Motifs (left to right) Skyline, Shanghai; Namdaemun, South Korea; Fuji-san, Japan. © Jan Wiemann, AREA Ruhr
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Archive of past events
30 Aug 2024 – 26 Oct 2024 | Köln | Japan
Exhibition by Artist Rikako Kawaguchi
With the title “Food, animals, organs, plants, bodies, etc, everything outside me is everywhere in the air. I breathe them in, I breathe them out”, artist Rikako Kawaguchi (*1990) will have her second exhibition at Van der Grinten Galerie, displaying her oil paintings for the first time, in tandem with a selection of the latest drawings on paper. In contrast to the clear, light and airy drawings, in which the forms float and breath in the often empty space of the pristine paper, Kawauchi’s oil paintings display a strong physical presence.
2 Sep 2024 – 30 Sep 2024 | Köln | Japan
Movie series »Japanische Historienfilme (Jidaigeki)«
Historical dramas (jidaigeki) are among the most popular film genres from Japan. They usually tell tales of revenge and detective stories or depict the lives of famous swordsmen. Their plot is set in the feudal era, which was characterized by fierce power struggles between the shôgunate and the local lords of various provinces. Often set in the military metropolis of Edo, they also depict masterless samurai roaming the land and fighting unjust adversaries.
Further info: https://co.jpf.go.jp/veranstaltungen/kalender/japanische-historischefilme/
5 Sep 2024 – 2 Nov 2024 | Düsseldorf | Japan
Exhibition »Bokudō: Der Weg der Tusche«
They are gems of Japanese arts and crafts: inkstones delicately painted on both sides in various sizes and consistencies, which smell so pleasant when freshly removed from their packaging. They are probably the only handicraft objects whose actual purpose is fulfilled in their disappearance, in their transformation into a work of art. The exhibition, conceived for the Mori Ōgai Memorial Center in 2019, provides an insight into the traditional production of calligraphy ink in Suzuka (Mie Prefecture).
Further info: https://eko-haus.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-2_eko-programmhp.pdf
6 Sep 2024 – 26 Sep 2024 | Köln | Japan
Exhibition »Japaner im Revier«
In the 1950s and 1960s, around 500 Japanese workers were employed in coal mining in the Ruhr area in what was then West Germany. On the basis of an agreement between the Japanese and German governments, they were sent by the Japanese mines for a period of three years. The exhibition shows photos of a miner at the time and tools on loan from the archive of the “Initiativkreis Bergwerk Consolidation” in Gelsenkirchen, as well as other relevant material from various sources. In addition, some of Kawabe’s artistic works are on display, which were created using coal dust and symbolize the energy cycle. The exhibition will be accompanied by a lecture on 7 Sep 2024, followed by a discussion in which the topic will be explored from different perspectives.
Further info: https://co.jpf.go.jp/veranstaltungen/kalender/japaner-im-revier-aufbruch-ins-fremde/
11 Sep 2024 | Bonn | Japan
Public Reading »Kirschblüte in Fukushima«
Dr. Johannes Balve will read from his book “Kirschblüte in Fukushima” (Cherry Blossoms in Fukushima) with musical accompaniment by jazz pianist Oliver Leue. Currently working as an author and essayist, Balve has taught and researched at German and foreign institutes and universities since 1990 – from 2009 to 2011 in Tokyo, then at Kanazawa University in the Department of German and European Cultural Studies. The novel is about the fascination of Japan, but also about the horror of the forces of nature to which the country was exposed with the severe earthquake in 2011 and the out-of-control nuclear technology.
Further info: https://www.djg-bonn.de/aktivitaeten/…
14 Sep 2024 | Düsseldorf | Japan
EKŌ-Haus Garden Festival
After several years of abstinence due to the pandemic, the traditional garden festival will take place again this year in an early fall atmosphere with many top-class artists performing on the grounds. The garden will be transformed into a festive space where everyone is invited to join in the joy and cheerfulness that comes from the presence of Buddha Amida. The festival will feature two exhibitions on calligraphy and ikebana, as well as several food stalls.
Further info: https://eko-haus.de/eventmanager/gartenfest_14-09-2024/
14 Sep 2024 | Köln | Japan
Full moon festival »Otsukimi«
The Otsukimi full moon festival is celebrated every year in the fall in Japan. The festival is a kind of harvest festival where people decorate pampas grass, eat round, sweet glutinous rice balls (dango) and sing a song to the full moon. TKW would like to celebrate the full moon festival in Cologne with the wish for good harvests and peace in the world. On this day, a tea ceremony will be performed and dango will be distributed to all participants. There will be a short introduction introduction to the full moon festival in Japan. Prior registration is required.
