The JYC Blog - August Orientation

To celebrate the start of this new initiative, members of the Japan Youth Collective took part in a two-day orientation, packed with events and activities to foster a growing passion for Japanese culture.

On the first day, the group was welcomed by the Japan Society Education Team; Sam Thorne, Director General & CEO of Japan House London; and Jenny White, Chief Executive of the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, before participating in icebreaker games and learning how to write their names in Japanese. At lunch, the Collective members enjoyed a bento picnic and a stroll through the Kyoto Garden at Holland Park before returning to Japan House London for a special tours of the current WAVE exhibition. To end the day, the members had a chance to do a spotlight presentation in small groups to reflect on their favourite pieces in the exhibition.

The second day started with a sushi class with Sozai Cooking School where members made their own sushi for lunch! In the afternoon, members  worked with performance artist and musician, Kazuko Hohki, who introduced to the group animism in Shinto and storytelling using personal objects. With guidance from Kazuko, members created a “Collective Exhibition” using personal objects of their own which best represented each member’s connection to Japan.

In the next few months, members will explore other areas of Japanese culture as a group which will eventually culminate in a participant-led event in spring 2024. Watch this space!

JYC Members' Voices

A Serene Start to an Epic Adventure: Orientation with Sara

My first day of orientation as a member of the Japan Youth Collective at Japan House London was honestly nerve-wracking. But, as soon as I walked through those doors, let me tell you, I felt like I'd entered a whole other world. It was all so chill and peaceful like the air itself was zen vibes only.

The staff members were seriously the bomb. They were super friendly and helpful, going the extra mile to make me feel at home. I mean, who knew strangers could make you feel so comfortable? Their positive energy just radiated, and it was contagious. I couldn't help but relax and let go of my initial jitters.

The orientation itself was dope. The staff didn't rush through it, and took the time to make sure we were all on the same page. And they didn't just drop knowledge bombs on us either. They had these icebreaker activities that were lowkey fun and allowed us to connect with our fellow Collective members. It was like we were one big happy family from day one.

Honestly, this orientation wasn't just about the deets and stuff. It taught me something deeper. It showed me that personal growth comes from stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing new experiences. And man, am I ready to embrace them all!

As I left at the end of the day, I couldn't help but feel pumped. Thanks to that delightful and calming first day of orientation, I'm now full of confidence and excitement for what's to come next. It's gonna be lit, and I'm so ready!

Reflection by Zakaria

The Japan Youth collective began with two exciting orientation days, bringing together young minds from diverse backgrounds. These days created an atmosphere of learning, friendship as well as cultural exchange.  

The first orientation day kicked off with the joy of meeting new people. People who were once strangers became friends as well all engaged in ice-breaker activities, setting the scene for the day to come. The highlight of the day was a treat for art enthusiasts. We visited an art exhibition featuring the works of Japanese artists. We learnt about art concepts such as ‘Heta-Uma’ ヘタウマ. This loosely translates to ‘Bad, but good’, in reference to art that looks “bad”, but retains its artistic integrity through a deeper message. This immersive experience allowed us to explore the intricacies of Japanese art and deepened our understanding of Japan’s rich cultural heritage.  

The second orientation day was a sushi-making workshop, where we not only learned the art of crafting this iconic Japanese dish, but also got to taste the fruits of our labour! The atmosphere was filled with laughter and joy as we shared our sushi creations.  

The orientation days were more than just events; they were a great opportunity for the JYC to foster a sense of community and instil an appreciation for Japanese culture. These enriching experiences are just a few of many more to come! 

Reflection by Kaya

It was really nice to meet again and to get to know everyone better so that I could make new friends while learning about Japan. The most memorable part of the day for me was making sushi, which was something I had never been taught to do before. I really enjoyed it, although I was a bit nervous at first that I might find it difficult.

Meeting the Japanese performer Kazuko Hohki was also a very interesting aspect of the day as we learned about her life. I particularly enjoyed learning about the musical group that she was a founder of called Frank Chickens. We were then given the opportunity to share our own personal interests in Japanese culture using what she had taught us, which was that according to Shinto beliefs in Japan, every object has a kami, or ‘god', connected to it. Then, in small groups, we created stories based on the kami related to objects that represented our interest in Japan, which we then presented to the whole group along with a freeze frame in which our group acted out a scene from our story. The presentation also included a display with pictures of our objects and the story of how these objects were important to each of us. I found everyone’s stories very compelling, and it was fascinating how everyone worked together creatively to come up with each unique collective story.

Overall, the orientation experience was very new to me, but it was also very informative, and I had a lot of fun.