The art collective TeamLab will hold the TeamLab Fukuyama Castle Festival of Light event at Fukuyama Castle in Hiroshima Prefecture from December 2, 2022 to January 29, 2023. The exhibition will transform the stone walls, the tower, and the outside of the iconic castle, which is currently celebrating its 400th anniversary. Light art will transform the space in different ways depending on the number of guests and the weather. 

In August 2022, Fukuyama Castle recieved a major restoration with iron paneling installed on the north side, the only such restorative technique used on a Japanese castle to date. As guests walk around the keep, the included musical experience will change according to your walking speed and pace.

teamLab <Castle Tower> 

The stone walls of Fukuyama Castle will depict animals shaped by flowers as they continuously die and are reborn. When guests touch the flowers, they disperse; if they continue to touch and the flowers disperse too much, the animal dies and disappears.

Built during the Edo period, the castle survived the Meiji Restoration but was damaged heavily in WWII.

teamLab <Animals of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives in the Stone Wall>

Ovoids made of light sit at the bottom of the castle. When pushed by a person or blown by the wind, these unique creations will change color and interact with the nearly ovoids, which will change to the same color and make a similar tone.

teamLab <Resisting and Resonating Ovoids on the Stones of Oblivion>

In the Sketch Generals section, visitors can draw historical warlords associated with Fukuyama Castle, including Katsunari Mineno, the first lord of the Fukuyama domain and builder of Fukuyama Castle, Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, Nagamasa Kuroda, Ieyasu Tokugawa, and Masahiro Abe. When the generals are touched, famous quotes appear in speech bubbles!

In addition, visitors can turn their own drawings of generals into pins that they can take home as souvenirs!

teamLab <Sketch Generals>

teamLab <Sketch Factory>

Several other works will be exhibited around the castle during the event as well.

The castle tower was designated a National Treasure in the early Showa era but was destroyed by fire in an air raid during World War II. It was rebuilt in 1966. 

teamLab’s Digitized City project has become popular across the world, allowing the art collective to utilize real-world locales to display artworks without damaging or altering the location chosen.

With its lengthy history, Fukuyama Castle is a magnificent canvas, transforming as both visitors and nature interact with the lights. People, animals, nature, and art can live side by side, without boundaries. Wouldn’t you like to come to visit this winter?

teamLab <Walk, Walk, Walk -Fukuyama Castle>

©チームラボ

Orders are now open for some tasty chocolates inspired by the many handsome characters from Touken Ranbu ONLINE! These sweets come in decorative tins, and while they can be ordered now from Premium Bandai, they will also be available in supermarkets and other shops starting December 26, 2022.

Chocolate Tins / Touken Ranbu ONLINE

These tins feature many popular characters, and customers can choose from Yamanbagiri Chogi, Nankaitarou Chouson & Hizen Tadahiro, Suishinshi Masahide & Minamoto Kiyomaro, Kokindenjunotachi & Jizou Yukihira, or Ichimonji Norimune. These gorgeous tins contain three types of chocolate: rolled chocolate, fan-shaped chocolate printed with the swordsman’s crest and motif, and cherry-blossomed-shaped strawberry chocolate.

Assorted Chocolate Tin / Touken Ranbu ONLINE

These assorted chocolate tins are available in four designs. The first depicts Mikazuki Munechika, Kogitsunemaru, Ishikirimaru, Iwatooshi, and Imanotsurugi. The second features Kashuu Kiyomitsu and Yamatonokami Yasusada, while the third depicts Taikogane Sadamune, Shokudaikiri Mitsutada, Ookurikara, and Kuninaga Tsurumaru. The fourth shows Higekiri and Hizamaru. The chocolates in each tin are inspired by these characters, and these would make perfect gifts for fans of the mobile and online game.

Variety Chocolate Tin / Touken Ranbu ONLINE

Those who can’t choose a favorite character will want to snag one of these assorted tins, filled with familiar faces from the series. Grabbing all three will net you all 101 swordsmen!

