Student Society

Student Activities

Overview

Established in 1984, the NUS Japanese Studies Society (JSS) is a student-run organization under the auspices of the Department of Japanese Studies that seeks to promote the understanding and appreciation of Japanese culture. It aims to bring the people of Japan and Singapore closer together by promoting mutual understanding, appreciation and cooperation. JSS is registered with the Registry of Societies, Singapore.

In the JSS family, we also have 5 autonomous sub-clubs: Nihon Buyo Club (Japanese Traditional Dance), Sado Club (Japanese Tea Ceremony), KotoKottoN (Japanese Koto Ensemble), Odoro!! (Contemporary Japanese Dance Covers) and Japanese Music Club. Each sub-club engages their members in a specific area of Japanese culture through regular club activities. Read their respective segments to find out more!

Japanese Studies Society

JSS provides invaluable opportunities for exposure to Japanese culture and unites students with a shared passion for Japan’s vibrant traditions, arts and language. Our regular events revolve around various aspects of Japanese traditional and popular culture, and selected topics in Japanese Studies. Recent event themes include Japanese food, coffee culture, voice acting, as well as Japanese language and literature. Every year in June/July, we organise a Freshmen Orientation Camp, open to all incoming first-year students interested in Japan, to welcome them into the university.

We also strengthen bilateral ties through extensive collaboration with Japanese partner universities, companies, and the local Japanese community. Currently, we maintain our engagement with our Japanese counterparts through interaction sessions with partner universities and our Brothers-and-Sisters Programme, both of which are currently held online. In pandemic-free times, we organise a mutual homestay exchange programme with our counterparts from Kyushu University where members get the opportunity to visit Kyushu as well as to host Kyushu University students during their stay in Singapore. We also conduct university visits for incoming students from Japan where Japanese students and JSS members can interact and build new friendships through a mutual cultural exchange.

To find out more about JSS, please visit our official website https://jss.sg/ or our Instagram page @nusjss. To join us, please register through the NUSync platform at https://nus.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/jss.

For general enquiries, feel free to email us at contact@jss.sg.

Looking forward to enjoy Japanese culture with you!

Nihon Buyo Club

Nihon Buyo, or Japanese dance, is a performance genre that combines elements of Kabuki, Noh, Bunraku, and folk dances. NUS Nihon Buyo club was established in 1990 and offers its members an all-rounded experience in Japanese culture with lessons in Japanese dance, Japanese costume, Japanese etiquette, and related Japanese terms. The club engages in traditional and folk-dance performances within and outside the University, such as private company functions, cultural fairs, and large-scale roadshows. The club is tutored by Ms. Onoe Kikusui (尾上菊水), a professional Nihon Buyo instructor based in Yokohama, Japan.

With emphasis on learning traditional dance and folk dance, NUS Nihon Buyo aims to promote the traditional art form to both NUS students as well as members of the public. The club also hopes that members would gain a deeper appreciation for traditional Japanese dances through engaging in club activities.

Amidst the hype about Japanese popular culture, the club strives to preserve the traditional elegance and grace that emanates from Buyo dance. By mastering Nihon Buyo, one can not only learn the aesthetic value of traditional Japanese dance, but also gain discipline and self-achievement from the process.

NUS Nihon Buyo conducts weekly practices which include the following concepts:

  • Japanese etiquette
  • Japanese dance fundamentals
  • Wearing of traditional Japanese costumes

Notable events that the club has performed for include the following:

  • Annual NUS Japanese Cultural Night
  • Annual Asian Studies Cultural Night
  • Natsu Matsuri Bon Odori 2018
  • NUS Japanese Cultural Room Opening Ceremony 2017
  • Japan Travel Fair 2019
  • Star Vista Japan Fair 2017
  • Singapore Turf Club Kranji Mile Event 2017

For more information, please visit our facebook page at www.facebook.com/nus.nihonbuyoclub or instagram at @nus.nihonbuyoclub.

Sado Club

Sado (茶道), or commonly known as Japanese tea ceremony, is a traditional art which has been around for centuries. Here at the Sado Club, we offer our students the chance to experience first-hand the art of Japanese tea ceremony in our Japanese-Styled club room.

Our club follows the teachings of the Enshu School of tea, following the four main values of harmony (和), respect (敬), purity (清) and serenity (寂). The ritualised form of serving tea, expressing "Wakeiseijaku" — or mutual respect and thoughtfulness — seeks to bring harmony to the people involved and the surroundings. The essence of "Kirei Sabi" — or gracefulness and simplicity — is also portrayed under the style of Enshu Sado which we learn. Students will learn how to perform tea ceremonies and the formalities involved from both the roles of a host as well as a guest.

The Grandmaster of the Enshu School of tea personally gives formal instruction to our club members and alumni every August. The club also has an instructor based in Singapore who visits us monthly.

 Visit by 13th Grandmaster, Kobori Sojitsu, Oiemoto

In 2019, the club celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the Enshuu School of tea in Singapore. Our club is also involved in Student Life Fair (SLF) and Japanese Cultural Festival (JCF) which is held every year.

