Canberra Nara Candle Festival
24th Oct 2026
Enjoy the spectacular visual of 2000 shimmering candles at the 20th annual Canberra Nara Candle Festival to celebrate the Sister City relationship shared between Canberra and Nara, Japan.
Visitors will be mesmerised by the sounds of Japanese music and enchanting lighting that highlights the features of the beautiful Peace Park. The festival brings a wide variety of Japanese and Australian culture with arts and crafts such as calligraphy, lantern making, origami, ikebana and kite flying.
The festival features Japanese cuisine, markets and stalls with visitors able to take part in various activities.
4:00pm – 9:00pm | Canberra Nara Peace Park & Lennox Gardens
An Evening in a Japanese Garden – AJS Qld
31 October 2026 | AJS-QLD
On Saturday 31 October the AJS-QLD will host its very popular annual ‘Evening in a Japanese Garden’ event in the beautiful Japanese Garden at Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens.
Join us from 5:30pm and enjoy warm spring breezes through the trees and the soothing sound of water running over stones as you take a twilight stroll through the Japanese garden.
Then, as evening falls, settle in for a picnic on the lawn and hear from our special guest Mr ISHIKAWA Katsutoshi Consul-General of Japan to Brisbane, before watching traditional Japanese dancers, taiko drummers and a koto performance amidst 100’s of twinkling lights.
This is a unique opportunity to experience Japanese cultural performances in a very special setting.
5:30pm – 8:30pm | Japanese Garden – Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens
BYO picnic & blanket | Tickets available here
PLEASE NOTE: Guests MUST provide their own food and beverages.?There will be NO food or beverages for sale at the event or in the Gardens precinct as it’s after hours.
ENQUIRIES? | Contact: execsec@austjpnsoc.asn.au
Australia Japan Business Council of Victoria – Golden Gala 2026
20th Nov 2026
This year it becomes a major Victorian celebration of fifty years of the Australia–Japan relationship, and we are going all out for it. A keynote address we will announce shortly, and we have secured guests of real standing for this one.
What to Expect
This exclusive evening features:
- Keynote Address from distinguished speakers
- Live Entertainment celebrating cultural connections
- Three-Course Dinner in an elegant setting
- Networking Opportunity with business leaders, diplomats, and community figures
Fifty years will not come around again, and neither will this room — three hundred guests, in one place, for one night.
Registrations now open – view details
6:30 PM | PLAZA BALLROOM, MELBOURNE
Kumamoto Earthquake 2026 – Recovery Support| AJS ACT
20th Nov 2026
On 28 July 2026, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan, causing widespread damage across southern Kyushu. Tens of thousands of households lost access to water and electricity, while homes, transport infrastructure, businesses and essential services were significantly affected. Emergency responders, local communities and the Self-Defense Forces continue to support recovery and assist those affected.
The earthquake was followed by a series of secondary disasters and challenges. A gas explosion at an Aeon shopping centre in Kashima claimed seven lives, while damage to a paper plant in Yatsushiro resulted in the deaths of eight workers. The disaster was further compounded by Kyushu’s intense summer heat, with around 80,000 homes losing running water and approximately 14,000 households without electricity. Evacuees faced long waits for water and basic supplies in extreme temperatures.
The Australia-Japan Society ACT is supporting Kumamoto’s recovery through fundraising, including the annual ‘East Meets West’ concert, held in partnership with the Embassy of Japan in Australia on Friday 20 November 2026. All proceeds will be donated to official disaster relief of the Japanese Red Cross Society, supporting rebuilding, evacuation shelter operations and direct assistance for affected families. Please join us on 20 November to show your support for the people of Kumamoto.
>> buy tickets
National Federation Conference 2026 – Perth
27th-28th Nov 2026
On the 27th of November the Australia-Japan Society of Western Australia is hosting The National Federation Conference.
While I realise that it is a long way to go to experience the hospitality of AJSWA, I can assure you this trip will be worth it!
On the 27th, the AJSWA will be hosting the National Federation AGM in the afternoon and later that day a Sundowner at their beautiful Japan Education and Cultural Centre of Western Australia. (JECCWA).