Society for Atmospheric Studies Inaugural Conference Kobe 2026

New Frontiers and Possibilities in Atmospheric Studies

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The conference

Over two and a half days, scholars, artists and practitioners gather in Kobe to explore the expanding horizons of Atmospheric Studies — and to formally found the Society for Atmospheric Studies. The program tests how far the idea of atmosphere can travel across disciplines, media and cultures: mood, ambiance, Stimmung, 氣氛, 雰囲気.

During the conference, the Society for Atmospheric Studies (SOFAS) will be formally launched. Supported by the JSPS Core-to-Core Program and organised by KOIAS — the Kobe Institute for Atmospheric Studies — the Society seeks to break through conventional cultural and intellectual boundaries, studying atmospheres as often hidden yet powerful and multifaceted phenomena that shape human experience in its lived-bodily relatedness to the lifeworld.

Read the full announcement ↗

Dates & venues

When

24–26 September 2026

View the program →

Where

ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Kobe
& Kobe University

Format

In person · online viewing · free

Talks in person only · online viewing in JST (GMT+9)

Attend & register

The full program is online. The conference is free and open to all — attend in person in Kobe, or watch the live stream (JST, GMT+9).

For attendance & online viewing · presenter applications are closed

Hosted by

Kobe Institute for Atmospheric Studies

The conference is convened by KOIAS — the Kobe Institute for Atmospheric Studies at Kobe University. The Kobe Institute for Atmospheric Studies (KOIAS) was launched in 2022 to establish and develop Atmospheric Studies as a new interdisciplinary academic field. Our research spans intellectual and cultural boundaries, exploring various phenomena related to ATMOSPHERE, including “mood” (English), “ambiance” (French), “Stimmung” (German), “氣氛” (qìfēn, Chinese), and “雰囲気” (fun’iki, Japanese).

Visit KOIAS ↗

Partners & sponsors