On January 17, the UAE-Japan Cultural Center held a New Year cultural event at Sharjah’s Art for All Center. The event featured Japanese cultural activities including calligraphy, origami, flower arrangements, kimono trials and Japanese martial arts.
Naoko Kishida, founder and director of the UAE-Japan Cultural Center, welcomed guests and delivered the opening speech, outlining the centre’s activities over the past year and highlighting achievements from its 18 years of operation.
“Daito Ryu Dojo in Ajman showed the performance of Japanese martial art where 3 men showed fighting art, using opponent power to defeat the opponents. Daito Ryu has longer history than Aikido,” Kishida said.
The UAE-Japan Cultural Center hosts 2026 Japanese New Year celebrations, featuring traditional performances and cultural experiences for the community. 
The UAE-Japan Cultural Center hosts 2026 Japanese New Year celebrations, featuring traditional performances and cultural experiences for the community.
“Guests also enjoyed Kakizome (Japanese Calligraphy), where many Japanese write a new year wish or determination as a calligraphy at the beginning of the year.”
“There was also the Japanese Quiz, where different teams of students compete for the quiz about Japan. The winner of the highest scored three groups won a lot of gifts from Japan,” she added.
Commenting on visitor feedback, Kishida said, “The guests always come back to the event to meet teachers and old friends. It was an intense 2 hours of the event. The New Year Event became an alumni party for the past and current s participants. There were more than 50 participants who enjoyed the event.”
Language programmes and upcoming activities
Kishida also outlined the centre’s upcoming education programmes.
“The second Term of the Japanese language courses finish on early February. After Ramadan, the third term will start the new course for Beginners and elementary students. The detail will be announced in our website and Instagram,” she said.
Youth exchange initiatives and UAE study tour
Kishida explained the centre’s role in international youth exchange initiatives with Japan.
“International Youth Exchange Organization of Japan (IYEO), is the main administrative entity of ‘Ship for World Youth Program’ of Japan. Since 2021, IYEO and Japan Center collaborated on introducing Islam to Japanese Youth in Japan. This program actually started with the charity program called ‘Olympic project’ by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian & Charity Organization of UAE.”
“The objective of ‘Olympic Project’ was to introduce basic Islamic needs of Muslim athletes to Japanese host towns during Olympic Games in 2021. This program promoted local hotels to prepare halal foods, to stick arrows for the direction of Macca, to prepare praying room for male and female and so on. Japan Muslim Association took the main role to introduce these basic needs so that Muslim Athletes could find comfortable and satisfying stay in local towns. After the Tokyo Olympic had completed, IYEO use the same method to introduce Islam for Japanese Youth in collaboration with many different universities, colleges, restaurants, and workplaces.”
She added that the programme has since expanded into an exchange and study tour initiative.
“Then this program has developed to offer the ‘UAE study tour’ since 2024. The main objective of the Tour is to show real life of UAE people apart from the famous tourist attractions. After 50 years of development, UAE has succeeded to enjoy the modern lifestyle with Islamic concept. Japanese Youth are eager to know its leadership and human energy as well as Islamic concept behind this development. Japan Center is the host organization to introduce UAE to the participants. We offer the exchange programs with our Center’s language students. The youths from both countries enjoy meeting, discussion, traveling together to the East coast, and become very good friends for a long time. This year’s UAE Study tour will be held from April 25 to 30,” she added.