DANDELION PROJECT Comes to Hikone Castle in Shiga Prefecture

11.November.2021 | SPOT

NAKED’S DANDELION PROJECT is coming to Shiga Prefecture’s Hikone Castle! The National Treasure site will display the digital art on the castle’s stone tower starting November 27, 2021. This comes as a collaboration with Kinki Nippon Tourist. Since its launch in 2020, the DANDELION PROJECT has opened 16 locations around the world, with over 650,000 visitors participating in both the local and online exhibitions. 

 

The DANDELION PROJECT is inspired by the idea of world peace and hopes to help transcend barriers and connect people in an increasingly divided world. This networked initiative wants to bring this change about by planting (or installing) dandelion-inspired art around the world, while it invites people visiting these dandelion exhibits to send their prayers for peace as a digital flower in real-time. Current installations include Tokyo Tower and Saga Prefectural Exhibition Hall. 

 

Starting on November 6, 2021, Hikone Castle is now open to the public during nighttime hours. The castle overlooks Lake Biwa and is filled with 400-year-old charm. Visitors are welcome to send their wishes and prayers to the world and to hope for a better new year. 

 

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    <NAKED Yorusampo™ -Tomioka->

    ‘NAKED Yorusanpo™’ is an outdoor immersive night walk concept by NAKED. Previously, the unique event has been held in various regions, including the Ikaho Onsen town in Gunma Prefecture and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Zuiganji Temple in Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, to promote the nighttime economy of different areas. Even in tourist destinations where businesses tend to close early at night, this event breathes new life into the city’s landmarks through illuminations and projection mapping, allowing tourists to make the most of their evenings and supporting measures for dispersed tourism.

     

    Experience NAKED’s grand projection mapping, lantern art, and Flower Fortune while enjoying the night at Tomioka Silk Mill, a national treasure and UNESCO World Heritage site.

     

     

    <Tomioka Silk Fantasia

    On October 14 and 15, guests can enjoy live music and a fashion show on a special stage in front of the Tomioka Silk Mill’s West Cocoon Warehouse. Live music performers include DE DE MOUSE, a composer, producer, and DJ from Gunma Prefecture; bala, a Tokyo-based creative collective of female artists and creators; and Yasushi Yamabe, a taiko drummer active both in Japan and abroad.

     

    DE DE MOUSE

    bala

    Taishi Yamabe

     

    Visitors will also be able to enjoy a tour of the area between Jyoshu-Tomioka Station and Tomioka Silk Mill in cooperation with local restaurants and facilities. Please come experience a fantastic night in Tomioka City, where silk and fantasy are woven together in a fusion of images, music, and fashion, as if you have entered a different dimension.

     

    Contents

     

    ・NAKED Distance Lanterns®

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    For this event, inspiration was drawn from the location of Tomioka Silk Mill in Gunma Prefecture, which has strong ties to the art of natural dyeing. As a result, five color variations will be available: red, blue, pink, green, and yellow, all inspired by the vibrant hues of plant-based dyes.

     

    *Lantern rentals: ¥500 per turn (Tax Included)

     

    ・NAKED Flower Fortune®

    Introducing the wildly popular art fortune-telling, NAKED Flower Fortune®, which even ranked high in domestic rapid retweets on X (formerly Twitter). Choose your favorite flower from a variety of colors and shapes, and you’ll encounter the perfect message for that moment. The flower ornaments attached to the fortune can be transformed into art by tying them to a wooden branch to make the flowers bloom, making them a great souvenir to take home as a keepsake.

     

    *Price: ¥500 each (Tax Included)

     

    ・Tomioka Silk Mill West Cocoon Warehouse

    The highlight of this event is the massive projection mapping show on the stage of the national treasure, Tomioka Silk Mill West Cocoon Warehouse, spanning approximately 45 meters in width. As the giant silk wraps around the building, the lush flora of Tomioka bursts forth. After enjoying the changing seasons of nature, step into a nostalgic world featuring retro signs and lanterns. Experience the unique and culturally rich presentation that is characteristic of Tomioka’s deep historical heritage.

