Tag Archive for: Embassy of Japan in Ireland

Japanese Film Festival (JFF) returns to Irish cinemas this April

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The Japanese Film Festival returns for its 14th outing this April, bringing the best of Japanese cinema to audiences across Ireland.
This year, Ireland’s only truly national film festival returns to its usual April slot. Screenings will take place in seven venues nationally, starting in Cork on Sunday April 3rd. April 7th will see the start of screenings in Dublin, Galway and Waterford. The festival continues in Tipperary on April 9th and concludes in Dundalk on April 23rd.
From festival favourites and hidden gems to the latest anime and blockbuster hits, every year JFF aims to bring the best of contemporary Japanese cinema to Irish audiences – and this year is no different.
This year’s line-up includes Tokyo Revengers, a live-action adaptation of the hit manga / anime series and one of the biggest Japanese box office successes of 2021. Time travel, romance, yakuza drama, action – Tokyo Revengers has it all.
Under The Open Sky, meanwhile, is among the most acclaimed Japanese dramas of recent years, boasting a career-best lead performance from veteran star Koji Yakusho (The Eel, Shall We Dance?, Cure, 13 Assassins).

Photo: Under the Open Sky (JFF 2022)

Other highlights at this year’s festival include Ito, a funny and poignant drama about a disaffected young woman who starts working in a maid café; Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle, a captivating take on one of the most unusual chapters of World War II and its aftermath; and Dawning on Us, a sharp social satire set in the immediate aftermath of lockdown. Foodies won’t want to miss the sumptuous The Pursuit of Perfection, a documentary that focuses on four of Japan’s most internationally celebrated chefs.

Photo: Ito (JFF 2022)

JFF 22 will also include the Irish premiere of the visionary stop-motion animation film Junk Head. Full of grotesque creatures, bizarre sights and unexpected comedy, Junk Head is an unforgettable trip into a subterranean sci-fi dystopia.

Photo: Junk Head (JFF 2022)

There’s something for everyone in this year’s anime selection. Looking for Magical Doremi is a lively and charming coming-of-age story and road trip across Japan. Sing a Bit of Harmony – the latest from Patema Inverted director Yasuhiro Yoshiura – is a joyous and energetic mix of high school drama, sci-fi and musical. Pompo the Cinephile brings a larger-than-life manga character to life while serving as a celebration of all things cinema. Last year’s JFF included the first Irish screenings of the Oscar-nominated Drive My Car.
JFF audiences in Cork, Galway and Waterford will this year have a chance to see director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s other 2021 masterpiece – the extraordinary anthology film Wheel of Fortune & Fantasy – on the big screen.
TICKETING
Ticket sales information for screenings are available from each participating venue.
Ticketing links and listings are also available at www.jff.ie
JFF 2022 FULL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Gate Cinema, Cork
Sunday April 3rd to Wednesday April 6th
April 3 @ 18:00: Under The Open Sky
April 4 @ 18:00: Tokyo Revengers
April 5 @ 18:00: Pompo the Cinephile
April 6 @ 18:00: Ito
Triskel Arts Centre, Cork
Thursday April 7th
April 7 @ 18:00: The Pursuit of Perfection
April 7 @ 20:15: Wheel of Fortune & Fantasy
Light House Cinema, Dublin
Thursday April 7th to Thursday April 14th
April 7 @ 20:15: Under the Open Sky
April 8 @ 18:30: The Pursuit of Perfection
April 8 @ 20:15: Tokyo Revengers
April 9 @ 13:15: Looking for Magical Doremi
April 9 @ 15:00: Sing a Bit of Harmony
April 9 @ 18:30: Pompo the Cinephile
April 9 @ 20:15: Junk Head
April 10 @ 19:00: Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
April 11 @ 18:00: Ito
April 12 @ 18:00: Dawning on Us
April 13 @ 18:00: The Murders of Oiso
April 14 @ 18:00: The Asadas!
Pálás Cinema, Galway
Thursday April 7th to Monday April 11th
April 7 @ 20:30: Under the Open Sky
April 8 @ 18:45: The Pursuit of Perfection
April 8 @ 20:30: Ito
April 9 @ 14:45: Looking for Magical Doremi
April 9 @ 16:30: Sing a Bit of Harmony
April 9 @ 18:45: Pompo the Cinephile
April 9 @ 20:30: Tokyo Revengers
April 10 @ 14:00: Dawning on Us
April 10 @ 16:30: Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
April 10 @ 20:00: Wheel of Fortune & Fantasy
April 10 @ 18:30: Wheel of Fortune & Fantasy
Garter Lane Theatre, Waterford
Thursday April 7th to Saturday April 9th
April 7 @ 19:30: Sing of a Bit of Harmony
April 8 @ 19:30: Wheel of Fortune & Fantasy
April 9 @ 19:30: Pompo the Cinephile
Tipperary Excel Centre, Tipperary
Saturday April 9th
April 9th @ TBC: Sing a Bit of Harmony
An Táin Arts Centre, Dundalk
Saturday April 23rd
April 23rd @ TBC: Looking for Magical Doremi
April 23rd @ TBC: Summer Ghost + Making Of
April 23rd @ TBC: Pompo the Cinephile
***
Japanese Film Festival 2022 is co-organised by The Embassy of Japan and access>CINEMA.