Further info: http://www.tenri-kw.de/otsukimi-fest-des-vollmondes/
16 Sep 2024 – 19 Sep 2024 | Siegburg | Japan
Japanische Woche
The German-Japanese Society of Siegburg is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary and is hosting a commemorative event lasting several days at the Siegburg City Museum. Included in the festivities are a Taiko concert, several cultural workshops introducing Japanese traditions such as Ikebana, tea ceremony and kimono, a film screening and a gala concert.
Further info: https://djg-siegburg.de/home
16 Sep 2024 – 21 Sep 2024 | Bochum | Japan
Manga Week Bochum
The Manga Week Bochum enters its third round! On 21 September 2024, the Manga Day will take place in Germany for the third time in a row. This year, Bochum is once again turning a Manga Day into a complete Manga Week. Under the patronage of the Mayersche bookstore in Bochum’s city center, a wide variety of events and offers from the bookstore and its partners await manga-loving visitors throughout the week.
Further info: https://manga-week.de/Download/MWB-2024_Programmheft.pdf
20 Sep 2024 – 19 Oct 2024 | Köln | Japan
Exhibition »Ichigo ichie«
Ichigo ichie, literally “a moment is a meeting”, comes from the Zen Buddhism-inspired tea ceremony. Every meeting is unique, just like our lives. Cologne-based artists Fabian Hochscheid and Götz Sambale embody this moment in their artworks. They question the nature of things and materials, which convey creation, change and decay without lecturing or provoking. The otherwise independent prints and sculptures reinforce each other. This relationship changes the overall impression in the room. At the opening (20 Sep 2024, 7 PM), Dan Hepperle will play the the Japanese shakuhachi.
Further info: http://www.tenri-kw.de/%e4%b8%80%e6%9c%9f%e4%b8%80%e4%bc%9a-ichigo-ichie-fabian-hochscheid-goetz-sambale/
25 Oct 2024 – 30 Mar 2025 | Köln | Japan
Exhibition »Streifzüge«
The Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst is presenting a cabinet exhibition on the first joint study trip of the later museum founders Frieda and Adolf Fischer. The exhibition on Adolf Fischer’s travel diaries kept in the museum is dedicated to their stays in Japan and Taiwan (“Formosa”) between 1897 and 1899. The focus is on Adolf Fischer’s travel reports, photographs and purchases from this period. Objects from the museum’s own collection and items on loan from the Ethnological Museum Berlin are on display.
Further info: https://museum-fuer-ostasiatische-kunst.de/Streifzuege
27 Sep 2024 | Köln | Japan
Concert »Von Yamato nach Anatolien: Eine musikalische Reise«
The regions of Anatolia (Turkey) and Yamato (Japan) both have an impressive tradition and history. Under the title “Von Yamato nach Anatolien” (From Yamato to Anatolia), the Turkish pianist & composer Çiğdem Borucu and the Japanese koto player Suetomi Atsuko will take us on a musical journey that crosses continents and millennia. The concert takes place on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Republic of Turkey in cooperation with the Yunus Emre Institute Cologne.
Further info: https://co.jpf.go.jp/veranstaltungen/kalender/von-yamato-nach-anatolien/
28 Sep 2024 | Köln | Japan
Fall day concert with Japanese instruments
In the month of the beginning of autumn, Shūbun, Japan celebrates various festivals with traditional music that connect people, nature and the unseen and remind us to respect them. TKW is organizing a concert with traditional Japanese instruments: Koto, Shakuhachi, Shō and Ryūteki. It is dedicated to Heinz-Dieter Reese (1952–2024), a musicologist, Japanologist and cultural advisor at the Japanese Cultural Institute in Cologne, who introduced many aspects of traditional Japanese culture to Germany. His thoughts will be passed on through music and voice. Prior registration is required.
Further info: http://www.tenri-kw.de/das-herbsttag-konzert-mit-japanischen-instrumenten/
1 Oct 2024 | Düsseldorf | Japan
Public guided tour of the EKŌ-Haus
From July to December, the EKŌ-Haus offers public guided tours of the temple garden and the Buddhist temple on selected Tuesdays. Even a short tour of the grounds gives an impression of the deep roots of traditional Japanese culture in Buddhism. Both the gardens and the Japanese house demand a sense of mindfulness and quiet contemplation from the visitor. Prior registration is required.
Further info: https://eko-haus.de/eventmanager/2024-10-01_oeffentliche-fuehrung/
4 Oct 2024 – 30 Nov 2024 | Köln | Japan
Exhibition »Manga Hokusai Manga«
In connection with contemporary Japanese comics and their worldwide distribution, Hokusai manga, a multi-volume collection of sketches by ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849), is also attracting increasing attention. Fans all over the world even see them as the origin of today’s manga. Unlike previous exhibitions on Hokusai, this one approaches the famous sketchbooks from the perspective of contemporary Japanese comics. Instead of examining historical “influences”, the audience is invited to compare works from different periods, explore the diversity they contain and reflect on their own ideas of manga.
