Featured Events in Japan in March 2025 (June Updated)

The newly launched "Ginza Sony Park" has officially opened on January 26, 2025 (Sunday), and the first wave of planning activities "Sony Park Exhibition 2025" will be held simultaneously. With the theme of Sony's six major fields of music, semiconductors, finance, games, entertainment technology and movies, six groups of artists including YOASOBI, Sheep Literature, Vaundy, BABYMONSTER, Creepy Nuts, and Kensuke Ushio will be invited to participate in the creation, using art and high technology to create amazing experiences. Exhibiting works, the event will be divided into two stages, with three groups of works on display in each stage.

Nearly half a century has passed since the appearance of home game consoles - "video games," which began with pixel art, have now created many new worlds with beautiful images that rival those of movies. Games have become widespread in our lives and a part of popular culture, and it can be said that they have evolved into a comprehensive art that crosses the fields of technology and expression and demonstrates the creativity and individuality of creators. Capcom, headquartered in Osaka, has developed many titles and fascinated people around the world since its founding in 1983 and has grown into a global game software manufacturer. This exhibition will generously introduce the grand process of game creation, including proposals and original drawings made by the developers' hands, graphic work such as posters and packages, experiential content, and the latest technology, as well as the imagination and realization skills of the creators involved, creating an opportunity to reexamine Japan's proud game culture.

Born in Osaka and self-taught in architecture, Tadao Ando began his architectural design career in 1969. Since then, he has produced a succession of innovative architectural works that break through preconceived notions. Since the 1990s, he has expanded his scope of activity to the world, while also working hard on social contribution projects such as environmental restoration and earthquake recovery. His vigorous work across many fields, going beyond the framework of an architect, has earned him high praise both at home and abroad. This exhibition, which will be held in Osaka, where Ando remains based, will bring together the history of his grand challenges as well as his vision for the present and future, providing a comprehensive view of the work of Tadao Ando. Please come and experience that energy for yourself. The venue is "VS." at Gran Green Osaka, the forefront of the Osaka urban renewal project, where Ando has also worked hard for many years.

Ramses The Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs will feature 183 pieces of rare artefacts from ancient Egypt that focus on the almighty pharaoh, Ramses The Great and it will be the largest collection of artefacts on Ramses II to ever leave Egypt. This spectacular exhibition will also boast the FIRST ever virtual walkthrough of Ramses II’s famous temples as well as a full-length documentary ever produced on Ramses II’s tomb.

For millions of years, unique aesthetics have been born on the islands of Japan and have been passed down from generation to generation. From Jomon earthenware, Haniwa, Erika, armor, and ukiyo-e, to the popular anime that has taken the world by storm, this is an immersive theater that combines NHK's high-definition video technology with “New Wafuism”. The New Wafuism Theater is an immersive theater that incorporates NHK's high-definition video technology. In the theater, you will be able to experience Japanese culture through a time-traveling journey with national treasures and important cultural properties of the Tokyo National Museum.

With the explosive growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and the integration of virtual and real worlds, the latest cutting-edge technologies have quickly penetrated our daily lives. This tendency has become especially apparent since the COVID-19 pandemic, when many human activities shifted towards virtual space. Looking back, the progress of art and technology has run parallel to each other throughout the course of history, a phenomenon that is especially evident in the field of computer art and video art. While recent innovations in video game engines and AI offer unprecedented possibilities for artists, the advent of generative AI also has raised significant concerns. Such developments are now attracting considerable attention in various fields and industries, including the contemporary art world.

Ancient DNA research involves deciphering minute traces of DNA remaining in the bones of ancient people excavated from ruins, and tracing the footsteps of humanity. In recent years, with the development of technology, it has made great strides, and it has become clear that the path that Homo sapiens walked was far more complicated than previously imagined. This exhibition uses ancient human bones and archaeological materials from all over Japan, as well as high-definition CG images of ancient human skulls, to convey the long path that the Japanese people have taken, as revealed by the latest research, and the message that the collective history has for the future.