JLTI Language Contest 2022 | Applications Open

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IMPORTANT: Application deadline has been extended until Monday, 14th March 2022!
The Japanese Language Contest 2022 is open for entries.
This year’s theme is ‘Time for Fun’, contest will take place online, and you can send entries in the form of speech or Japanese language soundtrack videos which demonstrate a fun outlook.
The entries will be evaluated on a variety of criteria such as language level and expression, creativity and performance, and the prizes will reward a range of different styles, abilities and effort. The judging panel will take into account the language background and learning experience of the entrants which will be documented through their application forms.
Applications are accepted in 2 categories:
  • Secondary School Category A & B (A: TY＆ 5th year, B: 6th year) – individuals
    • Video clip of a self-introduction speech
    • One individual speaker should be clearly shown making their speech on screen.
    • No use of special props or items, other speaker or background noise or music etc is permitted.
    • Duration is 1 – 5 minutes
  • Open Category – individuals or groups
    • It can be individual or group production
    • Open format; (i.e.) speech, conversation, skit, drama, song, poetry, show & tell, presentation or animation
    • There must be a soundtrack in Japanese voiced by the entrant(s)
    • If entrants are not shown speaking on screen, then a separate short video must be provided with the application form which clearly shows the entrant(s) giving their names and speaking the lines. This video will not be evaluated for judging purposes.
    • Duration is 2 – 7 minutes

CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION

  • Participants must not be Japanese native speakers
  • Participants must be residents of Ireland.
  • Secondary School Category: This category is open to individual entrants of Secondary School age only.
  • Open Category: Participants cannot have lived in Japan for longer than 5 years in total. This category is open to entrants of all ages.
  • Neither participants themselves nor their immediate family members may be members of the JLTI.
  • Only one entry per category per person, regardless of whether individual or part of a group.
  • Participants should submit the application form including their YouTube video link and consent form(s) by the deadline.
  • A signed consent form must be provided for each member of any team entries for the Open Category.
  • For individual entries, the file names for the YouTube Videos and Consent Form should include the name of the entrant. The group name should be included in the file names for group entry videos and group member consent forms.
  • Applications will be accepted until March 7th.

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS MONDAY, 7 MARCH 2022.

Results will be announced by the end of March.

The winners will be added to our website and winning entries will be showcased on social media.

For information, application forms and guidelines, please visit JLTI website: https://jlti.org/jp/speech/
***

Contest is hosted by Japanese Language Teachers of Ireland (JLTI) and The Embassy of Japan in Ireland. Supported by the Japan Foundation. Sponsor: PPLI.

Exhibition ‘Edo in Colour – Prints from Japan’s Metropolis’ | Online Now

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As the Chester Beatty continues to follow Irish government guidelines, the opening of ‘Edo in Colour – Prints from Japan’s Metropolis’ has been delayed but an online version of the exhibition, which features one hundred prints and printed books from the Chester Beatty’s renowned collections of Japanese art, can be viewed here.

Photo: Chesterbeatty.ie

Bursting into life as capital of Japan’s ruling shogunate, by the mid-18th century the population of Edo (modern Tokyo) had grown to over one million.

From buskers and teahouse beauties to actors, entertainers, prostitutes and star-crossed lovers, the people of downtown Edo became celebrities of this new metropolis, their image captured in vibrant woodblock prints.

