Events
Exchange Student Event 2026
Bingata Dyeing Experience
Each year at Kyushu National Museum, we declare 3 November – otherwise known as Culture Day – “Exchange Student Day,” on which we offer a variety of events for those studying abroad in Japan. This year, we’re offering you a chance to try your hand at bingata fabric dyeing, with commentary and instruction available in Easy Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean!
Bingata is a traditional Okinawan craft, with bin (紅) referring to color, and gata (型) referring to stencil dyeing. Although bingata techniques are often used when making garments, this time, you’ll be making your very own bingata coaster!
Use special brushes to color and dye one of three designs that evoke the tropical charm of the Ryukyu Islands however you’d like.
Afterwards, venture into our exhibition hall to discover more about the cultures of Ryukyu and Okinawa.
Finish off the afternoon with some time to explore our exhibits freely, then take home your one-of-a-kind bingata coaster!
Come join us and experience Okinawan, and Ryukyuan, tradition for yourself!
Date/time:
Tuesday 3 November 2026 (public holiday)
13:00–16:30 (check-in from 12:30)
Venue:
Kyushu National Museum
(meet near the Information Desk, Floor 1)
Eligibility:
This event is exclusively for exchange students.
Capacity:
20 participants; first-come, first-served
Cost:
This event is free of charge.
To sign up:
Please fill out and submit the registration form below.
Sign-ups have been extended until Thursday 29 October! Don’t miss out!
* Please note that for logistical reasons you can no longer choose your preferred design. What design will you get…? You’ll have to wait and see!
* Sign-ups are first-come, first-served.
Notes:
Please bring your student ID.
Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty or stained.
Please also note you’ll need to add the finishing touches to your coaster at home around 5–7 days after the workshop. This involves heating the coaster with an iron, hairdryer, or similar, and washing off the glue.
Schedule:
① Greetings; about Kyushu National Museum (13:00–13:15, 15 min.)
② An introduction to bingata (13:15–13:30, 15 min.)
③ Bingata coaster making (13:30–14:30, 60 min.)
④ Break (14:30–14:50, 20 min.)
⑤ Our researcher on Ryukyu: exclusive talk on Kyuhaku’s Ryukyu Collection (14:50–15:20, 30 min.)
⑥ Self-guided viewing: Cultural Exchange Exhibition (15:20–16:30, 70 min.)
Program details:
② An introduction to bingata (15 minutes)
Begin your bingata experience by learning the basics of how it’s done, along with some of the tools of the trade.
③ Bingata coaster making (60 minutes)
Once you’ve gotten a feel for the process, it’s time to try your hand at it for real, by creating your very own one-of-a-kind coaster!
Using special brushes, dye your coaster in whatever colors you’d like. Don’t worry if art isn’t your strong suit – the coasters are designed so that anyone can achieve a clean-looking final product!
⑤ Our researcher on Ryukyu: exclusive talk on Kyuhaku’s Ryukyu Collection (30 minutes)
While your coaster is drying, venture into our Cultural Exchange Exhibition Hall and discover our latest Feature Exhibition, Kyuhaku’s Ryukyu Collection, alongside its lead curator KUWABARA Yuzuko.
Learn more about the storied history and unique cultures of Ryukyu and Okinawa, and witness a selection of real bingata robes from our collection.
Afterwards, explore the Cultural Exchange Exhibition Hall for yourself, then collect your coaster and take it home!
＊This event will be delivered in Easy Japanese, with English, Chinese, and Korean interpretation available.
If you would like to request interpretation, please let us know which language you would prefer using the registration form.
Organized by:
Kyushu National Museum
Notes:
＊Please ensure you can receive emails from addresses ending in “@kyuhaku.jp”.
＊Please note that registrations are on a first-come, first-served basis. Registrations will close as soon as the event reaches capacity.
＊Once registrations have closed, we will reach out over email with a reminder of the event details. Please reply to this email to acknowledge you have received it.
＊If you do not receive an automated email acknowledging your registration within 10 minutes of submitting the form, please contact us using the details below.
＊If you are no longer able to attend the event for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible.
＊Please note that there may be circumstances in which your preferred coaster design is unavailable. In this case, we will select and provide another design.
＊The personal data you provide will be used only for the purpose of this event.
＊Please note we will take photos on the day. These may be used for record-keeping and/or promotional purposes, including on our website.
For inquiries, please contact:
Cultural Exchange Division, Kyushu National Museum
092-929-3602
ryugakusei@kyuhaku.jp
We are able to respond to inquiries in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean.