PAST EVENT – NEIL GORDON MUNRO: Connecting Scotland and the Ainu – 1st Feb 2025

Event by JSOS.

Held on – Saturday 1st of February 2025 at 11.30am

Venue – University of Edinburgh, 50 George Square, Room G.04

Guest Speaker – Daniel Goldie-Furlong

Neil Gordon Munro was a Scottish anthropologist and doctor who lived among Hokkaido’s indigenous Ainu people in the village of Nibutani for many years, recording and writing about their culture while providing free medical treatment. His work regarding Ainu culture remains of vital importance today, and he is still honoured in an annual memorial ceremony in the village. Join Daniel as he introduces the life and work of Munro, the Ainu people he lived alongside, as well as his own visits to Hokkaido to strengthen the ties between Scots and Ainu.

About the speaker

Daniel Goldie-Furlong is a type designer, videomaker, and independent scholar based in
Osaka. With a keen interest in Ainu culture and affairs, he hopes to increase awareness and interest in the Ainu outside of Japan, and promote links between the Ainu and Scotland.

Click here for the original event notice…

PAST EVENT – In the Footsteps of Isabella Bird: Victorian Lady Adventurer with Kathleen Gray and Fraser Mitchell – 13th jan 2025

Held – 13th January 2025 at 6.30pm

Venue – University of edinburgh 50 GoergeSquare Room G.05

Thank you to all who attended in-person and via zoom for our January lecture. Guest speakers, Kathleen Gray and Fraser Mitchell entertained us with super photos of their well researched trip “Following in the Footsteps of Isabella Bird”.

They brought to life the realities of the Victorian woman’s remarkable journey in 1878, highlighting key moments and places in her book “Unbeaten Tracks”. From places she stayed, to temples visited, clothes worn and modes of transport taken, but in particular her interest in the Ainu people.

The 2024 travellers enjoyed the magic of taking the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hakodate, a journey taking a few hours by contrast to the many days it took Isabella Bird. A highlight of their trip being a walk along the Isabella Bird Trail at Biratori.

Huge thanks to Kathleen and Fraser for a most interesting evening.

Click here for the original event notice…

In the Footsteps of Isabella Bird: Victorian Lady Adventurer with Kathleen Gray and Fraser Mitchell

Event by JSOS.

Date – 13th January 2025 at 6.30pm

Venue – University of Edinburgh, 50 George Square – Room G.05

Also on Zoom (7pm prompt start)

Guest Speakers – Kathleen Gray & Fraser Mitchell

Join us for an evening as we explore the journey of Kathleen Gray and Frazer Mitchell who have visited Japan in October of 2024 to retrace the steps of Isabella Bird.

Unbeaten tracks in Japan is a travel diary written by Isabella Bird of her trip to Japan in 1878. It chronicles her intrepid journey with a Japanese interpreter, Tsurukichi Ito, from Tokyo to Hokkaido. Using this text as a guide, we explored parts of Japan and its culture we would otherwise not have been aware of, in particular the Ainu heritage.

Click here to see the journey on their instagram account…

Eventbrite sign up links below:

Click here to sign up for the in-person event…

Click here to sign up for the online Zoom event…

RSE & JSPS Letter of Intention Signing

RSE and JSPS strengthen partnership through Letter of Intention signing. Signifying a joint aspiration to explore opportunities to promote and strengthen cooperation between institutions and researchers in Scotland and Japan, the RSE and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS London) signed a Letter of Intention on 5 December 2024 at the RSE. JSoS was represented at this event.

Click here for more information…

Cross-party Group on Japan Meeting Dec 2024

Recently, the society was represented by Chairman Ian Gow at a recent meeting of the Scottish Parliament’s Cross-party Group on Japan.

The Consul-General of Japan in Edinburgh, Mr Tadashi Fujiwara, was also in attendance along with Prof. Lesley Palmer, Jim Feenan, and Richard Marsh.

Click here for more information about the Cross-party group on Japan…

JSOS Bonenkai 2024

Held on 2nd of December 2024

On the evening of the 2nd of December, a small group of members joined our Bōnenkai 忘年会. Bōnenkai are parties that take place at the end of the year and are a time for drinking and socializing with friends or colleagues. The name translates to “forget-the-year party”.

