Featured Events in Tokyo in November 2024 (May Updated)

Tokyo Metropolitan Government has created a new tourist resource for nighttime viewing by using the exterior wall of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1 as a screen to express a variety of art with light and sound, and to perform projection mapping all year round in order to activate and revitalize nighttime tourism. This time, as the 45th anniversary is approaching next year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government will begin showing works using the world-famous "Pac-Man". The game board appears on the outer wall of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, and Pac-Man, who is making a futuristic scene, eats up everything vividly. The music of the game of Pac-Man, which has a futuristic feel, and the music of the highly friendly soundtrack maker Mr. Haraguchi Sasuke have produced. Please enjoy the collaborative work of Pac-Man and Tokyo that can only be seen in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

"Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba", which has been loved by generations, is a manga created by Koyoharu Gotouge and animated by ufotable. It has been 5 years since the first episode was aired, and after the final episode of "Hiraru Training Arc" aired in May this year, the "Theatrical Version of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" Infinite Castle Arc" was announced, which has set off a new wave of topics. The focus of this exhibition is on the "Hiraru" swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps, who have inherited the love-hate relationship with Muzan Kibutsuji for thousands of years. The exhibition will allow the audience to have a deeper understanding of the personality and background of the nine pillars through exquisite displays and interactive experiences.

Harmony with Goldfish  The beauty of space The beauty of the venue will be enhanced not just by the aquarium and goldfish, but by using the entire venue. The harmony between traditional Japanese culture and goldfish will create a calming space that will help you forget the hustle and bustle of modern life. Goldfish Corridor Stepping into the colonnade of standing goldfish, you enter an infinite space. Looking down from the platform decorated with Japanese patterns, you can see the spatial expansion downwards. This spatial work expresses the corridors seen in temple and shrine architecture. Goldfish Bamboo Forest The solemn space, centered on tranquility, is composed of a string of lanterns and a bamboo forest, providing a pure place where knowledge can be elevated. Artist collaboration For the first time in Art Aquarium history, we will be exhibiting collaborative works with artists active in a variety of fields. Collaboration with flowers This exhibition will feature gorgeous floral arrangements by flower artist Shogo Karayazaki.

This is the first large-scale retrospective exhibition held in Japan for French-American artist Louise Bourgeois in 27 years. This exhibition will present Bourgeois's works from different periods, covering paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, installations, manuscripts and other categories, and comprehensively review and interpret her creative career. The full name of the exhibition, "Louise Bourgeois: I have been to hell and back. And let me tell you, it was wonderful.", is quoted from one of her later works. This sentence implies the fluctuation of emotions and also conveys a sense of black humor. Louise Bourgeois considered herself a survivor who had survived adversity, and her work expressed a strong will to survive. This exhibition will present Bourgeois's paintings from 1938 to 1949 for the first time in Asia. The importance of these early paintings has only recently been recognized, and they show that during this period Bourgeois established the forms and themes that she would continue to create in the following decades. In addition, the exhibition also introduces her iconic "Spider" series, exploring the themes of maternal love, healing and memory conveyed by the large spider sculpture "Maman" located in Roppongi Hills.

Claude Monet (1840-1926), one of the leading painters of the Impressionists, captured the vicissitudes of nature on his canvas with a keen eye that caught a moment of light. In later years, however, his art was transformed into more abstract and internal images. Monet's later years were also a time when he faced many challenges, such as the death of a beloved family member, his own eye disease, and the First World War. In such a situation, the source of his greatest creativity was the water lily pond built in the garden of his residence in Giverny, where the surrounding trees, sky, and light are reflected as one. And the idea of a "large decorative painting" that covers the walls of the room with a huge canvas depicting this subject would occupy Monet's mind until his very end. At the center of this exhibition is a number of large-scale "water lilies" created through this process of trial and error. This time, about 50 works from the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris will be exhibited for the first time in Japan, including many important works. In addition, works from various collections in Japan will be added to introduce the pinnacle of Monet's late art. It will be a valuable opportunity for the largest "water lilies" ever to gather in Japan.

