JUPE : Japanese UK Poetry Exchange

Undoubtedly one of the most ingrained, collaborative, explorative and generous exchanges between Japanese and British poets ever to take place, the JUPE (Japanese UK Poetry Exchange) has so far created nine events across 2022, 2023 and 2024. With over 70 new collaborations and over one hundred poets in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Norwich, Glasgow and London. Espousing new works across languages, forms and styles, and celebrating performance and in depth collaboration, alongside translation, JUPE has been a significant moment in the career's of many poets, young and old, between Japan and the UK, building direct and long-lasting connections between communities in both nations.

JUPE is curated by Colin Herd and SJ Fowler, alongside Kyoko Yoshida and fukudapero in 2022 and 2023. In 2024 JUPE was supported by The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Writers Kingston : Kingston University, Glasgow University.

Click the images below for more information on each event, or scroll down for further information on previous events too. All performances are available on youtube.

With sincere thanks to the remarkable hospitality of the Japanese poets and curators who have made this project possible, and brilliantly sucessful.

GLASGOW 2022 - September 20th at Glasgow Uni

KYOTO 2023 - Jan 9th at Gokurakuji Buddhist Temple

TOKYO 2023 - January 7th at BUOY

TOKYO 2023 - January 14th at Whiz Cafe

JUPE has commissioned poets, artists, musicians with an interest in both Japanese and British poetry and an exchange between the countries including Sayaka Osaki, Hiromitsu Koiso, Satomi Tanaka, Itsushi Kawase, Yoshihiko Hogyaku, Yoshiki Ukai, Ryo Mikuriya, Muu Kawashima, Hiroko Kohno, Izumi Ukai, Nakajima Naoki, Fujisawa Bayan, Rina Kikuchi, John Newton Webb, Corey Wakeling, Silje Ree, Lola Nieto, Shina Shihoko Naga, Hinako Matsumoto, Carolyn Hashimoto, Ko Ko Thett, Mischa Foster Poole. and many more.

As well as the supporters in 2024 mentioned above, in 2022 and 2023 JUPE was supported by The Daiwa Foundation and National Centre for Writing, Norwich.

JUPE, The Tokyo Camarade : April 7th 2024 - https://www.theenemiesproject.com/tokyo

JUPE, The Kyoto Camarade : April 12th 2024 - https://www.theenemiesproject.com/kyoto

JUPE, The OSAKA Performance Event : April 14t 2024 https://www.theenemiesproject.com/osaka

See below for more information and some of the performances of our first year of events.
A travelogue of JUPE in Japan in 2023 can be read here by SJ Fowler www.stevenjfowler.com/japan
And for media coverage, listen to Fukuda Pero and Kyoko Yoshida talk about the JUPE project in Japanese here https://note.com/shiburadi/m/m52735927deac and Gendaishitecho journal feature in March 2023

JUPE, The Tokyo Camarade : January 7th 2023

20 poets in 10 pairs in BUOY, what was an onsen during the 1960s and now resurrected into an avant garde theatre in the 21st century. A three hour Camarade celebration of poetry, performance, music, cross lingual experimentation and innovation. A sold out audience of over one hundred witnessed

JUPE, The Kyoto Camarade : January 9th 2023

20 poets in 10 pairs in the Temple, in the heart of Kyoto, surrounded by the  market, hosted by the poet monk Ukai Izumi, a riotous epic of an event. A three hour Camarade celebration of poetry, performance, music, cross lingual experimentation and innovation. A full house lined the benches of this remarkable venue

JUPE at Tokyo Poetry Journal : January 14th 2023

Hosted by the longstanding Tokyo Poetry Journal at Whiz Café in Kanda, Tokyo, in collaboration with the event series Music, this event saw new collaborations by British / European poets living and visiting Japan with Japanese poet’s and musicians. A half dozen of those key to the JUPE project presented new readings and performances to a sold out audience.

JUPE in London : September Sunday 18th 2022

Visit www.theenenemiesproject.com/londonjapan - A raucous, playful, brilliant night of experimentation down the basement of the longstanding London art hub Candid, in Islington. A memorable capital debut for the JUPE project, involving visiting as well as local Japanese poets working with British counterparts

JUPE in Glasgow : September Saturday 17th 2022

Held at Alchemy Experiment with the support of Glasgow University, local poets presented new collaborations in support of the visit of Kyoko Yoshida and Fukuda Pero to the city.

JUPE in Norwich : September Friday 16th 2022

National Centre for Writing, Dragon Hall : With new collaborative readings and performances by : SJ Fowler and Kyoko Yoshida / Colin Herd and Fukudapero / Doug Jones and Fred Spoilar / Ko Ko Thett and Linda Collins / Tiffany Atkinson and Jo Guthrie and more. All info here https://www.theenemiesproject.com/norwichjapan/