There are several exciting Japanese Events taking place in October across the UK. This month in particular has plenty in store if you are a fan of Sake. There’s the Sake Supper Club at Pantechnicon on the 1st, the Sake & Cheese Pairing Evening at West London Wine School on the 4th and the British Sake Association Grand Tasting on the 7th. Aside from Sake, the Japanese Textile & Craft Festival is continuing on the 1st and 2nd, and Pantechnicon is holding a Kintsugi Pottery Art Workshop on the 8th and 9th. Meanwhile if you’re living further north and close to Edinburgh and want to practice your Japanese while doing a spot of Yoga, we absolutely recommend trying out the Nihongo Yoga and Social Meeting on Sunday 2nd.
October 1st: Sake Supper Club: Travel Through Gunma Prefecture
- Date: October 1st
- Time: 19:00 – 22:00
- Sake Super Club Experience: £120
- Location: Private Dining Room at Sachi, Pantechnicon, 19 Motcomb St, London, SW1X 8LB
In celebration of World Sake Day, Pantechnicon is launching a new regular Sake Supper Club series on Saturday 1st October. Each Super Club evening will take a deep dive into the best and rarest sake and local speciality drinks from a different region or master brewer in Japan. Hosted in Sachi’s intimate private dining room, four bottlings will be expertly paired with delicious Japanese food created by head chef Collin Hudston.
The first of the series will take you on a trip to Gunma, a Japanese prefecture known for its natural beauty, snow-capped mountains, hot springs and fantastic craft sake. Celebrated in restaurants across Japan – but comparatively unknown in the UK – the sake is recognised for its smooth, silky texture, thanks to the softness of the water from the Tone River which is used in its production.
For more information and booking, please check the Pantechnicon Experience page.
October 1st & 2nd: The Official Japanese Textile and Craft Festival
The Seventh edition of the Official Japanese Textile and Craft Festival will take place at @craftcentraluk situated in a historic building in the Isle of Dogs. It’s associated with Brunel’s Great Eastern ship, and now houses beautiful free-standing studios within the original structure and fittings.
The four day festival will include textiles, ceramics, woodwork, paper art and more. You can see the full list of participants in the flyer image below and the event is organised by Freeweaver Saori Studio.
The SAORI philosophy & techniques were developed in Japan almost 50 years ago by Misao Jo and is practiced by over 40,000 weavers and artists worldwide. It encourages intuitive, individual creativity and aims to bring joy to those who weave and those who receive the woven gifts. You can find more information on the Freeweaver Saori Studio website.
- Date: October 1st and October 2nd (although starts on September 28th)
- Time: 12:00 – 17:00
- Admission: £11.37
- Location: Craft Central, London, E14 3AE
For tickets and more information, please check the Eventbrite page.
October 2nd: Nihongo Yoga and Social Meeting
- Date: October 2nd 2022
- Time: 11:00 – 12:30
- Duration: 90 mins (about 45min yoga practice and 45 min for tea time)
- Event fees: £10 although if you bring snacks to share with everyone it is half price.
- Location: Art and Spirituality Studio, 6-8 Alexander Drive, Gorgie, Edinburgh, EH11 2RH
- Please send a message if you have any enquiries.
This is a unique class for people who study Japanese or like Japanese culture and allows them to have the chance to meet new like-minded people. The event includes a tea break after the yoga class where tea and snacks are included in the participation fee. Don’t worry even if you have never studied Japanese before or are not familiary with Japanese culture as instructor Kotomi will conduct the class in both English and Japanese.
Nihongo Yoga classes are not only for Yoga practice but also to provide the opportunity to speak Japanese in a social situation where you can use Japanese in an enjoyable and natural way. Kotomi mentions that she enjoys spending time with class participants after sessions and for everyone to socialise and get to know each other. Unlike many yoga classes and Japanese classes where you have to leave immediately after the class finishes, at Nihongo Yoga, you can get plenty of opportunity to talk after.
You can find more event information here:
https://www.meetup.com/edinburgh-yoga-and-japanse-meetup-group/
https://www.facebook.com/KotomiGita
October 4th 2022: Sake & Cheese Pairing Evening
- Date: October 4th 2022
- Time: 19:00 – 21:00
- Event fees: £50 per person
- Location: West London Wine School, located inside The Wine Cellars (access via the Big Yellow Storage Company entrance)
Sake and cheese pairing is rapidly gaining popularity in Japan and abroad. Come experience this winning combination for yourself – join us at West London Wine School for an evening introduction to sake and cheese pairing. Matching sake with cheese is actually much easier than with wine, thanks to the power of umami (savouriness, the “fifth taste” present in both cheese and sake), shared flavours from fermentation (both cheese and sake are naturally fermented products), and sake’s gentler acidity.
Your sake and cheese tutor Sarah Stewart will cover the basics of sake and cheese production and tell the unique stories of the artisanal sake producers in Japan behind each premium sake showcased. On this evening you will taste six different premium sake across a range of sake styles (junmai, koshu, kimoto/yamahai) that have lots of umami savouriness and pair beautifully with six artisanal cheeses from local cheesemonger Hamish Johnston. You’ll also pick up plenty of useful information to help you choose your perfect sake and food match and discover which sake styles you enjoy most.