The first exhibition in Japan to introduce the detailed story of vedute (view) painter Maestro Canaletto (1697-1768). This exhibition shows works of Canaletto, including oil paintings, watercolor paintings, prints, and others, mainly from British collections including the National Galleries of Scotland. This exhibition lets guests trace the development of the genre of 18th-century view painting through Canaletto’s detailed and magnificent portrayals of Venice, together with works by artists in the 19th century who inherited Canaletto’s tradition and pioneered new images of Venice.

Sui Mi, the story of a little fish, and Ao Kun and Qiu Ye Chen, a story woven through blue and yellow shapes. These are picture books created by Leo Leoni (1910-1999). Leo Leoni has been active in various fields such as painting, design, and picture books in Italy and the United States since the 20th century. This exhibition will introduce all the creative activities of Leo Leoni throughout his career and the artists who influenced him. Leo Leoni was born in the Netherlands in 1910 and grew up in a strong European culture. In his youth, Leo Leoni interacted with many artists and cultural figures such as Bruno Munari (1907-1998) and influenced each other. In 1939, he went to the United States and devoted himself to painting while being active as an artist. He traveled between Italy and the United States for the rest of his life and created a large number of works as a painter, sculptor, and picture book writer. In 1996, the Itabashi Museum of Art held Leoni’s first solo exhibition in Japan, in cooperation with Leoni himself. Since Leoni’s death, the Museum has maintained contact with his family, and this communication led to the 2020 “Leoni Exhibition, Meet Everyone”, which exhibited many works for the first time, in addition to about 70 donated works. This exhibition is the third Leoni exhibition held by the Itabashi Museum of Art, and through years of communication and research, it explores Leoni’s creative activities and his important position in 20th century cultural history.

The Tokyo International Art Fair, now in its 7th edition in 2024, organized by SAKURA GROUP, is set to take place at the Belle Salle exhibition hall in the heart of Roppongi, Tokyo. This prestigious event will bring together 100 artists from over 40 countries, showcasing contemporary and modern art for international exchange. Attendees can expect a diverse range of artworks including original paintings, sculptures, photography, illustrations, and jewelry. The interactive setting allows for unique encounters with artists from Europe, the USA, the Middle East, and beyond. Visitors will have the opportunity to purchase artworks on-site and indulge in a weekend filled with art, music, performances, and the renowned after party where artists connect with buyers. Tickets for the Tokyo Art Fair on Friday, 29th November 2024, for the Private View are priced at JP¥2,500, while the Public Day on Saturday, 30th November 2024, is free. Don't miss this exceptional cultural experience at Bellesalle Roppongi in Tokyo.

An entertainment show that transforms Japanese traditions into entertainment (songs, dances, plays) With a focus on live performances such as dance, sword fighting, geisha, Bon Odori, and taiko drumming, this group of six women and one man will create and direct a Japanese festival from the perspective of overseas visitors. Talk about history and culture from Tokyo Tower! "Performers will serve you wearing traditional Japanese masks" We are planning a show spanning the Heian to Edo periods and a Bon Odori dance. During the breaks in the show, participants will have hands-on lessons in English explaining traditional Japanese weapons and etiquette. We combined the store name and subtitle, which are already part of our brand, to evoke images of Japanese festivals from Tokyo Tower. We would like to create a fruitful event that unfolds from Tokyo Tower as a diverse perspective on Japan, with planning, production and operation that only we can provide. The purpose of this facility: three exchange activities 1) Communicate the history and charm of Tokyo from Tokyo Tower!"Tokyo's No. 1 tourist night spot where you can watch, learn and play"This unfolds as follows. 2) Tokyo Tower serves as a bridge connecting each region!"Information on historical tourist attractions in each region of Japan"This continues. 3) Create an encounter from Tokyo Tower!"Connecting people and creating friendships"This continues. We will utilize this facility, which receives visitors from countries and regions around the world, as a base for promoting festivals and various cultures. By conveying the values ​​that Japan has had since ancient times, we hope to encourage greater interest in Japan. By providing hospitality with the aesthetic spirit of "iki" that has been rooted in the Edo period, we will create memorable interactions. home page http://thecompany.love