(C)2015 EXNOA LLC/NITRO PLUS

From October 21 until November 30, 2022, Hilton Tokyo Odaiba will hold the Touken Ranbu ONLINE Special Buffet ~Black & White~ event! This second collaboration with the popular series will be held Grillogy Bar and Grill on the second floor.

Dessert Menu

Drink Menu

Drink Order Bonus: Original Coaster (8 varieties)

At the buffet, guests can enjoy luxurious dishes inspired by characters from the sword-centered game and anime series. The desserts blend Japanese and Western cuisine, and special cocktails will be available during the first phase, each coming with a special coaster as a bonus! In addition, original goods will be on sale at the venue, so don’t miss it!

Shohaku Art Museum in Nara will be exhibiting works by Uemura Shoen, Shoko, and Atsushi from September 6 until November 27. This will include sketches and rare works by these classical Japanese artists, many of which will be shown for the first time in two years.

Hanagatami. Uemura Shoen, 1915

Hanagatami (Rough Sketch) Uemura Shoen, 1915

Yang Guifei. Uemura Shoen, 1922

Tsudumi no Oto. Uemura Shoen, 1940

Flowers and Birds of the Four Seasons. Atsushi Uemura, 2010. 

The museum has a large number of valuable materials in its collection, including drafts, miniatures, and drawings by Shoen and Shoko. Even the drafts by Shoen are meticulously crafted, down to each and every crease in the kimonos. By viewing the original sketches with the final paintings, guests can feel the emotion that went into them. The exhibition also provides a glimpse of how Shoko and Atsushi deepened their understanding of their subjects through sketching. Fans of Japanese artwork shouldn’t miss this valuable exhibition!

The long-running teamLab Borderless exhibition at the Mori Building Digital Art Museum in Odaiba, Tokyo will close on August 31, 2022. It has now been announced that the exhibition will be moving to the Toranomon-Azabudai Project, which is scheduled to be completed and opened in 2023. The new location will further evolve the teamLab Borderless concepts of space, exploration, and discovery.

teamLab Borderless at Toranomon-Azabudai Project in Tokyo ©teamLab

teamLab Borderless opened in Odaiba in June 2018, and was called a ‘museum without a map.’ In its first year, the museum welcomed 2.3 million visitors, the largest number of visitors for a single artist’s museum in the world. Visitors from more than 160 countries and regions around the world came to explore the unique location, and the museum has received numerous national and international awards, including being named one of the World’s Greatest Places 2019 by Time Magazine and receiving a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement at the 25th Annual Thea Awards.

teamLab Borderless also opened a location in Shanghai in 2019. Future openings are planned for Hamburg and Jeddah.

From July 23 until September 25, 2022, the world’s first exhibition of Yayoi Kusama prints will be on display at the Matsumoto City Museum of Art in Nagano Prefecture. During this special event, fans will be able to see some of her earliest works, including her Ai wa Tokoshie (Love is Forever) series and ukiyo-e prints of Mount Fuji.

Yayoi Kusama was born in 1929 and has become a world-renowned avant-garde artist. Kusama is originally from Matsumoto.

In 1993, Kusama made her debut on the world stage at the 45th Venice Biennale, cementing her as one of Japan’s top artists. Early in her career, the artist actively worked on making prints, many of which will be on display at the museum. 

In 1979, Kusama’s works Going to the Field with Shoes on and Standing on the Visionary Field were put on display. Artwork is not only a hobby or interest to Kusama, but a lifeline–the artist has gone on record many times stating that “if not for art, I would have killed myself a long time ago.” Many of her works pull from the idea of life and death, and this trend began when Kusama returned to Japan after living abroad for a number of years. Along with the abstract nature of her earlier works, Kusama also heavily incorporates motifs into her pieces, from pumpkins and dresses to hats and grapes. Many recognize her works instantly due to her use of polka dots.

The black-and-white motif present in her earlier works is a far cry from the more colorful pieces that she has become known for around the world. For those in the United States, exhibitions featuring the artist’s unique Infinity Rooms have become a staple, popping up in New York, Louisiana, Washington D.C., and many other locations.

