Netsuke Exhibition Tour with Matthew Levitas of the Japan InformatiOn & Culture Center
 

The Japan Information & Culture Center welcomes you to a special spring exhibition of finely-crafted miniature sculptures known as netsuke [pronounced: netz-kay]—brimming with stories of life during Edo period Japan (17c-19c). Displaying meticulous craftsmanship, netsuke began as purely functional accessories but grew in popularity as examples of the era’s eccentric fashion.
 

Originally created to attach wallets, tobacco pouches, and other small boxes to the obi belt on Japanese kimono, netsuke soon became symbols of wealth, character, and personal values. Artful sculptures of everything from comical creatures to honored elements of nature, frightening mythological figures to scenes from everyday life, each netsuke piece has a unique story to share about Japan.
 

The Japan Information & Culture Center (JICC) is part of the Public Affairs Section of the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C.  The JICC is comitted to enriching the relationship between Japan and the United States through an active, vibrant cultural exchange.  The JICC aims to promote a better understanding of Japan and Japanese culture by providing a wide range of information and diverse cultural programming. 
 

For the past 35 years, the JICC has provided residents of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia with an exciting, artistic dialogue through their cultural events and educational programming.  They provide all their guests, new and old, with a variety of exellent cultural opportunities.
 

Matthew Levitas holds a Bachelor’s in Japanese Studies from Oberlin College (’05) and a Master’s in Japanese Language and Literature from the University of Colorado (’09).  He specializes in Japanese poetry, and has presented on topics in both pre-modern and avant-garde Japanese literature.  Matthew returned from living in Japan in 2012, and since then he has worked as the Cultural Affairs Coordinator at the Japan Information and Culture Center.