SIDE CORE is an art group that develops art projects that use public spaces and streets as backgrounds. His activities have been gaining attention in recent years, and this exhibition will be his first large-scale solo exhibition in Tokyo. For example, we use special methods to shoot highways, railways, underground waterways, etc., create installation works using street lights, guardrails, road construction signs, etc. that are visible in public places, and make mouse puppets that simply walk around Tokyo. SIDE CORE creates works such as documentaries by focusing on the unique public nature and institutions of the city and intervening and negotiating with them. His expression methods are constantly expanding and updating, and he is an artist who is currently developing and cannot be missed. In addition, this exhibition will not only take place inside the museum, but will also extend to the surrounding environment, allowing visitors to see how the imagination of the city can be expanded through art. In this exhibition, we will present a group of works divided into three themes based on our keywords of perspective, behavior, and storytelling. The perspective section presents a series of new three-dimensional works that simulate urban cycles using mainly street materials. The action section records the actions/expressions that intervene in urban situations and cycles with videos and photos. In the storytelling section we will present the latest version of the "Underground City" project, which has been ongoing since 2023 and explores Tokyo's underground spaces through skateboarding. Exploring the dark side of the city, accumulating small actions that feed noise back into the urban landscape. This series of actions involves the vision of a small part of Tokyo's urban system, but at the same time, they also touch off a chain reaction of cultural activism that transcends borders and time, and connects with people I think are unexpected. This is how to create it.

"Ghost" is a project started in Bangkok in 2019 by artist Korakrit Arunanondchai (born in Bangkok in 1986). It is held every three years at multiple venues in Bangkok, mainly focusing on video works (including installations and performances), with the final edition scheduled for 2025. This year's "MAM Screen" will welcome Arunanondchai (first edition "Ghost 2561" [2018]) and Christina Lee (second edition "Ghost 2565: Live without dead time" [2022]), who have served as curators, and will add new works to the works exhibited in the two editions, creating a program of video works that show how stories and memories are imprinted on the body, and various methodologies of expression through the body. Haig Ayvazian (born in Beirut in 1980) uses artificial lighting as a motif to depict the various contradictions that technology has created. Real Rizaldi (b. 1990, Bandung, Indonesia) explores the spiritual experiences of two employees working on the fringes of a global tech company. In addition, Tosh Basco (b. 1988, California) explores the physical in the modern world, and Chantana Tiprachart (b. 1991, Kalasin, Thailand) explores a disappearing ritual associated with the Thai water goddess, Naga. The program explores various methods of “physical resistance” in the context of technology and progress in Tokyo, an international Asian city that embraces both human and non-human entities. Held in an international city where global capital and the desire for progress are deeply intertwined with tradition, Ghost Intervention will reveal how tangible and intangible forces have shaped and will continue to shape the world we live in.

British art from the turn of the century is often introduced in terms of its lineage with the Pre-Raphaelites or its relationship with Aestheticism and Symbolism, but inspired by the development of modern French painting, various movements arose in which young artists sought to create new environments for their work. The New English Art Club was founded in 1886 in opposition to the Royal Academy of Arts, which dominated the art world, the Camden Town Group was formed in 1911 in response to the Academy's conservatism, and the Newlyn School, which formed an artists' colony in a fishing village in Cornwall. In these movements, we can see responses to Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, as well as a backlash against London's rapid urbanization and industrialization.

The "ONE PIECE ONLY" exhibition focuses on the production process of the manga "One Piece". "One Piece" has been serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" since 1997, and it has been more than 27 years. On January 4, 2021 (Monday), the 1000th episode of the serialization was published, and on September 3 of the same year (Friday), the 100th volume of the single book was officially released. In the "ONE PIECE ONLY" exhibition, the exhibition will show the production process of this masterpiece through photos and videos, revealing the behind-the-scenes story of the comic from its creation to its arrival in the hands of every reader.

After 50 years, the Tokyo National Museum is hosting a special exhibition on haniwa. The haniwa standing on the ancient tombs imitates the shapes of people, animals, houses and props, and has retained its original appearance to this day. 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the designation of "Haniwa Kakabuto" as a national treasure. To commemorate this, this exhibition focuses on the keyword "national treasure" and brings together haniwa works selected from all over the country, including the brother of Kakabuto, haniwa, on an unprecedented scale. This exhibition is a precious opportunity to show the charm of haniwa without reservation. Please enjoy the simple texture and lovely shape of haniwa!

