The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles　国際交流基金ロサンゼルス日本文化センター

05/31/2026

The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles, will unfortunately be ending the exhibition 'Manifesting Icons' a day earlier, at the end of Monday, June 1. Please do not miss this final opportunity to view Buddhist objects of worship alongside the tools and materials used to make them.

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Manifesting Icons: The Materials and Making of Buddhist Visual Culture in Asia
Now closing June 1, 6 pm.

05/28/2026

As we say goodbye to our current exhibitions, Japan Foundation Los Angeles is pleased to announce two upcoming exhibitions opening concurrently on Thursday, June 18 at 7 PM.

✴︎✴︎✴︎
At Murasaki Hall
𝙆𝙄𝙉𝙀𝙏𝙄𝘾 𝙎𝙏𝙄𝙇𝙇𝙉𝙀𝙎𝙎: 𝙎𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙥𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙀𝙭𝙝𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 brings together seven Japanese and Japanese American artists who approach ceramics not as vessels for utility or tradition, but as sculptural sites of flux.

At Courtyard Gallery
𝙏𝙚𝙖 𝘾𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨 showcases ocean-inspired tea utensils created by the collective in collaboration with various artists, alongside an upcycled tea room and a small Zen garden made entirely from shopping bags and salvaged ocean plastics.

✴︎✴︎✴︎
𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:
📅 7:00-8:30PM, Thursday, June 18th
📍 The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles (5700 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 100, Los Angeles, 90036)
✅ RSVP https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/v8vm2yh

𝑬𝒙𝒉𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔:
June 18 - September 19, 2026

Mon - Fri 12-6pm, Sat 10am-3pm
Closed on Sundays & Holidays (June 19, July 3, 4, 20, August 11, and September 7)

✴︎✴︎✴︎
𝑪𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒉𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔:
𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢 at Murasaki Hall / Courtyard Gallery will remain on view through June 2.
𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘻𝘦𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘬𝘢𝘪: 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘰 𝘌𝘹𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘨 𝘠𝘪 at Steam Gallery will remain on view through June 13.

Please don’t miss the chance to experience them before they close 🕊️ 🌿

05/16/2026

𝓞𝓝𝓛𝓘𝓝𝓔 𝓛𝓔𝓒𝓣𝓤𝓡𝓔
This online lecture centers on the craft of urushi brush making, presented by Seikichi Izumi X, a lacquer brush artisan from a lineage dating back to the 17th century. For over 370 years since Seki Izumi I, he has been the sole inheritor of traditional Edo techniques, using human hair as the primary material, passed down exclusively through oral tradition from generation to generation, and continues to preserve them to this day.

📅7pm, Tuesday June 2nd (PDT)
📍Zoom Webinar
✅Sign up to receive a link to join - RSVP https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/dg3umme

This online lecture centers on the craft of urushi brush making, presented by Seikichi Izumi X, a lacquer brush artisan from a lineage dating back to the 17th century. For over 370 years since Seki Izumi I, he has been the sole inheritor of traditional Edo techniques, using human hair as the primary...

05/16/2026

Thank you for joining us last night with Yoshinori Shimatani san, the fourth-generation artisan of Shimatani Shouryu Studio from Toyama prefecture, Japan.

We were honored to experience an informative lecture and hands-on demonstration of the meticulous process of tuning the Orin, a traditional Japanese singing bowl. The evening concluded with a meditation session led by sound body healer Yuki Uwasawa san, using Orins crafted by Shimatani san ✨

05/11/2026

Shabutsu, or tracing an image of a Buddhist deity, is a devotional act that establishes a direct connection to the physical embodiment of a Buddhist concept.

Join Rev. Yuryu Mori from Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin of Los Angeles as he introduces the historical background of shabutsu, explains the Buddhist deities that will be drawn (traced), and instructs on proper etiquette and procedure before leading the hands-on shabutsu experience.

Come to JFLA on May 27 and leave with a potent symbol of the Buddha's presence!

Learn more and register at https://www.jflalc.org/event-details.php/354/shabutsu-tracing-forms-of-the-buddha.

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Shabutsu: Tracing Forms of the Buddha

Wednesday, May 27
7:00PM-8:30PM

Murasaki Hall
The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles
5700 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 100

05/05/2026

Last month, Consul General Kishimori from the Consulate General of Japan in Detroit () attended Eastern Michigan University () Japanese Student Association’s EMU Japanese Spring Festival and spoke to students and faculty.
On this occasion, Mr. Kishimori also presented JFLA’s 2025-26 Salary Assistance Grant check in support of EMU’s Japanese-language program.
Thank you to Kishimori-san and EMU for commemorating the grant, and we look forward to watching EMU’s Japanese program continue to develop and grow!

More information regarding JFLA’s Salary Assistance Grant:
https://www.jflalc.org/grants-jle-courses

05/05/2026

Last month, Consul General Kishimori from Consulate General of Japan in Detroit 在デトロイト日本国総領事館 attended Eastern Michigan University Japanese Student Association's EMU Japanese Spring Festival and spoke to students and faculty.
On this occasion, Mr. Kishimori also presented JFLA's 2025-26 Salary Assistance Grant check in support of EMU's Japanese-language program.
Thank you to Kishimori-san and EMU for commemorating the grant, and we look forward to watching EMU’s Japanese program continue to develop and grow!

More information regarding JFLA’s Salary Assistance Grant:
https://www.jflalc.org/grants-jle-courses

05/04/2026

How did Japanese sculpture develop when Western modes were introduced during the nineteenth century?

Come to the final session of our 'Beauty of Japanese Sculpture' series to learn how figures like Vincenzo Ragusa, Takamura Koun, and Ogiwara Morie set the stage for contemporary sculpture-makers in Japan, including Kamine Takuma and Oishi Sayaka.

RSVP at this link: https://www.jflalc.org/event-details.php/353/the-beauty-of-japanese-sculpture-modern-and-contemporary.

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The Beauty of Japanese Sculpture:
Modern and Contemporary

Wednesday, May 20
7:00PM-8:30PM

Murasaki Hall
The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles
5700 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 100

05/01/2026

We are excited to be showing the documentary film 'Carving the Divine: Buddhist Sculptors of Japan' on May 6, starting at 7 PM.

Directed by Yujiro Seki, a consummate storyteller born into a family of Buddhist artisans, the film provides an intimate look at the labor of contemporary Buddhist image-makers.

The film has received high accolades and has been awarded for its unabashed, emotional treatment of a longstanding yet secretive tradition.

To register, go to: https://www.jflalc.org/event-details.php/349/carving-the-divine-buddhist-sculptors-of-japan.

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Documentary Film Screening
Carving the Divine: Buddhist Sculptors of Japan

Wednesday, May 6
7:00PM-8:45PM

Murasaki Hall
The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles
5700 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 100

05/01/2026

On April 22, we welcomed Reverend Shumyo Kojima from Zenshuji Soto Mission (Little Tokyo) and Venerable Hui Ze Shih from Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple (Hacienda Heights) to our center for a very special night of Heart Sutra recitation workshops.

Participants learned from the boundless wisdom of the Heart Sutra in the traditions of Japanese Soto Zen and Taiwanese Linji Chan through a lively and insightful dialogue between the two esteemed teachers. They also chanted the Heart Sutra following the two distinct tonal modes.

Thank you to all who joined us, and we hope you left with a richer understanding of one of the most important and popular scriptures in the Buddhist canon!