Come fall in love with the artistic world of Yayoi Kusama at this exclusive exhibition.

Starting on July 6, Yumeji Art Museum in Okayama Prefecture started a special exhibition highlighting both the works of Yumeji Takehisa, a poet and artist active in the early 1900s, and Hiromi Matsuo, a popular Okayama-based illustrator known for her colorful depictions of Taisho-era women in an anime style. 

Yumeji Takehisa (1884-1934) was a poet and painter known as the representative of Taisho Romanticism. His illustrations of beautiful women are still loved today, and his works also included book covers, newspaper illustrations, postcards, and patterned washi paper. This collaboration will truly transport you to another time. 

Yumeji Art Museum Special Exhibition – Yumeji Takehisa x Hiromi Matsuo

Tanabata (Cover of Fujin Graph) –  Yumeji Takehisa / FANTASIA – Hiromi Matsuo

Come enjoy a timeless moment away from the hustle and bustle surrounded by gorgeous art.

The Nakamura Keith Haring Collection in Yamanashi Prefecture will be holding a celebratory exhibition in honor of the location’s 15th anniversary from May 14, 2022 until May 7, 2023.

In April 2007, the Nakamura Keith Haring Collection opened in Kobuchisawa, located at the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake. The only museum in the world dedicated entirely to New York-based artist Keith Haring, Kazuo Nakamura collected the works and acts as the director of the museum. Over 300 works of art are on display along with 500 other pieces, from photographs and videos to merchandise. The new exhibition features approximately 150 works.

Three Lithographs (People Ladder), 1985

Icons (Radiant Baby), 1990

Untitled, 1984

Untitled, 1988

Untitled (Subway Drawing), 1981-1983

The ‘Chaos and Hope’ exhibition was originally held during the museum’s first year of operation and looks back at Haring’s first experiences in New York City in 1978. The artist was present at the dawn of the hip-hop movement and was struck by the clash between typical white art and underground minority artists. In only five years, Haring rose to stardom. Sadly, while traveling the world, he contracted AIDS, passing away at the age of 31. Behind the bright and cheerful artwork he left behind, he hid his inner suffering and desire for hope and freedom.

All Keith Haring Artwork ©Keith Haring Foundation
Courtesy of Nakamura Keith Haring Collection.

Touken Ranbu has become a worldwide phenomenon over the past decade. The handsome characters are a hit with female fans, and now, PARCO is teaming up with Sanrio to reimagine everyone’s favorite swords-turned-dudes into chibi, pastel versions of themselves. Fans can enjoy seeing the kawaii form of their favorite characters at a special collaboration cafe coming to Shibuya and Nagoya soon.

Lineup at a Glance

Menu

Kogitsunemaru’s Lunch Plate for Kids

Oodenta Mitsuyo and Sohayanotsurugi’s Mini Burger Plate

Izuminokami Kanesada and Horikawa Kunihiro’s Berry Pancakes

Konnosuke’s Fruit Parfait

Goods

Acrylic Pick A (20 varieties): ¥440 each

Acrylic Pick B (20 varieties): ¥440 each

Acrylic Magnet Round 2, Set A (Random, 20 varieties): ¥550 each

Acrylic Magnet Round 2, Set B (Random, 20 varieties): ¥550 each

The cafe will offer an original menu inspired by the characters from the free-to-play video game and anime series. A shop attached to the collaboration cafe will also be selling original merchandise, so fans won’t want to miss stocking up.

From January 5 until February 13, 2022, the Museum of Japanese Art Yamato Bunkakan in Nara will feature a large exhibition of Japanese pottery, spanning from the Jomon period to the present day. 

Important Cultural Property – Painted Platter (Imari Ware) / Yamato Bunkakan Collection

Celadon Porcelain Vase – By Soubei Kinkouzan (Taisho Period) / Privately Owned

The exhibition will feature both potteries from the museum’s collection and those held by private individuals. The history of pottery in Japan began in the Jomon period around 14,500 BCE, and this earthenware eventually evolved into Sue ware, formed on a potter’s wheel. The Nara period saw the emergence of glazed ceramics. During the Momoyama period (1573-1603), the world of pottery was revitalized with the popularity of the tea ceremony. During the Edo period (1603-1868), porcelain was first successfully fired in Arita, and these pieces became popular throughout Japan. Painting on ceramics also became popular during this period, and although pottery saw less popularity after the Meiji Restoration, it has since evolved in different ways with more modern technology. 