Yayoi Kusama has constantly faced the critical realities of life and death as pressing issues. Her experience of the Pacific War in a complex family environment, along with her overcoming of suicidal impulses triggered by trauma and neurosis through her creative practices, has influenced her perception of these issues. This exhibition unveils Kusama’s evolving outlook on life and death, alongside the corresponding shifts in her artistic presentation, through a series of diverse works—from her 1940s and 1950s paintings, which bear the imprint of war, to her very latest pieces. After relocating to the United States in 1957, Kusama gained a reputation for her net paintings and sculptures that embody ‘self-obliteration’: the feeling of losing the boundary between the self and the other through the obsessive repetition of motifs originating from her hallucinations. In her anti-war happenings in the late 1960s, she painted dots onto the human body using the same concept of ‘self-obliteration’ while also highlighting the beauty of life and the human body. During the 1970s and 80s, following the loss of her father and her lover, as well as her return to Japan due to health issues, Kusama produced numerous dark-toned collages and three-dimensional works centered on the theme of death, as well as poetry and novels imbued with a sense of mortality. As she continued creating fantastical works exploring death and the afterlife, her works from the late 1980s began to explore themes of transmigration and cyclical returns to eternity through ‘self-obliteration’. Kusama’s works, which increasingly incorporated more colors, reveal how her creative process evolved from a means of coping with death to becoming synonymous with her very existence. In her painting series from 2000 onwards, Kusama has been relentlessly depicting the beauty of life and the joy of living on canvases overflowing with vibrant colors, driven by the ever-looming presence of her own death.

This spectacular light show is the brainchild of renowned Japanese lighting designer Motoko Ishii. The term Jewellumination stands for jewels and lights, and it is brought to life by seven jewel colors: diamond, ruby, amber, topaz, emerald, sapphire and amethyst. The park is lit up by four million LED lights and divided into five colorful and themed areas: "Amusement Park", "Water Park", "Beautiful Stream", "Kawaii Park" and "Forest", with dance performances synchronized with lights and music. If you purchase an unlimited ride pass, you can also see these lights and the amazing night view of Tokyo from the top of the roller coaster or Ferris wheel.

An open-air excavation market of 1 million old books sold at the world's largest second-hand bookstore in Jimbocho. This is a week of many readers from all over Japan and even overseas, and the whole city is full of books and people. This is a large-scale event held in Kanda Jimbocho, the world's largest second-hand bookstore district, and this year is the 64th. The "Corridor of Books" surrounded by old bookstores and carriages lined up neatly on Yasukuni Dori, centered on the Jimbocho intersection, is worth a look. In addition, the Tokyo Museum of Ancient Books will host rare exhibitions, talk shows and other events.

Glaze is a glassy film that covers the surface of ceramics, and is an element unique to ceramics. Since ancient times, people have sought not only practical use in glazes, but also beauty that changes in various ways depending on the nature and method of application. This pursuit, which has continued for many years, has brought about great developments in the world of Chinese ceramics. Crafts with completely different styles were born, such as Sancai, which boldly uses vivid colors, Celadon, which has a refined appearance, and Yatsuo-gure, which has a fantastic purple-red color. This exhibition will display about 50 pieces that are full of the beauty of glazes, such as green glazes, Sancai, Celadon, and Yatsuo-gure, from about 1,500 years from the Later Han to the Ming dynasties. Please enjoy the rich expressions and unique colors that are born from applying glaze and firing.

Founded in 1875, the famous kimono brand "Ohiko" became popular for its Tokyo-style kimonos and dyeing techniques designed by its founder Noguchi Hikobei. In 1925, the second-generation head, Noguchi Shinzo, inherited his father Hikobei's mantle and restored the Edo-era Kosode kimonos collected by his father, and developed kimono patterns and production techniques that are more in line with the style of the Showa era. "Ohiko Kimono" is deeply favored by the royal family and noble women with its original Yuzen dyeing technique. This special exhibition displays modern and contemporary Ohiko kimono works donated to the museum in recent years, exploring the roots of its techniques and patterns and the development of modern design.

