{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='New $17 million cultural centre shows face of modern Japan' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d7c0d8eafeecae20e723' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d7c0d8eafeecae20e723' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nNew $17 million cultural centre shows face of modern Japan\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eLEADIN:              A new 17-million US dollar cultural centre in London's bustling Knightsbridge is showcasing the face of modern Japan.              Japan House London is paving the way for increased interest in the country as Tokyo...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eLEADIN:\u003cbr/\u003e              A new 17-million US dollar cultural centre in London's bustling Knightsbridge is showcasing the face of modern Japan.\u003cbr/\u003e              Japan House London is paving the way for increased interest in the country as Tokyo prepares to host the 2020 Olympics Games.\u003cbr/\u003e              STORYLINE: \u003cbr/\u003e              On the streets of London, a little slice of Tokyo.\u003cbr/\u003e              The newly-renovated Japan House London, at a cost of over $17 million USD, has turned a former Gap clothing store into a treasure trove of Japanese culture.\u003cbr/\u003e              As Russia enjoys its moment in the World Cup spotlight, Japan is preparing to be the focus of the world when Tokyo hosts the 2020 Olympic Games.\u003cbr/\u003e              The country is also hosting the upcoming Rugby World Cup next year.\u003cbr/\u003e              According to Japan's National Tourism Organization (JNTO), UK visitor numbers surpassed 300,000 for the first time last year. Around 28.7 million people visited the island nation in 2017.\u003cbr/\u003e              But this is no classical Japan, and there are no kimonos to see here. \u003cbr/\u003e              Instead, the soon-to-be-opened Japan House London is aiming to showcase modern Japanese culture in all its various forms.\u003cbr/\u003e              This London centre is the third such location to be opened, following Los Angeles and Sao Paulo.\u003cbr/\u003e              One of Japan's most influential contemporary architects Sou Fujimoto is displaying two exhibits. \u003cbr/\u003e              The first, titled 'Future of the Future' (22 June - 5 August 2018), explores Fujimoto's sustainable and philosophical approach to architecture. \u003cbr/\u003e              It's run in collaboration with Tokyo's Toto Gallery Ma and is on display in UK for the very first time.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"It's to show to the world what Japan is and what Japan will be,\" says Tsuruoka Koji, Japan's ambassador to the UK\u003cbr/\u003e              \"Because we have futures, and we are not just looking back in the past, although we have a long tradition, the present and the future is going to be very, very promising and we like to encourage and then promote such positive and brilliant future in which we all live happily.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              The cultural centre is spread across three floors and is housed in a renovated art deco building on Kensington High Street.\u003cbr/\u003e              The ground floor includes art works, plus items of design and technology, ranging from homeware accessories through to handcrafted works of fashion and stationery. \u003cbr/\u003e              It also has a collection of books ranging from Japanese arts and culture, through to tourism. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"This project has been about three to four years in the making and obviously the Olympics does feature quite largely, but I think there's a bigger motive here, which is about expressing contemporary Japan to a UK audience,\" says Michael Houlihan, the director general of Japan House London.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"You won't see in here pictures of Mount Fuji, you won't see geisha, you won't see lanterns, but you will see contemporary Japan, you will see beautiful handmade objects both for sale and on show in exhibition. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"So, really, it's about contemporary Japan and looking around I think you'll say; 'This is very contemporary, but it's unmistakably Japan.'\"\u003cbr/\u003e              Of course, when many think about Japanese culture, they think about the food.\u003cbr/\u003e              On the building's first floor is restaurant Akira.\u003cbr/\u003e              It offers an authentic Japanese culinary experience, including the theatre of cooking, as chefs prepare dishes using seasonal ingredients reflecting Japan's diverse range of food.\u003cbr/\u003e              The interior of the restaurant incorporates the aesthetics of Japanese culture's sense of place and home - a concept known as 'Doma'. \u003cbr/\u003e              The menu includes umami-rich wagyu beef, pork, chicken, seafood and vegetables.\u003cbr/\u003e              Guests are served dishes in these stone-like bowls. Sake is served is glazed, ceramic cups - each one unique.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"I'm opening up this Akira restaurant, named after my first name. I think it's a very unique restaurant,\" says executive chef Akira Shimizu, who also runs a Japanese restaurant in London's Soho.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"There's two reasons for this. One, I want to prove that my Japanese food is very sensual, beautiful, also tastes very good. