“Biri Gal” at Japan Society

Author Talk & Signing: Meet Real-Life Biri Gal Sayaka Kobayashi

Thursday, February 27 at 7:00 p.m.

Japan Society – 333 E. 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)

Admission: $25 | $23 Seniors, Students, and Persons with Disabilities | $20 Japan Society Members

Sayaka Kobayashi is the real-life inspiration behind the 2015 Japanese movie Flying Colors (Biri Gal / ビリギャル), which is based on her journey from a troubled middle school student on the verge of expulsion to passing one of Japan’s most difficult university entrance exams. Now, on the 10th anniversary of this beloved film, Japan Society presents Kobayashi for a talk about her life, career, writing and motivation.

Sayaka Kobayashi

About Sayaka Kobayashi

Struggling with poor academic performance throughout high school, Kobayashi dedicated herself to an intense study regimen for a year and a half, and after tremendous effort, she succeeded in securing admission to the prestigious Keio University. Her story became the best-selling book The Story of a Gal at the Bottom of her School Year who Raised her Standard Score by 40 Points in One Year and Got Accepted into Keio University, written by her dedicated tutor, Nobutaka Tsubota. This book, which has sold more than one million copies, led to Flying Colors (Biri Gal / ビリギャル).

Since her Keio success, Kobayashi earned a master’s degree in cognitive science from Columbia University in 2024, and she has recently written the book How I Fell in Love with Learning, a guide that explores the essential elements for effective learning.

To purchase tickets to this event, please visit Japan Society’s website. Our friends at Japan Society are offering JapanCultureNYC members a discount to this event! Members will receive a separate email with the code for $10 tickets. Not member of JapanCultureNYC? Join now by going to https://www.japanculture-nyc.com/membership.

How I Fell in Love with Learning by Sayaka Kobayashi

About the Book

How I Fell in Love with Learning (私はこうして勉強にハマった) was published by Sanctuary Publishing in Japan in July 2024. Sayaka Kobayashi unpacks her success story through the lens of cognitive science, drawing on insights gained at Columbia University. The book explores three essential elements for effective learning: strong motivation, the right strategies and study methods and a supportive environment that sustains the learner’s enthusiasm. By focusing on these key factors, How I Fell in Love with Learning offers a practical guide to study techniques for anyone. The book is accessible to everyone from middle school students to parents and educators, providing tools to improve academic performance alongside guidance on fostering a love of learning and confidence-building.

Autographs and Book Sales

Attendees of Japan Society’s Sayaka Kobayashi talk and signing will be able to purchase copies of How I Fell in Love with Learning at the event or bring books from home for a signing session following the author’s talk. Please note How I Fell in Love with Learning is available only in Japanese.

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Conference to Examine Leadership transitions in U.S. and Japan

Elections Aftermath: Exploring Opportunities and Challenges in U.S.-Japan Relations

Monday, November 18 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Joseph D. Jamail Lecture Hall, Pulitzer Hall, Columbia Journalism School – 2950 Broadway

Admission: Free

In a world marked by growing political volatility and escalating U.S.-China rivalry, the United States and Japan face a crucial opportunity to collaborate under new leadership to maintain and strengthen peace and stability in East Asia and beyond. Co-sponsored by Columbia University and Keio University, this full-day conference will convene top experts on East Asian and global politics to explore the challenges and opportunities arising from leadership transitions in both Tokyo and Washington and discuss how the two allies can shape the security and political dynamics of the Korean Peninsula, in Southeast Asia, across the Taiwan Strait, and the International Order.

The speakers will examine how the U.S.-Japan partnership can navigate these complexities and shape a cooperative future in an increasingly intricate global landscape.

This event is hosted by the Weatherhead East Asian Institute and co-sponsored by China and the World Program, Columbia Journalism School, Keio Center for Strategy, and Keio Institute of East Asian Studies.

For non-Columbia affiliates, registration is required to access the Morningside campus. Registering here will generate an email with a QR code which must be presented along with a government-issued ID (your name must match exactly the name registered for the event) at either 116 Street & Broadway or 116 Street & Amsterdam gates for entry. Please register by Friday, November 15 at 4:00 p.m. for campus access.

Agenda

9:00-9:10 a.m. Welcome Remarks

• Duy Linh Nguyen Tu, Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Professional Practice, Columbia University

• Lien-Hang Nguyen, Director, Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University

• Yuichi Hosoya, Director, Keio Center for Strategy, Keio University 

9:10-9:20 a.m. Opening Videos

9:20-10:40 a.m. Session 1 U.S.-Japan-South Korea Relations after the Elections

• Junya Nishino, Professor of Political Science, Faculty of Law and Politics, Keio University

• Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, Global Senior Advisor, McLarty Associates

• Scott Snyder, President & CEO, Korea Economic Institute of America

• Carol Gluck, George Sansom Professor Emerita of History, Columbia University

• Gerald Curtis, Burgess Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Columbia University (moderator)

10:50-12:10 p.m. Session 2 Japan and the U.S. in Southeast Asia after the Elections

• Ambassador Derek Mitchell, Senior Advisor, Center for Strategic and International Studies

• Ambassador Masafumi Ishii, Special Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Law, Gakushuin University

• Ken Jimbo, Managing Director, International House of Japan; Professor, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University​

• Lien-Hang Nguyen, Dorothy Borg Associate Professor of the History of American-East Asian Relations, Columbia University

• Ann Marie Murphy, Professor, School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University (moderator)

12:10-1:00 p.m. Lunch Break

1:00-2:20 p.m. Session 3 China, Taiwan, and the U.S.-Japan Alliance after the Elections

• Andrew J. Nathan, Class of 1919 Professor of Political Science, Columbia University

• Thomas Christensen, James T. Shotwell Professor of International Relations, Columbia University

• Satoru Mori, Professor, Faculty of Law, Keio University

• Ayumi Teraoka, Postdoctoral Research Scholar and Lecturer, Columbia University

• George Miller, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs and Adjunct Professor, Columbia’s Journalism School (moderator)

2:30-3:50 p.m. Session 4 Global Politics and International Order after the Elections

• Yuichi Hosoya, Professor, Faculty of Law, Keio University

• Michito Tsuruoka, Associate Professor, Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University

• Stephen Biddle, Professor of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University

• Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Maurice R. Greenberg Senior Fellow for China Studies, Council on Foreign Relations

• Merit Janow, Professor of Practice in International Economic Law and International Affairs, Columbia University (moderator)

3:50-4:00 p.m. Closing Remarks

Conference Adjourn

Click here for a full list of speaker bios.

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