Tokyo Flea Market is a market organized by the Toilet Paper Society, which is held in spring (May) and autumn (November) every year, each lasting about two days. In addition to the Tokyo Flea Market, the Toilet Paper Society also holds annual stationery events such as the Kansai Flea Market, Fabric Expo, and Paper Expo. It also publishes the magazine "LETTERS" and operates the sundry store "Toilet Paper House". Flea markets are a place where old things are cherished and the baton is passed to the next person. It is a culture rooted in Europe that was created in Tokyo. It has now grown into a place that people who love old things from all over the world can enjoy. On display are antiques from all over the world carefully selected by the owner's aesthetic sense, groceries and tools that satisfy the soul, exquisite food and drinks that make you forget 80% of hunger, and workshops and live music events that make you forget 80% of hunger. Even the comedy is carefully designed to make people laugh. You will not be able to suppress your excitement in this once-in-a-lifetime encounter! The three-day theme park is more than just shopping. It's finally open!

Pokémon and spaceships – what kind of battle do you think will happen? Azabudai Hills Gallery will host an upgraded Pokémon Craft Exhibition from November 1, 2024 to February 2, 2025. The exhibition features a collaborative cafe, exclusive talk events and workshops, and will feature 20 artists and around 80 crafts inspired by the iconic works. The works are divided into three categories – Appearance, Story and Lifestyle.

Beyond time and space,"Nature" "Song" "Future"Three immersive music experiences. MUUUSE is a new type of music experience museum where you can immerse yourself in music with your whole body. With the expression of top creators and cutting-edge production, we offer an immersive music experience ranging from classical to pop music and music composed by AI.

Pliny the Elder’s encyclopedicNaturalis Historia(77 CE) includes the story of the daughter of a ceramic tile maker in Corinth, a city in ancient Greece, wanting a record of the young man she loved, who was setting out on a trip. She drew an outline of his shadow on the wall. In the latter half of the eighteenth and the early nineteenth century, that story was often mentioned as the origin of painting. In fact, if we look at the history of art in Europe, “depicting a person,” figure painting, has long been a significant element in creating works. For example, self-portraits have been both opportunities to display one’s skill and experimental settings for trying new styles. Portrait painting has been a staple source of painters’ livelihoods. In addition to actual human figures, portraits also depict the characters in stories. This exhibition introduces the abundance of paintings of the human figure.

Since its opening in 2020, the Artizon Museum has been holding the annual exhibition "Jam Session," a collaboration between the Ishibashi Foundation Collection and artists. This fifth exhibition will feature Yuko Mohri, an artist garnering attention in the international art scene. Mohri primarily uses installations and sculptures to give form to the flows and changing phenomena that exist latent in a particular space, such as magnetism, electric current, air, dust, water, and temperature, in an attempt to open up new circuits of perception for those who witness her work. The word "physis" in the title of this exhibition is an ancient Greek word that is usually translated as "nature" or "nature." In early Greek philosophy, which gave rise to the question "What is the origin of all things, the principle?" that has continued to this day in philosophy, "physis" was the central subject of consideration. Although only fragments of his writings remain from that time, they were later given the title "Physis = On Nature," and convey the thoughts of philosophers who find the true nature in movements such as creation, change, and disappearance. Their approach to perceiving the world as a constantly changing, vibrant, dynamic world can be seen as overlapping with Mohri's. This exhibition, Mohri's first large-scale exhibition in Japan, will feature new and old works alongside works from the Ishibashi Foundation Collection selected from the artist's perspective, inviting visitors into a tranquil yet organic space filled with subtle sounds and movements that can only be experienced here.

The Ishibashi Foundation Collection now consists of approximately 3,000 works, including Impressionist paintings from the latter half of the nineteenth century, modern paintings from the twentieth century, modern Japanese paintings from the Meiji period on, postwar Abstract paintings, early modern art from Japan and elsewhere in East Asia, and ancient Greek and Roman art. Here we introduce, throughout the year, a variety of works selected from the collection. Special Section Matisse’s Studio Interiors were consistently important elements in paintings by Henri Matisse (1869-1954). Particularly from the 1940s on, his studio was a vitally important space, where daily life and creating came together. This exhibition, in connection with the acquisition of his Dancer and Rocaille Armchair, Black Background (1942), explores, through works in the Ishibashi Foundation Collection and from multiple viewpoints, the role of the studio in Matisse’s paintings.