The 17thInternational Conference of the European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS) will take place in Ghent, the capital of East Flanders and a city, which is, according to the Washington Post, “Belgium’s unsung capital of cool.” National Geographic Traveller even sees Ghent “as the most authentic historic city in the world.” The city combines an impressive past with a vivid present with a diversity of architectural styles and treasures, most of which are protected as national heritage by UNESCO and visit of the “Mystic Lamb” tryptic in the St. Baaf’s Cathedral. Ghent is also a city of water, where the rivers and canals create a holiday feeling and where boat trips will offer a special view on the old city centre. In the evening one can enjoy local cuisine and local Belgian beer in the restaurants and bars along the rivers.
Ghent is convenient for international travellers with good international railway connections via Brussels, a direct train to Brussels International Airport (1hr) and is located at major crossroads of Europe.
The event will be hosted by the Institute of Japanese Studies at Ghent University. Over 800 academics will participate in the 14 parallel sections and engage in academic discussions on Japan-related topics over four days. The conference will take place in hybrid format, allowing participation both face-to-face (f2f) in Ghent and remotely over Zoom. Online delegates will be able to both present and participate in discussions.
