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2025-26 Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Centre Lecture Series:
Japanese Studies: Past, Present, Future
iSeated figure of the bodhisattva Fugen Enmei, late 17th-early 18th century, Japan, British Museum.
The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Centre for Buddhist Art and Conservation at the Courtauld Institute is delighted to announce its 2025–2026 Lecture Series, exploring the many aspects of Japanese studies in the UK and beyond. This year’s series is presented in collaboration with the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS), the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures (SISJAC), and the Courtauld Institute.
The four lectures hosted at the Courtauld Institute will focus on Japanese Buddhist heritage, bringing together diverse perspectives from art history, Buddhist studies, conservation, and curatorial practice. Additional lectures will take place at the partner venues and will also be livestreamed from the RAS and SISJAC, with several events offered online only.
Lectures and events are open to all but please register as spaces are limited in some venues. The start time is 18:30 at the RAS and SISJAC and 18:00 for The Courtauld unless otherwise indicated.
This lecture by Yuki Russell will appraise the issues around operation of heritage preservation in Japan. While experiencing upheavals such as mass vandalism in the 19th century and World War II, the management of cultural heritage preservation has b...
This lecture by Dr Halle O’Neal will explore the rich epistolary culture of medieval Japan, through reused, recycled, and reframed letters. With the death of a loved one, family members gathered the dead’s letters and transcribed sacred scripture on ...
This lecture by Dr Benedetta Lomi will explore how Buddhist institutions of the Heian and Kamakura periods negotiated the challenges of maintaining, repairing, and reusing their icons. In the Japanese Buddhist tradition, statues, scriptures, and othe...
The British Museum holds about 1,000 items of Japanese Buddhist material, ranging from the eighth century to the present day. The majority date from the 18th and 19th centuries, and include sculptures, paintings, portable shrines, and ritual and voti...