Further info: https://co.jpf.go.jp/veranstaltungen/kalender/manga-hokusai-manga/
12 Oct 2024 | Köln | Japan
Concert »Odyssey – Tempei on Tour«
Tempei, composer and pianist, presents his new album “Odyssey” at the 5th TKW concert. Born in Kobe, Japan, he experienced a devastating earthquake in 1995, had to quit school and worked in the demolition industry. At 17, he began to study music seriously and graduated top of his class in piano at Osaka University of Arts. He began studying in New York in 2006 and made his debut at Carnegie Hall in 2010. He toured Europe in 2019 and 2022. After the start of the war in Ukraine, he gave charity concerts there. His new album “Odyssey” was born out of these experiences. He is also a visiting professor at the Osaka University of Arts. Registration is required.
Further info: http://www.tenri-kw.de/odyssey-tempei-on-tour/
13 Oct 2024 | Köln | Japan
1st Japanmarkt Köln
The Japanmarkt has been a staple event of Japanese culture in Germany, being hosted in Munich since 2013 and additionally in Berlin since 2018. This year will see the first iteration of the Japanmarkt event in Cologne. Visitors can look forward to culinary delights, art, culture, design, fashion, music and lifestyle from the Land of the Rising Sun. Advance ticket purchase is required.
Further info: https://www.japanevents.shop/tickets
20 Oct 2024 | Mülheim | Japan
Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra concert
With violinist Christian Tetzlaff, the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra from Tokyo is making its first guest appearance in Mülheim. The orchestra was founded in 1962 and has been led by renowned conductors ever since. With Sebastian Weigle, chief conductor since 2019, it is passionately dedicated to the music of Europe and Japan. Besides pieces by Brahms and Tchaikovsky, the program includes “Dance of the Seven Veils” from the ballet “Salome” by Akira Ifukube as well as film scores by Tōru Takemitsu.
Further info: https://kultur.muelheim-ruhr.de/theater-und-konzertbuero/…
7 Nov 2024 – 7 Dec 2024 | Düsseldorf | Japan
Exhibition »Konnichi-wa washi«
Washi is a unique, handmade paper from Japan that is made from the bast fibers of the paper mulberry tree. Robust, open-pored, absorbent and soft and non-slip in texture, Nanja Heid and Tilman Rothermel discovered this material, a gift from a Japanese artist colleague, for themselves. The exhibition shows a selection of their medium-format works on washi paper.
Further info: https://eko-haus.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2024-2_eko-programmhp.pdf
12 Nov 2024 | Düsseldorf | Japan
Public guided tour of the EKŌ-Haus
From July to December, the EKŌ-Haus offers public guided tours of the temple garden and the Buddhist temple on selected Tuesdays. Even a short tour of the grounds gives an impression of the deep roots of traditional Japanese culture in Buddhism. Both the gardens and the Japanese house demand a sense of mindfulness and quiet contemplation from the visitor. Prior registration is required.
Further info: https://eko-haus.de/eventmanager/2024-11-12_oeffentliche-fuehrung/
30 Nov 2024 – 13 Apr 2025 | Köln | Japan
Exhibition »Tanaka Ryohei«
Tanaka Ryohei (1933–2019) dedicated his life to the artistic interpretation of rural Japan. His detailed etchings in black and white and color show farmhouses, temples and landscapes in their beauty and transience. With thousands of fine lines, Tanaka creates three-dimensional textures of reeds, wood and other natural elements in a perfect manner.
Further info: https://museum-fuer-ostasiatische-kunst.de/
3 Dec 2024 | Düsseldorf | Japan
Public guided tour of the EKŌ-Haus
From July to December, the EKŌ-Haus offers public guided tours of the temple garden and the Buddhist temple on selected Tuesdays. Even a short tour of the grounds gives an impression of the deep roots of traditional Japanese culture in Buddhism. Both the gardens and the Japanese house demand a sense of mindfulness and quiet contemplation from the visitor. Prior registration is required.
Further info: https://eko-haus.de/eventmanager/oeffentliche-fuehrung_2024-03-12/
Disclaimer:
While we strive to include as many cultural events related to East Asia that take place in the Rhine Ruhr area as possible, this page does not claim to be exhaustive. If you know of an event that fits the criteria of this page but is not yet included in our overview, please feel free to reach out to us at window2asia@area-ruhr.de.