Past activities done by the club include workshops and introductory sessions for:

  • NUS JS2230 Itadakimasu - Food in Japan Module Students
  • NUS LAJ2202 Japanese Language Students
  • NTU Japanese Appreciation Club
  • SIT Japanese Club
  • Waseda Shibuya Senior High Tea Club

The club also had opportunities to perform for several product launches, such as the one for BVLGARI’s tea-inspired fragrances.

Event performances outside of club

For more information regarding the Sado Club, please visit https://linktr.ee/nussadoclub. Interested students can also head straight down to our club room (Japanese Cultural room @AS8) during our practice sessions, which happen every Wednesday and Friday afternoon.

KotoKottoN

The koto (written as 箏) is a Japanese zither that originated from court music in the 7th and 8th century. Played with fingerpicks on three fingers, the koto is known for its vibrant, elegant sound. KotoKottoN, founded 2009, is a club for all in Singapore who are passionate about the koto. Combining the instrument ‘koto’ and the Japanese onomatopoeia ‘kotton’ for the sound of ‘moving along’, the ensemble is one that aspires to create a moving musical experience for our audience.

KotoKottoN is led by Ms. Kitai Saeko, a Japanese language teacher at the Centre of Language Studies in NUS, who is also a qualified teacher from the Sawai Koto School. KotoKottoN is a diverse club with members of all backgrounds and walks of life, with or without musical experience.

With a repertoire of both traditional and contemporary compositions, KotoKottoN has performed widely across the globe. In 2019, the club had the opportunity to perform in the Kizuna III Concert in Rikuzentakata, Japan, as well as the Koto Transformation Australis in Melbourne the year before. In addition, the ensemble also actively participates in performances organized by Japanese Association Singapore, the Embassy of Japan, community centres, and the annual NUS Japanese Cultural Night.
For more information about KotoKottoN, please visit our website at:  https://nuskotokotton.wixsite.com/kotokotton.

Kizuna III Concert

 

Koto Transformation Singapura

 

NUS Japanese Cultural Night 2020

Odoro!!

Founded in 2017, Odoro!! brings together NUS students through their common passion for Japanese street dance. The club focuses on a subculture known as “Odottemita” (I tried to dance) which originally arose from Japan where dancers perform dance covers of various forms of Japanese music like J-pop and Vocaloid.

Odoro!! is a frequent participant of the annual Japanese Cultural Festival and Night organised by the NUS Japanese Studies Society. It has also been invited to perform at various Japanese pop culture events held externally such as Cosfest and EOY. The club also organises its own performance showcase every academic year which is open to the public.

Members who join Odoro!! will get the opportunity to pick up dance techniques in a beginner-friendly environment while sharing their passion for Japanese pop culture with other like-minded individuals. They will also get to experience the art of showmanship and express themselves both in the form of a live performance as well as through digital production. Odoro!! is open to everyone regardless of dance background, so don't be afraid to pick up something new and join us for a fun and fulfilling time!

For more information, please visit our social media sites below:

Japanese Music Club

The NUS Japanese Music Club strives to bring enthusiasts together to enjoy a variety of Japanese music, including pop, rock, anime and Vocaloid. Here at JMC we do our best to provide opportunities for all, whether you want to form bands and play music with others at performances, make new friends to share your passion for music with, or even pick up a new instrument or learn to sing.

Our weekly activities include unique music-related games and bonding sessions for our members, instrument workshops and jam sessions, and presentations by passionate members on any unique aspect of Japanese music in various media.

Clockwise from top left: Music theory workshop, J-Metal presentation, Jam session, Guitar instrument tryouts

In recent years, ROCK-ON!! was also started. ROCK-ON!! is a song recording project where members record individual parts at home then combine and mix the tracks to form professional song covers. Check out our past productions on our YouTube channel now!

JMC also participates in several major events every year. Each semester, we host an internal showcase for members to experience performing in front of an audience. Many members also form bands within JMC to perform individual songs or medleys in internal events like the annual Japanese Cultural Festival (JCF) and Japanese Cultural Night (JCN) hosted by JSS, and external events including but not limited to the annual Waseda Shibuya Senior High School school festival (Seiransai), and the annual Japanese Matsuri hosted by Hwi Yoh CC.

Clockwise from top left: Internal showcase, JCFN 2020, RE:JM Concert, 29th Seiransai

Notable events in recent years:

  • RE:JM Concert (2016)
  • Furusato @ Bukit Panjang CC (2017)
  • NUSS Members' Anniversary Bash @ NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House (2017)
  • Retro Fantasy @ Pasir Ris East CC (2018)
  • Japanese Matsuri @ Hwi Yoh CC (2019, 2021)
  • Waseda-Shibuya Senior High School 27th, 28th & 29th Seiransai (2017, 2018, 2019)
  • NUS Student Life Fair (2017, 2018, 2019)
  • Japanese Cultural Festival (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
  • Japanese Cultural Night (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)

 For more information, do visit our social media at: