Category Archives: Past Events by JSOS (2023)

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH Asian Studies Seminar Series 2022/23 Date – 13 December 2023 at 16:00 Venue – Project Room 1.06, 50 George Square Speaker – Professor Ian Gow (University of Edinburgh, The Japan Society of Scotland) About the event The last two decades of the Tokugawa era (1603-1867) ended over 2 centuries of self-imposed isolation from the West exceptContinue reading “Scots and Japan: First Contact 1613-1623”

Monday 4 December 2023 at 7pm at Bentoya A small but friendly and good humoured group of members were joined by Consul General Fujiwara and Mrs Fujiwara at our annual JSOS Bonenkai tonight. A thoroughly enjoyable evening with delicious food in a cosy and relaxing Edinburgh restaurant – Bentoya. KANPAI!!

Monday 30th October 2023 – 7pm Venue: Zoom (online event only) THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED Regrettably, we received an e-mail earlier this morning from Elspeth Lamb, cancelling her zoom talk on Monday due to personal circumstances. However, we may be able to reschedule the event in the future but this is not known atContinue reading “CANCELLED: A talk by Elspeth Lamb RSA”

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT … At our recent event, members and guests were treated to a little-known aspect of Japan, that of underground music performances. Glasgow-based Howie Reeve has just returned from a 15-day tour of one-night stands, between Tokyo and Kyushu. Punk rock artist Howie, has been visiting Japan for the pastContinue reading “Howie Reeve: A musical tour of Japan – Held on 11th September 2023”

Monday 11th September 2023 – 6.30pm Venue: University of Edinburgh, 50 George Square, Room G.01 Having just returned from a tour of Japan, Howie will give us a brief outline – a daily journal of a fifteen date Japanese music tour of small, independent spaces, which took place between 5th and 19th August 2023. ClickContinue reading “Howie Reeve: A musical tour of Japan”

We were very pleased to attend the JET Pre-departure reception on the 11th of July, hosted by The Japanese Consulate in Edinburgh. This year sees 56 young students from all over Scotland and the North of England heading off to Japan. Consul General Fujiwara wished them well and Japan Society of Scotland Chairman Ian Gow,Continue reading “2023 JET Pre-departure Reception”

Thank you to Colin Houston for a most interesting talk (7th June 2023) about his Great Grandfather’s time spent in Japan in the mid-19th century. Colin Alexander McVean’s tremendous contribution to the development and modernisation of Japan during that period, was immense and Colin Houston highlighted this with well documented photographs of the projects heContinue reading “Colin Alexander McVean – One of the Scots engineers who modernised Japan – 7th June 2023”

By Colin Houston, Great Grandson of Colin Alexander McVean  WHEN: Wednesday 7pm – 7th June 2023 WHERE:  University of Edinburgh, 50 George Square, Project Room 1.06.  Click here to sign-up for the in person event ZOOM:  This event will be streamed on zoom, click here to sign-up for the online event Colin Alexander McVean (1838 –Continue reading “Colin Alexander McVean – One of the Scots engineers who modernised Japan”

JSOS were happy to take part in the JETAA Scotland Cherry Blossom Viewing Picnic that took place on Sunday the 23rd of April at the Edinburgh-Kyoto Friendship Garden at Lauriston Castle. Event hosted by JETAA Scotland, and co-hosted by Connecting Japanese and Japan Sakura in Scotland. Despite the weather being overcast, there were lots ofContinue reading “JETAA Cherry Blossom Viewing Picnic 2023 – Sunday 23rd April 2023”