The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation is pleased to announce the first major solo exhibition in London by Katsutoshi Yuasa, at the Daiwa house until March 19th 2009.

Yuasa makes large monochrome woodcuts based on his own photographs. They are not so much observations but rather contemplations of the world around us and invite more questions that they reveal.

A lengthy process is involved in converting a photograph into a woodcut. In order to attain the purity and essence of the image, the photograph is processed in monochrome by computer. This ‘purifying’ process goes even further as the resulting image is carved from a wooden panel with a traditional Japanese knife. The final result is printed by hand on paper.

In October 2008, Yuasa’s work was selected for ‘10’, as one of the ten successful graduates of the printmaking course from the last decade. This exhibition was held to commemorate the retirement of Professor Chris Orr RA at the Royal College of Art.

'Echoes through Nature: Woodcut by Katsuotoshi Yuasa' is organised by the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation in association with Mark Jason Gallery and TAG Fine Arts. It is a Japan-UK 150 event.

For more information visit The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation website.

Don't forget to attend the The Japanese Speech Contest to hear some inspiring examples of Japanese language proficiency! It will be held at the School of Oriental and African Studies on Thursday, 12th February 2009.

Doors of the Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre at SOAS will open at 2.30pm, with the contest starting 3pm (until 5.20pm). Dedicated to the memory of the late Sir Peter Parker, the annual Japanese Speech Contest offers a range of prizes for the winning speeches.

Visit the SOAS website for more information and to watch videos of previous years' winners...

Now on at the Barbican, Shun-kin is a powerful play produced jointly by Complicite and Simon McBurney.

'Inspired by the work of one of the most important Japanese writers of the twentieth century, Jun'ichiro Tanizaki , Shun-kin tells the tale of devotion, passion and power, where beauty is unforgiving and love is blinding.

Emerging from traditional Japanese culture, this powerful performance shows us just how close beauty and violence can really be.'

-info from the Barbican website

Performances start at 7.45pm, except Saturday the 14th and 21st of February, when there is a show at 2.30pm.

Practise your Japanese listening skills - the play is in Japanese with English surtitles!

Orbital Manga is offering a unique way to celebrate Valentine's Day this Saturday, the 14th February.

'From 2pm some of the best talented UK manga artists will draw cute manga portraits of you and your loved one for just £10!!

There will also be a Valentines Day Manga Art Competition with prizes from Orbital Manga and Letraset.
'Send/bring in your cutest love inspiring manga art to us by 14th February or come in on the day and get drawing and submit your drawing by 5pm.'

Visit Orbital's website for more information...

Playing now, A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare is on at Southwark Playhouse until February 28th 2009, nightly at 7.30pm.

'Southwark Playhouse re-imagines Shakespeare’s most magical play in Samurai Japan, bringing the mysticism of the East to the atmospheric cellars beneath London Bridge Station.

Inspired by the delights of Japanese Kabuki dance, the grace of Noh theatre and the comedy of knockabout Kyogen clowns this Midsummer Night’s Dream will create a world where the charmed and the charming co-exist.'

Info from Southwark Playhouse's website, visit for more about the play, and the post-show talk on Thursday, 19th February 2008.

Hi Sushi Golders Green Tube
628 Finchley Road
Golders Green
London
NW11 7RR
020 8201 8585
http://www.hisushi.net/

*Review kindly contributed by guest writer Tat-Pheng Lay

Why? To celebrate and also mourn the departure of my close friend Solomon Papasavva who recently left the windy shores of the UK to follow his childhood sweetheart to sunny Brazil and travel ‘til his heart’s content. (True story!)

When? Thursday,15th January, 2009 at 19.00. Restaurant not yet busy.

Impression: Modern, clean, clearly refurbished interior. Visually unauthentic in terms of seeming ‘like Japan’, with exception to the plastic food dishes artistically placed on the walls. Much to my delight, the seating only creates the illusion that customers must sit cross legged at the table; fear not, there is ample leg dangling space available at all tables.

