An incredible event combining video, music, and fashion, Tomioka Silk Fantasia ~Festival of Silk~ will be held at the Tomioka Silk Mill, a National Treasure and World Cultural Heritage Site. The event will be held with support from the city of Tomioka, Gunma Prefecture, and will run for approximately two weeks starting on October 6, 2023.

Guests will be able to enjoy the NAKED Yorusampo -Tomioka- and Tomioka Silk Fantasia as they explore the historic site. The special event was directed by renowned international director Junya Yamada in collaboration with NAKED Inc., which continues to captivate audiences with its digital artworks including projection mapping and illuminations.

<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®

Introducing NAKED’s unique art-inspired lanterns, born during the COVID-19 pandemic. When you take a leisurely stroll with one of these lanterns in hand, the ground comes alive with colors and patterns unique to each location, allowing you to be a part of the mesmerizing light display.

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.

Model, DJ, and photographer Hikari Shibata will hold her first photo exhibition in five years, THROUGH THE WINDOW, at the FLOAT Gallery in Tokyo for four days starting September 8, 2023.

The exhibition’s title was inspired by Shibata’s shyness, which has always led her to photograph landscapes rather than people. Many photos were taken through windows, and both the view and reflections are meaningful and personal to Shibata herself.

This year’s exhibition features photos of daily life taken in Copenhagen, Denmark’s largest city, where Shibata stayed for a total of three weeks in March 2023. It will also feature photographs snapped in Berlin, Los Angeles, and New York City.

Shibata will visit the gallery in person to present her creations. In addition to the sale of exhibited photographs, guests will also be able to purchase T-shirts, hats, and Shibata’s first photobook, the latter of which is available in limited quantities. The self-published 112-page hardcover book was entirely designed by Shibata herself. T-shirts will be available in two colors and feature the title of the exhibition, while hats will come in three colors with an embroidered graphic image of the sun reflected in a window.

Starting March 4, the permanent museum teamLab Forest Fukuoka will transform its artwork into a stunning spring theme. Guests will be able to enjoy gorgeous cherry blossoms for a limited time, and starting March 24, the Catching and Collecting Forest will also be transformed in the same way.

TeamLab’s works are created in real time by procedural generation, meaning that they are always changing and evolving. Each work changes depending on the season.

▼Starting March 4

Both Shifting Valley, Living Creatures of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives – A Whole Year per Year and Animals of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives II – A Whole Year per Year are only available to see during spring. Come and see animals made entirely of cherry blossoms as they roam through the museum!

The work titled Soft Terrain in Granular Topography shows multicolored grains of light pouring from the sky, while Flutter of Butterflies, Ephemeral Life surrounds visitors with brightly colored butterflies

▼Starting March 24

In the Catching and Collecting Forest, visitors can explore with their smartphones and catch various animals made entirely of cherry blossoms.

The Tokyo-based girl artists and creators’ collective bala has finally launched for real! The group will release its first single barla on March 8.

bala consists of MANON, SUNNY ONLY 1, DAN, and KANO, each with their own global background. The project aims to resonate with Gen Z youth culture and to be a collective of artists that connects hybrid Japanese pop culture with audiences around the world.

The debut song barla was produced by Shinichi Osawa, who has numerous hits under the name Mondo Grosso. It was co-written by Kenmochi Hidefumi from Wednesday Campanella. With Y2K culture making a comeback around the world, the track features the house sound popular in the late 90s which is showing signs of becoming the next musical trend yet again. The groovy dance tune is a perfect theme song for these girls who will lead the next generation of pop culture.

<Comment from Shinichi Osawa>
“I’m honored to be involved in bala’s debut. The members are super unique, and collaborating with Kenmochi-san for the first time was a dream come true.”

<Comment from Kenmochi Hidefumi>
“I’m happy to be able to work with the members of bala and Shinichi Osawa. Everyone is so uniquely talented, and this song is filled with everyone’s energy and excitement inspired by their long-awaited debut!”

©永井豪／ダイナミック企画　©ダイナミック企画・東映アニメーション　©ダイナミック企画　©東映アニメーション　©松本零士／零時社・東映アニメーション

From March 21 until April 5, 2023, Matsuzakaya Nagoya will host The World of Super Robot & Hero: Kazuhiro Ochi Art Exhibition, celebrating the creator’s 45th anniversary as an artist. Ochi is well-known for his work on Mobile Suit Gundam and dozens of other popular anime series, from Martian Successor Nadesico to Urusei Yatsura.

