Dear Friends of JCC,

Konnichiwa!

October in Japan usually signals the start of autumn. Meanwhile in Singapore, it was also an extremely fruitful month for JCC. We had our annual Japanese Film Festival, which was met with great response, be it the film screenings or the masterclass. I had the pleasure of attending both its opening...(Click here to read more)

Opening Ceremony of Japanese Film Festival 2025

Our Japanese Film Festival 2025 officially started with a spectacular opening ceremony on 1 October 2025 at Golden Village VivoCity, featuring the Singapore premiere of Renoir, a Palme d'Or-nominated film with Singaporean participation and support from the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA). The opening welcomed nearly 500 guests. H.E. Ambassador Ishikawa Hiroshi and Mr Kenneth Tan, Chairman of...(Click here to read more)

In Conversation: Hayakawa Chie & Urata Hideho

A rare and inspiring double masterclass by two of the creative forces behind Renoir - Ms Hayakawa Chie and Mr Urata Hideho - was held as part of our Japanese Film Festival 2025 at JCC on Saturday, 4 October 2025 to a full house audience! Moderated by JFF Programmer Mr Deepagcharan Chandran, Mr Urata firstly started with an insightful presentation, When Images Come Alive, where he shared his perspective as a...(Click here to read more)

Study in Japan Webinar

Two sessions of Study in Japan were held on Saturday, 11 October 2025. The morning session featured a lineup of staff and students from Okayama University, Tokyo Metropolitan University and Kyoto University, as well as sharing on the MEXT Scholarship and life as a student in Japan by JUGAS (Japanese University Graduates Association of Singapore). The afternoon session featured a lineup of staff and students from...(Click here to read more)

JET Programme Briefing 2025

The JET Programme Briefing Session and the JET Programme Briefing Session was held in-person at JCC and online on 15 October and 18 October 2025 respectively. Jointly organised by JETAA Singapore, J.CLAIR Singapore, and Embassy of Japan in Singapore, participants were able to learn more about the Japan Exchange & Teaching (JET) Programme and the experiences of those who have been on this programme...(Click here to read more)

Opening Ceremony of Autumn Whisper - a gentle dialogue between season and soul ~ An Exhibition by Ikebana International Singapore Chapter 135 ~

Autumn has arrived at JCC, celebrated with the Ikebana exhibition! "Autumn Whisper - a gentle dialogue between season and soul", an exhibition by Ikebana International Singapore Chapter 135, opened on 22 October. In the opening ceremony, JCC Director Ms Kawabe Akiko and I.I. Singapore Chapter 135...(Click here to read more)

Send-off Session for World Tsunami Awareness Day High School Student Summit

The send-off session for the “World Tsunami Awareness Day High School Student Summit” was held at JCC (Japan Creative Centre) on 22 October 2025. Ambassador Ishikawa Hiroshi welcomed two groups of Singapore students, one group of four students that represented Singapore in last year’s Summit and another group of three who will represent the country this year...(Click here to read more)

Ikebana Workshops

Two sessions of Ikebana workshops by Ms Esther Law and Ms Netty Chu – both of whom are experienced and senior Ikebana instructors from Sogetsu School – were held on Saturday, 25 October 2025 as part of the “Autumn Whisper - a gentle dialogue between season and soul” Exhibition by Ikebana International Singapore Chapter 135 at JCC...(Click here to read more)

Digital Reconstruction of the Meiji Period and the Edo-Tokyo Museum's Approach to Creating Digital Content

The Time Travel in Ginza Street of the Meiji Era - Hyper Edohaku Travelling Exhibition by the Japan Foundation was opened on 30 October at JCC with a lecture by Mr Kutsusawa Hiroyuki, the curator at the Edo-Tokyo Museum where Hyper Edohaku was conceptualised...(Click here to read more)

Opening of Soegtsu Charity Exhibition

H.E. Ambassador Ishikawa Hiroshi graced the opening ceremony of the 59th Sogetsu Charity Exhibition SEEDS OF HOPE at Takashimaya Atrium as Guest-of-Honour. Mrs. Ishikawa Yuko also attended this splendid event. Singapore Sogetsu Association President Mrs. Pandora Ip gave a welcome speech. There was also a delightful piano and flute performance by Ensemble Kanon, which included music from the beloved movie...(Click here to read more)

Visit to Asia-Europe Cultural Festival

Soprano singer Ms Ayumi Togo performed in collaboration with an Italian composer and musicians on 10 October as part of the closing events of the Asia-Europe Cultural Festival. JCC Director Kawabe Akiko attended the event “Aéras” at the Asian Civilisations Museum, where she enjoyed a contemporary performance that transformed silk and cocoons into instruments. Along with a piano, the mesmerising setup harmonised with Ms Togo’s...(Click here to read more)

Visit to “CALLIGRATON”

A vibrant live calligraphy performance captivated the audience on 11 October, marking the closing curtain of the 4-month long Asia-Europe Cultural Festival. JCC Director Kawabe Akiko attended the event “CALLIGRATON” at the Stamford Arts Centre, where she was thrilled by calligraphy artistry of Ms Aoi Yamaguchi and the soundscapes created by duo Schnitt (Ms Amelie Duchow and Mr Marco Monfardini). Riding the waves of specially...(Click here to read more)

Visit to ABC Cooking Studio Singapore

J.CLAIR Singapore held its Autumn Sonata 1 Day Lesson with ABC Cooking Studio Singapore at its premises. The cooking lesson featured fresh, seasonal ingredients such as mikan (mandarin oranges) from Kumamoto Prefecture, sweet potatoes from Saitama Prefecture, Red Seabream from Ehime Prefecture, Muscat Grapes and Wasabi from Nagano Prefecture. Participants were tasked to create 4 sophisticated and...(Click here to read more)

Visit to “The Tokyo Toilet, Rethinking Public Design”

Director Kawabe participated in the architecture talk event “The Tokyo Toilet, Rethinking Public Design” organised by TOTO and hosted by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), where she learned how thoughtful, inclusive design can reshape Asia's urban spaces. Speakers on stage were Mr Yanai Koji, creator of The Tokyo Toilet project and producer of Perfect Days, a film following the routine of a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo...(Click here to read more)

Four Cities That Supported the Mega-City of Edo ~ An Edo Travelogue through Hokuso ~

The cities of Sakura, Narita, Sawara and Choshi, located in the Hokuso region in the north of present-day Chiba Prefecture, played a key role in supporting and sustaining Edo (present-day Tokyo) via both a major highway and an important water route along the Tone River. Sakura was not only a political and military center but also an academic hub because of the...(Click here to read more)

Rakkasei-miso (Peanuts Miso)

Rakkasei (peanuts), also known as "Nankinmame," are said to have been introduced in Japan during the Edo period. The cultivation of peanuts in Chiba Prefecture is said to have started when Manuemon Makino, a farmer from Nango Village, Sanbu District (now Sanmu City), purchased the seeds from Nakazato Village, Miura District, Kanagawa Prefecture and began a trial production. Chiba prefecture accounts for 80% of the domestic...(Click here to read more)

Tori no Ichi (The Festival of the Rooster)

A number of Shinto shrines around the country hold a lively "festival of the rooster" in November. These festivals, which last throughout the night, are held on the “days of the rooster” in November.

In the old Japanese calendar, the years, days, and hours are represented by a repeating cycle of 12 animals: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar. For example, 2016 is the year of the monkey. This means that 2017 is the year of the rooster, the next...(Click here to read more)