What kind of image do you have of the Crown? The origin of the Crown was Kiichiro Toyoda's desire to "make a passenger car for the masses and enrich life in Japan." This year marks the 70th year since its birth. It has continued for 16 generations as the longest-lived passenger car made in Japan. In this special exhibition, we will introduce all 16 generations of the car, dividing the period from its launch in 1955 to the present into the founding period, maturity period, and transformation period. It has not been an easy road so far. Why has it survived for 70 years? We hope you will learn about the history of the Crown's development, which has been repeated through "succession" and "innovation" in pursuit of the "Crown-like" style to suit "Japanese lifestyles" that change with the times.

From the late 1960s to the 1970s, the "underground," commonly known as "angura," took the Japanese art world by storm, mainly in the urban space of Tokyo. The underground, which replaced the "avant-garde" as the gathering point of cutting-edge art, was imported to Japan from the United States through experimental films and spread to fields such as fine art, music, manga, design, theater, and dance, becoming a trend recognized by the general public in just a few years. However, because it was established through its interaction with the anti-establishment movement of the time, it disappeared in the early 1970s as the movement declined. Although it was a short-lived phenomenon, underground culture had a great impact on postwar Japanese society, and it can be said that it remains as a style to this day. In addition, by its very nature, underground culture focused on temporary "events" rather than physical "works," and placed importance on the "places" that welcomed its bearers. For this reason, the underground is seen as the atmosphere of the times, and its actual nature has yet to be clarified. "MAM Research 011: Tokyo Underground 1960s-1970s - A turning point in postwar Japanese culture" will display many materials, mainly ephemera (printed material intended for temporary use), that are suited to conveying the rise and fall of underground culture in Tokyo. Furthermore, by examining these materials, we will attempt to look in detail at the history of "underground," its ideas and those who carried it, as well as its spread and limitations.

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo is pleased to present Hilma af Klint (tentative title) from March 4 to June 15, 2025. This will be the first major retrospective in Asia of Hilma af Klint (1862–1944), a pioneer of abstract painting. The painter from Sweden has been reevaluated in recent years as a creator of abstract paintings that preceded her contemporaries, such as Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian. For many years, her oeuvre of more than 1,000 works was known only to a very few people. As late as in the 1980s, several exhibitions began to introduce her works, and by the turn of the 21st century, her presence became international all at once. Her 2018 retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the U.S., attracted 600,000 visitors, the largest attendance in the museum’s history. Including The Ten Largest (1907), a set of ten paintings over three meters high, all 140 works in this exhibition will travel to Japan for the first time. Centering on her representative accomplishment, The Paintings for the Temple, the exhibition will provide an overview of af Klint’s career, while introducing materials left by the artist and diverse sources of her inspiration, including the spiritualism and the women’s movements of her time.

Legend has it that the Kannon of Kiyomizu-dera Temple transforms into a blue dragon and drinks from the waterfalls at night, so this event is held to honor the Yasha Goddess, and to pray for the people who come to worship. The dancing blue dragon parades from Okuno to the cobblestone streets around Kiyomizu-dera Temple. The blue dragon is believed to be one of the four great gods that protect the city of Kyoto. In addition to the blue dragon, there are men dressed in traditional samurai clothes, and the streets are filled with music and spectacular dancing. It's really magical! The Spring Festival is on March 14-15 and April 3. The Fall Festival is September 14-15, starting at 14:00 (2pm).

The official name of Sensoji Temple comes from the Golden Dragon Mountain, and it is called "Golden Dragon Mountain Sensoji Temple", and the name "Golden Dragon Dance" comes from the name of this mountain. "Golden Dragon Dance" is a dance that started in 1958 to commemorate the reconstruction of the main hall of Sensoji Temple, Kannon Hall. This dance is based on the story of Guanyin Bodhisattva enshrined in Sensoji Temple. According to legend, she appeared as a golden dragon that descended from the sky, and overnight she created a thousand pine trees that symbolize a good harvest. The 18-meter-long, 88-kilogram shining golden dragon dances gorgeously to the music of the celebration, and this scene is absolutely impressive.

