Dear Friends of JCC,

Konnichiwa!

August is the height of the summer heat in Japan (and as reported it was especially hot this year!) with many vibrant summer festivals. As for JCC, we also kept the heat up with events that highlighted the various facets of Japan and Japanese culture, ranging from performance of traditional musical instruments, shamisen and kotsuzumi, paired with elegant Nihonbuyo, the fusion of Japanese ceramics with Singaporean floral design, the world of kirei-sabi in Enshu style Japanese tea ceremony...(Click here to read more)

Shamisen & Kotsuzumi in Harmony ~ Lecture, Demonstration & Performance~

On 3 August 2024, JCC held a lecture, demonstration and performance centred on two traditional Japanese musical instruments. Ms Kineie Nami introduced about the history, types, and features of shamisen, and gave a short demonstration of the popular Vocaloid song “Senbon Zakura”. Ms Sakurama Ro Kyeong Soon presented about kotsuzumi’s history, types...(Click here to read more)

Opening Ceremony of Elegance in Clay and Flora: Japanese Ceramics and Singaporean Ikebana Expressions ~ New aesthetics in the Cultural Fusion of Japanese Ceramic Mastery with Singaporean Floral Design ~

The Opening Ceremony of Elegance in Clay and Flora: Japanese Ceramics and Singaporean Ikebana Expressions was successfully held on the evening of Tuesday, 6 August 2024 at JCC. It is a group exhibition featuring the works of four...(Click here to read more)

World Expo 2025 Osaka PR event

On 19 August, JCC received a special guest from Japan! The official mascot for the World Expo 2025 Osaka, MYAKU-MYAKU, visited JCC for the Expo 2025 PR event co-organised by the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition. Guests were able to deepen their knowledge about the Expo 2025 and met MYAKU-MYAKU in person. The World Expo is a major event that brings together people and innovations from around the world...(Click here to read more)

Enshuryu Tea Ceremony at Ambassador's Residence

H.E. Ambassador Hiroshi Ishikawa hosted a tea ceremony at his residence on 22 August 2024, with the presence of Mr Sojitsu Kobori, the 13th Grand Master of the Enshu Sado School. A group of Singaporean guests, including the President of The Japanese Cultural Society, Singapore, Professor Lai Ah Keow and Mrs Lai, as well as CEO of the National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum Dr Eugene Tan, attended the special event...(Click here to read more)

The World of Kirei-Sabi: Talk & Tea Ceremony by Grand Master of Enshu Sado

On 24 August 2024, JCC had the honour of inviting 13th Grand Master of Enshu Sado School Mr Sojitsu Kobori for the sixth installation of JCC’s 15th Anniversary Talk Series, to share about Enshu style of Japanese tea ceremony. JCC Director Ms Akiko Kawabe was present to kickstart the talk. The Grand Master spoke about the history and background of Enshu Sado School...(Click here to read more)

Study in Japan ~In Collaboration with Spring Magazine~

On 31 August 2024, after a hiatus of 5 years, the Study in Japan Seminar was physically held at JCC with enthusiastic participation from students and parents alike. Held in collaboration with Spring Magazine, Kyoto University and Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus, close to 70 people came to join the presentations by the universities as well as the one-to-one consultations. Contributors from the Japanese University...(Click here to read more)

Award Ceremony of Scenery of Japan Photo Contest ~ Showcasing the unique charms of Japan through photographs ~

Congratulations to the prize winners of the “Scenery of Japan Photo Contest”!! Thanks to all your support, we received a huge number of applications totaling up to 1,027. The photos showed the unique charms and experiences of each season – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter – as well as all the regions of Japan – from Hokkaido to Kyushu/Okinawa. There were a...(Click here to read more)

Celebration Ceremony Commemorating the 35th Anniversary of Enshu Sado School's Activities in Singapore and Tea Ceremony

The 13th Grand Master of the Enshu Sado School (Enshu-ryu), Mr Sojitsu Kobori, performed a tea ceremony at National University of Singapore (NUS) on Friday, 23 August 2024 to commemorate the 35th Anniversary of Enshu-ryu’s activities in NUS. H.E. Ambassador Hiroshi Ishikawa and Madam Yuko Ishikawa attended the event to celebrate the joyous occasion together with...(Click here to read more)

JAS Summer Festival (夏まつり)

On 24 August (Sat), the annual Japanese Association, Singapore シンガポール日本人会(JAS) Summer Festival, Natsu Matsuri (夏まつり) was held at The Japanese School Singapore Primary School, Changi Campus. H.E. Ambassador ISHIKAWA Hiroshi joined the event. Participants enjoyed live performances by multiple groups including Wadaiko players, learned how to wear a yukata, and played traditional Japanese festival games...(Click here to read more)

Dr Iskandar Jalil's Visit to "Elegance in Clay and Flora: Japanese Ceramics and Singaporean Ikebana Expressions"

We were honoured to have renowned Singaporean Master Potter Dr Iskandar Jalil visit JCC today! Dr Iskandar Jalil came to see our current exhibition, Elegance in Clay and Flora: Japanese Ceramics and Singaporean Ikebana Expressions and was welcomed by JCC Deputy Director Mr Yuki Hamada. The Master Potter enjoyed the exhibits and was amazed by the new...(Click here to read more)

JCC Director's Visit to ‘Asian Youth Orchestra Concert Tour 2024’

More than 100 young musicians from 13 countries and regions, including 4 from Singapore and 15 from Japan, performed in the (tag) Asian Youth Orchestra on 14 August in the Esplanade Concert Hall. JCC Director Akiko Kawabe and Second Secretary Mana Yamaguchi were delighted to have a chance to meet and cheer up the 15 Japanese musicians prior to their stage. Both fully enjoyed the music from Ravel, Lalo and Debussy...(Click here to read more)

Touring Fuji Five Lakes

Everyone knows the symbolic Mount Fuji of Japan, but how well do you know about the five lakes around the foot of the mountain in Yamanashi Prefecture? The Fuji Five Lakes are namely Kawaguchiko, Yamanakako, Saiko, Shojiko and Motosuko, and they were formed hundreds of years ago when the lava flow from Mount Fuji’s multiple eruptions spread across the area, and hence damming up the rivers. It is curious to note that Saiko, Shojiko...(Click here to read more)

The Magic of Miyadaiku

With over 150,000 temples and shrines in Japan, considerable effort and techniques are necessary to maintain them. The craftsmen who specialise in building and restoring these buildings are known as miyadaiku. The oldest organisation made up of these carpenters is Kongo Gumi Co., Ltd., located in Osaka and believed to have been originated with the construction of Shitennoji Temple in 593. Shitennoji Temple happens to be the first official...(Click here to read more)

Disaster Prevention Day

Many homes are busy preparing lunch at 11:58 a.m., and in a lot of kitchens, it's not unusual for people to be using a flame to cook food. This was the moment on September 1, 1923, that the Great Kanto Earthquake struck Tokyo, Yokohama, and surrounding regions. Measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, the quake not only devastated homes and office buildings but claimed the lives of 140,000 people - many of them being engulfed in the fires that broke out after the temblor.

The date of the big tragedy - September 1 - was designated Disaster Prevention Day in 1960 in order to...(Click here to read more)