The Japan Society is pleased to welcome Sixth Form students back to an in-person Japan Taster event in March.  

This event offers students the chance to experience hands on workshops with experts and listen to live speakers in-person during a morning or afternoon session.  It is aimed at students who are studying Japanese, but will also be of interest to those who have not had the opportunity to do so formally at school, but are considering taking Japanese studies (or Japanese alongside other subjects) at university. 

Keynote Speech by Ailin Conant

The keynote speech will be delivered by Japanese–American director Ailin Conant. She will be speaking about her latest work Amaterasu – Out of the Cave, a contemporary folktale inspired by the Shinto myth of the Japanese Sun Goddess and the God of Sea and Disease.
>> more about Ailin Conant

Cultural Workshops 

Students will have the choice of participating in two out of three practical workshops during the session to learn about kokeshi, hanko making, and the soroban. 

• Design a Kokeshi with Aya Burbanks 
  In this workshop, Aya will walk you through a brief history of kokeshi and show you a selection some of her original handmade designs, some inspired by popular anime characters, before teaching you how to decorate a kokeshi with your very own designs!
  >> more about kokeshi and the workshop leader
  
  
• Make your Personal Hanko with Nao Fukumoto  
  In this workshop, Nao will walk you through a brief history of seals in Japan and show you examples of different types of seals before teaching you how to carve your own simple personal hanko to take home! 
  >> more about hanko and the workshop leader
  
  
• Soroban and Flash Anzan with Tomoko Hoult and Eriko Miyamoto
  In this workshop, soroban teacher Tomoko Hoult and former all-Japan soroban champion Eriko Miyamoto will teach you how to use the soroban and demonstrate how Flash Anzan can beat a calculator!
  >> more about the soroban and the workshop leaders
  

Please indicate your preference for workshops on the booking form. We will endeavour to accommodate everyone’s preferences however we cannot guarantee everyone will get both of their top choices. 

Programme 
The programme for the morning and afternoon sessions are the same; attendees choose one session. 

Morning Session* 

• 09.45 - 10.00              Arrival and registration 
• 10.00 - 10.10              Welcome and introduction to the day 
• 10.20 - 11.10              Workshop 1 
• 11.20 - 12.10              Workshop 2 
• 12.20 - 12.50              Keynote Speech
• 12.50 - 13.00              Closing 

Afternoon Session* 

• 13.25 - 13.40              Arrival and registration 
• 13.40 - 13.50              Welcome and introduction to the day 
• 13.50 - 14.20              Keynote Speech 
• 14.30 - 15.20              Workshop 1 
• 15.30 - 16.20              Workshop 2 
• 16.30 - 16.40              Closing 

*Please note exact times may be subject to slight changes on the day.