    ・Tomioka Silk Fantasia

    A special event will unfold at the Tomioka Silk Mill World Heritage site. Come enjoy an event featuring artistic direction by renowned director Junya Yamada, a mesmerizing live performance by DE DE MOUSE, a high-art fashion show that seamlessly harmonizes with  live music, and a powerful taiko drum performance by Yasushi Yamabe. Additionally, guests can enjoy an energetic performance by the creative collective girls group bala. Projection mapping will enhance the space, adding even more charm to the beautiful Tomioka Silk Mill, where history and the future intersect. From Gunma to the world, immerse yourself over the course of one special night where various cultures can come together to exchange unique experiences and celebrate.

     

    ・Tomioka Silk Mill East Cocoon Warehouse Illumination

    The Tomioka Silk Mill East Cocoon Warehouse World Heritage site is illuminated, allowing visitors to savor its unique nighttime beauty that differs entirely from daytime. Enjoy the enchanting and fantastical nighttime scenery that you wouldn’t typically be able to see.

     

    ・The Historic Nirazuka Silk Mill Illumination

    The historic Nirazuka Silk Mill is illuminated, offering guests the opportunity to enjoy its beauty in a way that differs from daylight. Enjoy this enchanting and fantastical nighttime scenery that you wouldn’t typically be able to see.

     

    Tomioka Night Gourmet Stroll

    A collaborative event with “Tomioka Silk Fantasia – Festival of Silk.” We introduce dining and souvenir shops around Tomioka Silk Mill that are open during the event period. Enjoy delicious local cuisine unique to Tomioka.

    Presale tickets are now available from ZAIKO and Rakuten Ticket.

     

    Additional information will be announced in the future.

  • NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO to be Held at Ninna-ji, a World Heritage Site

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    NAKED Distanced Lanterns


    NAKED Tsukubai

    Five-Storied Pagoda Projection Mapping


    DANDELION PROJECT

    Virtual Fashion Show


    Limited Edition Paper Goshuin

    This year’s event also includes the DANDELION PROJECT, popular with art fans around the world. Created by Ryotaro Muramatsu, the art project has appeared in a number of towns and cities around the world, inviting participants to create flowers and send them around the globe digitally as a hope for peace. Visitors can use their smartphones to send dandelion fluff digitally to other participants around the world, sharing a wish for world peace. 

     

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     *Concept Image

     

    NAKED has created some unique night-viewing experiences at Tokyo Tower in the past, combining the already beautiful cityscape with some new and exciting graphics themed for each season. For winter 2022, butterflies will take to the chilly night sky one after another, creating a show like no other for its three-minute span. This also serves as a great photo opportunity!

     

    Enjoy Tokyo as it begins to shine for the holiday season!

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    See Spectacular Paintings when Entering the Tsugi-no-ma Room

    During this period, visitors can enter the Tsugi-no-ma room to view classical period paintings, giving a more clear idea of how people acted and dressed during this time in history.

     

    [Ninomaru Garden Special Viewing] 

    ~Witness a Never-Before-Seen Feudal Lord’s Garden through a Spacial Presentation~

    Scenography for this unique show was provided by the creative label PERIMETRON. In order to show another side of the Ninomaru Garden at night, the company focused on light’s characteristics, from reflection and transmission to refraction and absorption. Light and shadow intertwine in various ways, and guests will be transfixed by this curious showing.

  • NAKED’s DANDELION PROJECT to Open at Hikone Castle in Shiga

    04.November.2022 | FASHION / SPOT

    NAKED’s DANDELION PROJECT will be held at Shiga’s Hikone Castle for eight days starting November 5, 2022. The work will be exhibited as a part of NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO, a next-generation art project put on in conjunction with Kyoto City, Uji City, and Otsu City in Shiga Prefecture.

