Japan Society

Annual Sake Lecture & Tasting: In Search of the Perfect Sip https://japansociety.org/events/annual-sake-lecture-tasting/ What is the best way to store sake? Do you need specialty serving ware? Should it be chilled, warmed or at room temperature? What are ideal food pairings for sake? And should you only pair sake with Japanese food? With so many delicious varieties of sake to choose from and so many factors to consider, many people feel lost when it comes to serving and enjoying sake at home. In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Japan Society’s Annual Sake Lecture series with the Sake Export Association (SEA), sake expert Timothy Sullivan breaks down these questions and more to help you arrive at the perfect sip. Followed by a tasting reception featuring premium sake. Must be 21 years of age, or older. At the tasting reception, sample more than 30 varieties of sake from breweries around Japan. Participating Breweries: Nanbubijin, Inc. Uchigasaki Shuzoten Okunomatsu Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. Kaetsu Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. Tentaka Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. Mioya Shuzo Co., Ltd. Rihaku Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. Imada Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. Asahi Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. Tenzan Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. Chiyonosono Sake Brewing Co., Ltd. Brooklyn Kura About the Speaker Timothy Sullivan Timothy Sullivan is the founder of UrbanSake.com, a sake education resource for sake professionals and enthusiasts. Designated a Sake Samurai by the Japan Sake Brewers Association in 2007, he also completed a one-year sake brewing internship in 2017 at Hakkaisan Sake Brewery in Niigata Japan, and currently works as their Global Brand Ambassador. Since 2020 Sullivan has also hosted Sake Revolution, America’s first sake podcast. He is at the forefront of sake education, both for the general public and also for industry professionals. Sullivan combines first-hand knowledge of sake brewing techniques along with a deep understanding of the sake industry. He is based in New York City. ------ Visit: http://www.japansociety.org/page/calendar Like: https://www.facebook.com/japansociety Follow: https://twitter.com/japansociety Watch: http://www.youtube.com/user/JapanSocietyNYC Join: http://www.japansociety.org/page/support Teach: http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/

Get to Know Matsue: The Castle Town & Its Tea Culture https://japansociety.org/events/get-to-know-matsue-the-castle-town-its-tea-culture/ Matsue City is steeped in history, from carefully preserved samurai residences and tea houses to the majestic fortress of Matsue Castle. Completed in 1611, Matsue Castle is one of only a few castles in Japan to retain its original castle keep and is designated a national treasure. At this talk, Matsue Mayor Akihito Uesada illuminates the city’s fascinating samurai history, rich cultural heritage and culinary treasures. The program includes an exclusive viewing of a historical reenactment video of the construction and establishment of Matsue Castle. Previously only available on-site at the Matsue City Museum, this video is being shown for the first time outside Japan—at Japan Society. Attendees will also discover Matsue’s culture first-hand through special on-stage demonstrations by some of the city’s highly skilled craftspeople. Speaker Akihito Uesada After graduating from Kyushu University Faculty of Law in March 1995, Akihito Uesada joined the Japan Development Bank (currently Development Bank of Japan) in April 1995. He then began working at the Ministry of Construction (now the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism), first as section chief in the Policy Division in the Minister of Construction’s Secretariat in April 1999, then as section chief in the Policy Division, Policy Bureau starting in January 2001. In June 2005 he became the Singapore deputy representative at the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ), and was appointed a section chief of the Corporate Investment Group at the same bank in May 2012. In April 2017, he was appointed as the Head of the DBJ’s Matsue Office; in June 2019, he was transferred to New York as the CEO of DBJ Americas Inc. He retired from DBJ in December 2020, and was elected as the Mayor of Matsue City in April 2021. In his current role as mayor, he is working to spread the charm of Matsue to the world, making the city a destination for people from all around the globe. Demonstration Participants Yumi Harada, Managing Director, Senchaso Mitsuhiro Ōtsu, Chief Confectioner, Saiundo ------ Visit: http://www.japansociety.org/page/calendar Like: https://www.facebook.com/japansociety Follow: https://twitter.com/japansociety Watch: http://www.youtube.com/user/JapanSocietyNYC Join: http://www.japansociety.org/page/support Teach: http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/

JAPAN CUTS 2023 https://japansociety.org/film/japancuts/ Japan Society is proud to present the 16th annual JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film, the largest festival of its kind. From July 26-Aug 6, this year’s JAPAN CUTS features over 25 films from major blockbusters to indie darlings, spanning narratives, documentaries, experimental and short films, and anime! This year’s festival marks its long-awaited return following the last fully in-person JAPAN CUTS in 2019. This year’s festival features five International Premieres, 10 North American Premieres, seven U.S. Premieres, three East Coast Premieres, and three New York Premieres! JAPAN CUTS will also welcome six special guests and host two parties! Leading this year’s guests, JAPAN CUTS has the honor of presenting acclaimed actor Yuya Yagira with the 2023 CUT ABOVE Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film for his role in Under The Turquoise Sky by director KENTARO. ------ Visit: http://www.japansociety.org/page/calendar Like: https://www.facebook.com/japansociety Follow: https://twitter.com/japansociety Watch: http://www.youtube.com/user/JapanSocietyNYC Join: http://www.japansociety.org/page/support Teach: http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/

