This April will be such an exciting month for those who love Sake and Japanese food as there will be several fantastic events taking place throughout the month. You can find more on each event in Our Japanese Events in April calendar below.
One of the highlights of April will be ‘National Sake Week 2024’, a week-long celebration to delve into the world of Sake, where the event not only provides the opportunity to enjoy Sake tasting and enhancing your knowledge of Sake, but also a great way to get to mingle with like-minded sake enthusiasts and to establish new connections.
With the National Sake Week in mind, West London Wine School has 2 workshops – Sake & Cheese Pairing plus Sake for Wine Lovers as well as their West Level 2 Award in Sake Course for those who want to take one step further into the world of Sake.
Meanwhile, if you’re based in Oxford and would like to try making sushi yourself, you can join a Sushi Making workshop in Wolvercote. Back in London, for those of you who would like to indulge into Japanese food, there’s the Japanese Afternoon Tea at Nobu Hotel, and also Mei Ume Restaurant is offering their Hanami Evening Celebration to enjoy a delightful 6-course dinner while watching a Maiko Show.
Apart from those mentioned above and the usual monthly events, you might want to pop in to see the largest Mingei (Japanese folk-craft) exhibition in the UK at William Morris Gallery. Also, way out west in Ludlow, there’s a Suminagashi (Japanese paper marbling) event. If Ludlow is not in your local area, how about taking a day-trip to attend this fascinating workshop and then after enjoying the scenery of the Shopshire Hills?
April 2nd: Japanese Conversation Group
- Date: Tuesday, April 2nd 2024
- Time: 19:00 – 23:00
- Admission: £3 without buffet, £5 – £6 with buffet. Discounts available for students and Japan Society members. Advance registration is not required.
- Location: Shakespeare’s Head, 29 Great Marlborough Street, Soho, London W1F 7HZ
The Japanese Conversation Group provides a friendly and informal atmosphere for Japanese speakers of all nationalities to come together and speak Japanese – intermediate level recommended. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month. They begin at 7.00pm and finish around 11.00pm.
For more information, please visit the Japanese Conversation Group page.
April 11th: Happy Origami Workshop
- Date: Thursday, April 11th 2024
- Time: 19:00 – 20:30
- Fee: £15
- Location: THE SNOOTY FOX (Opposite Canonbury Overground Station), 75 Grosvenor Avenue, London, N5 2NN
This is a wonderful Origami experience where you will learn about Japanese traditions. Just by folding paper, you will be happy and calm and before long it will bring a smile to your face. Japanese Origami artist Toshiko, a member of British Origami Society, will be teaching you how to fold beautiful flowers like tulips and lilies, kimono book marks, lovely gift & jewellery boxes and kawaii dress bunting.
For more information and booking, please check the Happy Origami Workshop page.
April 13th: Mei Ume Hanami Evening Celebration
- Date: Saturday, April 13th 2024
- Dinner Service Time: 18:00 – 21:30
- Price: £98 +15% Service Charge (£112.70)
- Location: Mei Ume Restaurant, Four Seasons Hotel London, 10 Trinity Square, London EC3N 4AJ
Indulge in a delightful 6-course tasting menu featuring Sushi Moriawase, Wagyu Beef Donburi, and Matcha Cheesecake. Experience the charm of traditional Japan with captivating live entertainment performance of Maiko. Available on Saturday, April 13th during dinner service.
For more information and booking, please check the Mei Ume Hanami Evening Celebration page.
April 15th – April 21st: National Sake Week 2024
- Date: Monday, April 15th – Sunday, April 21st 2024
- Time & Cost : Various (More info here)
- Location: London, Birmingham & more
National Sake Week 2024 is a week filled with tastings, pairings, educational moments, and social gatherings that promise to deepen your appreciation for the intricate world of Sake and Shochu. Throughout the week, enthusiasts and curious minds alike will have the opportunity to engage in a series of captivating events around the UK. Join lively cocktail parties where mixologists will demonstrate the versatility of sake in crafting innovative and delicious concoctions. Immerse yourself in an atmosphere buzzing with excitement, as like-minded individuals come together to celebrate this Japanese treasure!
