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Yukio Hatoyama, the co-founder of the Democratic Party of Japan, represents old-school Japanese politics and comes from a strong political dynasty, known as the "Kennedys" of Japan.
Photo Credit: Yukio Hatoyama 2009
Japanese events in London: 7th September - 13th September 2009
Learning Japanese in London is made a pleasure when combined with the fascinating culture of Japan - something which we cover in these weekly blogs. However, before we look at Japanese events happening in London this week, lets say a quick word about the new Japanese government that was elected on the 30th August 2009: the Democratic Party of Japan. Japan faces some challenging times with the economy, soaring health care costs, and social welfare and pension bills as a wave of post-war baby boomers retire. (Their leader (鳩山由紀夫), Hatoyama Yukio will head these tough challenges which we will explore in an article to be linked here at a later stage).
This Wednesday, (9th September 2009, at 10.00am, Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL), there is a unique opportunity to spend a day at London's most famous museum, working with visiting and local experts on a beautiful, enigmatic form of Japanese theatre: Noh. Noh is one of the oldest forms of Japanese theatre, utilising dance, music, poetry, chants, costumes and masks to express a dramatic story.
The workshop has been developed in conjunction with Pagoda Noh, a joint production of a new English noh play, Pagoda, premiering in the UK in December 2009 at the Southbank Centre. We will certainly be giving you more warning about this event at the Southbank Centre closer to the time. For more information on the workshop please contact please email 
Anna Davis at email: anna.davis@japansociety.org.uk. The event costs £77 per person and includes lunch and refreshments.
The Japan Society Book Club takes place this Thursday, 10th September, 7pm at the Coach Makers Pub in Marylebone, London W1U 2PZ. The group this week will meet to discuss: Wind Up Bird Chronicle (by Haruki Murakami 村上春樹). The Guardian praised him as one of the "world's greatest living novelists." If you have not heard of Haruki Murakami we urge you to discover more. The particular novel which the Japan Society Book Club are meeting to discuss is about a low-key unemployed man, Toru Okada, whose cat runs away. A chain of events follow that prove that his seemingly mundane boring life is much more complicated than it appears. Japan Society Book Club events will be conducted in English but members can choose the language in which they choose to read the book.
We know that this Japanese-London blog is a 'whats happening this week' diary, but we have to give you some warning on a seriously amazing event happening on Saturday, 19th September 2009 at Spitalfields Market: Japan Matsuri. Japan Matsuri is organized by the Japan Society and Japanese Residents' Association, with support from the Embassy of Japan, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nippon Club and Spitalfields Trading Estate.
The event promises a day of traditional and modern Japanese festival entertainment including water balloons, masks, o-mikoshi, bon dancing. Taiko rhythms from Joji Hirota and his taiko drummers and Thames Taiko, will feature alongside the Okinawan beat of the London Sanshin-kai, the specially reformed Frank Chickens ('one of John Peel's favourite groups from the 1980s') and Hanjiro, a 4 piece jazz-type indie band formed in 2007.
Of course, no matsuri is complete without good Japanese festival food and there will be plenty of that on 19th September. The crafting area, 'collect a story' and manga wall, will provide entertainment for children and others of a creative mind. Demonstrations and displays give insights into an eclectic mix of content with martial arts, cookery, traditional music and more. The organisers are asking for volunteers before the event or on the day. We need people to help the planning team now; to set up and clear away on 18th and 19th; on the day to act as stewards and activity leaders (origami, calligraphy, kimono dressing etc). For details please email intern@japansociety.org.uk or visit the Japanese Matsuri website.