Extinction Rituals https://japansociety.org/events/extinction-rituals/ CONTEMPORARY DANCE | WORK-IN-PROGRESS Friday, June 9, 7:30 pm—Followed by an artist Q&A Saturday, June 10, 7:30 pm–Followed by an artist Q&A Prepare to be transported to a world of mesmerizing images and powerful sensorial tapestries with Extinction Rituals, the latest project from the Brooklyn-based multifaceted artist duo Ximena Garnica & Shige Moriya. Movement, light, music and song converge in this work-in-progress dance opera inspired by acts of remembrance and celebrations of life and loss. With their unique blend of directorial, choreographic and design craft, Garnica and Moriya shape a poetic tribute to collapsing environments, animals, plants and humans from their places of origin, Japan and Colombia, and their current home, New York. Extinction Ritual‘s score includes original music by Oscar-nominated composer and instrumentalist Kaoru Watanabe, and Colombian composer and singer Carolina Oliveros. Watch as the two composers’ live performance resonates with the butoh-rooted work of the LEIMAY Ensemble, including dancers Masanori Asahara, Akane Little, Damontae Hack and Peggy Gould. Following the shows, Garnica and Moriya sit down for a Q&A with guest speakers, collaborators and the audience to elaborate on the international and local exchanges behind this timely and profoundly collaborative piece. Tickets: $20 / $16 members ------ Visit: http://www.japansociety.org/page/calendar Like: https://www.facebook.com/japansociety Follow: https://twitter.com/japansociety Watch: http://www.youtube.com/user/JapanSocietyNYC Join: http://www.japansociety.org/page/support Teach: http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/

Kyohei Inukai - Exhibition March 17–June 25, 2023 https://japansociety.org/gallery/kyohei-inukai/ Kyohei Inukai is the first institutional solo exhibition of Kyohei Inukai (1913–1985), a largely unknown, yet prolific Japanese-American artist. Presenting key bodies of work—many of which have never been shown before—this exhibition highlights Inukai’s paintings and screenprints of illusionary, abstract lines and shapes that defined his artistic style during the latter years of his career, from the 1960s through the 80s. These works are juxtaposed with a series of sumi-e, or Japanese ink paintings, that dovetail Inukai’s distinctive curvilinear forms and nuanced color palettes with traditional Japanese art. This rare presentation of an underrecognized artist’s legacy builds upon Japan Society’s ongoing mission to embrace and showcase diverse narratives of art and artists of Japan and the Japanese diaspora. Admission Information Wednesday–Sunday 12–7 pm Free admission 6–9 pm on Fridays Wednesday–Friday, 12–1 pm: Members Exclusive Closed on major holidays Tickets $12 non-members $10 students and seniors Admission is always free for members, patrons with disabilities and an accompanying Personal Care Assistant. ------ Visit: http://www.japansociety.org/page/calendar Like: https://www.facebook.com/japansociety Follow: https://twitter.com/japansociety Watch: http://www.youtube.com/user/JapanSocietyNYC Join: http://www.japansociety.org/page/support Teach: http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/

Globus Film Series Rites of Passage: The Films of Shinji Somai April 28—May 13, 2023 https://japansociety.org/film/rites-of-passage-the-films-of-shinji-somai/ Widely lauded in his native Japan, director Shinji Somai (1948-2001) remains largely unrecognized in the West. A pioneering filmmaker during what is sometimes referred to as the “lost decade” of Japanese cinema, Somai came to prominence during the 1980s at a time when the nation’s film industry found itself in flux following the collapse of the Japanese studio system. In this transitional period, he served as a crucial bridge into the era of independent studio productions. Somai directed some of the era’s most original and enduring works, five of which comprise Kinema Junpo’s critics list for the best Japanese films of all time. He forged a unique identity characterized by his demanding work ethic and innovative use of long takes, working predominantly within the seishun eiga (youth film) genre. Somai’s oeuvre encompasses an eclectic mix of generic and stylistic conventions from Kadokawa pop idol vehicles to Nikkatsu’s Roman Porno to independent art dramas, frequently using bodies of water—including torrential downpours and typhoons—to parallel the turbulence of youth and externalize the impact of growing up in an increasingly chaotic world. Somai’s potent evocation of adolescence has influenced filmmakers from Shunji Iwai and Shinji Aoyama to Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Ryusuke Hamaguchi. Now, after more than 20 since Somai’s untimely death at the age of 53, the first North American retrospective on Somai, Rites of Passage: The Films of Shinji Somai showcases his remarkable work for American audiences today. ------ Visit: http://www.japansociety.org/page/calendar Like: https://www.facebook.com/japansociety Follow: https://twitter.com/japansociety Watch: http://www.youtube.com/user/JapanSocietyNYC Join: http://www.japansociety.org/page/support Teach: http://aboutjapan.japansociety.org/