The Okinawa Collection Executive Committee has announced the first girls’ fashion festival OKINAWA COLLECTION 2023. The event will be held at Umisora Park in Okinawa on September 24, 2023. The first round of performers has been announced and pre-sale tickets are now available.

The event will be held on the picturesque sandy beaches of Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. The area is famous for its contributions to entertainment, and the show aims to share current pop culture with both audiences in Japan and the world.

 ■Several influential models are scheduled to appear!

The first batch of performers include Yuina Kogawa, a model and television personality; Nana Kato, an exclusive model for Ray and LARME magazines; Ariana Sakura, an exclusive model for ViVi and a model for many popular brands; Nagomi, who also produces the cosmetics brand “GENTY,” and PyunA., an exclusive model for the fashion magazine Koakuma ageha who is set to release her first photo book in August.

 ■Additional guests, including popular YouTubers, will take the stage!

Guests include the popular YouTuber duo Nakonako Couple, active both online and on TV; Mukuena, two childhood friends and artists with a popular YouTube channel; Toua, a current trendsetter; Osaki, a high-schooler appearing in the People category of the JC/JK Buzzword Awards 2022; Sakura, an exclusive model for Popteen; Mika Kato, an exclusive model for nuts; and Yuichami, the younger sister of Uchami and an exclusive model for egg.

■The trending boy band OCTOPATH will perform!

OCTPATH, a boy group consisting of former trainees appearing on the popular audition program PRODUCE 101 JAPAN SEASON 2, made their major debut in 2022. Guests can expect a mesmerizing performance!

More performers and content will be announced soon. Check out the event’s official website for the latest information!

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!

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

Each year, an incredible event is held at Kumano-Nachi Taisha, a Shinto shrine and World Heritage Site located in the Kii Mountain Range of Wakayama Prefecture.

To kick off the ‘diamond celebration,’ a special concert will mark the 1,250th anniversary of the birth of Kobo Daishi, the Japanese Buddhist monk who founded the Shingon school of Buddhism. Yoshimi Tsujimoto, a shakuhachi player from Hashimoto, will perform in the concert scheduled to begin on October 22 at 13:30. 

Moshi Moshi Nippon sat down with Yoshimi Tsujimoto to discuss her music and, most importantly, her interest in sharing the sound of the shakuhachi with the world.

−How did you become interested in the shakuhachi? 

My father loved the shakuhachi, and because of that, I grew up surrounded by the sound of it. That’s how it all began!

−What attracts you to playing the shakuhachi?

I love the timbre of the shakuhachi. 

Those who play the shakuhachi often say that a single note has the power to bring someone to enlightenment. 

Curiously, individual differences in tone are more easily discernible with the shakuhachi than with other instruments. That means that a person can express themselves in more unique ways.

 −You’ve performed in many different countries. Do you get different reactions to the shakuhachi in other countries when compared to Japanese audiences?

I have a vivid memory of a time I performed a classical shakuhachi piece solo. This particular type of classical music is called ‘wabi-sabi,’ and it isn’t very loud or lively. 

In Japan, when I finish a performance, people usually clap. But when I performed in South America, as soon as the piece concluded, there was a standing ovation with people shouting “Bravo!” That would never happen in Japan, and it left such a lasting impression on me.

−Are there any countries that have left a lasting impression on you, or that you would like to visit in the future?

I have good memories of every country I’ve visited, but I think that Cuba left the biggest impression. I just made me think about how incredible music can be.

I’d love to visit Bulgaria, Morocco, Armenia, Uganda…it’s tough, because I want to visit every country I haven’t been to yet. (laughs)

−You’re from Hashimoto City, near Mount Koya. How did you feel when you heard that this concert would be held so close to your hometown?

What I felt was pure joy.

Personally, I’ve always loved Mount Koya, and I went there many times as a child. It’s such a pleasure to be able to perform there.

−Tell us some of your favorite memories involving Mount Koya.

I go to Mount Koya at least three or four times a year. It’s not a particular memory per se, but every time I go, I love to eat vegetarian food, explore, and buy wheat buns and sesame tofu as gifts to take home.

−Are there any local foods or places that you’d recommend?

The fruit is delicious in Wakayama, and my hometown is famous for persimmons.They are so yummy, and I just want everyone to try them!

Mount Koya and Kumano Kodo are both World Heritage sites, and they are both absolutely breathtaking. Other than those, I’d recommend Adventure World! It has adorable pandas roaming around freely and the most wonderful dolphin shows. Everyone from around the country should visit!

−Finally, do you have a message for Moshi Moshi Nippon readers?

Japan is filled with incredible places and culture. The shakuhachi, a beloved traditional Japanese instrument, is one piece of that culture.

I want audiences around the world to hear the sound of the shakuhachi and to make it more familiar. If you have a chance to hear it, I hope you will.

Be sure to follow Yoshimi Tsujimoto’s activities going forward as she shares the beauty and culture of shakuhachi with the world.

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!

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.

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!