Biography
Born in Tokyo, Japan, Jun Imai lived in California for 8 years and was an Asian Region Representative for the International Theatresports Institute’s Board of Directors for 8 years. He is an approved ITI instructor. He teaches an extensively throughout Japan and has taught in the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong, China and Dubai.
He has studied acting with various teachers, specifically Method Acting with Frank Casaro, Artistic Director of the Actor’s Studio, and improvisation with Keith Johnstone, creator of Theatresports. He has had the pleasure of being the simultaneous interpreter for method acting and improv workshops led by Keith Johnstone, Roberta Wallach, Lyn Pierce, Dennis Cahill, Shawn Kinley, Steve Jarand, and Mark Lamb.
He has been coaching and directing improv since 1995 and since 2005 he has directed and produced shows at the Tokyo Comedy Store and Studio Gokko, both in Shibuya, Tokyo. With a cast of over thirty talented improvisors, TCS is one of Japan’s premiere improv groups. He tours Japan regularly, and has taught improv, method acting, and trance mask throughout the world. He can teach in English or Japanese.
A prolific writer, he published “It’s Hard to be Free- an Impro Manual” based on his experience with bringing improv to the Japanese in 2006. It’s been a long-term best-seller in the theater community since then. He followed up in 2009 and 2010 with the three-volume “Japanese Who’ve Begun to Improvise: Keith Johnstone’s Impro”, and “Keith Johnstone in Japan” in 2013. Imai’s books have earned him praise as a thoughtful and incisive teacher and director.
In addition to directing at TCS, he teaches impro, scripted acting, and mask workshops through his own company, in the moment, ltd., and for well-known actors and Tokyo talent agencies. He has worked with both new and well-know film and television actors in Japan. He feels strongly that “life is impro theatre” and that Japanese actors and Japanese society as a whole can benefit from what impro has to offer. He is currently working on books on life as impro theatre and another on how to avoid depression. He hopes to bridge the gap between this most Western of arts and traditional Eastern philosophy.
More information: itmimpro.com
Jun’s Workshops
Zen and the Art of Improvisation (6 hours) – workshop to show
Zen teaches us to be present, to let go of judgment, and to trust what arises in the moment. In this workshop, Jun Imai explores how these principles align with improvisation. Through silence, awareness, and simple exercises, you will discover how freeing the mind of fear and expectation opens the door to authentic creativity and effortless play. Impro becomes more than performance — it becomes a practice of presence.
Behind the Mask: Discovering the Self Beyond the Self (6 hours)
For six hours, step into a transformative journey with Jun Imai through the world of trance masks. Drawing on the teachings of Keith Johnstone, Jun introduces participants to masks he has personally carved and created using Japanese washi paper and sand clay. Each mask holds a unique style and spirit, guiding you into new characters, impulses, and states of being. By putting on a mask, you may find freedom from the limits of your everyday identity — and discover creativity that flows from somewhere deeper, stranger, and more alive.
Beyond Fear: Unlocking Spontaneity in Impro (3 hours)
Fear is the greatest block to creativity. In this workshop, Jun Imai invites participants to explore what lies beyond fear and self-judgment. Through improv exercises that emphasize presence, impulse, and trust, you will discover how letting go of fear opens the door to authentic expression and play. By stepping out of your own way, you can unlock true freedom — both on stage and in life.
In the Zone: Discovering Flow in Improvisation (3 hours)
Improvisation is most powerful when we are fully present. In this workshop, Jun Imai guides participants into “the zone” — that state of flow where thoughts disappear and authentic connection emerges. Through exercises that heighten awareness, trust, and spontaneity, you will experience what it means to be truly here and now. By learning to respond instead of plan, you’ll discover the joy of improvising freely, with presence as your foundation.
Worlds Within Worlds: Imagination Meets Realism (3 hours)
Improvisation moves between the fantastic and the everyday. In this workshop, Jun Imai invites participants to play at both extremes: creating vivid imaginary worlds while also exploring the power of realism on stage. Through guided exercises, you will learn how to balance heightened imagination with truthful presence, and discover how these two approaches can enrich one another. The result is improvisation that feels both boundless and deeply human.
