Dear Yale Club of Japan community,

This September, we’re sharing our new Code of Conduct, opportunities to gather with fellow alumni and friends this fall, and photos from our recent Day of Service and Draw & Yap events. We hope to see you soon!

Announcements

Our New Code of Conduct

We want everyone to feel welcome at Yale Club of Japan gatherings. Our new Code of Conduct sets out shared expectations for respectful conversation, personal boundaries, and inclusive participation, along with guidance on raising concerns. Please take a moment to read the Code of Conduct, and thank you for helping make our community welcoming across backgrounds and generations.

Upcoming Yale Club of Japan Events

Yale–Harvard in Tech Happy Hour
Wednesday, September 16 | 7:00–11:00 PM
TenCups Cafe Bar & Lounge, Shibuya

Join the Yale Club of Japan and Harvard in Tech Japan for a relaxed fall evening with alumni, friends, and guests. Stop by for conversation, drinks, and a chance to meet new faces. Registration is free; food and drinks are ordered and paid for individually.

RSVP on Peatix

Community Events

Events from our extended community, including partner organizations and Yale-affiliated groups. All times below are Japan time.

Columbia Happy Hour
Friday, September 18 | 7:00–9:00 PM
Aux Bacchanales Kioicho, 4-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Join Columbia alumni and friends for an evening of drinks and conversation. Alumni from other universities are welcome. The ¥5,000 fee includes beer, wine, soft drinks, and light food, payable at the door.

Details and registration

The One-Person Orchestra: Greg Spero at FabCafe Tokyo
Saturday, September 19 | 4:00–10:00 PM; concert from 6:30 PM
loftwork COOOP, FabCafe Tokyo 10F, Shibuya

Jazz pianist Greg Spero brings together live piano and AI for an evening exploring music and creative collaboration. Join from 4:00 PM for a talk and hands-on workshop building an app for co-creating music, or come from 6:30 PM for the interactive concert, followed by drinks and conversation. The full program is listed at ¥9,000, including refreshments; a concert-only option is also available.

Details and tickets

Y-VISP Japan Oktoberfest Celebration
Thursday, October 1 | 7:00–9:00 PM
Schmatz Nakameguro

Celebrate Oktoberfest with Y-VISP alumni, Yale alumni, and friends over German food, beer, and other drinks. Drop in to say hello or stay for the evening. Registration is free, with payment on-site; please bring cash, as separate payments may not be possible.

RSVP on Peatix

Founders’ Day: Yale’s 325th Birthday Celebration
Friday, October 9 | Happy hour from 5:30 PM; dinner from 7:00 PM
Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills and The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon

YaleWomen Japan and Y-VISP Japan invite you to celebrate Yale’s 325th birthday. Join for happy hour at Andaz Tokyo from 5:30–6:45 PM, a three-course dinner at The Tokyo EDITION from 7:00 PM, or both. Dinner requires advance payment of ¥12,000, including the transaction fee; same-day dinner cancellations incur a 100% charge.

Details and registration

Penn Club of Japan Fall Kickoff: The Franklin Float
Saturday, October 17 | 6:00–9:00 PM
Tokyo Bay; departure dock near Shinagawa or Kuramae to be confirmed

Set sail with Penn alumni and friends for a yakatabune dinner cruise featuring Tokyo skyline views, a meal, free-flow drinks, and karaoke. Guests are welcome. Tickets are ¥15,000 per person, or ¥10,000 for those under 25. Register your interest to receive payment information and final departure details; places are confirmed after payment.

Register your interest

Recent Events

Yale Day of Service at Maggie’s Tokyo — August 22, 2026

Volunteers from the Yale Club of Japan, YaleWomen Japan, and Y-VISP Japan helped tend the garden at Maggie’s Tokyo, a support center for people affected by cancer and their loved ones.

Draw & Yap — September 12, 2026

Yalies and friends gathered at TenCups in Shibuya for a morning of drawing and conversation led by alumna Mieko Watanabe.

Boola boola,
Yale Club of Japan

Dear Yale Club of Japan community,

As summer continues in Tokyo, we have two opportunities to connect with and support the Yale community this August: an online YaleWomen Japan lecture and discussion on Japanese history, and a volunteer gardening activity at Maggie’s Tokyo.

Upcoming Yale Club of Japan Events

Maggie’s Tokyo Volunteer Gardening Day

Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
Location: Maggie’s Tokyo, 6-4-18 Toyosu, Koto City, Tokyo
Organized by: Yale Club of Japan, YaleWomen Japan, and Y-VISP Japan
Registration deadline: Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM
Register: https://forms.gle/LyyaRhHfCn6ChfS5A

As a belated Yale Day of Service activity, the Yale Club of Japan, YaleWomen Japan, and Y-VISP Japan will volunteer at Maggie’s Tokyo, a nonprofit support center for people affected by cancer and their families and friends. Volunteers will help maintain the center’s garden, which offers a welcoming place for visitors to spend time in nature.

Advance registration is required so that participants can be added to the organizers’ volunteer insurance. Learn more about Maggie’s Tokyo at https://maggiestokyo.org/.

Community Events

Events from our extended community, including partner organizations and Yale-affiliated groups.

YaleWomen Japan Online Talk: Reckoning with Twentieth-Century Upheavals — Perspectives from Rural and Urban Japan

Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM JST
Location: Online via Zoom
Organized by: YaleWomen Japan
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_V2xA0uDbRfad9c1mcwRDJg#/registration

Aruna Balasubramanian, a 2026 Yale graduate and incoming Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, will present a lecture and discussion on how individuals and communities in rural and urban Japan grappled with war, mass violence, rapid economic change, and other major upheavals of the twentieth century. Marina Yoshimura, director of the YaleWomen Japan chapter, will moderate.

