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!

The NFT marketplace HINATA will start selling collaborative pieces on November 25, combining classical drafts of Kyoto printed silk images with modern art pieces by up-and-coming creators.

Kyoto Printed Silk Draft x Modern Ukiyo-e Artist Ono Tako

Draft (Left) and Spring Dreamland – Sunshine by Ono Tako

Ono Tako is a modern-day ukiyo-e artist who creates unique paintings combining Eastern and Western elements.

A beautiful woman stands in front of lush spring scenery in this gorgeous piece.

Although this is clearly an ukiyo-e piece, it has a more modern flare, expressing a more universal standard of beauty while also infusing traditional elements.

A total of six works will be available in two variations: the soft and warm Sun and the calm and tranquil Shade. 

Ono Tako: https://twitter.com/ono800

Kyoto Printed Silk Draft x Illustrator Omulettomato

Draft (Left) and Full Moon by Omulettomato

Omulettomato is an illustrator who is rapidly gaining popularity for their feminine portraits.

Three different drafts depicting beautiful Japanese nature have been combined and transformed into a modern lady with moe elements.

A total of eight works will be available in three variations: Daybreak, Sunrise, and Full Moon.

Omulettomato: http://omutoma.tumblr.com

Enjoy this curious collaboration and own a piece of classical and modern Japanese culture.

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? 

Global creative agency monopo is teaming up with Shokuraku Asano, a 100-year-old obi maker from Kyoto! The company is working to create a digital experience for interested viewers, sharing each artisan’s personal story. Those who love Japanese culture are welcome to enjoy traditional Japanese crafts in an entirely new way!

Using a one-of-a-kind QR obi, a new storytelling method is showing off the hard work and love that goes into the company’s textiles. A special website and video allow interested viewers to experience the process of making an obi digitally, simply by using their smartphone. Even those unable to visit Japan to see these obi in person can dive into the history of the area’s textiles and become more acquainted with one part of Kyoto’s manufacturing culture. 

Kyoto was the ancient capital of Japan. The city is known for its history and preservation of Japanese culture, and prior to the pandemic, the city was constantly filled with visitors from around the world anxious to learn more about the country’s traditional culture. When the pandemic hit the world in 2020, it changed the city forever–tourists disappeared and the city became much quieter. Now that Japan has opened its borders, however, tourists are returning in droves.

While Shokuraku Asano upholds tradition, it also seeks to leave a mark on new generations by embracing new technology. This unique project is worth noting, so get your smartphone out and start learning!

We applaud monopo’s attempt to share this incredible traditional Japanese craftsmanship with people around the world. 

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!

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 in Kyoto. 

The exhibition will be held at Myoshin-ji, the head temple of the associated branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. Stepping into the temple, guests will be met with colorful autumn leaves and a sea of gold and blue art pieces.

“I want people to enter this world of light and experience being part of it,” Amano said. “Rather than art being something flat on a wall, I want to present something new and unique.” This collection of works was designed to question visitors’ sensibilities and provide a new kind of art exhibition for fans to enjoy.

The main art piece, newly painted by Amano himself, will be on display in the Dharma Hall, which was decorated by one of Kano Tan’yu’s masterpieces. Tan’yu was an Edo-period painter. 

The three meter tall column features Amano’s own interpretation of Hiten, part of Mount Meru, a part of Buddhism cosmology considered to be the centre of all the physical, metaphysical and spiritual universes. Four smaller pieces will be displayed on all four sides to create a three-dimensional mandala. 

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 60th Anniversary Sanrio Exhibition: The Beginning of Kawaii will be held at the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art from October 7 until December 11, 2022. Cinnamoroll, the grand prize winner of the 2022 Sanrio Character Awards, visited the event on opening day, and second place winner Pompompurin visited on October 8. 

The exhibition itself traces the long and storied history of Sanrio, as the company celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2020. Guests will be able to learn more about ‘kawaii culture,’ something that has since garnered worldwide attention and become massively popular with audiences around the globe. Fans of specific Sanrio characters will be able to see how each was designed, and rare drawings and products will be on display.

Visitors will be able to trace how Sanrio developed each character’s personality and style over time, and will surely see how the company placed major importance on communication with audiences. Sanrio’s characters continue to transcend time, popular with people of all ages.

In March 2022, the cover song project CrosSing was launched. Amassing instant popularity, tracks featured as part of the project have pulled in millions of views. The project has featured popular voice actors Maaya Uchida, Kana Hanazawa, and Akari Kito. 

On September 28, a recording video of voice actress Miyu Tomita singing the Jujutsu Kaisen opening theme Kaikai Kitan was released. Known for her work in anime series like Made in Abyss and Interspecies Reviewers, Tomita sings Eve’s mega-hit with ease, and fans won’t want to miss hearing her incredible voice. 