For more information and booking tickets, please visit the West London Wine School website.
October 7th: BSA Grand Tasting of Sake
- Date: October 7th 2022
- Time: 17:00 – 20:30
- Tickets: £45 for current BSA members, £60 for non-members and guests
- Location: St Mary’s Church Hall, Putney, SW15 1SN
The British Sake Association warmly invites you and your guests to our 2022 Grand Tasting of Sake! Over 100 different sakes will be available for tasting on this very special evening. Glasses will be provided, but you are highly encouraged to bring your own Ochocko for additional drinking enjoyment!
A highlight of each year’s Grand Tasting is the much anticipated annual charity raffle. The year, the 2022 raffle winners will be able to walk away with the top prizes of premium sake, shochu and more from BSA’s sponsors and exhibitors.
The Ticket price includes:
– 100+ premium sake available to taste on the night
– one charity raffle ticket (additional tickets can be purchased on the night)
– one starter size bowl of food or cheese platter to accompany the sakes, prepared by award-winning Chef Issa at Putney Pantry (additional food available for pre-order)
For more information and booking tickets, please visit the British Sake Association event page.
October 8th & 9th: Kintsugi Pottery Art Workshop with Iku Nishikawa
Discover the art of kintsugi ceramic repair during this hands-on workshop. Using lacquer and powdered brass, you’ll be fixing cracks and breaks on a plate, resulting in a beautifully renewed piece of pottery to take home with you.
Led by Kintsugi Oxford’s Iku Nishikawa, the small group workshop will teach you the key techniques, as well as a few secret shortcuts to allow beginners to complete a finished product. It means you’ll not only walk away with your first piece of kintsugi art, but the knowledge to repair your own broken ceramic cups, plates, vases and more at home: kintsugi celebrates the history and imperfection of an object, rather than hiding them.
All materials will be provided.
- Workshop time for Saturday 8 October: 13:30 -15:00
- Workshop times for Sunday 9 October: 11:00 – 12:30 & 13:30 – 15:00
- Kintsugi Pottery Art Workshop Experience: £75
- Location: Studio, Pantechnicon, 19 Motcomb St, London, SW1X 8LB
For more information about Iku Nishikawa and booking, please check the Pantechnicon Kintsugi Experience page.
October 12th: Start of Ippo Ippo’s Travel Japanese Course
- Date: October 12th – December 14th 2022
- Time: 19:50-21:20 (UK time) incl. 5min break
- Course Fees: £135 for 9 lessons (10% discount available here)
- Location: Online
As of October 2022, Japan has reopened its borders to visitors, allowing many of us to finally start planning that dream adventure!
If you have plans to visit Japan – be it this year or next – why not start equipping yourself with the language, cultural knowledge and practical tips to help you get the most out of your trip?
This course will cover useful language for anyone visiting Japan, including:
- How to order food
- How to ask for directions
- Greetings and simple requests
- Handy everyday vocabulary
For more information about Ippo Ippo’s Travel Japanese course and booking, please check the Ippo Ippo website.
October 14th – 16th: Lower Stable Street Shotengai Market
- Date: October 14th – October 16th 2022
- Time: 12:00 – 19:00 (Friday), 11:00 – 18:00 (Saturday & Sunday)
- Admission: Free
- Location: Lower Stable Street, Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, London
Shotengai in Japan date back hundreds of years and in many areas of Japan, these free markets become covered streets with small independent retailers that are often family run. You can find all kinds of stores at Shotengai but some of the most common are bakeries, street food, clothes stores and lifesyle shops. At Lower Stable Street at Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross, you can experience a traditional outdoor market Shotegai. You can find out more information about our experience at Shotengai market here.
Here is the full vendor list for October’s market:
※ All days
- ALL ITS FORMS https://instagram.com/allitsforms
- NishuraEast https://instagram.com/nishura_east
- KIM’N’CHI https://www.instagram.com/kimnchi_lab
※ Weekend only
- Shima https://instagram.com/shima_ldn
- Okan https://instagram.com/okan_london
- connyz Japan https://instagram.com/connyzjapan
- Starry Mart https://www.instagram.com/starrymart
- Okan https://www.instagram.com/okan_london
- Shima https://www.instagram.com/shima_ldn
- SUSHIHEADS https://www.instagram.com/sushiheads_n15
- Gu Choki Pan https://www.guchokipan.com
- Marvel From the World https://www.instagram.com/marvels_fromtheworld
- Ifnotnow https://www.instagram.com/ifnotnow.co
- Matchado https://www.instagram.com/matchado_london
For more information about the Shotengai market, please check the Beams & Co IG account.
October 22nd: Winter Camping at Snow Peak London
- Date: Saturday October 22nd 2022
- Time: 16:00
- Admission: Free but booking is required
- Location: Snow Peak Store, 16A Regent Street, St. James, London, SW1Y 4PH
Join Charlie and Ollie for a winter Camping 101 and learn how to camp in the winter or grow your confidence for the cold. This event is open for all abilities, from beginners to pros as aim to make winter camping accessible for all levels!
