In Japan, it is becoming more and more common to come across signs and advertisements containing Italian words. The use of our language to advertise new products or venues creatively is, it seems, a growing trend.
Italian slogans based on unexpected linguistic combinations and wordplay, intended or not, are just some examples of the thousand and one possible uses of Italian in Japan. A language that is studied, learned, spoken and above all loved by all those for whom Italian is not their mother-tongue.
The Italian Cultural Institute in Tokyo, with the technical supervision of the University for Foreigners and the support of the Italian Embassy in Japan, is documenting this phenomenon. After the exhibition of video and photographic works in Tokyo during the 10th “Italian Language in the World Week”, the Cultural Institute is presenting the results of this research in Italy for the first time, in collaboration with the Italy-Japan Foundation.
The project will be presented on the following occasions:
On 6 and 7 June, at the “Isola del Giappone” event – two evenings in the lovely setting of Rome’s Isola Tiburina, dedicated to Japanese culture, film, music and food.
From 5 to 25 September, at a multi-media exhibition in Mantua’s Palazzo Te, during the Literature Festival.
