Upcoming Events

Free Bon Odori Dance Classes with Yoshinojo Fujima of Shubukai

Join us for an in-person Kintsugi Course! No experience necessary. All levels welcome.Kintsugi for Beginners 3:30-5:30 pm on Saturday, 8/17Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art form in which gold is used to repair broken ceramics. The practice of Kintsugi highlights the break rather than erasing it and emphasizes that the break, or trauma, is what […]

The Japanese Art Foundation and Japanese Culture Center in partnership with NEWCITY, Shubukai and Tsukasa Taiko from Asian Improv aRts Midwest invites you to the 4th annual BON Fest Chicago. Join us Saturday, August 17th at 8:00pm for taiko drumming, bon odori dancing, and festivities at a new location this year, NEWCITY! Come experience a traditional […]

Date: Tuesday, August 20 Time: 6 - 8pm Tickets are non-refundable. All ticket sales goes to the JCC. Drink up to support Konbini & Kanpai! Come join the Japanese Culture Center for our popular Fold and Sip event! We will be learning the traditional art of Japanese paper folding with Yamamoto-sensei while also enjoying drinks […]

Join us for a special class for beginners, for an introduction to the Ohara School of Ikebana. 2 weeks.* Please Note Class Times have changed to the start time of 7:00PM***a 2 student class minimum**Class DescriptionThis class has 4 sessions, which are 60 minutes each. This class is great for first-time students, and beginning students […]

Reiki Level I Shoden: In-person certification training in AugustTraditional Japanese Reiki I/Shoden TrainingAbout this eventREIKI LEVEL I - SHODEN CLASSA 10-hour Reiki certification class in the Japanese form of Reiki the "Usui Reiki Ryoho".Class Dates: 2 Fridays, August 23 and 30 from 12PM to 5PM. Students are expected to arrive 10 minutes prior to class.Participants […]

Join us for an in-person Multi-level 2 Week Ohara Ryu Ikebana Course! No experience necessary. All levels welcome.Join us for an in-person 2 Week Ohara Ryu Ikebana Course! No experience necessary. All levels welcome.Sign up for an immersive experience 2-week course for Ikebana enthusiasts of all levels. Whether you're a beginner eager to discover the […]

Celebrate 60 years of Ikenobo Ikebana in Chicago with a stunning exhibition!*If tickets are sold out, you can still attend without one.Welcome to the Ikenobo Ikebana - Chicago Chapter 60th Anniversary Exhibition! Join us at the beautiful Chicago Botanic Garden on August 24 & 25, 2024 to celebrate this special milestone. Experience the art of […]

Join artist Pamela Martinez for a 2 hour introduction to Suminagashi Japanese paper marbling.Suminagashi translated means floating black ink. It is the ancient meditative Japanese practice of gently floating pigments on the surface of water with a brush and then capturing the mono print image on an absorbent paper. This exciting 2 hr. workshop will […]

Celebrate 60 years of Ikenobo Ikebana in Chicago with a stunning exhibition!*If tickets are sold out, you can still attend without one.Welcome to the Ikenobo Ikebana - Chicago Chapter 60th Anniversary Exhibition! Join us at the beautiful Chicago Botanic Garden on August 24 & 25, 2024 to celebrate this special milestone. Experience the art of […]

Get Tickets Here Join us for an evening of tranquility and rejuvenation at the Japanese Culture Center! Embark on a journey of serenity and self-discovery as we invite you to immerse yourself in the mesmerizing melodies of singing bowls, soothing vibrations of gongs, flute, bells, drums, and handpan. This captivating sound bath will transport you […]

Join us for an in-person Kintsugi Course! No experience necessary. All levels welcome.Kintsugi for Beginners 3:30-5:30 pm on Saturday, 8/31Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art form in which gold is used to repair broken ceramics. The practice of Kintsugi highlights the break rather than erasing it and emphasizes that the break, or trauma, is what […]

A virtual Shodo (Japanese Calligraphy) program with instruction from Hekiun Oda Sensei.The Japanese Culture Center is excited to hold a 書道 - Shodo / Japanese Calligraphy program with Chicago's own Shodo master, Hekiun Oda!In the Shodo program you learn the art of Japanese calligraphy from Hekiun Oda-sensei, a calligraphy master from the Japanese Calligraphy Association […]

Japanese ink painting, (sumi-e) is the art of painting using brush (fude), ink (sumi) and thin absorbent “rice-paper” (washi). The Landscape Path: High Mountains Flowing Waters: As we take a contemplative journey along "The Landscape Path: High Mountains Flowing Waters", you are invited to Practice the sumi-e vocabulary of strokes. Each class will begin with […]

