Director's message of this month

Together with Ms Asuka Hishiki, who gave a delightful talk at JCC about her journey as a botanical artist, and the staff from the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Dear Friends of JCC,

Konnichiwa!

March marked the beginning of spring in Japan, with the blooming of flowers such as plum blossoms, wisterias and azaleas. As you may all know by now, we cannot miss out the symbolic cherry blossoms, which are on display right here in Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay! It was an eventful weekend during the opening week, with an array of Japanese cultural programmes including traditional tea ceremonies, Koto, Suzume Odori, Choral showcase, Taiko, Yosakoi dance, Minyou, and our very own JCC Cinema screening of the beloved Studio Ghibli classic Castle in the Sky. We also welcomed back Japanese calligrapher, Ms Reisen, where she wrote the SJ60 theme 共想、共働、共進 (Co-imagine, Co-Create, Co-evolve) during her lovely live performance. The Sakura floral display is until 15 April, so you still have one week left to appreciate the gorgeous cherry blossoms!

JCC also organised numerous events within our premises, with a variety of topics from both the science and art fields. Besides that, we also went into the heartlands once again by joining the March Fun Fiesta at One Punggol with a JCC Cinema screening of Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window, based on a popular Japanese novel by Ms Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, which has been translated into many languages.

We were also pleased to welcome botanical artist Ms Asuka Hishiki for a talk event at JCC. Her joyful presentation about her work and passion for nature captivated the audience. I am delighted that her solo exhibition is being held at the Botanic Gardens, one of Singapore’s iconic landmarks. The exhibition runs until 15 November, and I highly recommend everyone to visit and admire her intricate depictions of plants, fruits, and insects.

Keep an eye out for more upcoming events, please follow us on our Facebook and Instagram, as well as the SJ60 Facebook page and Instagram! You may also follow the Embassy of Japan in Singapore on their Facebook page as well as their X account for the latest news and updates from Japan.

Kawabe Akiko
Director, Japan Creative Centre (JCC)

6th April 2026