About us
Tokyo has no shortage of events. Very few lead to real conversations.
Commonverse is for people who want more than surface-level networking — people who are actually curious, ask questions, and enjoy conversations that go somewhere.
We host regular, curated talks and experiences in English, from film screenings and dialogues to improv and cultural conversations — bringing together diverse perspectives across cultures and disciplines. In collaboration with HKU Alumni Network of Japan and Hosei University, it’s one of the rare places in Tokyo where you can engage in meaningful English-language discussions in a university setting.
If you’re tired of small talk and digital noise, you’ll fit right in.
👉 See what we’ve been doing: https://www.commonverse.org/open-talk-series
Upcoming events
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Why Learn a New Language? Insights from Learners of Japanese in HK & Beyond
Ichigaya Campus, Hosei University, 2-17-1 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, JP# Why Learn a New Language? Insights from Learners of Japanese in Hong Kong and Beyond
The session is part of an ongoing English talk series in Tokyo. It opens with research insights from Kazuyuki Nomura on language learning, followed by a cross-disciplinary discussion exploring what language learning reveals about how we see ourselves, relate to others, and make sense of the world. Moving beyond practical usefulness, the conversation reflects on language as a way of thinking, connecting, and experiencing life differently.
📅 Date: Saturday, 18 April 2026
🕒 Time: 15:00–16:30
📍 Venue: Global Lounge, 2F Ouchiyama Building, Ichigaya Campus, Hosei UniversityAbout the speaker:
Dr Kazuyuki Nomura is an applied linguist specialising in multilingualism, language learning motivation, and identity in Hong Kong and East Asia, with a focus on learners of Japanese. Drawing on fieldwork-based research, he theorises motivation as emotional distance management in his recent publication. Dr Nomura graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.Sign up here: https://forms.gle/xh7V5iX9qbDzH6Gu8
Hope to see you there! :)
1 attendee
Why Improv? — Spontaneity in Everyday Life
Ichigaya Campus, Hosei University, 2-17-1 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, JPWhy Improv? — Spontaneity in Everyday Life
We deal with the unexpected every day — conversations, decisions, reactions. Most of us just don’t notice how we respond in the moment.
This session, in collaboration with Hosei University and the HKU Alumni of Japan, is part of an ongoing English talk series in Tokyo. It explores how improv techniques can sharpen communication, awareness, and adaptability beyond the stage. Not about acting — about real-life interactions.
Following a short talk by Kaz Matamura, we’ll open up the conversation and then move into an interactive workshop where you’ll try simple exercises yourself. No experience needed.
If you’re curious about thinking faster, listening better, and responding more naturally — this is for you.📅 Saturday, 9 May 2026
🕒 15:00–16:30
📍 Multimedia Studio 0300, 3F Boissonade Tower, Ichigaya Campus, Hosei UniversitySign up here: https://forms.gle/6dSCWZp4DbGkJDBU6
1 attendee
