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.

The popular female rock band BAND-MAID will perform for the first time at KNOTFEST JAPAN 2023, scheduled for April 1 and April 2 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba.

KNOTFEST was begun by the American heavy metal band Slipknot, and the festival has been held yearly since 2012. BAND-MAID will perform on Day 1 along with headliners Slipknot, Trivium, and MAN WITH A MISSION.

Tickets for the May shows to be held in the United States as part of the BAND-MAID 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR are none on sale. The group managed to bring in over 20,000 fans during their solo U.S. tour in 2022. In addition to performing at Pointfest 2023, Welcome to Rockville 2023, and the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, BAND-MAID will also perform six solo shows. With some venues selling out instantly last year, you’ll want to snag tickets while you can!

From December 10 until December 18, 2022, creative company NAKED will hold NAKED GARDEN ONE KYOTO at Ninna-ji! The event is part of a larger next-generation art project being held around Kyoto until Christmas Day.

This exhibition marks the first metaverse-centered event at Ninna-ji, and guests will be able to enjoy a virtual fashion show in collaboration with Jotaro Saito, a kimono designer from Kyoto. Participants will begin by creating their own avatar by snapping a photo of their face. After that, they will be able to choose a kimono by Saito to use as clothing for their avatar before taking to the runway with other visitors from all around Japan.

NAKED’s goal is to bring traditional Japanese kimono culture into the digital space, and the company believes that this is only the beginning. In the future, NAKED hopes to bring other artists into the metaverse as well.
 

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. 

This year, the participatory art piece was installed in the main temple. Why not visit this stunning exhibition in Kyoto this winter? 

Creative company NAKED has announced TOKYO TOWER CITY LIGHT FANTASIA ~2022 Winter~, an event bringing some incredible projection mapping technology to the main deck of the legendary Tokyo landmark. The event will start on November 18 and will invite guests to enjoy an illuminated winter night from far above the city.

　*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!

From December 10 until December 25, the Light and Food Ensemble event will be held in the garden of the Kyoto National Museum.

A new projection mapping show featuring enormous flowers will be shown on the wall of the Meiji Kotokan Hall, unchanged since its opening in 1897. The history of Kyoto will take center stage, however–NAKED is only there to make it all the more impressive.

NAKED will also collaborate with Kojima Shouten for the first time, decorating the venue with the local company’s famous lanterns.

At the venue, local shops from Kyoto will be selling sweets to guests. Come enjoy Kyoto in a whole new way during this exclusive winter event!

On October 29, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu took part in Porter Robinson’s Second Sky Music Festival in Oakland, California. The following day, the popular singer also appeared at Porter Robinson + Friends, an afterparty event held in San Francisco. American fans are finding their excitement at a fever pitch as the Harajuku-based artist continues to perform abroad!

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu recently made headlines when she performed an unprecedented 62 songs at Nippon Budokan on October 19 during the final stop on her 10th-anniversary tour. Following this impressive feat, Kyary performed at yet another festival in Japan before hastily returning to the United States following her show-stopping performance at Coachella half a year ago.

Porter Robinson’s Second Sky Music Festival was hosted by and featured performances by internationally acclaimed DJ and producer Porter Robinson. Other important figures in the dance music scene also appeared including SKRILLEX and RL GRIME.

The event took place in a large parking lot adjacent to the Oakland Coliseum, home of the Oakland Athletics MLB team. Since the show took place close to Halloween, plenty of decorations could be found, and fans lined up from the early morning to get inside.

Although Kyary’s performance was scheduled for quite early in the day, the audience sprawled out as far as the eye could see. As DE.BA.YA.SHI. 2021 began to play, fans began to excitedly call out Kyary’s name. In Japan, regulations are in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus, meaning that audience members are forbidden to yell during concerts–but no such precaution exists in the U.S. It was clear that Kyary was beyond excited to hear the audience’s enthusiasm, and as the show began, the artist called out “Second Sky,” to which the fans responded with excited cries. 

