Events & Programmes Archive

2020年にWebで無料公開された『いろどり　生活の日本語』に、このたび初中級（A2/B1）が加わりました。『いろどり』は日本で生活する人のための日本語コースブックですが、Web上から無料でダウンロードできるというアクセスの良さから、欧州でも活用している先生方が少なくありません。 今回の研修では、欧州の日本語教育に活かすために、『いろどり』についてより深く知る機会を設けます。 2026年6月にオンラインで実施された「『いろどり』初中級（A2/B1）公開記念オンラインセミナー」の視聴を事前課題とし、その内容をもとに、皆さまから寄せられた質問に開発者のお二人（磯村一弘氏・中川美保氏）にお答えいただく形で研修会を実施します。ぜひ、開発者のお二人に聞いてみたいことをお寄せください。 事前課題： ———————————— ① 動画の視聴「『いろどり』初中級（A2/B1）公開記念オンラインセミナー（2026年6月開催）第1部：説明」の動画（43分）を視聴する。➡ 事前課題動画はこちら ② 教材の確認『いろどり』初中級（A2/B1）から1課分を見て、内容や流れをざっと確認しておく。（参考：公開記念オンラインセミナー第2部では、第2課を取り上げています）➡ 初中級（A2/B1）｜いろどり　生活の日本語 ———————————— 事前課題を実施のうえ、開発者のお二人への質問をお寄せください。申し込みフォームに質問を記入する項目があります。当日も講師のお二人に感想や質問をお伝えいただく機会を設けますが、事前に質問をお寄せいただけると大変助かります。 ※「『いろどり』初中級（A2/B1）公開記念オンラインセミナー（2026年6月開催）」動画は、第1部から第3部までの3部構成です。事前課題は第1部のみですが、そのほかの動画も事前に視聴したい方は、下記にアクセスのうえ、ページ下部へお進みください。（ページには複数の動画が公開されていますので、ご注意ください。） ➡　いろどりの教え方 | いろどり　生活の日本語 本研修会は、欧州6拠点（ケルン日本文化会館・ロンドン日本文化センター・マドリード日本文化センター・パリ日本文化会館・ローマ日本文化会館・ブダペスト日本文化センター）の共催で実施します。本研修会に関するご質問は、ケルン日本文化会館日本語チーム（kurse@jpf.go.jp）までお寄せください。

■ご案内 本セミナーは、日本語教育の専門家をお招きし、「多言語環境で育つ子どもたちの『ことば』の世界 ～ことばの選び方から読み解こう～」と題して、多言語環境で育つ子どもたちのことばに関する講演と、国際交流基金ロンドン日本文化センターの日本語アドバイザーによる「GCSE＆A-level日本語試験の基本情報」の2部構成でお送りします。「子どものことばの背景をもっと深く理解したい」「GCSEってどんなテストか知りたい」というみなさまのご参加をお待ちしております。なお、第2部はGCSEの概要をお知りになりたい保護者の方を対象としています。 We are delighted to announce an upcoming seminar, featuring an expert in Japanese language education. This event will be held in two parts: The first part features a talk on the language development of children growing up in multilingual environments. The second part, presented by a Japanese…

The Japan Foundation is excited to take part in the return of internationally acclaimed Japanese author Mieko KAWAKAMI, organised by Picador. Her newly translated work, Sisters in Yellow (『黄色い家』) is her first crime novel, poignantly exploring the question of why people commit crimes. Meet her at her exclusive talks in Manchester, Bath, Edinburgh, and…

The Japan Foundation is proud to once again partner with Théatre Lapis following the success of their 2023 musical Galaxy Train. Their new experimental, multidisciplinary puppetry performance, co-produced by Big Kun, draws on Japanese folklore and traditional Noh Theatre to create a breathtakingly impressive theatrical experience. The Runaway Effect (Work…

Proclaimed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity possessing outstanding universal value, Kabuki, in its 400 years history, has entertained and enthralled countless audiences. Behind the skilled performances by actors and lavishly designed set, however, Kabuki would not be complete without the colour of music. With their unrelenting efforts…

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is a test for non-native speakers of Japanese which evaluates and certifies their Japanese-Language proficiency. The test takes place twice a year (July and December) in Japan and various locations around the world. Currently, it is the largest Japanese language test in the world, with…

The UCL-Japan Youth Challenge is back again! This is a prestigious annual summer school programme. In this summer school, pre-university students from Japan and the UK attend a series of university-style lectures on a wide range of subjects by academics from UCL, and engage in UCL Grand Challenge Workshop, which aims to investigate one of the social issues in the world and explore solutions to it through discussion between Japanese and UK-based participants. It is a great opportunity for young people interested in cultural exchange and in getting some unviersity experience. 2026 will be the 11th year of the programme. It will be held in three places in the UK: Rikkyo School in England, West Sussex; University of Cambridge, Cambridge; and UCL, London. Dates: Saturday 25 July – Sunday 2 August 2026 (9 days)* Fee for UK-based participants: 800 GBP *Not all dates are compulsory to attend. For full details and to apply, please visit the official website here: https://www.ucl-japan-youth-challenge.com/join-us/

SOLD OUT! The Japan Foundation, in partnership with The Garden Cinema, is proud to present an exclusive London screening of MORITA Yoshimitsu’s (Like Asura, screened as part of the JFTFP26) critically acclaimed The Family Game, as part of The Garden Cinema’s Select Japan series. What seems like a typical lower-middle-class Japanese household begins to unravel when the…

