The Japan Society

Upcoming Events

17/02/2025Defining Japanese Fashion: From Meisen Kimono to Issey Miyake

17/02/2025

In this talk, Professor Hiroshi Narumi will explore the evolution of fashion in Japan during its modernisation in the 20th century through key trends such as the Taisho-era Meisen kimono and post-war youth fashion.

05/03/2025ONLINE EVENT - The Japan Society Film Club: Sansho the Bailiff directed by Kenji Mizoguchi

05/03/2025

This month, our film club explores Sansho the Bailiff (1954), Kenji Mizoguchi’s story of a governor’s exile and the separation and suffering of his family. Join us to discuss this powerful tale of perseverance and justice.

12/03/2025Where the Wild Things Are: Why You Should Leave Tokyo and Cycle the Length of Japan

12/03/2025

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.

14/04/2025IN-PERSON EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Butter by Asako Yuzuki

14/04/2025

"Butter" explores gender roles, societal expectations, and power dynamics through Rika, a reporter investigating a woman accused of manipulating men with her culinary skills.

28/04/2025Fashion and the Floating World in Japanese Ukiyo-e Prints

28/04/2025

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.

12/05/2025ONLINE EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Quicksand by Jun'ichiro Tanizaki

12/05/2025

Quicksand is a psychological novel set in 1920s Osaka, exploring themes of love, obsession, and manipulation.

09/06/2025IN-PERSON EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: The Story of a Single Woman by Chiyo Uno

09/06/2025

This novel follows Yukiko, a woman in her thirties, grappling with societal pressures, personal desires, and the tension between independence and traditional expectations in early 20th-century Japan.

13/10/2025IN-PERSON EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Portraits of a Mother by Shusaku Endo

13/10/2025

Portraits of a Mother: A Novella and Stories explores themes of faith, family, and human frailty through a collection of interconnected narratives.

10/11/2025ONLINE EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Mina's Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa

10/11/2025

Mina's Matchbox is a coming-of-age novel set in 1972 Japan. After her father's death, 12-year-old Tomoko moves from Tokyo to Ashiya to live with her aunt's affluent family.

08/12/2025IN-PERSON EVENT - The Japan Society Book Club: Sisters in Yellow by Mieko Kawakami

08/12/2025

In "Sisters in Yellow", Hana, now in her forties, reflects on her youth in Tokyo’s “Yellow House” during the 1990s.