Providing a Taste of Japanese Culture

Established in 1972, The Japan Foundation aims to promote cultural co-operation between Japan and other countries. Its activities include exchange, research, study and art fellowships; support for Japanese language teaching institutions and support for the study on Japan.

“We are the only specialized organization in Japan that carries out comprehensive international cultural exchange projects in all regions of the world. Our aim is to create places that link Japan and the world through 'culture', 'language' and 'dialogue' and to foster empathy, trust and goodwill between people. We operate in three fields: 'cultural and artistic exchange', 'Japanese language education abroad' and 'Japanese studies and international dialogue',” the Director of the Budapest office of The Japan Foundation, Mami Fujii explains to Diplomacy&Trade.

Comprehensive support
She elaborates that in the field of cultural and artistic exchange, they organize film screenings, Japanese dance performances and concerts of traditional performing arts such as koto and shamisen, as well as support museums exhibiting Japanese art, music festivals and film festivals with grants.
The Foundation provides grants to universities, high schools, junior high schools, elementary schools and private language schools that offer Japanese language education, as well as support for teachers, such as teacher training by Japanese language specialists and training opportunities in Japan. It also organizes the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) in collaboration with local universities and offers Japanese language courses at its centers.
In the area of Japanese studies and dialogue projects, fellowships are awarded to researchers conducting research on Japan to deepen their studies in Japan, and support is provided through grants for the holding of conferences and symposia.

2019, a diplomatic milestone
The Budapest office of the Foundation dates back to 1991. From these over three decades, the Director highlights the events of 2019 that marked the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Hungary. “Over these one and half centuries, Japan and Hungary have developed close ties in a wide range of fields, including trade, business, academia, culture and sport, and 2019 was a very important milestone, confirming and deepening the ties between the two countries. The year was marked by visits by the President of Hungary, the Japanese Imperial Family and other key government officials to each other's countries, as well as numerous cultural events in Hungary and Japan throughout the year, which showed how important the role of cultural exchange is in deepening the bilateral friendship between the two countries,” she says.

Important partners
Mami Fujii stresses that although they have budgetary constraints, they wish to support as much as possible Japanese cultural events here and Japanese-Hungarian exchange events.
Important partners include local universities, museums and other cultural institutions, festivals, artists and professionals – as well as organizations like 'The Hungary-Japan Friendship Society' and EUNIC – with whom the Foundation has developed deep relationships over the past three decades.
She notes that in Hungary, there are many researchers with in-depth knowledge of Japan, and Hungarian specialists and artists who have acquired excellent skills in traditional Japanese culture, such as tea ceremony, ikebana, ceramics, shakuhachi, kimono, etc., and who are introducing them to the Hungarian people. Another very important partner is the Embassy of Japan in Hungary with which they have close cooperation. “The Embassy connects us with their contacts and networks.”

Not just Budapest, not just Hungary
Most of the events organized by The Japan Foundation, such as concerts and cinema screenings, are held in Budapest, but there are also opportunities for people to experience Japanese culture outside the capital. This March, a film screening was held in Kecskemét, and in April, a lecture by a professor specializing in sculpture invited from Japan was held at Pécs University. In June, online streaming of 23 Japanese films and two dramas with Hungarian subtitles are offered. The Foundation also supports local events such as Japan Day, film festivals and exhibitions through grants and the lending of cultural equipment.
The Budapest office is also in charge of cherishing Japanese cultural ties in a dozen other Central and Eastern European countries. Limited staff and budget do not allow for frequent business trips but collaboration with the Japanese embassies in those countries make it possible for several cultural events to be organized. “In the framework of such cooperation, we support cultural and educational institutions in the various countries with grants and fellowships,” the Director points out.

Impressed by Hungary, the Hungarians
She has been living in Budapest for three and a half years and says that “I am still impressed every time I see the city, the beautiful buildings, especially along the Danube River. I feel that – having grown up in such a beautiful city and having spent so much time surrounded by wonderful works of art –Hungarian people have an exceptional sensitivity to art and beauty. 
I would be more than happy if these Hungarians could experience Japanese culture and art and fall in love with it.” 
She feels that Hungarians and Japanese have similarities in culture, such as the respect for courtesy and greetings. “Perhaps this is why
I feel that many Hungarians are fond of Japanese culture, and I am very happy that so many people visit our events. I am also often surprised at the depth of their love and knowledge of Japanese culture, because once they fall in love with it,
they love it to the hilt. When I hear that a young researcher whom The Japan Foundation has supported for many years is now the head of
a department at a university, or that a Japanese language student has become a teacher and opened a Japanese language school, I feel that we have contributed to the development of human resources.”

Japan Cultural Center
The Japan Foundation Budapest, at a location of easy access in the Hungarian capital, has about 15,000 pieces of material about Japan, including books and magazines, as well as manga and audiovisual materials in Japanese. “In addition to hosting courses for learning Japanese, the Center organizes various events throughout the year to give people a taste of Japanese culture, such as film screenings, lectures, workshops and concerts. We also have various support programs, such as financial ones for organizing Japan-related events, support for teaching materials and salaries for educational institutions starting Japanese language courses, etc.,” the Director highlights.
According to a survey carried out every three years, there were 1,815 people studying Japanese in Hungary in 2021, not including self-study students or those learning privately and without institutional affiliation, so the actual number of people studying Japanese is likely to be much higher, she says. One way to support people interested in Japan and learning the language is to offer free learning courses online.
“We have a network and relationship of trust that we have nurtured over more than 30 years of activities, and we will continue to expand and deepen this network and relationship, and make efforts to deepen the friendly relations between our two countries in the future,” Mami Fujii concludes.