  Japanese photographer KITAI Kazuo (1944– ) may not be well known in the way other photographers such as MORIYAMA Daido are in the UK. Yet he, as the first recipient of the prestigious Kimura Ihei Award, is regarded as one of the most notable figures in the world of Japanese photography.   Away from strong individuality or radical expression, KITAI’s photography – ranging from a series of shots of the Japanese rural landscape to protests in the 1960s and 1970s – captures ordinary people’s lives. His works share a renewed appreciation for the potential of this medium, offering a time for reflection on things we should have seen but have lost sight of.   For this special talk event, FUJIMURA Satomi (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, Arts Council Tokyo), an expert in photography, will explore KITAI’s career as a photographer and his unique style while discussing how his images intertwine with political and social changes in Japan.   This event is co-presented with The Photographers’ Gallery and in conjunction with KITAI’s first solo exhibition in Paris, Kazuo Kitai, l’éloge du quotidien (Kazuo Kitai, in Praise of the Everyday), at the Japan Foundation’s Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris. FUJIMURA is the exhibition curator.

Do you think your Japanese level is getting rusty? Why not study Japanese online to brush up your Japanese level? This course is for non-native-speaker-level Japanese teachers who currently teach Japanese in secondary and/or primary schools. You can improve not only your Japanese level but also your teaching skills. Moreover you can build a network among other Japanese teachers. Trainee teachers are also welcome to join. School teachers who are not currently teaching Japanese but wish to do so are also welcome. For more information, see below. Eligibility (any one or more of the following): Non-native-speaker-level Japanese teachers who teach at secondary and/or primary schools, including teaching extra-curricular activites such as school clubs PGCE students who are aiming to become Japanese teachers SCITT trainees/candidates Suitable Japanese Level JLPT N3 or CEFR B1* (if you cannot assess your own level, please contact us.) *This is an intermediate level course. Schedule: This course consists of Online Sessions and a face-to-face Final Day event. The online sessions will be held on Mondays on the dates below, followed by the Final Day event, which will be held for all level native speaking and non-native speaking Japanese teachers together. Online sessions Time: 18:00-19:30 (90 min x 4 lessons) Date: 13th and 27th April, 11th and 25th May In-Person Final Day Event : 11:00-15:00(TBC), 27th June (Saturday) or 4th July (Saturday) Networking event, workshop, presentation by Pearson Edexcel, and a lunch reception More detailed information will be given later. Teachers of all Japanese levels are welcome. N.B. The course will take place online, but on the final day of the course we would like to hold a special face-to-face session, with special speakers. The Japan Foundation, London will provide lunch and cover your travel expense partly for the participants of the online sessions*. * All participants are asked to pay up to £10 of their travel expenses out of their own pocket (no reimbursement). The rest of their travel expenses will be reimbursed by The Japan Foundation, London for amounts up to £100.00. If you need to travel the day before and stay overnight the night before the Final Day event, please consult us in advance. Course fee: Free (including all handouts) Registration Deadline: 6th April 2026 Languages used: English/Japanese Resources: All handouts will be given during the lesson. This course may count as 10 hours of CPD (TBC) Course Objectives: To be able to teach GCSE-level confidently Course Content: Week 1 (online): Introduction, Review of GCSE specification Week 2 (online): Review of Grammar and Kanji Week 3 (online): Review of Grammar and Kanji Week 4 (online): Review of Grammar and Kanji Final Day (face-to-face) : Workshop and resource sharing (TBC)   To register, please click here Further Enquiries: Ms Hiroko Tanaka   Hiroko_Tanaka001@jpf.go.jp  

  Do we really know who we are and who others are? This is the main theme for the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2026. Because of the complex nature of our minds and emotions, many filmmakers have employed the theme through various forms and narratives. Arguably, examples can be seen in KUROSAWA Akira’s Rashomon and our screening last year of Ichiko by TODA Akihiro, to name only a few. Recently, advanced technologies, widespread social networking services, as well as greater gender diversity, seem to bring fascinating new stories of self-images.   In this wrap-up online talk, we have invited experts who have long-standing careers in the film industries of Japan and the UK, to explore the theme of the true self by illustrating some concrete examples of their choices. Together, they will discuss the narratives, voices, and approaches of filmmakers to this theme by examining the course of film in the past and future.

Japanese literature has never been so popular in the UK! Following the successful talk tour by YUZUKI Asako and TSUJIMURA Mizuki, the Japan Foundation is delighted to present two authors from Japan whom you should watch out for: YAGISAWA Satoshi, the author of the worldwide best-selling novel Days at the Morisaki Bookshop and its sequel, as well as our previous guest YAGI Emi (Diary of a Void) whose new book When the Museum is Closed is now available in English. Although the two authors have different writing styles and storylines, both sincerely face and examine in their books the lives of women in a complex modern world and their journeys of coping with relatable personal issues. They will talk about their own books in London and Manchester.   YAGISAWA Satoshi Debuted in 2010 with Morisaki Shoten no hibi (Days at the Morisaki Bookshop), which was adapted into a hit film and followed up with a sequel publication. His Morisaki Bookshop series has since been translated worldwide, become an international bestseller and was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. His other works include the Junkissa Torunka (Torunka Cafe) series. His hobbies include playing the guitar and he loves coffee and cats.   YAGI Emi Born in Nagano in 1988, is the award-winning author of Diary of a Void and When the Museum is Closed. Her work has been translated into 25 languages and acclaimed internationally. Her first novel, Diary of a Void, won the Osamu Dazai Prize. She lives in Tokyo and is an editor at a leading women’s magazine.