     

    Created by Ryotaro Muramatsu, the art project has appeared in a number of towns and cities around the world, inviting participants to create flowers and send them around the globe digitally as a hope for peace. Visitors can use their smartphones to send dandelion fluff digitally to other participants around the world, sharing a wish for world peace. 

     

    Following last year’s event, the DANDELION art piece will be exhibited at Hikone Castle again in 2022. The castle is over 400 years old and the castle tower, completed in 1606,  is designated as a national treasure. During this time, the art piece will also be on display at Enryakuji and Shigain Monzeki Temple in Shiga. Hikone Castle is currently seeking to be registered as a World Heritage site. Why not take part in this unique project to bring the world a bit more peace?

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    The NAKED FLOWER TOWER event which began this summer invited guests to enjoy Nagoya’s evening views with all five senses. The tower’s Sky Deck was decorated with fresh flowers, given that Aichi Prefecture is the nation’s largest flower producer. It was also brought to life with a special projection mapping performance, and guests could enjoy original drinks as they gazed out at the illuminated city.

     

    This event has now been reimagined for autumn, with fall flowers and grasses brightening the space. During the projection mapping show, a massive full moon is projected on the glass. You won’t want to miss it!

  • NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO Night Walk Project Invites Guests to Stroll Through the Tale of Genji

    28.October.2022 | SPOT

    From November 11 until December 4, NAKED will hold the unique NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO event in Uji. The one-of-a-kind art project is being produced through a partnership with Kyoto City, Uji City, and Otsu City in Shiga Prefecture. Several events and art exhibitions will appear in the Kyoto area until December 25, 2022.

     

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    At Kosho-ji, guests can enjoy the renewed DANDELION PROJECT. Created by Ryotaro Muramatsu, the art project has appeared in a number of towns and cities around the world, inviting participants to create flowers and send them around the globe digitally as a hope for peace. Visitors can use their smartphones to send dandelion fluff with their name on it to the metaverse version of Kosho-ji and beyond, eventually causing a digital flower to bloom. 

     

    Why not come take a quiet walk through the streets of Uji, Kyoto? 

     

     

    Works

     

    Urasenke Tea Ceremony and Digital Teamaking Experience

     

    『DANDELION PROJECT』by RYOTARO MURAMATSU / NAKED

     

    NAKED Distance Lantern®︎

     

    Asagiri Bridge and Kotosaka Interactive Illuminations

     

    NAKED Tsukubai®︎

     

    Chazuna’s New Mobility C⁺walkT Experience

  • NAKED FLOWERS 2022 Autumn to Open at Nijo Castle in Kyoto

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    The phoenix depicted on the Kara-mon of Nijo Castle will be the guide for the exhibition, which will take visitors on a tour of the property, decorated and transformed by NAKED’s art. Visitors can enjoy the fantastic night view of Nijo Castle, which includes historical buildings such as the Ninomaru Palace (National Treasure), the Great Eastern Gate (Important Cultural Property), and the Kara-mon. A projection-mapping show will shine across the Kara-mon, and fall colors will light up the night sky. On the stone wall of the inner moat, phoenixes will fly, and visitors can take part! In the garden, food and beverage stalls will provide plenty of autumn sweets and hot drinks from the popular cafe TREE by NAKED Yoyogi Park. 

     

    Guests can also see a collaborative work between artist Ryotaro Muramatsu and Yuki Ikenobo, the headmaster of the historical flower arrangement school Ikenobo. Visible in both the real world and the Metaverse, the interactive art piece will invite visitors to create their own flower arrangements using digital flowers. Why not come create a piece of your own art using flowers that will never wilt? 

