About Us

The Society was one of the first NGO’s to be formed under the administrative approval and support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. In the formative years, one highlight was a major exhibition of Spanish artists featuring the works of Goya and Valazques held in the Ginza Matsuya Gallery, followed by introducing some of Japan’s major traditional performing arts to overseas audiences.

Since its founding in 1968 by Lady Asa Matsuoka, the International Culture Appreciation and Interchange Society (ICAIS) has been dedicated to the promotion of international understanding through mutual interchange that would contribute to a deeper appreciation of other cultures and peoples.

These and other collaborative projects were recognized with the bestowal of the Japan Foreign Minister’s Distinguished Service Award in 1986 for the Society’s contributions to promoting International Cooperation and Goodwill.

Cultural interchange has continued through the years with a wide variety of projects including the support of medical assistance in Bangladesh, the financial and other support of overseas exchange students in Japan, as well as holding Annual Charity Concerts featuring internationally acclaimed Japanese performing artists. Its activities continue today as a “general incorporated association,” no longer under direct governmental administrative supervision.

During the past several years, there has been a major effort to restore relations with the Oceanic cultures, especially Australia, through a mutual discovery of the cultural value of the important Nihonga collections that were made possible by the extraordinary efforts of our founder, Lady Asa, in her later years. Her achievements have been recorded in “The Asa Story,” which was recently published to commemorate the Society’s 50th-Anniversary.

Chapter 15 of the Asa Matsuoka Story

Here are Chapter 15 of the Asa Matsuoka Story as “Her Mission――Let Kindness Be Propagate”

It was in 1972 when Asa Matsuoka thought "As a symbol of goodwill with the people of Australia, I would like for us to present the best works of Japanese art, which will represent the essence of Japanese culture.” and you can find the background of 25 Nihonga Art Works below.