Are you ready for a great party? Join Kuromi, My Melody and Hapidanbui for an exciting exhibition! Dive into interactive displays, dance to hit music, and enjoy hands-on fun.

Joan Miró (1893-1983) is one of the most important Spanish artists of the 20th century, as famous as Picasso and Dali. His creations experienced changes from Fauvism, Realism to Surrealism, and finally established his own unique style. His paintings are famous for their strong colors, imagination and poetry. This exhibition will present the artist's works collected by the Joan Miró Foundation. Through Miró's representative works from his early years to his later years, it will review his creative career of more than 60 years and show the development of his artistic language and creative process. .

Beginning in the 1920s, architects including Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe explored new residential designs with function and comfort in mind. Their experimental visions and innovative ideas eventually intersected with everyday life, greatly reshaping people’s lifestyles. This exhibition focuses on seven dimensions of modern houses: hygiene, materials, windows, kitchen, furnishings, media, and landscape. Approximately 14 masterworks of residential architecture spanning the world will be presented in detail through photographs and drawings, sketches, models, furniture, textiles, tableware, magazines, graphics, and films. The modernity of this residential architecture in this exhibition continues to resonate today, offering an opportunity to reflect on our own living spaces and ways of living.

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.

Ryudai Takano (1963-) is a photographer and artist who won the 31st Kimura Ihei Photography Award for his photo book "IN MY ROOM" (2005) and continues to work both in Japan and abroad. In addition to his works on the theme of sexuality, such as "IN MY ROOM," Takano also takes snapshots of everyday life, such as "Daily Photos" and "Kasubaba." Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, he has also been working on the theme of exploring the origins of photography, using "shadows" as a subject. The title of this exhibition, "Kasubaba," is a word coined by Takano and is the plural of the word for a place like kas (ba). We live in the midst of rapid change in the times, with large-scale natural disasters, global epidemics of infectious diseases, environmental destruction and urban development due to economic development. Takano accepts reality, which is not just beautiful, and presents the viewer with raw images of weak and ugly things as they are. Through Takano's works, we will be able to see anew the richness and chaos of the everyday life we ​​live in, something that is familiar to us but that we do not look closely at. We hope that this exhibition, which surveys Takano's career, including works shown for the first time, will provide some hints for surviving this everyday life, from which it is becoming increasingly difficult to see an exit.

Joan Miró (1893-1983) was born in Catalonia, Spain in 1893. Along with his fellow countryman Pablo Picasso, he is considered one of the most outstanding artists of the 20th century. His unique style of painting, which depicts natural shapes such as the sun, stars, and moon with symbolic symbols, is also popular in Japan. Today, 40 years after Miró's death, his creative activities are once again receiving praise from the world. This exhibition, including the "Constellations" series, comprehensively introduces Miró's art, who continued to challenge various new expressions until he was 90 years old, by exhibiting paintings, ceramics, and sculptures that reflect each period from his early years to his later years. This exhibition is an unprecedented large-scale retrospective exhibition, and visitors can experience the essence of Miró's art through many selected masterpieces collected from all over the world.

This exhibition was initiated by the Mino Ramen Bowl Exhibition, one of the Mino ware projects Sato and Hashimoto have been working on since 2012. Mino ware is a general term for ceramics made in the western Tono region of Gifu Prefecture (Tajimi City, Toki City, Mizunami City), among other areas. In fact, 90% of ramen bowls in Japan are Mino ware. By looking at ramen bowls from various perspectives, Sato and Hashimoto have conveyed the history and background of Mino ware, which has a history of more than 1,300 years, the activities of its makers, and the richness that everyday tableware brings to our lives.

The November Uprising in Warsaw in 1830 and its failure the following year were the indirect reasons why Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin ended up spending the rest of his life in Paris after leaving his homeland. In 1795, Poland was divided and occupied by Russia, Prussia, and Austria, and disappeared from the world map. After this, there were repeated uprisings and rebellions calling for the independence of the homeland, but they had to wait until the end of World War I in 1918 for this to be realized. For these 123 years, the people who had lost their country based their identity on the arts, including literature, music, and painting, as well as culture in a broad sense, including language and religion. And the ancient city of Krakow played an important role as the center of all this.

