Past Events

To coincide with the Inter City Shogi Cup 2026 in London, The Japan Society is delighted to co‑host a beginner‑friendly workshop led by Yasushi Ishikawa, a certified Teaching Professional 4dan. Taking place within the main tournament venue, the workshop will run alongside matches played by other participants, offering attendees the opportunity to experience the lively and friendly atmosphere of the event.

The Japan Society is pleased to co-host the Inter City Shogi Cup 2026 London, bringing the second edition of this unique European competition to London. Following the success of our Discover the World of Shogi – Japanese Chess workshops in 2025, we are delighted to continue nurturing interest in shogi and supporting its growing community in the UK.

To celebrate the first London edition of the Inter City Shogi Cup 2026, we are delighted to invite members and friends to an evening of in-conversation and reception hosted by Warwick Business School (WBS) at their London base in the iconic Shard building.

Join us for our May Film Club to explore Akira Kurosawa’s ground-breaking samurai epic, Seven Samurai, a powerful reflection on honour, survival, and community in medieval Japan.

The Japan Society is pleased to invite members to an exclusive private view of Samurai, introduced by Project Curator Joe Nickols. This special event offers an opportunity to delve into the world of the samurai through remarkable artworks and artefacts spanning centuries of Japanese history.

Join us for our April Film Club to explore Kei Ishikawa’s evocative 2025 drama A Pale View of Hills, a haunting reflection on memory and post‑war Japan.

In this lecture, Rosina Buckland, Head of the Japanese Section at the British Museum, will explain the thinking behind the British Museum exhibition on the iconic global figure of the samurai.

Spring Castle is the epic story of Japan's bloody Shimabara Rebellion, told through the eyes of the peasants and former samurai who rose up their oppressors with extraordinary bravery.

This new anthology offers the most comprehensive collection of Ryunosuke Akutagawa's work ever published in English. It features fresh translations of his most celebrated stories alongside many lesser-known and never-before-translated pieces.

Suitable even for complete beginners, in this workshop you will learn how Japanese characters were developed, discover different styles of writing, and be guided in the techniques for writing Japanese with a brush.