Prices: A very reasonable all-you-can-eat style menu on offer for maki sushi lovers. Priced at £14.00 for a selected list of unlimited delights. Lower priced one dish meals are also available for non-sushi eaters/vegetarians.

Service: Prompt and friendly, staff explain buffet protocol; dishes are served in a timely and efficient manner.

Description of food and drink: maki sushi and salmon sashimi are immaculately presented and tasty; miso appetiser is warm and satisfying. Vegetable tempura and pork katsu could have been tastier, but are worth a try. Prawn tempura is delicious.

Much to my disappointment, favourites such as sea urchin and salmon roe sushi are not included in the deal. However, they are available to those who are able to flash a little cash! Green tea on tap and regularly topped up without request - an excellent service.

Toilets: Did not visit. Surprising considering green tea consumption levels. However if the main dining space is anything to go by, I can only imagine toilet facilities are second to none.

Come again? Definitely. This is an affordable eatery in a relaxed venue out of the bustling centre of town. Hi Sushi also boasts spots in Zone 1, but for reduced queuing and unlimited sitting time, this branch ranks highly in my books.

Book tickets now for the Madame De Sade by Yukio Mishima (translated by Donald Keene), continuing the Donmar Warehouse's year-long residency at the Wyndham's Theatre. Featuring the ever-popular Judi Dench, the play is sure to be a big hit.

'Against her mother’s wishes, Renee remains vehemently devoted to her husband, the Marquis de Sade, the notorious aristocrat imprisoned in the Bastille for his lurid escapades and licentious behaviour.

Set in Paris, as it hurtles towards a violent revolution, Mishima’s poetic masterpiece brings to life the fascinating story of the Marquis de Sade told through the eyes of six remarkable women.'

Information from www.donmarwarehouse.com

Playing from 13th March to 23th May 2009, the evening shows start at 7.30pm, with Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm, and a Sunday matinee at 3pm.

Tickets are £10, £25, or £32.50. To book call 0844 482 5120 or visit www.donmarwestend.com.

The highly anticipated Japanese Art Festival - art, cultural activities, cosplay and exchange - will take place on Saturday 28th February and Sunday 1st March 2009. It takes place at the Richmond Adult Community College(5 minutes walk from Richmond tube or rail).

Akemi Solloway, the main organiser of the Japanese Art Festival, is a lecturer of Japanese culture and daughter of an old samurai family. In addition to Akemi, the core supporters of this festival are AJAMCA, the Anglo-Japanese Anime, Manga and Culture Association, and the School of Japanese Language and Culture.

If you are interested in finding like-minded people with an interest in Japan, this is the place to be! There are lots of 'interesting things to see and do and the chance to take part in further activities in the UK and Japan'.

Admission to the Japanese Art Festival is FREE! See the festival's website for more information on events (including a J-pop party and a Japanese martial arts demonstration!)...

Twitter is a great social networking tool that asks 'What are you doing?'. It gives you the chance to be chatty and let people know what you are generally up to.

To see what people are doing you need to set up an account and 'follow' them. To get started, you might like to look at this article on Nihongo Notes 'Top Japan-related people to follow on Twitter'.

To find more people to follow, you can use the often-overlooked 'Search' at the footer of the page.

You can see my Twitter status updates on the right side of the page too...

Want to try something new this Saturday?

'An exhibition of Ikebana, with 40 individual arrangements and some larger group arrangements by members of the London Branch of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana.

Visitors will be able to watch demonstrations and the process of creation of Ikebana plus have the opportunity to create their own Ikebana under the direction of teachers'.

The event will be held at the Rosslyn Hil Unitarian Chapel, Pilgrim's Place, London NW3 1NG.