Ochi has personally selected over 100 items to be put on display at the exhibition, including illustrations from Mazinger Z and Devilman, both of which are celebrating their 50th anniversaries. Fans can also expect to see illustrations from the newly-announced UFO Robot Grendizer project along with original sketches, promotional materials, and much more.

Available merchandise will include an art book signed by Kazuhiro Ochi himself, prints, and character goods. New Cutie Honey and Cosmic Fantasy products will also be available for purchase.

The animator himself will also be in attendance on select days, so don’t miss this rare opportunity to meet an anime legend!

Guests spending over ¥5,000 (including tax) at the exhibition during days in which Ochi is in attendance will receive an autographed illustration card only available at the Nagoya venue.

Exhibition Merch at a Glance

©Go Nagai／Dynamic Planning Illustration by K.Ochi

　©KAZUHIRO OCHI

イラスト／越智一裕 ©永井豪／ダイナミック企画

From March 14 until April 23, 2023, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya will hold Hisashi Eguchi’s Tokyo Girlfriend illustration exhibition, set to show off the artist’s unique perspectives on people and cityscapes. The exhibition will feature new illustrations of the titular girlfriend standing in the streets of Hibiya drawn especially for this exhibition, as well as various other girlfriends both large and small.

GING NANG BOYZ Kimi to Boku no Dai 3ji Taisen-teki Renai Kakumei CD Jacket (2005)

A LONG VACATION – Eiichi Ohtaki 40th Tribute Illustration (2021) ©2023 Eguchi Hisashi

Hisashi Eguchi, a manga artist and illustrator, continues to convey the charm of the city and its people by vividly depicting Tokyo and the many unique happenings within. As Tokyo Midtown Hibiya celebrates its 5th anniversary along with many other nearby businesses, the Tokyo Girlfriend exhibition of illustrations by Hisashi Eguchi is being held to celebrate.

The exhibition will feature a new painting of the mysterious girlfriend standing in the streets of Hibiya, newly created for the Tokyo Midtown Hibiya exhibition. A number of original pieces using Pantone overlay, Eguchi’s favorite painting medium in the 80s and 90s, will also be on display for the first time.

During the exhibition period, guests can enjoy autograph sessions, live sketches in which Eguchi himself will draw a portrait of selected subject on the spot, and workshops where he will teach tips on how to be a better illustrator.

Don’t miss your chance to meet one of the greatest illustrators of the modern era!

©2023 Eguchi Hisashi

From February 11 to February 26, an exhibition inspired by the popular rock band CreepHyp will be held at the PARCO GALLERY on the 6th floor of the Nagoya PARCO West Building. The event is being held to celebrate the 10th anniversary of CreepHyp.

The exhibition is themed around a ‘Museum of Voices.’

A person’s voice is said to be a true expression of their personality. This exhibition will give fans a new sense of what CreepHyp is and will feature their music, their MC content, and various radio appearances.

Visitors will be able to listen to the member’s voices, but they’ll also be able to step on them, dive into them, look at them, and experience plenty of other ways to enjoy the band’s content. Completely immersed in this world of voices, this experience promises to be like no other. Come experience it while you can!

The exhibition was largely created by CHOCOLATE, the creative team behind CreepHyp’s past exhibitions. Exclusive merchandise will also be available on-site.

Fans of the pop rock band Macaroni Empitsu will want to head to Tokyo from February 17 to March 6, 2023 to enjoy a newly-reworked 10th-anniversary exhibition. Guests are invited to look through various macaroni holes around the exhibition hall to catch glimpses of some curious and rare items only on display for a limited time.

After being held at several locations around Japan, the exhibition will return to Ikebukuro PARCO in Tokyo next month.

Items appearing in the Macaroni Empitsu 10th Anniversary Book -Macaroni Kuronikuru- will be on display, and a short film titled Aspirations will be screened following its premiere in Shibuya.

Graphic designer Shun Sasaki served as the art director for the exhibition.

Fans won’t want to miss out on the exhibition’s original merchandise featuring key visuals and lyrics from the band. Come get a glimpse at the history and personal lives of Macaroni Empitsu’s members while you can!

[Comment from Vocalist Hattori]
“Macaroni Empitsu’s exhibition is making a triumphant return to Tokyo! New content has been added this time around, so be sure to come fall into the macaroni hole!”

The globally popular anime series Chainsaw Man will get a mini-exhibition at TSUTAYA and TSUTAYA Books locations nationwide from December 23, 2022 until January 22, 2023. A special poster is being prepared for the exhibition and original drawings will be on display. New merchandise will be available during the event period. For more information, follow MAPPA’s official Twitter page (@MAPPA_Info) for updates!