Drawing on case studies of an island village in the Seto Inland Sea and a peace memorial museum in Tokyo, the presentation will feature stories about a contemporary art site, salt farms, air raid survivors, schoolchildren, and more.

Boola boola,
Yale Club of Japan

yaleclubjp.com

Dear Yale Club of Japan community,

As Tokyo moves into summer, we have several Yale and Yale-adjacent events coming up, including a casual YCOJ picnic this weekend, a YCOJ-supported concert, community programs and concerts, and a request from the Yale Alley Cats.

Upcoming Yale Club of Japan Events

Yale Club of Japan Yoyogi Summer Picnic

Date: Sunday, June 21, 2026
Time: 12:30 PM-4:30 PM
Location: Yoyogi Park, Tokyo
RSVP: https://peatix.com/event/5042874

Join Yale Club of Japan for a casual summer picnic in Yoyogi Park. This will be a relaxed, come-and-go gathering for Yale alumni, students, visiting Yalies, and guests to say hello and connect over the weekend.

Please bring food and drinks for yourself, or something to share if you would like. The precise meeting spot will be sent by Google Maps link to registered attendees the day before the event. We will also make a go/no-go call for rain the day before and, if needed, share a nearby cafe or bar backup location with registered attendees.

Yale Club of Japan Supported Event

Koh Kazama (YC'12/YSM'13) Japan Tour 2025-2026 Final Concert in Tokyo

Date: Friday, July 17, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM-9:00 PM
Location: Gotanda Cultural Center Music Hall, 6 Chome-5-1 Nishigotanda, Shinagawa City, Tokyo
Tickets and details: https://www.kohkazama.com/schedule/tokyo
Contact: info@kohkazama.com

Yale alumnus Koh Kazama YC '12, YSM '13 will perform the final concert of his year-long Japan tour in Tokyo, featuring works by Piazzolla, Jobim, Bach, Yocoh, and others.

A Yale Club of Japan member is generously subsidizing tickets for the Yale community, making them available for ¥2,000. To receive the subsidized price, please indicate "Yale" and your Yale affiliation (such as school and class year) or "YCOJ member" when completing the RSVP form. (Standard ticket prices are ¥4,000 in advance and ¥4,500 at the door.)

We hope many members of the Yale community will join us in supporting Koh and enjoying an evening of music together.

Community Events

Events from our extended community, including partner school alumni networks.

Y-VISP Izakaya Matsuri

Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2026

There will be a Y-VISP Izakaya Matsuri on this date. Details will follow.

Yale International Alliance Webinar: The Impact of Energy Scarcity on the East Asian Economy

Date: Friday, June 19, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM-9:00 PM Japan/Korea time
Location: Online via Zoom
Register: https://luma.com/jqvu22zx

The Yale International Alliance will convene experts to discuss the impact of energy scarcity and critical materials shortages on East Asia, including implications for trade, transportation, semiconductor manufacturing, and regional economic strategy. The event is co-hosted by the Yale Club of Beijing, Yale Club of Japan, Yale Club of Korea, Yale International Alliance, and Yale Center Beijing.

The Yale Whiffenpoofs in Tokyo

Date: Sunday, August 2, 2026
Time: Doors 14:00 / Concert 14:30
Location: Tokyo Women's Plaza Hall, 5-53-67 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001
Tickets: Adults - ¥3,500; Middle/High School Students - ¥2,000; Elementary School Children - ¥1,000; Pre-school Children - Free
Note: Advance purchase only; no door sales
Website: https://www.whiffsinjapan.com
Tickets: https://teket.jp/3690/71000

Every summer for more than 40 years, Yale's voices have crossed the Pacific to find a second home in Japan. It's the only stop on the Whiffenpoofs' world tour that has continued without interruption, and year after year, members come back to the States telling us that Japan was, by far, the most meaningful stop of their tour. None of that happens by chance - it's sustained by host families, volunteers, and all of those who have quietly kept this tradition alive. For Yalies who now live here, this isn't just a concert - it's a touchstone, a reminder of where we came from and a celebration of what we've built together in Japan. Coming back to hear the Whiffs means showing the current students that this tradition matters, and showing each other that we're still part of it. We hope you'll be there.

YaleWomen Japan Talk with Aruna Balasubramanian

Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM JST
Location: Online

YaleWomen Japan will host an online talk with Aruna Balasubramanian covering her experiences as a Light Fellow, her fieldwork in Nagashima, and her Japanese studies. Registration details will follow.

Request From the Yale Community

Yale Alley Cats Seeking Hosts in Tokyo and Osaka in Mid-March 2027

The Yale Alley Cats, one of Yale's best-known undergraduate a cappella groups, are planning a tour to Japan, including visits to Tokyo and Osaka, in mid-March 2027. Founded in 1943, the student-run group has performed around the world for audiences ranging from alumni clubs to dignitaries and public figures.

The Alley Cats are seeking help from the Yale community in Japan in finding hosts who may be able to accommodate one or more members for a few days during their stay, or leads on affordable accommodations in Tokyo or Osaka. If you may be interested in helping or learning more, please contact Arnav Nawani, Head Tour Manager of the Yale Alley Cats, at arnav.nawani@yale.edu.

Have an event you would like featured in an upcoming newsletter? Submit it using the form above and our team will review it for inclusion.

Boola boola,
Yale Club of Japan

yaleclubjp.com