For more information, please check out the National Sake Week 2024 page.
April 19th: SHODO – The Art of Japanese Calligraphy
- Date: Friday, April 19th 2024
- Time: 13:30 – 16:30 with a tea break
- Fee: £58
- Location: School of SHODO, The Art Worker’s Guild, 6 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AT (first floor)
All materials included and the utensils are prepared. You’ll have 90min x2 (3 hours) of hands-on instruction, including 1 to 1 help and learn essential brush movements, calligraphy techniques and how to use all four treasures of the studies, brush, paper, ink and ink stone. You will also receive tips, advice and detailed insights from a practicing calligrapher: plenty of inspiration and techniques to experience the mindfulness process.
For booking and more info, please check the Shodo The Art of Japanese Calligraphy page.
April 19th: Sake for Wine Lovers
- Date: Friday, April 19th 2024
- Time: 19:00 – 21:00
- Entrance cost: £40
- Location: West London Wine School, located inside The Wine Cellars (access via the Big Yellow Storage Company entrance) 71 Townmead Road, Fulham, London SW6 2SG
This class is perfect for those with experience of wine who haven’t had a chance to explore much sake yet, or who have tried some sake but weren’t sure about it – sake is quite delicate and must be stored carefully, so many
people who think they don’t like sake unfortunately experienced old or improperly stored product. Be sure to give sake another chance if you fall into this category! You will taste six premium sake across a range of styles curated specifically to appeal to wine lovers’ palates, and accompanied by fine cheeses selected to showcase sake’s food pairing prowess.
For more information and booking, please check out the Sake for Wine Lovers page.
April 20th, 27th & May 11th: WSET Level 2 Award in Sake Course (Classroom)
- Date: Saturday, April 20th (Day 1), April 27th (Day 2) & May 11th (Exam) 2024
- Time: 9:30 – 17:30 (including lunch break) for Day 1 & Day 2 | 11:00 – 12:00 Exam for May 11th
- Cost: £495
- Location: West London Wine School, located inside The Wine Cellars (access via the Big Yellow Storage Company entrance) 71 Townmead Road, Fulham, London SW6 2SG
The WSET Level 2 Award in Sake covers all the main categories of sake styles and examines the influences of production methods on each different category. No prior sake knowledge is required to start this course, so it is suitable for people new to the sake category as well as those wishing to build on the introductory knowledge already gained. You will taste a minimum of 18 sake samples during the course and also become a competent and confident sake taster.
For more information and booking, please visit the WSET Level 2 Award in Sake Course page.
April 29th: Sake and Cheese Pairing Evening
- Date: Monday, April 29th 2024
- Time: 19:00 – 21:00
- Entrance cost: £45
- Location: West London Wine School, located inside The Wine Cellars (access via the Big Yellow Storage Company entrance) 71 Townmead Road, Fulham, London SW6 2SG
Sake and cheese pairing is rapidly gaining popularity in Japan and abroad. Sake and cheese tutor Sarah Stewart will cover the basics of sake and cheese production along with general sake pairing principles. You will pick up lots of useful information to help you choose your perfect sake and cheese match and find out which sake styles you like most. On the evening, you will enjoy six premium sake with six artisanal cheeses across a range of styles from cheesemonger Hamish Johnston.
For more information and booking, please check the Sake and Cheese Pairing Evening page.
