In Japan, one of the earliest major transformations in communications occurred during the Meiji period, when movable-type printing began to supplant centuries-old woodblock-printing practices, while photography appeared in daily newspapers. The transition to modern printing methods, together with increasing use of photography, transformed conceptions of what was print-worthy. It also led audiences to question what constituted the ‘real’ or the ‘true.’ Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900) was among the woodblock-print artists who established their careers before the Meiji Restoration and subsequently faced the challenge of adapting their practices to remain relevant. His Tokyo Jiman Meibutsu-e (Pride of Tokyo), published during the twilight years of woodblock-print culture, is particularly worthy of attention today. His work demonstrates how an artist could develop new forms of communication while taking advantage of traditional artistic skills and established human networks. Details and registration here

Die Jause geht weiter! In Frankreich ist das café philosophique eine Veranstaltung zum Philosophieren, an der jede Person teilnehmen kann. Auch in Japan gibt es bereits ähnliche Programme auf dem Land. The University of Tokyo Center for Philosophy (UTCP) und das Deutsche Institut für Japanstudien (DIJ) organisieren gemeinsam ein philosophisches Café auch in Tokyo, allerdings mit einer kleinen Besonderheit: Wir möchten deutschsprachigen Personen die Möglichkeit des Austauschs bieten und daher das Café auf Deutsch abhalten. Das Organisationsteam (Yukiko Kuwayama, UTCP und Sebastian Polak-Rottmann, DIJ) freut sich, Sie am 22. November ins DIJ Tokyo einzuladen, um gemeinsam in entspannter Atmosphäre über ein Thema zu diskutieren. Fachliche Vorkenntnisse benötigen Sie nicht. Bei Interesse melden Sie sich bitte bis zum 20. November an. Weitere Informationen hier

Demographic change has created gaps in rural Japan, making it increasingly difficult to sustain patterns of community organisation and local activities in the natural environment. To address these gaps, local authorities and citizen groups have started initiatives in various parts of the country. The creation of “communicative spaces” lies at the core of several recent revitalisation initiatives. These spaces enable an open discussion among a diverse set of people and eventually create a productive atmosphere supporting adaptive community practices. Based on fieldwork in Kumamoto, Tottori, and rural Tokyo, DIJ researcher Sebastian Polak-Rottmann introduces examples of how communities set up and use communicative spaces and how they contribute to the resilience of local communities and the sustainability of the region. This talk is part of the Itinerant Seminar Series on Sustainability and takes place on December 14, onsite only at the DIJ. Please register via email to forum@dijtokyo.org.

We are currently accepting paper proposals for the international conference Fair Share? Intergenerational Justice in Transnational Perspective, hosted by the German Historical Institute Washington’s Pacific Office at UC Berkeley on November 15-16, 2027. The conference brings together historians and social scientists to explore intergenerational justice as a historical and interdisciplinary problem. It focuses especially on Germany, the United States, and Japan — three affluent, democratic, aging societies with very different welfare models — where demographic change, family structures, inheritance regimes, environmental politics, and postwar legacies have shaped different understandings of obligations across generations. Proposals, which should include a paper title, an abstract of no more than 250 words, and a short CV, must be submitted online by January 22, 2027. Details here