The article is dedicated to the anniversary of the Doctor of Philology, Head of the Department of Foreign Languages and Linguistics of the St. Petersburg State University of Culture, a famous Japanologist, Irina Isaevna Bass. The author is her colleague, an honored lecturer of Moscow State University, who was awarded the prestigious award of Japan – the Order of the Rising Sun with Golden Rays, recalls joint meetings with the hero of the day. The article contains a brief overview of scientific publications by I.I. Bass, as well as the grateful memories of her former students.