The Philosophy of Ichigai: An Exhibition of Zen Art

Be enlightened this New Year by the spiritual world of Zenga, an amazing style of art inspired by Zen Buddhist philosophy that harmonises traditional brush ink drawing and calligraphy. Artist and philosopher Ichigai Kanamori has been practising his unique style of zenga for many years. Born in Osaka in 1941, he began his artistic career with brush ink art and calligraphy, drawing inspiration from ancient Zen Buddhist poetry and teachings. Kanamori works from his studio in Niigata, on the Japan Sea coast, where he established Gallery Kanzan (Cold Mountain) in 1991.

Osaka Twilight Festival

The Osaka Twilight festival is the first event planned for the 30th Anniversary of the Melbourne-Osaka Sister City relationship. Relax in the gardens and enjoy a Japanese 'Natsu Matsuri' or Summer Festival featuring tea ceremony, Japanese dancing and music including taiko drumming, martial arts demonstrations, children's activities and more. Come dressed in your summer kimono for the Yukata competition. Bring along a bento or try some of the Japanese cuisine on offer including Osaka specialities takoyaki and okonomiyaki.

Facetnate! - Japan Foundation's Latest Exhibition

The Japan Foundation, Sydney is proud to launch its latest exhibition, Facetnate! following a grant program opened last year to support emerging visual artists whose work is strongly influenced by Japan. Facetnate! will feature six emerging artists from different backgrounds using different artistic media (toy, film, photography, installation and architecture) to express cultural exchange between Australia and Japan. Facetnate! provides an opportunity for these undiscovered gems to shine, as these new visual artists reveal to us the many different faces Japan has to offer

World Heritage Wooden Structure Tourism Forum and Cocktail Reception

As a part of the Visit Japan Campaign, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism of Japan, Japan Municipalities' Council of Wooden Structure World Heritages Municipalities of Nara, Himeji, Ikaruga and Nanwa Wide Area Union) cordially invites you to World Heritage Wooden Structure Tourism Forum in Sydney (followed by Cocktail Reception).

JETRO seminar to focus on East Asian Regionalism

JETRO Seminar "The Roadmap Towards Economic Integration in East Asia- The future roles for Australia and Japan" The Japan External Trade Organization Sydney and the Australia-Japan Research Centre at the Crawford School of Economics and Government of the Australian National University are pleased to invite you to a half-day seminar on the roadmap for East Asian Regionalism on the 25th of February (Monday) at the Sydney Convention Centre in Darling Harbour. (Supported by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Sydney) At the seminar a representative from the ASEAN Secretariat, economists from Japan and Australia and businesspeople will discuss the economic merits and business opportunities that the economic integration of East Asia, with its population of 3.1 billion and combined gross domestic product (GDP) of 10 trillion dollar, offers.

Ninehoursnorth featuring Lullatone + Guests

Hailing from Nagoya, Lullatone are Shawn James Seymour and Yoshimi Tomida - together they create some of the most incredibly tuneful, sweet and exciting post-pop sounds you're likely to come across. So catchy are their musical lullabies that they were invited by Sanrio to create the official theme song to Hello Kitty!

Taisho Chic

This exhibition explores the impact of the simultaneous clash and embrace of modernity and tradition on arts and design in Japan of the Greater Taisho period (1900-1930). The balance between modernity and nostalgia - the clash and the embrace - is captured in this exhibition of paintings, prints, textiles and decorative arts from the period, ranging from prints of coolly sophisticated young women to bold kimonos with abstract patterns that reinterpreted traditional motifs and sleek glassware that represented the latest in art deco chic.

Taisho chic symposium

Looking at the historical setting of early 20th century Japan, its built environment and social relations, illuminating the stories behind the many images of modern women in the exhibition. Speakers: Dr Kendall H. Brown, Taisho Chic exhibition curator and Associate Professor of Asian Art, California State University, Long Beach, Professor Vera Mackie, ARC Professorial Fellow, Department of History, University of Melbourne, Dr Marco Pompili, Architect, Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects, Patricia Salmon, collector and Dr Elise Tipton, Associate Professor and Chair of Japanese Studies, School of Languages and Cultures, University of Sydney.

Japanese tea ceremony

Experience the elegance of kimono culture with a tea ceremony performed by tea master Yayoi Maloney and students. You will learn about traditional Japanese aesthetics while partaking of a sweet and whisked green tea. Includes a tour of the Taisho chic exhibition. Numbers limited.