The event starts at 16:00 with refreshments from 15:30 and will last two hours where you’ll have the chance to set up your very own mini campsite with us in the store using Snow Peak gear!
We’ll explore your camping options for colder temperatures including Shelter; Sleep systems; cooking; lighting; clothing and more! It’s also a great opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and new camping buddies.
If you book your ticket and you’re not able to make it please inform us so we can open the space up for someone to join.
You can find more information and book on Eventbrite.
October 27th – November 1st: Japan Week Festival
- Date & Times: Thursday 27th October to Sunday 30th October, 12:00 – 20:00
- Date & Times: Monday 31th October, 14:00 – 20:00 | Tuesday 1st October, 14:00 – 18:00
- Admission: Free but booking is required for some activities
- Main Location: The Stables, 40 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, London, WC2H 9LH
- Offers available: Restaurants, Cafes, Hotels & Bars across London (see below for details)
For the second year in a row, Lexus will host a diverse range of Japanese pop-up experiences at The Lexus Takumi Townhouse in Seven Dials, Covent Garden. This is a unique venue inspired by a traditional Japanese house and will host activities showcasing the spirit of omotenashi (hospitality) which is central to the Lexus brand. The townhouse opens to the public from 27th October until 1st November, and will be an immersive space combining the essence of Takumi craftsmanship with Japanese traditional and contemporary experiences.
Visitors will also see the craftsmanship and fine materials that Lexus applies to its cars, with the all-new NX450h+ plug-in hybrid on display at the Takumi Townhouse. Other exciting activities include:
- Tattoo artist Claudia de Sabe creating a water tiger mural with a talk about how she is able to apply her tattooing skills to different art forms.
- Origami expert, Coco Sato, running free workshops teaching the basics of paper-folding techniques, including how to create flowers, shapes, and animals.
- Christoph Spiessens, a certified mindfulness coach and published author, leading mindfulness taster sessions, to introduce meditation techniques and influences.
- Screenings of the film
- KANPAI sake tasting: Kanpai co-founder Tom Wilson and his team will also tell the story of how they set up the UK’s first sake brewery, describing the production process and presenting a seasonal limited edition sake.
- Ueshima Japanese coffee lounge sessions hosted by a coffee master.
To celebrate Japan Week Festival there are also numerous special offers at Japanese restaurants, cafes, hotels and bars across London. Two that stand out are 10% off all drinks at Katsute100 Bricklane and 15% off all sakes at Kanada-ya restaurants. Remember to quote ‘Japan Week Festival’ to redeem the offers.
You can find more information and all available offers on the Japan Week Festival site.
October 29th: Snow Peak London Anniversary Weekend
Date and Times: Saturday October 29th 10:00 – 21:00 | Sunday 30th October 10:00 – 16:00
Admission: Free but booking is required
Location: Snow Peak Store, 16A Regent Street, St. James, London, SW1Y 4PH
Join Snow Peak to celebrate their 3 year UK anniversary!
Over the course of the two days, they will be releasing limited edition items; running fan favourite events and unique gifts on purchases made at the London St James’s store. The photo above is from one of their previously held coffee workshops.
The London store will be the celebration hub for the anniversary weekend, being a place to connect with other like-minded people and where you can take part in a variety of unique workshops and events including:
BREWING A CAMP COFFEE IN SNOW PEAK STYLE (Saturday: 10:00 – 11:00 & 14:00 – 15:00)
JAPANESE DARNING & MENDING WORKSHOP (Saturday: 11:00 – 12:00 & 18:00 – 19:00) (Sunday: 11:00 – 12:00 & 13:00 – 14:00)
SNOW PEAK GEAR DEMONSTRATIONS (Saturday: 13:00 – 14:00 & 16:00 – 17:00) (Sunday: 14:00 – 15:00)
ANODISING WORKSHOP (Sunday 10:00 – 12:00 & 13:00 – 16:00)
CHOPSTICK HISTORY AND ETIQUETTE WORKSHOP (Saturday 12:00 – 13:00 & 17:00 – 18:00) (Sunday: 10:00 – 11:00 & 12:00 – 13:00 & 15:00 – 16:00)
SNOW PEAK QUOITS (Saturday: 10:00 – 16:00) (Sunday: 10:00 – 14:00)
All events and gifts are limited in capacity and availability and will be on a first come first served basis. Timings and availability may change at short notice.
You can find more information and book on Eventbrite.
Your reviews of Japanese Events October 2022
We hope you found our Japanese Events for October round up helpful and you’re able to check out some of these fantastic events! 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 organisers. Also if you’d like to submit information for your Japanese event coming up in November, please get in touch with us through our contact form.
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[…] To find the complete information on the Kintsugi month at Pantechnicon head over to their website where you can also book the experiences listed above. Also if you’re looking for more Japanese Cultural Events in the UK, please feel free to check out our Japanese Events in October. […]
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