The JF-Nichibunken Fellowship Program is run jointly by the Japan Foundation and the International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken). It brings early-career postdoctoral researchers in Japanese studies to Kyoto for a continuous stay of 6 to 24 months as Nichibunken affiliates.
Fellows carry out their own humanities or social-science research on Japanese culture. They also help plan and run Nichibunken’s symposiums, workshops, and team research groups, which builds project-facilitation experience and an international network.
The FY2027 round expects to invite about three Fellows, each starting between 1 September 2027 and 1 March 2028.
Benefits & funding
- Monthly stipend of JPY 400,000, covering living and research expenses.
- Monthly dependent allowance of JPY 10,000 per certified accompanying dependent.
- Round-trip discount economy-class air ticket (only a one-way return ticket for Fellows already in Japan before the start).
- Settling-in allowance of JPY 250,000 and departure allowance of JPY 50,000; these are normally not paid to Fellows already living in Japan before the start or staying on after the end.
- Overseas traveler’s insurance arranged by the Japan Foundation.
- Shared office space, library, and computers at Nichibunken, plus a host advisor assigned by Nichibunken.
- Fellows may apply for a room at Nichibunken House at their own cost; a place is not guaranteed.
- The Fellowship cannot be extended beyond the approved term.
Eligibility
- A PhD held at the time of application and awarded within six years as of 1 April 2027, whatever the applicant’s current job status.
- Nationality or permanent residency in a country or area that has diplomatic relations with Japan. Applicants from Russia must first contact the Japan Foundation office in Moscow and follow its instructions.
- Research on Japanese culture from an international, interdisciplinary perspective, using humanities or social-science methods. Natural sciences, medicine, and engineering are excluded.
- Good health, working ability in Japanese or English, and the ability to stay in Japan continuously for the whole term.
- Not eligible: anyone who will have held resident status in Japan continuously for one year or more as of 1 April 2027, or who will hold another award covering travel to and living costs in Japan for the same period.
- Not eligible: projects aimed mainly at language or technical training, Japanese teaching materials, traditional arts training such as tea ceremony or flower arrangement, or political or religious ends.
- Applicants may not apply to other Japan Foundation invitation programs at the same time, except the Japanese Studies Fellowship (Scholars and Researchers, Long-Term) and the JF-JSA-ASEAN Fellowship (Researchers, Long-Term).
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Eligible nationalities
USA · Canada · Mexico · Guatemala · Costa Rica · Nicaragua · Honduras · El Salvador · Panama · Belize · Cuba · Haiti
+ 219 more
Jamaica · Bahamas · Barbados · Dominican Republic · Dominica · Grenada · Antigua and Barbuda · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Trinidad and Tobago · Anguilla · Aruba · Bermuda · Bonaire · Saba · Sint Eustatius · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Curaçao · Montserrat · Puerto Rico · Guadeloupe · Sint Maarten · Turks and Caicos Islands · US Virgin Islands · Greenland · Brazil · Argentina · Chile · Colombia · Peru · Ecuador · Paraguay · Bolivia · Uruguay · Venezuela · Guyana · Suriname · Falkland Islands · UK · France · Germany · Italy · Spain · Portugal · Netherlands · Belgium · Luxembourg · Switzerland · Austria · Sweden · Norway · Denmark · Finland · Iceland · Faroe Islands · Gibraltar · Guernsey · Jersey · Isle of Man · Åland Islands · Svalbard and Jan Mayen · Ireland · Poland · Czechia · Hungary · Romania · Serbia · Greece · Bulgaria · Estonia · Latvia · Lithuania · Ukraine · Russia · Albania · Andorra · Belarus · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Croatia · Cyprus · Kosovo · Liechtenstein · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · North Macedonia · San Marino · Slovakia · Slovenia · Vatican City · China · Hong Kong · Macau · Taiwan · South Korea · Singapore · Malaysia · Thailand · Vietnam · Indonesia · Philippines · India · Nepal · Brunei · Pakistan · Bangladesh · UAE · Saudi Arabia · Israel · Türkiye · Mongolia · Cambodia · Laos · Myanmar · Timor-Leste · Sri Lanka · Bhutan · Afghanistan · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bahrain · Georgia · Iran · Iraq · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Lebanon · Maldives · Oman · Qatar · Syria · Tajikistan · Turkmenistan · Uzbekistan · Yemen · South Africa · Kenya · Nigeria · Egypt · Morocco · Ghana · Uganda · Cameroon · Algeria · Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · Côte d'Ivoire · DR Congo · Republic of the Congo · Djibouti · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Gabon · Gambia · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Rwanda · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Sudan · Sudan · Tanzania · Togo · Tunisia · Zambia · Zimbabwe · Saint Helena · Australia · New Zealand · Fiji · Papua New Guinea · Samoa · Solomon Islands · Tonga · Vanuatu · Kiribati · Marshall Islands · Micronesia · Nauru · Palau · Tuvalu · American Samoa · Cook Islands · French Polynesia · Guam · New Caledonia · Northern Mariana Islands · Pitcairn Islands · Niue · Tokelau · Wallis and Futuna
Education required
PhD
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Application process
- 1Download the FY2027 guidelines and application form from the Nichibunken fellowships page.
- 2Complete the form in Japanese or English: background, a project summary of up to two pages with a timeline of activities in Japan, mid- to long-term goals, about 10 relevant publications, why Nichibunken, and your planned contribution to its international exchange.
- 3Fill in the top box of two recommendation forms and send them to your referees: one research supervisor or head of your institution, and one person at an institution in Japan other than the Japan Foundation.
- 4Email the signed application form to JF-Nichibunken@jpf.go.jp by 1 December 2026 (Japan time). Each referee emails a signed form directly to the same address by the same date.
- 5Shortlisted applicants are invited by 15 January 2027 to an online interview of about 20 minutes in late January 2027. Final results arrive by email on 1 April 2027.
Program timeline
Application and both recommendation forms due (Japan time)
1 December 2026
Interview invitations emailed to shortlisted applicants
By 15 January 2027
Online interviews
Late January 2027
Final results emailed
1 April 2027
Fellowship must begin within this window
1 September 2027 – 1 March 2028
6–24 months after the start
Fellowship ends, depending on the approved term