Past Events

In this lecture, Mark Pendleton (U. Sheffield) will explore the historical and contemporary impacts of HIV and AIDS in Japan through several key moments and themes.

This lecture offers an overview of the rise of far-right movements in Japan since the early 21st century, highlighting the emergence in recent decades of diverse social movements marked by nationalist sentiments and xenophobic ideologies.

Join us for a special evening with artists Hamish Fulton and Masako Yasuki as they discuss their collaborative exhibition Earth Sense Part 2: Hamish Fulton | Masako Yasuki, opening at White Conduit Project on Saturday 16 August. This intimate conversation will explore the artists’ shared yet distinct approaches to landscape, walking, and the sensory experience of place.

To mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August 1945, The Japan Society is delighted to host filmmaker Megumi Inman, co-director and producer of the documentary "Atomic People" (2024).

Drawing on ethnographic research with a network of contemporary art practitioners in the Kansai region of Japan, in this lecture anthropologist Iza Kavedžija explores how artists describe their creative work as shaped by encounters—with people, materials, objects, artworks, and elements of popular culture.

In this lecture, cultural historian Asao Kozu will explore the evolution of chanoyu (tea ceremony) across three generations - Rikyu, Oribe, and Enshu - linked through a lineage of master and disciple.

In this lecture, Professor Yoshi Miki will share his research on Japanese art collections in the UK focusing on collections outside London.

In this lecture Victoria and Albert Museum's curators Anna Jackson and Masami Yamada will explore how these ukiyo-e, "pictures of the floating world", served as compelling advertisements for kimono merchants, textile workshops, cosmetics brands, theatre promoters, and brothel operators.

We are delighted to welcome the British Ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom CMG, to address the Japan Society after four years in post.

Featuring clips from his popular documentary, travel journalist Oscar Boyd will join us to talk about his experiences cycling the length of Japan, from the southern shore of Kyushu to the northernmost point of Hokkaido over 27 days.