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Thanks in part to Japan-Mekong Exchange Year, the Japan Foundation Bangkok has become the city's most active cultural organisation. It has two visual-arts exhibitions on view at the Art and Culture Centre and 100 Tonson Gallery, and on the way to Thailand are a contemporary dancer, a theatre-costume designer and a playwright.

The world premiere of the contemporary dance "Wearing Rose Pink" by Setsuko Yamada, co-hosted by Patravadi Theatre and the Japan Foundation, will be on November 27 and 28. On November 29, Yamada will conduct a "Finding Bodies" workshop.

Yamada studied with Butoh master Akira Kansai before developing her unique movement vocabulary from Japanese breathing techniques, tai chi and martial arts.

"Wearing Rose Pink" - described as "a dance on the poignancy and elegance of life" and compared to "a dainty piece of chinaware" - takes inspiration from Andrew Wyeth's painting "Christina's World" and Virginia Woolf's novels "To the Lighthouse" and "The Waves".

Workshops

Starting the same weekend, the Japan Foundation is collaborating with Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani and Chulalongkorn universities to host costume designer Shingo Tokihiro and celebrated playwright Ryoko Takami for day-and-a-half workshops.

Tokihiro's diverse works range from "The Magic Flute" to Noh version of "Hamlet".

Takami studied with world-renowned theatre master Tadashi Suzuki and, with the Kamonegi Shot troupe, writes plays, acts, dances and produces.

 RISING SUNS

>> "Wearing Rose Pink" will be at the Patravadi Theatre on November 27 at 8 and November 28 at 4.

>> Tickets are Bt400 (50 per cent off for students and 10 per cent for anyone booking by November 15) at www.TotalReservation.com. Call (02) 412 7287-8.

>> Shows in Chiang Mai and Ubon are on November 29 and December 2. Workshops are full.

>> The Bangkok workshops can be joined by e-mailing chuladrama@gmail.com by Friday.

>> See the show at the Siam Society on December 4 at 7 for free.

 >> On the Internet: www.PatravadiTheatre.com and www.JFBkk.or.th.