Join us for a special class for beginners, for an introduction to the Ohara School of Ikebana. 4 weeks.* Please Note Class Times have changed to the start time of 7:00PM*** 2 student class minimum**Class DescriptionThis class has 4 sessions, which are 60 minutes each. This class is great for first-time students, and beginning students […]

Join this one-hour virtual Reiki practice for self-care to relax, refresh, and find balance!**$20 per person**ABOUT THE SELF-CARE PRACTICEThis one-hour online Reiki self-care practice in the traditional Japanese style of Reiki offers participants the opportunity to take a pause during the day to relax, refresh, and come back to their original state of balance. This […]

Learn Japanese in this five-week beginner course!Learn to read, write, and speak with fellow classmates in our Japanese Language Beginners class! Please note that this is one step above the introductory course.GENERAL INFO:‣ Price ⇰ $120.00 per student (textbook NOT included)‣ Duration ⇰ Five weeks (one hour every Thursday)‣ Instructor ⇰ Mieko Fujii SenseiPlease note […]

Join Yamamoto Sensei for the rare chance to learn Godzilla origami!Join Yamamoto Sensei for this rare opportunity to learn to make an origami Godzilla! Please note that while this workshop is open to all levels, we will be focusing on a very complex fold. Knowledge of how to fold a crane is recommended, but not […]

Join us for an in-person Multi-level 3 Week Ohara Ryu Ikebana Course! No experience necessary. All levels welcome. Only 6 seats available.Join us for an in-person 3 Week Ohara Ryu Ikebana Course! No experience necessary. All levels welcome.Sign up for an immersive experience 2-week course for Ikebana enthusiasts of all levels. Whether you're a beginner […]

Learn Japanese in this five-week introductory session!Learn to read, write, and speak with fellow classmates in our Introduction to Japanese Language class!GENERAL INFO:‣ Price ⇰ $120.00 per student (textbook NOT included)‣ Duration ⇰ Five weeks (one hour every Saturday)‣ Instructor ⇰ Mieko Fujii SenseiPlease note exact class dates for the class:Saturday Class Dates: 9/7, 9/14, […]

Join us for an in-person Kintsugi Course! No experience necessary. All levels welcome.Kintsugi for Beginners 3:30-5:30 pm on Saturday, 9/7Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art form in which gold is used to repair broken ceramics. The practice of Kintsugi highlights the break rather than erasing it and emphasizes that the break, or trauma, is what […]

Japanese ink painting, (sumi-e) is the art of painting using brush (fude), ink (sumi) and thin absorbent “rice-paper” (washi).The Landscape Path: High Mountains Flowing Waters:As we take a contemplative journey along "The Landscape Path: High Mountains Flowing Waters", you are invited to Practice the sumi-e vocabulary of strokes. Each class will begin with a meditation, […]

We are excited to offer the next 6 Week Ikebana Course!We are excited the return of the 6 Week Ikenobo Ikebana Course at the Japanese Culture Center!Class begins Sunday 9/8/2024*4:00-5:00pm Introductory Course The course fee is $220, which includes flowers and all tools required for both the course. You can take home all tools and […]

Join us for an evening enjoying beer and onigiri at Dovetail Brewery while learning how to fold origami creations!Join us for an evening of origami, onigiri, and of course, Dovetail beer with expert paper folding instruction by Ty Yamamoto of the Japanese Culture Center, who's their in-house origami teacher. Here's your chance to try a […]

The JAF welcomes you to 'Women Center Stage', which features leading international traditional Japanese performing artists in conversation. Women Center Stage: Featuring Leading International Traditional Japanese Performing Artists in Conversation Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 6-7:30PM Asian Improv Arts Midwest: 4875 N Elston Ave   Join the Japanese Arts Foundation at Asian Improv Arts Midwest’s home […]

The Japanese Arts Foundation welcomes you an evening with guest Umeya Takane from Tokyo, international tsuzumi / hand drum artist/performer.Hands on Tsuzumi-with special guest artist Umeya TakaneWednesday, September 18th7-8PMKamehachi 1531 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL 60610$15The Japanese Arts Foundation, in partnership with Asian Improv Arts Midwest, welcomes you to a one of a kind program […]

Friday, September 20th VIP Pre Party 8-10PM Logan Theatre Film screening at 10:30pm Join the Japanese Arts Foundation for another incredible evening at Logan Theatre! This time we are sharing a night of 'deep cuts'! With the screening of Kentaro Miura's cult classic Berserk. Grab tickets to the film alone, or join the preparty bash […]

Join artist Pamela Martinez for a 2 hour introduction to advanced techniques for Suminagashi Japanese paper marbling.Suminagashi translated means floating black ink. It is the ancient meditative Japanese practice of gently floating pigments on the surface of water with a brush and then capturing the mono print image on an absorbent paper. This exciting 2 […]

