Project Vision
JAPAN HOUSE seeks to foster awareness and appreciation for Japan around the world by showcasing the emerging art of the very best of Japanese art, design, gastronomy, innovation, technology, and more. An innovative project of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, JAPAN HOUSE is comprised of three hubs—London, Los Angeles and Sao Paulo.
JAPAN HOUSE LOS ANGELES occupies two floors in the popular Ovation Hollywood entertainment complex and brings various aspects of Japan to American and international audiences.
On the second floor, the facility spans more than 6,000 sq. ft. and features an exhibition gallery and a sub-gallery suitable for intimate gallery talks and smaller exhibitions. The fifth-floor space spans 8,000 sq. ft, and features a relaxing library, a multi-purpose event venue, and simply spectacular views of Los Angeles.
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JAPAN HOUSE Leadership
Yuko Kaifu
President
She started her career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Her previous assignments include the Embassy of Japan in Canada and various departments at Ministry’s headquarters in Tokyo, including North American Affairs Bureau, Economic Corporation Bureau, Foreign Policy Bureau, and Cultural Affairs Bureau as a Deputy Director.
During her service in Tokyo, she was appointed official interpreter for dignitaries including Her Majesty the Empress, Foreign Minister, and Prime Minister of Japan. In 2001, she was assigned to the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles as a Consul in charge of political affairs and community relations.
In 2007, she left the government to work at the Japanese American National Museum as the Vice President, and then at MUFG Union Bank as a Managing Director of Corporate Communications from 2009 to 2016. She joined Japan House Los Angeles in January 2016 to start up the organization. She serves on the boards of the US-Japan Council, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and the Advisory Board of UCLA Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies as well as many Japanese cultural and business associations.
She graduated from Nara Women’s University and received M.A. in Sociology from Queen’s University in Canada.
Design & Architecture
Junji Tanigawa
Space Composer
Tanigawa founded space creation consulting firm JTQ Inc. in 2002, providing creative direction for clients to “deliver [their] messages through the medium of space”. He advocates his own spatial development method, “Space Compose”, and his experience-design in combining environment and situation has gained much attention from various fields. His major works include Kansei Exhibition at the Palais du Louvre’s Museum of Decorative Arts, Yakushiji Hikari Emaki in commemoration of the 1300th anniversary of Heijyokyo, LEXUS Brand Spatial Design, and MEDIA AMBITION TOKYO.
Design & Architecture
Kohei Nawa | SANDWICH
Level 2 Designer
Kohei Nawa was born in Osaka, Japan in 1975 and now lives and works in Kyoto. He received his MFA, and PhD in Fine Arts from the Kyoto City University of Art. In addition to his work as an artist, Nawa is the founder and director of SANDWICH, a creative platform for contemporary art, design, and architecture projects. Nawa's signature sculpture works transform taxidermied deer and other motifs, collected via the internet, through encapsulation in a myriad of glass spheres, or PixCells; a term he established combining the idea of a pixel, the smallest unit of a digital image, with that of a cell, the smallest structure of living matter. Nawa's "PixCell-Deer#24" is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's permanent collection.
Design & Architecture
Ryu Kosaka
Level 5 Designer
Ryu Kosaka A.N.D. (NOMURA Co., Ltd.) Born in Tokyo in 1960. Ryu Kosaka is a graduate of the Musashino Art University’s architecture department. He joined Nomura Co., Ltd in 1986 and is currently the executive creative director of the Commerical Facilities Division and the head of A.N.D. Aoyama Nomura Design. His work includes Main Dining Room of the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, the JAL Sakura Lounge at Haneda International Airport and the internationally acclaimed W Guangzhou FEI Ultra Lounge in China for which he became the first Japanese national to be awarded Best Bar at the prestigious Restaurant & Bar Design Awards.
Honorary Advisor
Larry Ellison, Chairman of the Board and Chief Technology Officer, Oracle
Advisor
YOSHIKI, Composer and musician
YOSHIKI is a composer, classically-trained pianist, rock drummer, and the leader of the rock groups X Japan and The Last Rockstars. YOSHIKI was named “one of the most influential musicians and composers in Japanese history” by Consequence and is described by Billboard as “a musical innovator.”
His worldwide projects include a song dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the Emperor of Japan’s reign, the official theme song for the World Expo, Hollywood film soundtracks, and the official theme song for the prestigious Golden Globe Awards. Led by YOSHIKI, X Japan has sold over 30 million albums and singles and sold out the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome a record-breaking 18 times. He was the first Asian musician to perform at the world’s greatest music halls including Madison Square Garden, Wembley Arena, and solo performances at Carnegie Hall.
In 2022, YOSHIKI’s talent competition series YOSHIKI SUPERSTAR PROJECT X with NTV became the #1 ranked variety show on Hulu Japan, leading to the upcoming debut of hot new boy band “XY”. YOSHIKI formed the rock supergroup The Last Rockstars, followed by the release of their first single and a sold-out world tour.
In addition to his music activities, he is also a fashion icon as the designer of his high-fashion kimono brand YOSHIKIMONO and the first Japanese male to appear on the cover of Vogue Japan. YOSHIKI was chosen to be the first living person to have a Hello Kitty doll named after him, called “yoshikitty”. YOSHIKI has his own Visa and Mastercard, top-selling premium wines (with Robert Mondavi, Jr.) and Champagne (with prestigious French establishment Maison Pommery), and an exclusive energy drink collaboration with Coca-Cola Japan.
Official Website: https://www.yoshiki.net/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoshikiofficial/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/yoshiki
Steering Committee
Kenko Sone, Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles
Mari Miyoshi, Chairwoman, Japan America Society of Southern California
Gil Garcetti, Photographer, Los Angeles County District Attorney (1992-2000), UNESCO-IHE Cultural Ambassador (2014-2017)
Thomas Iino, Founding Chairman, US-Japan Council; Director, First Choice Bank
Gary N. Jacobs, Chairman Emeritus, AJC Asia Pacific Institute
Mickey Kantor, U.S. Secretary of Commerce (1996-1997); U.S. Trade Representative (1993-1996); Partner, Mayer Brown LLP; Chair, Lexmark International, Inc.
Beth Marlis, Vice President, Musicians Institute; Chair Emeritus, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
Masahiko Yamamoto, President, Japan Business Association of Southern California
Peter O’Malley, President, Los Angeles Dodgers (1970-1998)
Palmira Perez-Najarian, Journalist
Kaoru Shoji, Executive Director, Japan National Tourism Organization
Osamu Taki, Chief Executive Director, Japan External Trade Organization JETRO Los Angeles
Yasuko Uchida, Director, Japan Foundation Los Angeles JFLA
Patricia Wyatt, President & CEO, Japanese American Cultural & Community Center
Haru Takehana, President, Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California