Dear Friends of JCC,

Konnichiwa!

Last month has proved to be extremely eventful, and I have been fortunate to have opportunities to participate in a myriad of events, both in JCC and in other venues all over the tropical island.

Among those memorable was a cello and piano recital, “Evening of beautiful Japanese melodies”. JCC was privileged to welcome cellist Mr Yunosuke Yamamoto and pianist Ms Kyoko Koyama from Japan to perform for fans of classical music and Japanese tunes. I fully enjoyed the performance, which perfectly fitted JCC’s ambience. It had been a while since JCC could present a similar event due to the pandemic, and I believe everyone appreciated it as a special gift from the musicians.

JCC was also fortunate to host the ceramic exhibition, “Clay Journeys: Transcending Boundaries in Contemporary Japanese Ceramics”. Its concept aligned with JCC’s theme of ‘Tradition and Innovation’, presenting a combination of traditional pottery techniques and modern sensibilities. It also promoted collaboration between Singapore and Japan through floral design by Singaporean Ikebana artists decorating the Japanese ceramic art. I was also honoured to meet and interact with local renowned Master Potter Dr Iskandar Jalil, who kindly visited and pleasantly looked at the works of the upcoming artists.

Looking forward, our exhibition in September will showcase a healing art, known as Pastel Shine Art (PSA). It originated in Japan, but later spread to Singapore and many instructors are actively engaging in volunteer activities and outreach programmes here. I invite everyone to drop by JCC to find out more about PSA and the Japan-Singapore friendship through it.

Also, JCC Cinema will be coming back to Our Tampines Hub (OTH). In response to feedback from past screenings, in which many requested for Your Name. or 『君の名は。』, I am pleased to share that it will be featured this time! I remember the zeal in Japan for 聖地巡り (seichi-meguri, or visiting sacred spots) upon the release of the animation film in 2016. Many fans travelled to Gifu Prefecture to see the actual sceneries of touching moments they viewed on the screen. So join us at OTH on 17 September to immerse yourself in the Makoto Shinkai World!

To stay informed about our activities, please follow us on our Facebook and Instagram! You may also follow the Embassy of Japan in Singapore on their Facebook page for the latest news and updates from Japan.

Oh, our Embassy’s Facebook also shared that I had the pleasure of enjoying the king of fruits, durian, for the first time with my colleagues. The red prawn variety was both creamy and delicious! I look forward to eating many more local food and fruits in Singapore!

Akiko Kawabe
Director, Japan Creative Centre (JCC)
Embassy of Japan in Singapore
5th September 2023