Call for more information: 01234 213460 / 01992 571839
Or email: sogetsu.london@btopenworld.com

The JETAA London Chapter are in process of looking for a new venue for speed dating. Here we are, hard at work, checking out bars and pubs in central London.

This one is De Hems, a great Dutch bar just off Chinatown's main drag.

Check the JETAA's website for more information about upcoming events.

The London Japanese Language Meetup Group has annouced a new meet-up...

Join this Criminal Records' event at Ladbroke Grove BlagClub for loads of Japan-themed fun. Starting at 7.30pm on Friday 27th February, the event runs through 'til 3am!

'Following the huge success of our grand launch night, we are back again with another monthly dose of HARAJUKU!! As our newest club residency, it's all for the love of Japan, and themed on the infamous HARAJUKU!

Expect Bright Colours, Geishas, Anime, Japanese Art, Indie, JPOP & Excellent Live Bands!'

Join the The London Japanese Language Meetup Group and RSVP to get on the guestlist. £6 advance or guestlist, or £8 on the door.

Listening to Akemi Solloway talk at Orbital Manga on a gloomy Saturday afternoon we were whisked away on a winding journey – one that led us out of the intimate central London shop and into the wide world of Japanese culture…

A teacher and lecturer in Japanese culture, Akemi seamlessly weaves illustrative anecdotes and factual information about traditional clothing, tea ceremony, religion, calligraphy, with more modern trends such as manga and anime.

Appealing to contemporary concerns, Akemi showed the benefits of kimono – the large sleeves make a natural pocket that could help cut back on plastic bag wastage. Likewise, the Japanese all-purpose carrying cloth is a beautiful and re-usable carry-all. Akemi also produced a fan from her obi (belt) and explained how this can be an effective weapon when made in iron.

Akemi digresses artfully in response to audience questions yet always remains on track. Diet, posture, prostitution, slurping, Harajuku girls – everything adds to the picture.

Interestingly, the talk highlighted the surprising commonalities between Japanese and British culture. For example, we both have Royal Families (Princess Akiko of Mikasa is currently studying at University of Oxford). The familiar sailor outfit of Japanese high school students came from the British Naval Officers. Tea is beloved in both countries, as are flowers (Japanese ladies idealise the typical English country garden; English ladies study Ikebana!).

If you'd like to hear Akemi talk, visit The Japanese Art Festival in Richmond on 28th February and the 1st of March...

I also managed to ask Akemi a few more questions about her own thoughts and motivations...

What first inspired you to bring Japanese culture to the UK?

When I first moved to the UK in 1995 people weren’t talking about Japan very much. I brought with me to the UK hundreds of kimono, and through them I began to share Japanese culture. I also took an MA in Japanese Religion so that I could explain more about it to people, through school visits and talks.

But now, Japanese culture is very popular in the UK. Why do you think that is?

I think that manga and anime brought Japanese culture to a wider audience. When I talk to young people taking Japanese GCSEs or A levels I find that they have often developed their interest in Japan through reading manga in English!

What the best way to access Japanese culture in London?

I think one the best ways is through manga and anime. Cosplay is also becoming more and more popular, with many events for people to get involved in.

What’s your favourite part of living in London?

Freedom. Here, as a woman, I can have a business. I am free to do what I want and am not restricted by the traditional role a woman must play in Japan.

Thanks to Akemi for a great afternoon. Check out her website to find out about events she’ll be holding. Akemi is the main organiser of The Japanese Art Festival in Richmond on 29th February and 1st March 2009.

gloomy - 薄暗い
winding - 曲線
intimate – literally 親友, but meaning 狭いところ
seamlessly – literally 継ぎ目無, but meaning 滑らかに
weaves - 編む
illustrative - 詳しい
anecdotes - 逸話
contemporary - 現代
concerns - 心配
wastage - 消耗
alternative - 代わり
digresses - 脇に逸れる
artfully - 巧妙に
commonalities - 同じ事
sailor outfit -セーラー服
idealise -理想的にしなさい