Activating Common Ground x MONO JAPAN Fair 2026
Nieuwe Instituut and MONO JAPAN Foundation join forces to celebrate the Japanese Dutch relationship in culture, design, and craft in two events on one evening. After the festive opening of the 8th edition of the MONO JAPAN Fair at the Nieuwe Café, you're welcome to join the closing event for the cultural programme Activating Common Ground at Expo 2025 in Osaka, taking place at the auditorium and featuring live music by the Benjamin Herman Trio.
22 January 2026 15:30 - 21:30
Opening MONO JAPAN Fair 2026 (16:30-20:00)
MONO JAPAN is a celebration of contemporary Japanese craft and design. It is an event and a platform devoted to sophisticated beauty grounded in tradition, enriched with contemporary thinking, and refined to perfection with uncompromising skills. MONO JAPAN represents the design that defies the gravity of the mundane and brings joy to the simplest rituals of every day.
MONO JAPAN Fair 2026 takes place from Friday 23 January until Sunday 25 January. The exhibitions will take place throughout the Supernova Hotel (‘s Gravendijkwal 68, Rotterdam), where each uniquely designed guest room becomes a space for encounter between Japanese craftsmanship and contemporary design.
For a full overview of the programme of MONO JAPAN Fair 2026, visit the official website of MONO JAPAN.
Language: English | Location: Nieuwe Café, Nieuwe Instituut | Free (RSVP)
RSVP for Opening MONO JAPAN Fair 2026Activating Common Ground Closing Event (20:00-22:30)
With the cultural programme of the Netherlands Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka now officially concluded, this event provides an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the many inspiring activities that took place during the six-month expo, both in Osaka and across Japan.
The evening will feature a performance by the Benjamin Herman Trio, interviews with cultural programme participants about their experiences, and reflections on the numerous collaborations created through the programme, including performances, artworks, and the graphic and spatial design of the Showcases.
The highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the Activating Common Ground publication, which provides a visual and narrative overview of the cultural programme. It will be officially presented to the cultural programme commissioners: Dewi van de Weerd (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Christianne Mattijssen (Ministry of Education, Culture and Science).
Language: English | Location: Auditorium, Nieuwe Instituut | Free (RSVP)
RSVP for Activating Common GroundProgramme
16:30-18:45 Exhibition preview at Supernova Hotel
19:00 Doors open at the Nieuwe Instituut, with drinks and bites
19:20 Opening MONO JAPAN Fair 2026, with welcome and speeches by Aukje Bolle (General and Managing Director, Nieuwe Instituut), the Ambassador to Japan in the Netherlands, Dewi van de Weerd (Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and Emiko Chujo (Director, MONO JAPAN Fair)
19:35-20:00 Reception with drinks and bites
20:00-21:30 Activating Common Ground Closing Event
21:30-22:30 Closing drinks