This original art exhibition will introduce works with "science" and "magic" motifs, and will explore Fujiko F. Fujio's unique way of making dreams come true. The secret gadgets of the future in "Doraemon," the science laws of Planet Marl that appear in "Chimpui," the magic used in "Jungle Kurobee," and more... Through the original drawings, you can enjoy the world of "science" and "magic" that only Fujiko F. Fujio could depict.

Nihon Hidankyo, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. It can be said that this is the fruit of the activities carried out by the only country in the world that has suffered from atomic bombings, which has continued to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons and has poured its heart and soul into such efforts. The recognition that peace is the common prayer of all human kind is universal, regardless of whether we live in the East or the West. In light of the recent international situation, the Koji Kinutani Tenku Art Museum will hold a Special Exhibition, “Koji Kinutani Peace,” a proposal for peace through the power of art and the arts. At the root of Kinutani's world, which uses rich images and colors to explore all things in nature as a motif, is the strong belief that “Art is mightier than nuclear weapons.” His ideals and strong passion are to show the power of art as “wisdom” to help people all over the world who are suffering from the ravages of war, and to celebrate the revival of dreams and hopes in the hearts of people. Please fully experience the true essence of Kinutani’s art.

In Iwin, where Okakura Tenshin, a modern Japanese scholar and art critic, lived in his later years, there is an inaccessible mountain along the shore. Coming out of the deep mountain forest, there is a valley. There are the remains of rain-fed rice terraces, now a swamp covered with reeds. They look like secret rice terraces. Considering the long existence of nature and the continued presence of human activities, we decided to create art works with the remains of rice terraces hidden in the forest. Then, walking through the forest covering the ruins of rice terraces and investigating the vegetation, we wanted to turn the entire forest covering the ruins of rice terraces into an art space that blends in with the surrounding plants. teamLab's project Digitized Nature explores how nature can become art. The idea of ​​the project is that immaterial digital technology can turn nature into art without harming it. The works explore how the existence of these forms can be used to create a place where we can transcend the boundaries of our understanding of the continuity of time and feel the long continuity of life. Using these manifestations of long-term presence, we can try to transcend boundaries and understand the long continuities of time, and how we can continue to accumulate meaning in this place even today.

Noritake was founded in 1904 (Meiji 37) with the aim of manufacturing dinner sets for export. A dinner set is a set of tableware with a set size and purpose for the number of people. Since successfully manufacturing such sets in 1914 (Taisho 3), the company has developed and sold shapes and patterns to meet market needs. At times, the company has sought added value beyond the tableware's original function and design in order to provide products that are in line with the times. This trend accelerated after the period of high economic growth. When consumers had the financial means to spend on interior design, Noritake sold ceramic reproductions of works by painters, calligraphers, and illustrators. In the mid-1960s, when the penetration rate of black-and-white televisions exceeded 90%, the company also began to produce melamine children's tableware decorated with characters from anime and puppet shows. The 1970s marked an era of fashion and diversification of everyday items. Noritake, which places emphasis on developing high-value-added products that add color to life, began manufacturing and selling tableware in 1977 in collaboration with a famous fashion designer. This was the beginning of the boom in designer and character products in the ceramics industry. This led to an increase in design collaborations and joint development with artists and other companies. In recent years, with the growth of content businesses such as manga and anime, the needs and target demographics of character products have expanded. The expansion of sales networks with the spread of online services has increased consumers' options, and products are increasingly required to have value other than functionality and a story. Against this backdrop, collaborations that utilize the mutual advantages of companies are not uncommon. During its long history, Noritake has cultivated the technology to commercialize high-quality models with rich colors and delicate patterns. Enjoy the world of co-creation created by sharing the desire to utilize this to deliver products that resonate with your heart.