The audience danced wildly to Candy Racer and Dodonpa, two of Kyary’s most peppy tracks, which played in succession. The singer did her best to speak English. “Hello! I’m Kyary Pamyu Pamyu from Japan,” she began. She then complimented a fan in full Kyary cosplay. “Wow! Nice costume! PONPONPON costume, so nice,” she said.

During CANDY CANDY -Remix-, the audience raised their hands high in the air as they followed Kyary’s instructions to jump, swaying from left to right. As the audience moved in sync, a number of hit tracks began to play, including Harajuku Iyahoi and Tsukematsukeru. However, nothing could match the excitement of the moment that the intro to PONPONPON began to play. Porter Robinson, who was watching the live performance from the side of the stage, was moved to tears, and everyone could feel how big Kyary’s presence was for local fans.

Kyary’s performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April of this year became a hot topic, showing that Kyary is still incredibly popular in the U.S. ten years after her major debut.

In addition to her largest national tour to date, Kyary has made numerous appearances at music festivals in Japan and abroad in 2022. The artist’s first overseas performance during her 11th year as a performer was an incredible success and bodes well for Kyary’s future.

＜Setlist＞
2022.10.29 “Second Sky Music Festival”
OP. DE.BA.YA.SHI.2021
1. Candy Racer
2. Dodonpa
3.Invader Invader
4. CANDY CANDY –Remix-
5. Ninja Re Bang Bang –Steve Aoki Remix-
6. Harajuku Iyahoi
7. Tsukematsukeru
8. PONPONPON –Extended Mix-
9. Fashion Monster

2022.10.30 “Porter Robinson + Friends”
OP. DE.BA.YA.SHI.2021
1. Candy Racer
2. Ninja Re Bang Bang
3. CANDY CANDY
4.Crazy Party Night-Pumpkins Strike Back-
5. Kira Kira Killer
6. Isshin Doutai
7. Harajuku Iyahoi
8. Fashion Monster
9. PONPONPON

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?

Creative company NAKED is currently holding the NAKED FLOWER TOWER AUTUMN event at the Chubu Electric Power Company MIRAI TOWER Sky Deck in Nagoya until December 2, 2022. 

The historic MIRAI TOWER, formerly the Nagoya TV Tower, opened in 1954. On October 12, 2022, the tower was registered as a tangible cultural property, and many companies have collaborated with the structure over the years. Now, NAKED’s digital art is creating a new night experience for visitors and residents of Nagoya!

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!

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.

The project first began on September 15 at Kyoto City Hall, and it will move to Uji on November 11. NAKED’s unique digital art will bring color to Uji, a place steeped in Japanese history and the heart of Japanese tea culture. The Asagiri Bridge, appearing in The Tale of Genji, will be illuminated, and the Zen temple Kosho-ji will be offering tea ceremonies and a digital teamaking experience for guests to enjoy. NAKED’s popular Distance Lanterns will return, allowing visitors to explore Uji at night while properly socially distancing. 

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

The Nippon Foundation has been supporting people with disabilities in Japan and abroad for over fifty years. To mark this incredible milestone, True Colors Festival THE CONCERT 2022 will be held on November 19 and 20 at Tokyo Garden Theater. The performance aims to inspire fans to express their uniqueness. 

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will perform as a guest performer on both days of the concert, which stands to be one of the largest live events in the world put on by artists with disabilities.

Kyary became a smash hit with audiences worldwide after Katy Perry praised her PONPONPON music video on Twitter, and the two are said to be fans of one another. This will be the first time that the two pop icons will perform on stage together. 

“I’m looking forward to performing with so many unique artists from around the world,” Kyary said in a statement. “I’m so happy that I’m going to live my dream of performing with Katy!” 

NAKED will hold the NAKED FLOWERS 2022 Autumn event at Nijo Castle, a World Heritage Site in Kyoto! The event will run from October 28 until December 4 and will feature both real and digital art, including a virtual experience in the Metaverse.

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)

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!