About Us

Experience Japan is a series of events designed to celebrate Japanese culture and the Japanese community in Ireland. Our events promote integration and cultural understanding between all communities.

Experience Japan is an entirely non-commercial, community organisation operated by volunteers. The EJ organising committee are representatives of the Japanese and Irish-Japanese communities in Ireland.

The Festival Day in Farmleigh House and associated events are supported by:

Office of Public Works

opw.ie

EU Japan Fest

eu-japanfest.org

Committee Members

Hugo O’Donnell

UCD Applied Language Centre

Naonori Kodate

UCD School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice

Nobuko Ijichi

UCD Applied Language Centre

Mary Ruane

UCC School of Asian Studies

John Nealon

MSD Ireland

Sean Carton

Careersportal and Kybolt

Jenny O’Keeffe

JET Programme

Evan Spendlove

University College Dublin

Yurie Maeda

Technological University Dublin

Aidan O’Reilly

Simon Tunney

University College Dublin, Student

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Logos and Branding

Experience Japan Logo

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Previous Committee Members

2010

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Doire Myler (Treasurer), Yuriko Kayamoto (Japanese Foundation), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Motoko Fujita (Japanese Culture Club), Etsuko Tsuchiya (DCU Japanese Society), Kanae Tanemoto (DCU Japanese Society), Kiriko Yamada, Lian McGillycuddy (UCD Japanese Society), Mary Ruane (UCD ALC), Mio Arai (DCU Japanese Society) & Sarah Cullivan (UCD Japanese Society)

2011

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Doire Myler (Treasurer), Yuriko Kayamoto (Japanese Foundation), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Amy King (Cosplay Ireland), Anu Joy (UCD Japanese Society), Eimear McCormack (DCU), Eoin McKeogh (DCU Japanese Society), Jack Handy (UCD Japanese Society), James McDonnell (UCD Japanese Society), Kiriko Yamada, Lian McGillycuddy (UCD Japanese Society) & Mary Ruane (UCD ALC)

2012

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Doire Myler (Treasurer), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Amy King (Cosplay Ireland), Anu Joy (UCD Japanese Society), Eimear McCormack (DCU Japanese Society), Jack Handy (UCD Japanese Society), James McDonnell (UCD Japanese Society) & Mary Ruane (UCD ALC)

2013

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Yuichi Asada (Treasurer), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Mary Ruane (UCC School of Asian Studies), Amy King (Cosplay Ireland), Anu Joy (UCD Japanese Society), Shona O’Keeffe (UCD Japanese Society), Hannah Lemass (DCU Japanese Society), Ryoko Sasamoto (DCU SALIS) & Charis Hughes (IJET Alumni Association)

Other Attendees at Committee MeetingsYuichi Yamada (Embassy of Japan)

2014

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Yuichi Asada (Treasurer), Doire Myler (Accounts Officer), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Mary Ruane (UCC School of Asian Studies), Amy King (Cosplay Ireland), Ryoko Sasamoto (DCU SALIS), Charis Hughes (IJET Alumni Association), Sabrina Dunlea (UCD Japanese Society) & Jack You Chong (DCU Japanese Society)

Other Attendees at Committee Meetings Yuichi Yamada (Embassy of Japan)

2015

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Naonori Kodate (Treasurer), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Mary Ruane (UCC School of Asian Studies), Amy King (Cosplay Ireland), Ryoko Sasamoto (DCU SALIS), Charis Hughes (IJET Alumni Association), Hiro Ino (Stewart & Ino Solictiors), Áine Bullock (UCD Japanese Society) & Nao Ukai (DCU Japanese Society)

Other Attendees at Committee Meetings Yuichi Yamada (Embassy of Japan)

2016

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Naonori Kodate (Treasurer), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Mary Ruane (UCC School of Asian Studies), Charis Hughes (IJET Alumni Association), Hiro Ino (Stewart & Ino Solictiors), Áine Bullock (UCD Japanese Society), Tensho Yano (DCU Japanese Society) & Nao Ukai (DCU Japanese Society)

2017

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Naonori Kodate (Treasurer), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Mary Ruane (UCC School of Asian Studies), Charis Hughes (IJET Alumni Association), Hiro Ino (Stewart & Ino Solictiors), Charles Marchant (UCD Japanese Society), So Onose (UCD Japanese Society), Áine Bullock (UCD Japanese Society), Luke Hally (TCD Japanese Society), John Nealon (DCU) & Áine Bullock (UCD Japanese Society)

2018

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Naonori Kodate (Treasurer), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Mary Ruane (UCC School of Asian Studies), Charis Hughes (IJET Alumni Association), Hiro Ino (Hiro Ino & Co. Solicitors), Charles Marchant (UCD Japanese Society), So Onose (UCD Japanese Society), Áine Bullock (UCD Japanese Society), Luke Hally (TCD Japanese Society), John Nealon (DCU) & Áine Bullock (UCD Japanese Society)

2019

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Naonori Kodate (Treasurer), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Mary Ruane (UCC School of Asian Studies), Charis Hughes (IJET Alumni Association), Hiro Ino (Hiro Ino & Co. Solicitors), John Nealon (DCU), Sean Carton (CareersPortal, Kybolt), Jennifer O’Keeffe (UCD Japanese Society), Evan Spendlove (UCD Japanese Society), Ryan Hevey (DCU Japanese Society) & Hannah Maharry (TCD Japanese Society)

2020–2021

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Naonori Kodate (Treasurer), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Mary Ruane (UCC School of Asian Studies), Hiro Ino (Hiro Ino & Co. Solicitors), John Nealon (DCU), Sean Carton (CareersPortal, Kybolt), Jennifer O’Keeffe (UCD Japanese Society), Evan Spendlove (UCD Japanese Society), Yurie Maeda (TU)

2022

2023

Hugo O’Donnell (Chair), Naonori Kodate (Treasurer), Nobuko Ijichi (UCD ALC), Mary Ruane (UCC School of Asian Studies), John Nealon (DCU), Sean Carton (CareersPortal, Kybolt), Evan Spendlove (UCD Japanese Society), Yurie Maeda (TU), Aidan O’Reilly, Simon Tunney