Kanpai Nights: Kanpai to 2025

Inaugural Event in Partnership with The Seventh Committee and Friends of the UN

Step into an evening of art and celebration at the inaugural Kanpai Night—a new Japan Society gathering that celebrates Japanese culture as a bridge for global dialogue and community.

In partnership with The Seventh Committee and Friends of the UN, Kanpai to 2025 brings together diplomats, cultural enthusiasts, and community members for an evening of meaningful exchange. The program features opening remarks by Alexander Hassanein, Founder of the Seventh Committee, and Japan Society President and CEO Dr. Joshua W. Walker.

Guests are invited to explore the galleries and encounter Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries, the acclaimed artist’s first New York solo museum exhibition. Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Shiota’s immersive, site-specific installations investigate themes of memory, identity, loss, and belonging. Her work—which draws from personal struggles with nationhood and the human experience—invites viewers into intimate, transformative spaces.

Throughout the evening, enjoy a thoughtfully curated selection of drinks available for purchase, creating the perfect backdrop for conversation, connection, and discovery.

Photo Credit © Yeeun Joo

Kanpai Nights is supported by A.Shimus LLC.

We are grateful for the generous product donations from 50Hertz Tingly Foods.

Japan Society programs are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Additional support is provided by a grant from The Venable Foundation.

Japan Society’s 120th anniversary initiatives and related programs are generously supported by Champion Sponsor, MUFG Bank, Ltd.; Advocate Sponsor, Mizuho Americas, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation; and Friend Sponsor, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas).