🌊【Cultural Lecture】A Thousand Years of Whales and the Sea: People, Sea, and Whales of the Japanese Archipelago 🐋
How have the sea and whales woven a profound memory of coexistence between humanity and nature over thousands of years?

The connection between the Japanese archipelago and whales spans millennia. From the Jomon period's appreciation and utilization of drifting whales, to the Ainu culture's reverence for whale spirits in rituals, to the gratitude and offerings to life expressed in the ancient whaling practices on Iwatsuki Island in Hirado City—whales not only sustained the lives of coastal communities but also embodied humanity's awe and reverence for the vast ocean.

This lecture is specially hosted by Mr. Nakazono Nakazono, Director of the "Island Museum" in Iwatsuki Town, Hirado City. He will guide the audience through time, rethinking from historical, cultural, and ecological perspectives the interdependent and sustainable relationship between humanity, the ocean, and all life, seeking coexistence with reverence. We sincerely invite those interested in marine culture, historical memory, and Taiwan-Japan exchange to attend!

📌 【Event Information】
Lecture Topic｜A Thousand Years of Whales and the Sea: People, Sea, and Whales of the Japanese Archipelago (History, Memory, and Symbiosis)
Speaker｜Mr. Nakazono Nakazono (Director of the "Island Museum" at Ikuzuki-cho Museum, Hirado City)
Lecture Time｜October 11, 2026 (Sunday) 2:00 PM
Lecture Venue｜International Conference Hall, 5th Floor, Yongkang District Social Education Center
Address｜No. 88, Yongda 2nd Rd., Yongkang Village, Yongkang District, Tainan City
Organizer｜Tainan-Japan Cultural Friendship Exchange Foundation
Co-organizer｜National Cheng Kung University