Far from forgetting the year, we thoroughly enjoyed reminiscing a successful twelve months together with longstanding and new members. We were delighted that Consul General and Mrs Fujiwara were also able to join us. Thank you to everyone for coming and making it a lovely end to a super year and to Bentoya restaurant for the delicious food.

Our AGM will take place on Saturday 1st February 2025, but before that we will have a 13th January talk. Details to follow for both events.

JSOS Receives Commendation from the Foreign Ministry of Japan

marvellous occasion on the afternoon of Friday the 22nd of November, at the Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh’s residence, when The Japan Society of Scotland was humbled and honoured to receive a commendation from the Foreign Minister presented by Consul General Tadashi Fujiwara.

Chairman Ian Gow receives the commendation on the behalf of the society.

JSoS Council members Ian Gow, Helen Parker, Callum Farquhar, Alex Donald, Caroline Marshall and Katy Gow along with Mrs Fujiwara and consular staff Sora Sato and Robyn Ward all celebrated together with a wonderful lunch including Japanese red wine.

The Japanese Ippon Matsu in the Garden of the Consul General’s residence.

After the presentation we were able to view the two trees which were planted in the garden to celebrate Scotland-Japan Friendship … a Japanese Maple and Ippon Matsu Pine. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Society’s activities over many years.

Click here for the Consulate-General of Japan In Edinburgh’s article…

PAST EVENT: A lifetime of experience with Japan and the Japanese – Guest speaker Jim Cuthbert

At our 18th November event, members and friends were treated to a most interesting talk from Jim Cuthbert about his extensive experiences of living and working in Japan and with the Japanese people. It reminded all of us about the delights of living in Japan. Jim continues to work in the UK and has no plans to retire. Thank you Jim, for a most enjoyable evening.

A lifetime of experience with Japan and the Japanese – Guest speaker Jim Cuthbert

Event by JSOS.

Date – 18th November 2024 at 7pm prompt start

Venue – University of Edinburgh, 50 George Square – Room G.05

Guest Speaker – Jim Cuthbert

Relating my experience of eight and a half years living in Kobe, Japan and all my subsequent working life involved with Japanese people, and still working with them!
Teaching English as a second language took me to Japan, initially on a two-year contract. As mentioned, in the end I stayed there for eight and a half years, so something must have been right!

I taught English at the International Language Centre in Kobe from 1969 to 1971, then after 4 months in Australia returned to Kobe to start working at a different school, Shepard Language Institute from 1972 to 1974 as an employed teacher. I also had a side job as pianist and lead vocalist in a rock ‘n’ roll band. I then bought the school and ran it as my own business until I returned to the UK in 1978. Since then, I have mainly worked as a Japanese TV location coordinator mostly in the UK but also abroad, and I also handle general interpreting assignments. No plans to retire!

Click here to sign up for the in-person event…

Click here to sign up for the online zoom event…

PAST EVENT: A Winter Tour in Southern Japan – Guest Speaker Jackie Reid

On the 7th of October 2024, our guest speaker Jackie Reid, enthralled us with her three-month cycle tour adventures around southern Japan. She has extensive working experience in Japan on the JET programme (Japan Exchange and Teaching) and went on to work for a UK company in Tokyo. Jackie has raced MTB all over Japan winning many national titles.

Her knowledgeable presentation reflected her deep love for Japanese people and society and with breathtaking photography. Starting out from Taiwan and visiting small islands in the Ryukyus that are actually nearer Taiwan than Tokyo and making her way to Kyushu and beyond.

Covering over 4363 kilometres via ferries, but mostly pedal power, Jackie toured the Japanese countryside observing local traditions: pottery, textile dyeing and weaving, sake, farming, as well as engaging with local communities to WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). Initially, she started out camping, but then stayed in small hostelries and the like.

We were taken on a magical armchair tour, sadly only reaching Kyushu when it was time to stop. However, Jackie has promised to come back again to present “Part 2” when we can resume her wonderful journey. Thank you, Jackie.

For information about the JET programme click here. https://www.jet-uk.org/….

Deadline for 2025 applications is 8th November 2024.