What’s Your J-Talent?

Grand Prizes

While visits to Japan may be a little out of reach, The Japan Foundation, Sydney is still dedicated to “Bringing Japan to You”. Grand prize winners in each category will be invited to enjoy a Japanese experience closer to home, with each prize package tailored to the individual winners. 

Experiences may include accommodation at Japanese style inns, visits to hot springs, online shopping at Japanese retailers or dining experiences at Japanese restaurants – all without going all the way to Japan! 

For more details, click here.

Fan Favourite

The video in each category with the most likes in each category will win a prize pack including The Japan Foundation merchandise, Japanese tea, Japanese Sweets, and a $100 voucher for Kinokuniya, and more!

Staff Picks 

A number of stand-out entries will be chosen by The Japan Foundation, Sydney staff. Staff Pick award recipients will receive a prize pack including Japan Foundation merchandise, Japanese tea, Japanese Sweets, a $100 voucher for Kinokuniya, and more!

Distinguished entries may also be offered the opportunity to come to Sydney for their performance to be professionally filmed and uploaded to The Japan Foundation, Sydney website and social media channels. 

Please note prize packages are for illustration purposes only and subject to change. Other prizes may be added at The Japan Foundation Sydney’s discretion.

[Important: Read thoroughly before considering your entry]

Length of Entries

• 2 minutes or less

Entry categories (4) [scroll down for more info]

• Japanese Language (choose from one of four topics)
• Lifestyle
• Traditional Arts and Culture  
• Pop Culture

Judging Criteria

To view the judging criteria, click here.

Submission Format

Online form with YouTube link to your video [available when the contest opens on July 9, 2020]

Include your entry title and #jtalent in your YouTube video title and some details about your talent such as why you chose it, in the description.

Who can enter?

• Entries may be from individuals, groups, families etc. (please maintain any social distancing requirements if necessary). A maximum of two entries will be accepted per entrant whether individual or group.
• This contest is open to residents of the following countries: Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
• Entrants may be professional artists or language teachers, however Japanese Language category entrants must: i) identify as a learner of Japanese as a foreign language and; ii) have not undertaken more than three (3) years of compulsory education in Japan.
• Entrants below the age of 18 must have permission from their parent or guardian. A permission form is required.

Copyright

Copyright breaches (audio/video etc.) are not permitted. Evidence of copyright permission must be submitted with entry (if applicable).

Category Info

See below for important notes and examples for each category.

*Please add English subtitles for any Japanese language used in entries. Watch a tutorial on how to do this here. 

[Japanese Language]

Challenge your language skills! Entries in this category must be a presentation or performance in Japanese. You may select one of the below four topics or choose your own. Feel free to add any props, slides etc. as you like. Group or family entries are welcome.

• Welcome to my … (school, hometown, country, etc.)
• Something I love
• My discovery (realisations from daily life)
• What I wonder about
• Your choice

*Please note: The Japanese Language category guidelines have been updated on September 9 to include ‘Your choice’ as an option. Performances have also been added as an entry suggestion.

[Lifestyle]

Are your Japanese dishes the talk of the town? Some examples of possible entries for this category include:

• Cooking dishes which appear in manga
• Writing kanji characters on rice grains
• Folding origami at super high speed
• Japanese tongue twisters
• …and more!

[Traditional Arts and Culture]

Show us your artistic flair! Some examples of possible entries for this category include:

• Calligraphy
• Martial arts
• Haiku/tanka poetry creation (English/Japanese)
• Japanese traditional dance
• Japanese traditional musical instruments
• …and more!

[Pop Culture]

Pop culture buff? Some examples of possible entries for this category include:

• J-Pop singing and dance
• Japanese fashion or nail art
• Cosplay of Japanese characters
• …and more!