Ongoing Japanese Events in April: Art Without Heroes – Mingei Exhibition at William Morris Gallery | Afternoon Tea at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square
1) Art Without Heroes: Mingei Exhibition
- Date: Saturday, March 23rd – Sunday, September 22nd 2024
- Time: Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 – 17:00
- Admission: Free (suggested donation of £5)
- Location: William Morris Gallery, Lloyd Park, Forest Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 4PP
Art Without Heroes: Mingei is the most wide-ranging exhibition in the UK dedicated to Mingei, the influential folk-craft movement that developed in Japan in the 1920s and 1930s. With works including ceramics, woodwork, paper, toys, textiles, photography and film, the exhibition will incorporate unseen pieces from significant private collections in the UK and Japan, along with museum loans and historic footage from the Mingei Film Archive.
For more information, please visit the Art Without Heroes: Mingei Exhibition page.
2) Afternoon Tea at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square
- Date: Monday to Sunday
- Time: 13:00 – 13:30 | 15:15 – 15:45
- Price: £68
- Location: The Lounge, Nobu Hotel, 22 Portman Square, London EC2Y 8DS
What better way to enjoy Afternoon Tea than in the heart of Central London at Nobu Lounge at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square. Michael Paul, the Executive Chef of the hotel, has put a Japanese twist on the classic Afternoon tea, in true Nobu style, incorporating a fusion of flavours, crafted to tantalise your tastebuds. Twists on the signatures found in Nobu Portman Square include a selection of cup sushi to start, Crispy Chicken Kara-age to follow and a Hojicha cheescake – to name but a few.
For more information and booking, please check the Afternoon Tea at The Lounge Nobu Hotel London page.
Outside of London Japanese Events: Sushi Making For Beginners (Wolvercote) | Learn Suminagashi (Ludlow) | Akai – Solo Exhibition (Worcester)
1) Sushi Making For Beginners
- Date: Sunday, April 21st 2024
- Time: 17:00 – 18:30
- Fee: £54.34
- Location: The Plough, The Green Upper Wolvercote, Wolvercote OX2 8BD
This is a fun, hands-on sushi-making experience suitable for beginners and sushi-enthusiasts. You will learn to make five types of sushi with instruction including – panko fried king prawn TEMAKI, MAKI roll with spicy tuna, green onions and cucumber, INSIDE OUT ROLL with salmon & avocado, NIGIRI sushi using a selection of fish & veggies, INARI SUSHI fried tofu pouch filled with sushi rice & sesame. Vegetarian and non-raw fish options are available. Also, takeaway boxes will be provided if you can’t manage to eat all the food during the evening.
For more information and booking, please check out the Sushi Making for Beginners page.
2) Learn Suminagashi (Japanese paper marbling)
- Date: Monday, April 22nd 2024
- Time: 10:00 – 15:00
- Fee: £95
- Location: appleTeme, Lloyds Yard, Corve Street, Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 1DJ
The art of suminagashi (floating ink), the Japanese form of paper marbling, is both compelling and intriguing. The workshop starts at 10 a.m. with coffee and a look at the history of suminagashi and what you need to get started. There will be demonstrations and plenty of opportunities to unleash your creativity and to ask questions! No previous art training is needed. The cost is £95 to include all materials and tuition plus refreshments.
For more information and booking, please check the Learn Suminagashi page.
3) Akai – Solo Exhibition by Sophie-Rose Walters
- Date: Thursday, April 25th 2024 to Wednesday, May 1st
- Opening Times: Thursday 10am – 5pm, Saturday – 11am – 2pm, Sunday 12- 6pm
- Launch party on Saturday 27th April, 6pm – 10:30pm
- Fee: Free
- Location: The Artery Studios, Arch 28/29, Croft Walk, Worcester WR1 3BD
For more information and booking, please check the Events in Worcester page.
We hope you found our Japanese Events in April 2024 round up helpful, and you’re able to check out some of these fantastic events!
We’ll be updating this event page as we get more info, so be sure to come back and check the latest events listed.
Also, please feel free to comment below on your experience if you were able to attend! This will give our readers a better idea of what to expect and may encourage them to join future events by the same organizers.
If you’d like to submit information for your Japanese event coming up in April or May, please get in touch with us through our contact form.