Photo: Chesterbeatty.ie

Woodblock prints were an affordable art, printed by the thousand and consumed as fast as fashion demanded. They are also aesthetically rich and technically accomplished. As illustrious artists and shrewd publishers battled for market share, they constructed the city anew on paper.

Edo in Colour explores how woodblock prints shaped a city’s identity as they crafted its image.

Photo: Chesterbeatty.ie

 

Visit online exhibition here: https://chesterbeatty.ie/exhibitions/edo-in-colour/

 

‘Edo in Colour’ is presented with the support of the Japan Foundation and Toshiba International Foundation.

The JLTI Japanese Language Contest is open for entries!

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In order to encourage and promote Japanese language education in Ireland, JLTI and the Embassy of Japan in Ireland jointly have hosted an annual Japanese speech contest. This year, the Japanese Speech Contest is back as the Japanese Language Contest.

The theme is ‘optimism’ and JLTI is inviting entries in the form of speech or Japanese language soundtrack videos which demonstrate an optimistic outlook.

The Japanese Language Contest takes place online.

The entries will be evaluated on a variety of criteria such as language level and expression, creativity and performance, and the prizes will reward a range of different styles, abilities and effort. The judging panel will take into account the language background and learning experience of the entrants which will be documented through their application forms.

Enquiry: Twitter account @JLTIcontest OR jltispeechcontest2021@gmail.com

Guidelines for Video Production and Uploading Video to YouTube

  • Video production must be original work. In the open category, if you use music and/or pictures, they also must be original or copy-right free materials.
  • The entry should be your own work (or the work of the members of your group). Only limited help or input from a teacher or native speaker or other is permitted.
  • Participants should submit a YouTube video link. See the following instructions on how to upload your video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VtF2AgFSLAw
  • The setting of your video privacy should be “unlisted”
  • Please title the video with your name (or your group name for a group entry)

Secondary School Category

  • Video clip of a self-introduction speech
  • One individual speaker should be clearly shown making their speech on screen.
  • No use of special props or items, other speaker or background noise or music etc is permitted.
  • Duration is 1 – 5 minutes

Open Category

  • It can be individual or group production
  • Open format; (i.e.) speech, conversation, skit, drama, song, poetry, show & tell, presentation or animation
  • There must be a soundtrack in Japanese voiced by the entrant(s)
  • If entrants are not shown speaking on screen, then a separate short video must be provided with the application form which clearly shows the entrant(s) giving their names and speaking the lines. This video will not be evaluated for judging purposes.
  • Duration is 2 – 7 minutes

Criteria for Participation:

  • Participants must not be Japanese native speakers
  • Participants must be residents of Ireland.
  • Secondary School Category: This category is open to individual entrants of Secondary School age only.
  • Open Category: Participants cannot have lived in Japan for longer than 5 years in total. This category is open to entrants of all ages.
  • Neither participants themselves nor their immediate family members may be members of the JLTI.
  • Only one entry per category per person, regardless of whether individual or part of a group.
  • Participants should submit the application form including their YouTube video link and consent form(s) by the deadline.
  • A signed consent form must be provided for each member of any team entries for the Open Category.
  • For individual entries, the file names for the YouTube Videos and Consent Form should include the name of the entrant. The group name should be included in the file names for group entry videos and group member consent forms.
  • Applications will be accepted until February 28th.

Online Application and Consent Forms can be found here: https://jlti.org/speech/

Application Deadline: Sunday, 28th February 2021

Results will be announced by the end of March. The winners will be added to our website and winning entries will be showcased on social media.

Hosted by Japanese Language Teachers of Ireland (JLTI) and The Embassy of Japan. Supported by the Japan Foundation.

IJA Annual Dinner 2020

30th IJA Annual Dinner | Photo Gallery

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On 14th February the IJA members, friends, and supporters came together to celebrate and enjoy one of our biggest events of the year – 30th IJA Annual Dinner 2020. This year it took place at one of the most beautiful and iconic Dublin venues – The Shelbourne Hotel.

The evening began with Sake reception, kindly supported by Embassy of Japan in Ireland and our corporate member – Retro Sake. Reception was followed by speeches from Ms Darina Slattery, IJA Chairperson, Mr Peter Sherrard, CEO of Olympic Federation of Ireland and H.E. Mr Mitsuru Kitano, Ambassador of Japan in Ireland.