Hello Tokyo! Public Art Forum

Contemporary art in Japan and Australia. Hear eight leading curators and artists from Japan and Australia talk on key issues for contemporary art in and between the two countries, and the region: joint projects, biennales, art museums and the role of artists. Speakers from Japan are Fumihiko Sumitomo, curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Hisako Hara, leading critic, curator and academic from Osaka, Taro Amano, Chief Curator, Yokohama Museum of Art and Jin Kurashige, participating artist in the Sydney Biennale. They are matched by Reuben Keehan, curator, Artspace (and curator of Between Places, opening at Tokyo Wonder Site on 13 September), Suhanya Raffel, Head of Asian, Pacific and International Art, Queensland Art Gallery, Jackie Menzies, Head Curator, Asian Art, Art Gallery of NSW and Shaun Gladwell, also participating in the Sydney Biennale, and one of the 2 Australians in the last Yokohama Biennale.

Presentation of the 2nd Inoue Yasushi Award

Inoue Yasushi was one of the most famous and respected Japanese novelists in Post-War Japanese Literature. The Award, which will be presented, was established by the Inoue Yasushi Memorial Culture Foundation and set up at the University of Sydney in 2006 to encourage Australian researchers, scholars and PhD students who are studying Japanese culture and literature.

Art After Hours Japanese music performance

Traditional and modern: music of Japan in the roaring twenties Shakuhachi master Riley Lee with fellow artists visiting Sydney for the World Shakuhachi Festival 2008 present a concert reflecting the embrace and clash of Western modernity with traditional Japan in the roaring twenties. Known for its delightful romantic schmalz, music from the Taisho era (1912-1926) will be played by shakuhachi players including, Christopher Blasdel, Teruo Furuya, Kaoru Kakizakai, Kazushi Matama, Stan Richardson, David Wheeler and Yoko Hiraoka (koto). The program also features a mass shakuhachi performance of Tamuke, the heart rending requiem for departed souls. Both popular and traditional this concert brings the flavour of a richly textured society under rapid transformation.

World Shakuhachi Festival 2008

A world-wide gathering of renowned shakuhachi players, Living National Treasures from Japan, professional performers, scholars, absolute beginners and shakuhachi enthusiasts will be held in Australia for the first time. The Festival features concerts, workshops, master classes, seminars and exhibits. There will be many world premiers for new works for the shakuhachi throughout the Festival.

Cherry Blossom Festival (Sakura Matsuri)

The Cowra Japanese Garden is celebrating the transition of winter to spring with their Sakura Matsuri -"Cherry Blossom Festival". Sakura Matsuri is a major event held annually in Cowra, in which many locals, Australian and International visitors have the opportunity to experience and learn traditional elements of the Japanese culture.

2008 Essay Contest

The essay contest is conducted by the Embassy of Japan and Consulates-General of Japan in Australia. Students from any Australian school between Years 7 to 12 are eligible to enter

Kimono: Osaka's Golden Age

Discover breathtakingly beautiful kimono and accessories from the glory days of Japan. This extraordinary exhibition, highlighting the wealth and prosperity of the Edo and Meiji periods (1850-1900), is showing exclusively at the Immigration Museum. Direct from the Osaka Museum of History, the stunning collection celebrates the Immigration Museum's 10th birthday and 30 years of the Melbourne-Osaka sister-city relationship.

The 39th Annual Japanese Language Speech Contest, Victorian State Final 2008

The contest is open to students who are studying Japanese aged 17 and over in Victoria. It is a great opportunity for students to polish up the language and cultural skills and knowledge they have acquired, and try it out in the form of speeches.

Canberra Nara Candle Festival

The Canberra Nara Candle Festival is a celebration of friendship and goodwill marking the sister city relationship between Canberra and Nara, Japan. A variety of Japanese cuisine will be for sale on the night as well as beautiful designer Japanese handicrafts. At dusk the scene is set for event's centrepiece-the lighting of more than 2000 floating candles arranged in the dry riverbed of Canberra Nara Park. As the sun sets, the candles form a serene view, flickering away into the evening sky and illuminating the park in a soft glow.

12th Japanese Film Festival

The 11th Japanese Film Festival is almost here! Blockbuster hits, state-of-the-art anime, suspenseful horror, eccentric comedy, tear-jerking romances, heroic samurai action.it's all here at the Japanese Film Festival, a must-see calendar event.

Genji - The world of the Shining Prince

2008 marks the 1000th anniversary of Japan's oldest novel, The Tale of Genji, written by the court-lady Murasaki Shikibu. Since the 12th century, the 54 chapters of the tale have inspired Japanese artists to visualise the fascinating world of the story's main character the Shining Prince (Hikaru Genji) in countless hand scrolls, folding screens, hanging scrolls and albums. Painted mostly by artists of the Kano, Tosa and Sumiyoshi schools, these pictures (Genji-e) reflect the refined aesthetics of the courtly tradition. Featuring about 70 works drawn from the Gallery's collection as well as loans from other Australian major public and private collections of Japanese art, this exhibition aims to show the imaginative power of Japanese artists in adapting the classical theme on various media such as paintings, ukiyo-e prints, woodblock printed books, and manga comics.