Original Reproductions to be on Display

One original reproduction will be displayed at each of the approximately 300 participating stores. 

Original Goods

Details on MAPPA x TSUTAYA Chainsaw Man Mini-Exhibition Goods

Acrylic Keychain (4 varieties), ¥935 each / Pin (4 varieties, random), ¥550 each / Acrylic Figure (4 varieties), ¥1,925 each / Clear Folder (4 varieties), ¥440 each / Leather Sticky Note Book (4 varieties), ¥605 each / Premium Postcard Holder (1 variety), ¥1,760 each / Mobile Accessory Case (1 variety), ¥2,200 each

As a purchase bonus, guests spending ¥2,200 (including tax) or more will receive a limited edition postcard (4 varieties).

©藤本タツキ／集英社・ ＭＡＰＰＡ

Following the conclusion of the current ‘Little Best Friend Woodstock’ exhibition, the Snoopy Museum will hold a food-centric event from January 14 until July 9, 2023!

Selected Works on Display

Peanuts Comic (January 20, 1991)

Peanuts Comic (September 6, 1988)

Peanuts Comic (February 7, 1988)

Peanuts Comic (September 14, 1954)

Peanuts Comic (March 27, 1986)

Peanuts Reprint (Partial / January 13, 1973)

Goods at a Glance

Approximately 40 rare original drawings of Snoopy and his friends will appear at the exhibition, all focused on the character’s favorite foods. Food features prominently in the Peanuts comic strip, whether it be friends eating breakfast or school lunch.

The exhibition features items from the collection at the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California. 

Snoopy loves to eat and loves doughnuts and marshmallows, but absolutely hates coconuts. Of course, the gang loves cookies, and eating lunch while chatting is the highlight of the day! Come enjoy this tasty event in 2023.

(C) Peanuts Worldwide LLC

Art collective TeamLab has redesigned two exhibitions at Marina Bay Sands Singapore. The world’s first permanent exhibition from the creators, Future World: Where Art Meets Science, was opened in 2016 at the Museum of Art and Science. Guests can now enjoy three new works along with the Digital Light Canvas, a huge, interactive space inviting guests to share their own pieces of art.

Drawing Flight

Visitors can immerse themselves in these impressive new works while experiencing a complex, three-dimensional world. They can also create new worlds with others!

Future World

The Drawing Flight, part of the Amusement Park of the Future series, is based on the concept of co-creation, allowing visitors to not only draw an airplane that will fly but also allowing them to operate it from a pilot’s point of view using a tablet. Whether visitors draw a butterfly or a hawk, they’ll see the world from the perspective of each creature and enter a world constructed by the creature’s unique perceptions.

Aerial Climbing through a Flock of Colored Birds

In Aerial Climbing through a Flock of Colored Birds, guests are asked to perceive the world with their entire bodies. Visitors cross a space with sticks floating three-dimensionally in the air.

Autonomous Abstraction, Continuous Phenomena from the Universe to the Self

Autonomous Abstraction, Continuous Phenomena from the Universe to the Self offers a new and abstract concept. As people touch the dots, the rhythm of the dots flickers and their hue changes and disintegrates. The picture will then change dramatically, and despite these changes, the beauty remains.

Digital Light Canvas

Graffiti Nature – Red List Digital Light Canvas

Digital Light Canvas is a space consisting of a 15-meter-diameter circular link of light and a 20-meter-high cylinder of light made up of a collection of light dots.  Team Lab’s interactive artwork, which changes depending on how many people are around, is on permanent display.

Drawing Factory

By visiting the Digital Light Canvas area, guests can also enjoy the Drawing Factory, where they can turn their own drawings into pins, T-shirts, and other items!

Come fully experience this curious art exhibition!

© チームラボ

Yoshitaka Amano, known by international fans as the artist behind the legendary Final Fantasy video game series, is celebrating his 70th birthday with a unique art project from November 23 until December 8 at Myoshin-ji in Kyoto. 

On the first day of the event, the venue, decorated with autumn leaves, was crowded with visitors including foreign tourists, who marveled at the fantastic space filled harmoniously with gold and blue. The exhibition will be held at Myoshin-ji, the head temple of the associated branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. This collection of works was designed to question visitors’ sensibilities and provide a new kind of art exhibition for fans to enjoy.

After the exhibition, the main art piece by Yoshitaka himself will be converted to 3DCG, and a Virtual Golden World will be developed in collaboration with the Yoshitaka Amano VR Museum. By integrating traditional and modern art methods, guests will be able to engage more deeply in the art by enjoying digital works, the metaverse, and NFTs.

Don’t miss this curious exhibition!