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"Secondly, not just the food, but the tableware and also the presentation. These two reasons are why I think Akira restaurant will be very unique in London.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              Japan House London opens tomorrow (22 June 2018).\u003cbr/\u003e            \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e              ASSOCIATED PRESS\u003cbr/\u003e              London, UK - 21 June 2018\u003cbr/\u003e              1. Tilt down of Japan House London exterior, people walking by\u003cbr/\u003e              2. Close of 'Japan House London' sign\u003cbr/\u003e              3. Low pan left of Japan House London exterior\u003cbr/\u003e              4. Various of 'Sou Fujimoto: Futures of the Future' exhibit\u003cbr/\u003e              5. Setup shot of Tsuruoka Koji, Ambassador of Japan to the UK, speaking to media\u003cbr/\u003e              6. Close of Tsuruoka Koji\u003cbr/\u003e              7. SOUNDBITE (English) Tsuruoka Koji, Ambassador of Japan to the UK:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"It's to show to the world what Japan is and what Japan will be. Because we have futures, and we are not just looking back in the past, although we have a long tradition, the present and the future is going to be very, very promising and we like to encourage and then promote such positive and brilliant future in which we all live happily.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              8. Mid of exhibition sign, visitor walks by\u003cbr/\u003e              9. Various of 'Sou Fujimoto: Futures of the Future' exhibit\u003cbr/\u003e              10. SOUNDBITE (English) Tsuruoka Koji, Ambassador of Japan to the UK:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"The world is getting closer and closer. No borders, people are visiting each other more and more, and we are exciting people who are really interested in learning more about other cultures.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              11. Mid of bonsai tree\u003cbr/\u003e              12. Pan right of Japan House London interior\u003cbr/\u003e              13. Various close shots of books on display\u003cbr/\u003e              14. Tilt down from 'Siwa' sign to bag and wallets on display\u003cbr/\u003e              15. Close of earrings and price tag\u003cbr/\u003e              16. Tilt down to jewellery display\u003cbr/\u003e              17. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Houlihan, Director General of Japan House London:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"This project has been about three to four years in the making and obviously the Olympics does feature quite largely, but I think there's a bigger motive here, which is about expressing contemporary Japan to a UK audience. You won't see in here pictures of Mount Fuji, you won't see geisha, you won't see lanterns, but you will see contemporary Japan, you will see beautiful handmade objects both for sale and on show in exhibition. So, really, it's about contemporary Japan and looking around I think you'll say; 'This is very contemporary, but it's unmistakably Japan.'\"\u003cbr/\u003e              18. Mid of tea pot\u003cbr/\u003e              19. Close of price tag\u003cbr/\u003e              20. Tilt up of tea pot\u003cbr/\u003e              21. Close of tea cup\u003cbr/\u003e              22. Tilt up of various items on display\u003cbr/\u003e              23. Various of sake cups\u003cbr/\u003e              24. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Houlihan, Director General of Japan House London:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"What's really struck me is that Japan embraces the everyday and culture is part of the everyday. So, taking a bath, having a tea, has a ritual around it. And I think Japan enjoys the beauty of the functional, you'll see around here lots of very functional items, but they are extremely beautiful and the amount of work, precision, the detail that goes into those I think is a very important expression of Japanese culture.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              25. Tilt up of chefs at work at Japanese restaurant Akira\u003cbr/\u003e              26. Close of ceramic bowls\u003cbr/\u003e              27. Various of chefs at work\u003cbr/\u003e              28. Close of Akira Shimizu, Executive Chef, Akira at Japan House London, putting a lid on a ceramic bowl\u003cbr/\u003e              29. Various of Akira Shimizu making sushi\u003cbr/\u003e              30. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Akira Shimizu, Executive Chef, Akira at Japan House London:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"I'm opening up this Akira restaurant, named after my first name. I think it's a very unique restaurant. There's two reasons for this. One, I want to prove that my Japanese food is very sensual, beautiful, also tastes very good. Secondly, not just the food, but the tableware and also the presentation. These two reasons are why I think Akira restaurant will be very unique in London.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              31. Mid of person opening case containing decorative sake cups\u003cbr/\u003e              32. Various of sake cups\u003cbr/\u003e              33. Pan left of waiter entering tatami room\u003cbr/\u003e              34. Close of waiter pouring sake for woman\u003cbr/\u003e              35. Mid of woman drinking sake\u003cbr/\u003e              36. 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