Kaikai Kitan from CrosSing – Miyu Tomita (Recording Video)

The track is now available to stream, and those purchasing the high-resolution compilation on mora will be able to hear an exclusive chat with Tomita herself. In addition, those who play the song on LINE MUSIC over 300 times in two weeks starting September 28 will be entered for a chance to win an autographed image. Those following the official CrosSing Twitter and TikTok accounts can repost a specific post to be entered to win a signed autograph card, and two lucky winners will be selected.

On September 21, the CrosSing project released its first compilation album, CrosSing Collection Vol. 1. In addition to the 12 incredible tracks currently available on YouTube and streaming services, Kana Hanazawa’s cover of Rain from Makoto Shinkai’s short anime film The Garden of Words is included as a bonus track. 

Stay tuned for more from CrosSing as the third season heats up!

At the 5th annual Kyoto Ani-Monozukuri Awards 2022, a collection of Attack on Titan playing cards made in traditional Japanese style took the Gold Prize in the Craft Design category. In Japanese, monozukuri means ‘to make something by hand.’

The Kyoto Ani-Monozukuri Awards aims to revitalize business between the anime industry and local companies and organizations. It honors outstanding collaborative products, inviting those with a creative streak to try their luck at designing something uniquely anime-inspired. This year’s awards show saw 157 total entries, with one winning the grand prize, seven winning both gold and silver, and six winning bronze.

Charaditional Toys was launched this year, and the company aims to create items for adults who love anime characters. The Gold Award was granted to the company after judges were inspired by the traditional Japanese craftsmanship and high quality shown in the final product. Made by Oishi Tengudo, a company founded in Kyoto in 1800, the cards were made using classic methods. These 48 original playing cards are like nothing fans of Attack on Titan have seen before. 

A second project is scheduled for release in winter 2022, so stay tuned!

©諫山創・講談社／「進撃の巨人」The Final Season製作委員会

In March 2022, the cover song project CrosSing was launched. Amassing instant popularity, tracks featured as part of the project have pulled in millions of views. The project has featured popular voice actors Maaya Uchida, Kana Hanazawa, and Akari Kito. 

CrosSing’s first compilation album CrosSing Collection Vol. 1 was released on September 21, and in addition to the 12 incredible tracks currently available on YouTube and streaming services, Kana Hanazawa’s cover of Rain from Makoto Shinkai’s short anime film The Garden of Words is included as a bonus track. This song won’t be available to stream, so grab the album–and don’t miss out on the preview video on YouTube to hear a small snippet!

On September 21, the first performer for the third season of the project was revealed to be voice actress and singer Miyu Tomita. Known for her work in anime series like Made in Abyss and Interspecies Reviewers, Tomita covered Eve’s Kaikai Kitan, the opening theme for the popular series Jujutsu Kaisen. The recording video will be released on September 28 at 20:00, so don’t miss it!

Other performers to appear during CrosSing’s third season include Shugo Nakamura, Yoko Hikasa, Ayana Taketatsu, Yurika Kubo, and Megumi Nakajima. 

Fans of the Sound! Euphonium anime will want to visit Hotel Keihan Kyoto Grande from September 23 until November 20, 2022! The second-floor restaurant Octava will be holding a special collaboration cafe with the series in conjunction with the Keihan Electric Railway. The project is part of the collaboration between the series and the local railway that began in August, and fans will be able to order food and drink items inspired by their favorite characters.

Collaboration Menu

Kumiko’s Omurice

Reina’s Pasta with Sweet and Spicy Tomato Sauce

Hazuki’s Matcha Ice Cream & Sapphire’s Macarons

Mr. Taki’s Spicy Curry Pizza

Sound! Tuba-kun’s Fruit Cake

Drink Menu

Kumiko’s Strawberry Milk

Reina’s Butterfly Pea

Hazuki’s Blue Soda

Sapphire’s Orange Juice

Band President & Vice President’s Matcha au Lait

Straw Tags

Bonuses

Bonus for Dining In-store: Lunch Mat

Drink Order Bonus: Coaster (5 varieties, 1 secret)

*Coasters will be given at random.

Life-size Panels

From omurice and pasta to fruit cake and spicy curry pizza, there is certainly a dish perfect for everyone at the cafe. Guests can also enjoy five different types of drinks, and a coaster will be handed out at random for each order. Those dining at the cafe will enjoy their meal on a special lunch mat, and life-size character panels will be perfect for snapping some photos for social media. Music from the series will be played on-site, so come enjoy while you can!