"MAM Collection 019: Perspective" focuses on the photographic expressions of three female artists from the Mori Art Museum Collection: Maiko Haruki, Mari Katayama, and Tomoko Yoneda. This exhibition introduces photographic works in which the image is completed through the viewer's involvement, rather than as a so-called recording medium. Maiko Haruki's series "either portrait or landscape" attempts to destabilize and liberate the viewer's perspective from the perspective of form, and also by incorporating the relationship between photography and abstract expression as a theme. Mari Katayama reverses the power relationship between image and viewer, challenging conventional traditional notions of diversity, normative values, and agency. Tomoko Yoneda's series "Between the Visible and the Invisible" expresses the interrelationship between the image on the surface and the narrative behind it.

This exhibition will feature 54 works by 18 ukiyo-e artists carefully selected from the museum's collection of masterpieces, including Kitagawa Utamaro, a leading figure in painting beautiful women who established the style of "large neck painting" that focuses on the face rather than the whole body, and Katsushika Hokusai, a genius artist who influenced not only Japan but the world. Please also take a look at 12 works being shown at the museum for the first time, including Kitagawa Utamaro's "Blue Chamber of Victory - Tamayauchi Komurasaki and Hanamurasaki" and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's "One Hundred Views of the Moon - Nankaitsuki," known as the last ukiyo-e artist and active from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji era.

In the spring of 2025, Huis Ten Bosch will host a new event with the theme of "Spring-like Grand Entertainment". This includes the wonderful new night show "Light Show". The wonderful combination of music, fountains and searchlights is fascinating. With the "Aurora Garden", the world's top light show destination, as the background, the finale of the fireworks show is impressive, and the gorgeous fireworks will light up the night sky. Fireworks are set off only on weekends, holidays and long weekends. Fireworks are set off only on weekends and holidays. You can experience the spring night with fireworks and lights in harmony against the backdrop of the European cityscape.

At the beginning of the 20th century, many artists from all over the world gathered in Paris, the city of art. Young artists lived in studio complexes such as the Bateau Lavoir (laundry boat) in Montmartre and La Ruche (the beehive) in Montparnasse, where they deepened their connections and worked hard on their creations. This group of artists was later called the Ecole de Paris. Many of them were painters and sculptors who came to Paris from outside France and gathered mainly around Montparnasse. Representative painters include Chagall and Soutine from Russia, Modigliani from Italy, Pascin from Bulgaria, Kisling from Poland, Tsuguharu Foujita from Japan, and French painters Utrillo and Laurencin. They did not create their works based on a clear artistic theory or doctrine, like a specific school or art movement. However, inspired by new artistic styles and theories such as Fauvism and Cubism, and sometimes drawing inspiration from primitive art in Africa and elsewhere, each artist sought his own unique expression rooted in the traditions and ethnicity of his home country. Although it reached its peak in the 1920s and came to an effective end with the Second World War, the painters of the École de Paris allowed diverse and rich art to flourish in Paris. This exhibition will feature works by Laurencin, Utrillo, Modigliani, Pascin, Foujita Tsuguharu, Kisling, and others from the Sanno Museum of Art's collection.

When Charlie Brown and his sister Sally get on the school bus with their friends and head off to school, various events await them. They meet unique friends and teachers. Classes are conducted day by day, and sometimes there are tense presentations, and as a reward, there are dance events. When they get home, they do their homework, and during summer vacation, they meet new people at summer camp. The school life of the Peanuts gang is a familiar, bittersweet experience. Enjoy school life with the Peanuts gang through about 45 carefully selected comics.

In December 2024, a new craft collection was donated to our museum. It consists of approximately 150 pieces. Almost all of them are enamel pieces. "Emayu" may be an unfamiliar word. It is the French katakana spelling, and in English it is called enamel, and in Japan it is usually called Shippo. In other words, enamel refers to a craft in which a glassy glaze is baked onto a metal base. The donor is jewelry artist Mitsuo Kaji. This new "Kaji Collection," consisting of carefully selected enamel gems, will make its debut at this exhibition.