Darina Slattery, IJA Chairperson

Peter Sherrard, CEO of Olympic Federation of Ireland

H.E. Mr Mitsuru Kitano, Ambassador of Japan in Ireland

IJA Annual Dinner 2020

Read here: Ambassador Kitano’s full speech at the IJA Annual Dinner 2020.

The guests enjoyed a delicious 3-course dinner in the beautiful Great Room followed by Prize Giving sponsored by the IJA Corporate members – AIB, ANA, Bank of Ireland, Dillon Eustace, KWE Ireland, Mitsubishi Electric, Retro Sake, SuMi TRUST, Unique Japan Tours and Yamamori. The Grand Prize this year was 2 return flights to Japan sponsored by Finnair, IJA 2020 Travel Partner.

 

(Please click on the images to enlarge)

Photo gallery in video format can be viewed here!

 

 

We would like to thank everyone who attended the IJA Annual Dinner this year. Special thanks go to our Patron member – AIB, our Travel Partner – Finnair, and all our Corporate members for their continued support and very generous prizes.

Our thanks go to the Dublin School for Japanese Children who made all the beautiful origami decorations for the dinner tables and to Mrs Tomoko Ozaki who created a wonderful Ikebana flower arrangement for the event. We would also like to thank The Shelbourne Hotel for hosting our event and providing excellent service before and during the dinner.

We would like to thank our Master of Ceremonies – Mr Raymond Hegarty, and our event team and volunteers – Mr Donagh Morris, Mr Graham Ryan, Ms Paula Kelly, Ms Tsugumi Yamamoto and Mr Yasuyuki Ozeki  – for their time, support and help to make this year’s event such a great success.

Photos/Video: Donagh Morris

Dr. and Mrs. Ushioda Scholarship in 2019 is awarded to Sophia Herar

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Dr. and Mrs. Ushioda Scholarship was established in 2019 in honour of Dr. and Mrs. Ushioda’s major contribution to the development of the Ireland Japan Association and Ireland-Japan relations, and to underpin the association’s strong commitment to supporting Japanese studies in Ireland.

In 2019, the scholarship was awarded to Ms. Sophia Herar, studying for BA in Applied Language and Translation Studies, DCU. Sophia is going to study in Japan for a year at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies.

Sophia Herar – the first recipient of Dr. and Mrs. Ushioda Scholarship in 2019

The official presentation of the scholarship took place in August 2019 at DCU with Ms. Sophia Herar, Mrs. Yoshiko Ushioda, IJA founder member and Scholarship Patron, Mr. Yasuyuki Ozeki, IJA Vice-Chaiperson, Mr. Donagh Morris, IJA Council, Mr. Kenichiro Sasame, Counsellor and DHM of the Embassy of Japan in Ireland and representatives from DCU in attendance.

I feel honored to have received the scholarship and I am happy that all my hard work these last few years has paid off. I believe that everyone who manages to turn their passion for Japanese into motivation and action, is going to be rewarded for it – be that through a scholarship or the experience of living in Japan itself. I feel incredibly lucky that I get a chance to experience all this and that the IJA and Mrs. Ushioda decided to support me with the scholarship. – Sophia Herar

We would like to thank Mr. Donagh Morris, IJA Council, and everybody at DCU for their support and assistance with the scholarship management and administration process this year.

The Yamato Dynasty & the Imperial Succession in Japan | Seminar

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Japan’s 85-year-old monarch, Emperor Akihito, who will abdicate at the end of April 2019 has became a symbol of peace and reconciliation in Japan. He will step down on 30th April, to be succeeded the next day by Crown Prince Naruhito.

To mark this occasion, the Embassy of Japan, Experience Japan and UCD Japan are organizing a seminar ‘The Yamato Dynasty & the Imperial Succession in Japan’ presented by Dr Declan Downey (RAH, UCD School of History) which will be followed by a screening of ‘His Majesty the Emperor: 30 Years Since His Majesty’s Accession’.

Event will take place on Sunday, 31st March at 1.30 p.m. at the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2. This event is free for everyone and no advance registration is required.

For more information, please click HERE!

Event is organized by the Embassy of Japan, Experience Japan and UCD Japan.

Welcome to the 17th Japanese Speech Contest in Ireland

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In order to encourage and promote Japanese language education in Ireland, JLTI and the Embassy of Japan in Ireland jointly host an annual Japanese speech contest.

