UkiyoUkiyo
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who we are

About Ukiyo

Ukiyo (浮世) means "the floating world" in Japanese: a world of beauty, transience, and the present moment. That's us.

A community built around connection, creativity and feeling a little more human.

We talk about mental health when things get difficult. But what about all the little things that shape how we feel, think and connect every single day? That is where Ukiyo comes in: a third space to talk, question, learn and understand ourselves and each other better.

Sometimes, we have conversations nobody usually starts. Other times, we are accusing each other of murder at Mafia, making art that belongs nowhere near a gallery, or watching a movie and debating it like our lives depend on it.

It started on 26 December 2020 as Project Ukiyo, a youth-led initiative run online, with webinars led by psychologists in the UK and Australia. Since then we have run sessions with colleges, turned those first webinars into Aaina, our 15-day self-reflection program, and grown to more than 100 volunteers and an extended community of over 2,000 people. Today we host small gatherings across Delhi.

We are not here to turn every interaction into a serious conversation. We are here to make room for all of it.

A little reflection. A little ridiculousness. A lot more connection.

The Ukiyo approach

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Come as you are

You do not need to know anyone beforehand or arrive with a group.

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Connection without pressure

Hosted activities help conversation happen naturally. Sharing is always a choice.

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More than small talk

Room for laughter, curiosity, reflection and real conversations.

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Small moments matter

A good afternoon does not have to be extraordinary to mean something.

The journey

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Dec 2020

Ukiyo is born

Founded on 26 December 2020 in Delhi as a youth mental health initiative, by four people with a vision.

Jul to Nov 2021

Aaina begins

Our signature program started as webinars led by psychologists from the UK and Australia, on emotional hygiene, leading a team, and mental strength.

2021 onwards

Campus groups

We built small groups through colleges, with sessions reaching students across India, the UK and Australia.

Nov 2022

Our first offline event

A session with Friends Corner from Hindu College and Project Jazbaat from Motilal Nehru College: stories, activities, games, and a lot less 'log kya kahenge'.

Dec 2022

Ukiyo turns two

From four people to a family of about 70 across human resources, peer support, planning, design, content, social media and business development.

Mar 2023

Our first fest

In the Moment: Slice of Art, Fastest Friend First, an Open Mic, and a whole afternoon of being present.

Oct 2023

Imposter syndrome panel

An online panel with psychologist Vasundhara Gupta and Aditi Trivedi on never feeling good enough.

Mar 2025

Her Screen, Her Story

A film screening and a conversation afterwards about what we saw and what it stirred up.

Aug 2025

SPECTRA

An art session with a professional therapist, run with Nurture Counselling.

Oct 2025

Self-care with Nyay'ri and BTI

A wellness session for young people, run with two NGOs we admire.

Apr 2026

Starting again

Our Instagram was hacked and years of posts and memories were lost. We rebuilt it from zero and kept going.

May to Jun 2026

Sharing circles and the first Craft & Rant

Small circles at USCO Cafe in Shahpur Jat, and flower lamps made out of daily frustrations.

Summer 2026

Slow Chatty Sundays

Sharing circles, movie talks and Mafia brunches at FabCafe, Lajpat Nagar.

Oct to Nov 2026

Bad Art, Good Chat and Witchy Karaoke

An afternoon of deliberately bad art, then a Halloween karaoke day for the Bollywood and pop girlies.

our signature program

Aaina

aaina (आईना): a mirror

Fifteen days of looking inward, together. Each cohort is a small group of 20 to 30 people who go through the same sessions side by side, and every one is shaped around the people in it. We worked with psychologists to build it, and kept it to the basics most of us were never taught.

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Boundaries

What yours are, how to say them out loud, and how to hold them without the guilt.

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Listening

Hearing someone fully, without waiting for your turn to talk.

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Empathy

Staying with someone else's feelings, and your own, a little longer.

Curious about the next cohort? Ask in our WhatsApp community and we will point you the right way.

In numbers

small numbers that mean a lot to us

Dec 2020

When Ukiyo began, with four people and a vision

100+

Volunteers who have been part of the team

2,000+

People in our extended community

30+

College internship fairs we have shown up at

15

Days in Aaina, our self-reflection program

UK + AU

Psychologists who have spoken with our community