26 October 2018
October 4 1918, the Hirano Maru, a Japanese vessel, was torpedoed by the German U boat, UB91 in the Irish Sea . Of the 320 Japanese sailors on board, only 29 survived. In this talk, David James discussed the sinking of the Hirano Maru. He also talked about his efforts to restore the memorial in Angle, Pembrokeshire, which is dedicated to the Japanese sailors who lost their lives. The new memorial was unveiled in Angle on October 4th 2018.
18 October 2018
The work of the Japanese photographer Kazuma Obara explores the untold histories and stories of victims of nuclear disasters. He has documented the effects of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. In this talk, chaired by Ele Carpenter, Kazuma discussed the various challenges that he has encountered in visual storytelling. He also talked about his contemporary photobooks, including ‘Reset Beyond Fukushima’ and ‘Exposure’, which he uses to tell these stories.
16 November 2018
It is thought that there are over 200 pilgrimage routes in Japan, however many have disappeared over the years. The Shikoku pilgrimage, a 1,200 kilometre route around the island of Shikoku, has gained a lot of attention internationally. In this talk, David Moreton took the audience on a journey back in time to about 100 years ago to learn about the first Westerners who experienced this pilgrimage, faith-building and miraculous stories related to the Shikoku pilgrimage, and how this journey was promoted to the world so long ago.
24 July 2018
Zen Buddhism attracts a great deal of attention from around the world. In this talk, Toda Seizan, the head priest of Daiji-in Daitokuji temple, discussed the close relationship between Zen Buddhism and the Japanese tea ceremony. He talked about the Heart Sutra, which is one of the most familiar sutras in Japan. There was the chance to experience dokkyou (sutra chanting) and shakyou (sutra transcription).
3 July 2018
The calligrapher and artist Misuzu Kosaka has produced striking, highly original art works that have been incorporated into book designs, restaurant decors and commemorated major. In this event, her calligraphy works were introduced and interpreted by the critic Damian Flanagan. Misuzu then gave a demonstration of her dynamic calligraphy in action and invite participants to pick up a brush, splash the ink and attempt to create their own beautiful calligraphy.
30 May 2018
The world seems to be becoming increasingly unequal and uncertain. In this talk, Mami Kataoka, artistic director of the current 21st Biennale of Sydney, will introduce works from the Biennale and discuss the overlapping perspectives of these works surrounding ideas about nature, cosmic order, history and art history.
17 July 2018
Kokeshi are traditional wooden dolls that are produced in the Tohoku region of Japan. They are considered to be an icon of Japan, reflecting Japanese aesthetic sensibilities with their simple, elegant and minimalist designs. At this event Manami Okazaki will talk about these quirky dolls. A range of Kokeshi will also be on display, providing a rare opportunity to see new styles alongside traditional designs.
15 June 2018
The “24 Seasons Calendar” is based on the ancient East-Asian Lunisolar calendar, which describes the transition of seasons in 24 steps. Within Japanese society, people have learned to appreciate and harmonise with nature by adopting this calendar. In this talk Rinko Kimino will discuss how people’s lives are affected by the calendar and how the changes in seasons are appreciated through different mediums, as well as introducing some popular objects.
31 May 2018
We are living in an era of ageing populations. Making connections with other people is said to promote the mental health and longevity of older people. In this seminar, Dr Shankar will address loneliness in older people living in England, some of the factors affecting loneliness in later life, and how loneliness is related to health and well-being. Dr Cable will address possible factors contributing to the trend to increasingly poor mental health among older people in Japan, and its relevance to the UK.
22 May 2018
Focusing on railway systems and punctuality, this seminar will answer the question: what can Japan and the UK learn from each other? The speakers Kazuhiko Aida and Taku Fujiyama will draw on the experiences of the East Japan Railway Company and UCL’s research to discuss the approaches used by railways to run train services on time and to improve passenger experience.
