UCC launches The Irish Institute for Japanese Studies
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UCC launches The Irish Institute for Japanese Studies
09.09.2011

University College Cork (UCC) has announced the establishment of the Irish Institute for Japanese Studies (IIJS). The Institute represents the first of its kind in Ireland and will stand alongside the Institutes of Chinese and of Korean Studies in the School of Asian Studies in UCC. The aim of the Institute is to develop research and teaching for the relatively new discipline of Japanese Studies in Ireland, especially in the arts and humanities and social sciences, to create a network with other scholars in Europe who do research on Japan, and to enhance mutual understanding between the peoples of Japan and Ireland through cultural events such as presentations of Japanese film, music, theatre, and other arts.

Professor Graham Parkes, Director of IIJS explains:  “Even though Japanese language is a school Leaving Certificate subject in Ireland, Japanese Studies has not traditionally been a major presence at the university level. The increasing interest among young people in Japanese popular culture (in manga and anime especially), combined with some acquaintance with the language, provides an opportunity to engage university students in the study of other aspects of Japanese society and culture, as well as history and religions. The development of the Institute will encourage further progress in this area”, he said.  “We are also establishing institutional partnerships with universities in Japan in order to facilitate exchanges of students”, he added.

To celebrate the launch of the Institute, a series of events will take place in the university on Monday, September 12th. At 10:00 am Professor Fan Hong, School of Asian Studies, UCC will introduce a programme of ten presentations on aspects of Japanese culture in the Honan Chapel, to which members of the public are invited (admission free). For example, Professor Thomas Kasulis, Ohio State University will give an illustrated lecture on “The Heart of Japanese Culture”, while by Professor Dennis Hirota, Ryukoku University, Kyoto, will talk on “Pure Land Buddhism in Japanese Cultural Life”.

Mr Chihiro Atsumi, the Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, will introduce the afternoon sessions, which include “Flower: An Invitation to Japanese Culture” by Professor Yasuo Kobayashi, and “Encounter with the West: Three Types of Modern Japan” by Professor Yasunari Takada, both from the University of Tokyo. The programme will conclude at 4:15 pm with a brief talk by Professor Graham Parkes, Director of the Institute, titled “Rock as an Entrée into Japanese Culture”, and an open invitation to view the new UCC Japanese Dry Landscape Garden (located at 3 Elderwood, College Road).

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Launch of the Irish Institute of Japanese Studies, September 12th, 2011, UCC
Programme
10am: Honan Chapel:
Professor Fan Hong, Head, School of Asian Studies, UCC: Introduction
Dr Tom Hardiman, Supervisory Board of the EU Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, and EU Japan Business Round Table: "Congratulations on the Launch of the IIJS"
10.15am: Professor Thomas Kasulis, Ohio State University: "Kokoro: The Heart of Japanese Culture", Dr James Heisig, Nanzan Institute for Religion & Culture, Nagoya "Studying Philosophy on a World Forum"
11.15am Coffee Break
11.45am Professor Dennis Hirota, Ryukoku University, Kyoto "Pure Land Buddhism in Japanese Cultural Life", Professor Brian Bocking, UCC "Irish Buddhists in Meiji Japan: U Dhammaloka and Condor Pfoundes"
12.45pm Lunch Break
2.00pm Honan Chapel:
Professor Fan Hong, Head, School of Asian Studies, UCC: Introduction Mr Chihiro Atsumi, The Ambassador of Japan to Ireland "The Current Situation in Japan"
2.15pm "Aspects of Japanese Culture" Professor Yasuo Kobayashi, University of Tokyo "Flower: An Invitation to Japanese Culture"' Professor Takahiro Nakajima, University of Tokyo "Celtic Spiral Patterns and Japanese Modern Aesthetics"; Professor Yasunari Takada, University of Tokyo "Encounter with the West: Three Types in Modern Japan"
3.15pm Professor Joseph O’Leary, Sophia University, Tokyo "The Blessings of Relativism from a Japanese Perspective"
4.00pm Venue tba
Special showing of the film KanZeOn (2011) — ‘a mystical experience of sound, explained through encounters with religious musicians in southern Japan’) - Irish premiere!
5.30pm Professor Graham Parkes, Director, IIJS Brief remarks: ‘Rock as an Entrée into Japanese Thought’ - followed by a visit to the UCC Japanese ‘Dry Landscape’ Garden at
3 Elderwood, College Road.

ENDS

 

 



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