This year the 17th Japanese Speech Contest will be held on Saturday, 9th March at the UCD, Dublin.

Date: Saturday, 9th March 2019
Time: 1 p.m.
Venue: William Fry Theatre, Sutherland School of Law, UCD, Dublin 4

Please see the invitation to IJA members here!

Everybody is welcome and if you are interested to attend, please see event timetable and map here!

The event is supported by The Japan Foundation, The Japan Business Society in Ireland, Department of Education and Science, Unique Japan Tours and IJA.

IJA Annual Dinner 2019 brings together IJA members, friends and supporters

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Each year, IJA Annual Dinner brings together our members, friends, and supporters to celebrate and enjoy one of the biggest and most enjoyable events of the year.

The evening began with a reception at The Westbury Hotel, Dublin, followed by speeches by Ms Darina Slattery, IJA Chairperson, H.E. Mrs Mari Miyoshi, Ambassador of Japan in Ireland, Mr Mark Egan, Head of Competitions and Performance, and Ms Catherine Grennell-Whyte, Finnair.

The guests enjoyed a delicious 3-course dinner in the beautiful Grafton Suite which was followed by Prize Giving sponsored by IJA Corporate members – AIB, A&L Goodbody, ANA, Bank of Ireland, Dillon Eustace, KWE Ireland, PM Group, SuMi TRUST, Unique Japan Tours and Yamamori. The Grand Prize this year was 2 return flights to Japan sponsored by Finnair, IJA 2019 Travel Partner.

(Please click on the images to enlarge)

We would like to thank everyone who attended the Annual Dinner, our Corporate members for supporting this event and sponsoring amazing prizes. Big thanks to our Patron member – AIB – for continuous support and our Travel Partner – Finnair – for sponsoring the Grand Prize.

Our thanks go to the Dublin School for Japanese Children who made all the beautiful origami decorations for the dinner tables and to Mrs Tomoko Ozaki who created wonderful Ikebana flower arrangements for the event. We are thanking the Embassy of Japan who provided Japanese sake for the event reception, and The Westbury Hotel for hosting our event and providing excellent service before and during the event.

We would like to thank Mr Raymond Hegarty who agreed to undertake MC duties at the event, and our event team – Ms Paula Kelly, Mr Hiro Ino, Mr Donagh Morris and Mr Karl O’Reilly who helped before and after the event, and made sure that everybody can enjoy a wonderful relaxing evening.

Photos: Donagh Morris

 

The IJA celebrated our ‘National Treasure’, Mrs. Ushioda, at a Book Launch

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The Ireland Japan Association (IJA) celebrated our ‘National Treasure’, Mrs. Ushioda, at a Book Launch on Tuesday, April 17th 2018.

The IJA hosted a very special event to celebrate the launch of memoirs by our founding member, Mrs. Yoshiko Ushioda – ‘Caring for Japanese Art at the Chester Beatty Library. My Half-Century in Dublin.‘

The story begins in 1960, when she traveled from Tokyo with her young son to join her husband, a research-fellow at University College Dublin. Beginning as a volunteer at the Chester Beatty Library in 1970, she would go on to become curator and accompany masterpieces loaned by The Chester Beatty Library to special exhibitions all around the world. Both inspiring and heartfelt, Mrs. Ushioda’s memoir will be of interest to both lovers of Japanese Art and those interested in Irish-Japanese relations.

Mrs. Yoshiko Ushioda | Photo: Embassy of Japan in Ireland

Ushioda-sensei was born in 1931 in Mito, Japan, and moved to Dublin in 1960. In 1970, she began volunteering at the Chester Beatty Library, and was promoted to curator of the Japanese Arts Collection in 1980. She retired in 1996, and currently lives in Dublin with her husband. Mrs. Ushioda is also a founder member of the IJA.

The lunch was attended by long standing IJA Members, who each gave a brief synopsis on their first introduction and relationship with Mrs. Ushioda. Her passion for Ireland and Japanese art in Ireland was clearly evident. She was even described as a ‘National Treasure’ by one member, which was later confirmed by Ms. Midori Yamamitsu of the Embassy of Japan in Ireland.

Book can be purchased at the Chester Beatty Library, online and at major booksellers across Ireland.

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