUGAS...(Click here to read more)

Izumo: A Land of Myths, Gods, and Sunsets

The city of Izumo in the western Japanese prefecture of Shimane is one of the nation’s most sacred and spiritually important places. Known as the land of the gods and the setting for many Japanese myths, it features prominently in Japan’s oldest written record, the Kojiki, which was completed in the eighth century and contains the myths, legends and history of the formation of Japan. In Japanese mythology, Izumo links this world...(Click here to read more)

Izumo Soba

Izumo soba is representative of the Izumo region. Along with "wanko soba" in Iwate Prefecture and "Togakushi soba" in Nagano Prefecture, it is one of the three most famous soba in Japan. It is said that soba spread to the Izumo region in the early Edo period when Naomasa Matsudaira, the first lord of the Matsudaira family of the Matsue domain, brought soba chefs with him when he moved from the Matsumoto domain in Shinshu...(Click here to read more)

Ms Liu Yoko was born in Yokohama, Japan and studied at the Tokyo College of Music. She was first a flautist but took up the clarinet later in her music studies. She has lived in the USA and in Switzerland to pursue music and has even studied with Professor Francois Benda at Musik Akacademie der Stadt Basel. She has also participated in many performances internationally - having done solo recitals in Tokyo, Yokohama and Fukuoka...(Click here to read more)

Vernal Equinox Day and Higan

March 20 or 21 is Shunbun no Hi, or Vernal Equinox Day, a day when the sun crosses the equator making night and day equal in length. It's a national holiday in Japan, a day to commune with nature and to show our affection for all living things.

The seven-day period starting three days before Vernal Equinox Day and ending three days after is called higan. Higan, which also occurs around Autumnal Equinox Day...(Click here to read more)