Join us for an in-person Kintsugi Course! No experience necessary. All levels welcome.Kintsugi for Beginners 3:30-5:30 pm on Saturday, 9/28Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art form in which gold is used to repair broken ceramics. The practice of Kintsugi highlights the break rather than erasing it and emphasizes that the break, or trauma, is what […]

Get Tickets Here Join us for an evening of tranquility and rejuvenation at the Japanese Culture Center! Embark on a journey of serenity and self-discovery as we invite you to immerse yourself in the mesmerizing melodies of singing bowls, soothing vibrations of gongs, flute, bells, drums, and handpan. This captivating sound bath will transport you […]

Join Takahashi-sensei, in this 5-week Japanese Culture Class, where you'll learn about Japanese language, customs, and traditions!Are you interested in Japan, and would like to know more about Japanese culture and languages? You will be taking a 5-week hybrid journey about monthly rituals, daily life, and customs in Japan. One of the class times will […]

Join Takahashi-sensei in this 6-week advanced kintsugi club at at the Japanese Culture Center!Kintsugi ClubKintsugi is a traditional Japanese lacquer-art form in which gold is used to repair broken ceramics. The practice of Kintsugi highlights the break rather than erasing it and emphasizes that the break is what makes the ceramics more valuable.Here is a […]

Learn the basics of the Japanese language with this in person beginner session!About the EventDuring this four-week course, students will learn the foundations of the Japanese language including basic phrases, how to read and write hiragana, simple sentence structures and more!This course uses the textbook and workbook from Genki 1Third Edition. Please be sure to […]

A 4-week live mindfulness meditation program. 4 Mondays from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM at the JCC.Mindfulness is the cultivation of non-judgmental awareness in which each thought, feeling, and sensation that arises is acknowledged and accepted just as it is. This kind and steady attention is often radically different from the way we tend to […]

Join this one-hour virtual Reiki practice for self-care to relax, refresh, and find balance!**$20 per person**ABOUT THE SELF-CARE PRACTICEThis one-hour online Reiki self-care practice in the traditional Japanese style of Reiki offers participants the opportunity to take a pause during the day to relax, refresh, and come back to their original state of balance. This […]

Reiki Level I Shoden: In-person certification training in OctoberTraditional Japanese Reiki I/Shoden TrainingAbout this eventREIKI LEVEL I - SHODEN CLASSA 10-hour Reiki certification class in the Japanese form of Reiki the "Usui Reiki Ryoho".Class Dates: 2 Fridays, October 11 and 18 from 12PM to 5PM. Students are expected to arrive 10 minutes prior to class.Participants […]

Join us for an in-person Woodblock Printing Course! No experience necessary. All levels welcome. Description of Japanese Block Printmaking Workshop: From the earliest points in my artistic practice to the present, I have always had an affection and an interest in the beauty and precision in traditional Japanese printmaking techniques, and have at various times […]

Join Gaijin and Beam Suntory for our monthly City Pop DJ Night with Van Paugam! DJ Van Paugam will be in in house spinning vinyl from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., plus….. chicken karaage + sparkling sake (think fried chicken & champagne, Gaijin-style) Beam Suntory drink specials and more small plate specials! Our full menu and […]

Ukiyo‐e, a genre of Japanese woodblock prints with multiple carved woodblocks produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries. 2 ClassesFrom the earliest points in my artistic practice to the present, I have always had an affection and an interest in the beauty and precision in traditional Japanese printmaking techniques, and have at various times […]

Bit Bash and the JAF team up once more for Kaiju Revue, a COLOSSAL evening of local and international themed games, cocktails, and music!BIT BASH: KAIJU REVUESaturday, October 196-10PMJapanese Arts Foundation - 2940 N Lincoln Ave, 2nd FL21+Scientists can't explain it, civilization isn't prepared for it!A MONSTER evening of mass entertainment is on the horizon!Spawned […]

Join Takahashi-sensei, in this 2-week virtual course on traditional Japanese painting!Nihonga, a general term for traditional Japanese painting, means, literally, "Japanese painting". Here is an explanation about Nihonga at Yamatane Museum of Art, one of Japan's most important Nihonga museums."Now in common use, this term originated during the Meiji period, to distinguish Japanese painting from […]

A night of spooky halloween themed origami to get into the spirit of the season!Join Yamamoto Sensei for a fun night of Halloween themed origami! Together, we will fold pumpkins, ghosts and more spooky season favorites!A variety of paper will be provided. Space is extremely limited at this event so register quickly! This event will […]

Nihon Buyo （日本舞踊）draws from Kabuki and also has origins derived from Noh and Bugaku.Nihon Buyo （日本舞踊）draws from Kabuki and also has origins derived from Noh and Bugaku. Workshop Classes will take the principles of odori dance movement and introduce them through a dance piece. Training is based on traditional pedagogy; students are trained in etiquette, […]