Sporting goods retailer Alpen has begun selling items from the PUMA and Touken Ranbu collaboration. This is the first collection between the PC/smartphone game and the beloved worldwide brand. Items will be available online and at the Harajuku Cat Street PUMA store. 

Brave Sword-bearers: Kiyomitsu Kashuu, Yasusada Yamatonokami, Kanesada Izuminokami, Kunihiro Horikawa, Kotetsu Nagasone

Touken Ranbu Brave Hoodie

Touken Ranbu Brave T-shirt

Confident Sword-bearers: Toushirou Yagen, Samonji Souza, Hasebe Heshikiri, Yukimitsu Fudou

Touken Ranbu Confident Hoodie

Touken Ranbu Confident T-shirt

Determined Sword-bearers: Gou Kotegiri, Gou Buzen, Gou Kuwana, Gou Matsui, Gou Murakumo

Touken Ranbu Determined Hoodie

Touken Ranbu Determined T-shirt

Joyful Sword-bearers: Sadamune Taikogane, Mitsutada Shokudaikiri, Hiromitsu Ookurikara, Kuninaga Tsurumaru

Touken Ranbu Joyful Hoodie

Touken Ranbu Joyful T-shirt

The Touken Ranbu game series portrays famed swords from Japanese history as handsome male characters who can be led into battle. For the PUMA collaboration, popular characters have been integrated into one of PUMA’s four brand values–Brave, Confident, Determined, and Joyful. Fans will notice each character’s image color and crest included in the apparel. 

KAMU k=k, the sixth space in the private contemporary art museum KAMU Kanazawa, will officially open on December 17, 2021. The location was created as a multi-purpose exhibition space, and it’s first project will be ‘TALISMAN in the Woods’ by Ayako Suwa, active in the field of food art. The work is seat in Hakusan and Kanazawa and revolves around the themes of nature, cities, and water circulation.

TALISMAN in the woods ©Ayako Suwa Courtesy of KAMU kanazawa 

In the year and a half since its opening in 2020, KAMU Kanazawa has continued to inspire with unique spaces inspired by artist’s individuality. The opening of ‘KAMU tatami’ in October made a big splash, and ‘KAMU k=k’ will only be a limited space for around four years. This follows the museums philosophy that the role and shape of a city changes over time, meaning that the museum should change along with it. 

KAMU k≐k Courtesy of KAMU kanazaw

The space is five meters high, and seven meters wide and deep, giving a theater-like atmosphere. Giving a wildly different impression than it’s surroundings, visitors can enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime art experience. 

TALISMAN in the woods ©Ayako Suwa Courtesy of KAMU kanazawa 

The first exhibition held in “k≐k” will be “TALISMAN in the Woods” by Ayako Suwa. Ripples will spread outside of the museum, following the theme of water circulation. Visitors will be asked to pay attention to how nature silently impacts daily life, and will be inspired to create connections with the world around them. In this exhibition, Suwa will share insight on water from Hakusan, a city supplying water to huge areas of Ishikawa Prefecture. This three-dimensional work was created by the artist during 2020 during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic. Using Cedar branches and leaves from Hakusan, the installation is on a massive scale consistent with the new space.After the exhibition, the talismans displayed in the work will be returned to the soil of Hakusan to connect the exhibition with local nature. 

©Ayako Suwa Courtesy of food creation

©Ayako Suwa Courtesy of food creation

Through crowdfunding, guests can snag a piece of Suwa’s work along with other special items. In addition to simply owning a piece of art, upon the death of these talismans, guests can participate in the ritual of returning these pieces to the forest. 

TALISMAN ©Ayako Suwa Courtesy of food creation