     

    Kara-mon, Important Cultural Property
    Projection-Mapping


    Special Scenic Spot – Ninomaru Garden
    Illumination


    Inner Moat
    Interactive Experience / Projection-Mapping Show


    Koun-tei
    Illumination


    NAKED’s Art to Prevent Disease
    NAKED Tsukubai®︎


    Seiryuu Garden
    Illumination


    Front Garden
    DANDELION PROJECT


    Front Garden
    Ryotaro Muramatsu x Flower Arrangement School Ikenobo’s Headmaster Yuki Ikenobo
    Collaboration Work (Both real and linked to the Metaverse)

  • NAKED Night Walk Art Project to Open at Famed Zuiganji Temple in Matsushima

    28.September.2022 | FASHION / SPOT

    Japanese creative company NAKED will hold a Night Walk event at Zuiganji Temple in Matsushima, located near one of the top three most scenic spots in Japan. The event will run from October 29 until November 23, 2022.

     

    The NAKED Night Walk was created to revitalize hot spring resorts and other tourist spots during the pandemic. This special event will bring the illuminated experience to Zuiganji Temple, one of the Tohoku Region’s most famous Zen temples. Guests will be invited to carry beautiful lanterns around the grounds, maintaining social distancing while enjoying the cool evening weather. These lanterns will cast one of three unique designs onto the ground below–a starry sky, a camellia flower, or a lotus. 

    Guests can also enjoy NAKED’s Flower Fortune Telling, pulling unique paper flowers from a massive wall, with each holding a personalized fortune. These flowers can then be tied to a nearby tree to further spread NAKED’s art. You can also take home your flower as a souvenir!

    The event will only run for a limited time. For more information including admission fees and hours, see the official website!

  • NAKED to Open DANDELION PROJECT for Peace in Umeda, Osaka

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    NAKED and Ryotaro Muramatsu’s interactive art installation, the DANDELION PROJECT, is coming to Umeda, Osaka. The project aims to connect people around the world, stressing the importance of world peace. Those wanting to participate may do so from October 7 until October 9 at Umekita Sotoniwa Square. 

     

    In July 2020, Umekita Sotoniwa SQUARE opened under a unique premise–it would be open for 1,000 days only. The outdoor area was inspired by cities of the future, featuring plenty of green space. The DANDELION PROJECT fits in perfectly with this concept, using modern technology and networking to create art that also serves as a universal prayer for peace. This is the second time the work has been exhibited in Osaka–it was shown in Nakanoshima during the Osaka Hikari no Renaissance 2021 event last December.

     

    The DANDELION PROJECT is inspired by the idea of world peace and hopes to help transcend barriers and connect people in an increasingly divided world. So far, it has appeared in 25 locations–19 in Japan and six abroad. In Japan, it has popped up at Tokyo Tower, Nijo Castle, and other historical sites. Abroad, it has been shown in Paris, Singapore, San Francisco, and Shanghai. The piece aims to bring about change by planting (or installing) dandelion-inspired art around the world, while it invites people visiting these dandelion exhibits to send their prayers for peace as a digital flower in real-time. 

     

    The exhibition will also be a satellite venue for NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO, a next-gen art project allowing guests to experience Kyoto virtually from September 15 until December 25, 2022.

  • NAKED’s Halloween Event Coming to Tokyo Tower for a Limited Time

    22.September.2022 | SPOT

    Digital art collective NAKED will hold a special Halloween projection mapping show at Tokyo Tower! The Tokyo Tower City Light Fantasia ~Halloween Party 2022~ event will run from September 16 until October 31 on the 2nd floor of the tower’s main deck. 

     

    NAKED has collaborated with Tokyo Tower in the past to create shows inspired by the seasons. These incredible illuminations captivate audiences at night, and this fall, visitors will be captivated by autumn leaves dancing in the breeze along with silvergrass swaying and the sound of chirping insects. The scene will eventually change into something more spooky–a ghost will appear alongside witches, bats, and pumpkins! The main deck will be enveloped in Halloween colors perfect for a fall photoshoot!

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