Starting March 4, the permanent museum teamLab Forest Fukuoka will transform its artwork into a stunning spring theme. Guests will be able to enjoy gorgeous cherry blossoms for a limited time, and starting March 24, the Catching and Collecting Forest will also be transformed in the same way.

TeamLab’s works are created in real time by procedural generation, meaning that they are always changing and evolving. Each work changes depending on the season.

▼Starting March 4

Both Shifting Valley, Living Creatures of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives – A Whole Year per Year and Animals of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives II – A Whole Year per Year are only available to see during spring. Come and see animals made entirely of cherry blossoms as they roam through the museum!

The work titled Soft Terrain in Granular Topography shows multicolored grains of light pouring from the sky, while Flutter of Butterflies, Ephemeral Life surrounds visitors with brightly colored butterflies

▼Starting March 24

In the Catching and Collecting Forest, visitors can explore with their smartphones and catch various animals made entirely of cherry blossoms.

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!

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 cities of Hirosaki and Hakodate in Hokkaido have announced that they will team up with Hatsune Miku’s popular iteration Snow Miku to promote tourism in the area this winter. A number of activities will begin in December 2022.

[Snow Miku x Hirohako] Collaboration Project

■Hirohako Winter Tourism Campaign Poster Featuring Snow Miku

・Period: Mid-November~February 28, 2023

・Locations: Facilities in both cities, tourist facilities, hotels, shopping areas

■Snow Miku Illustration Contest Exhibition Event

Over 50 illustrations have been submitted under the theme of Snow Miku and Hakodate / Snow Miku and Hirosaki. These will be on display through the winter!

・Running: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Venues: Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center (Hirosaki)
                    Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse (Hakodate)

■Snow Miku Photo Spot

Snow Miku panels featuring shamisen and apples from Hirosaki will be on display, while the Hakodate version will include references to squid fishing and footbaths. 

・On Display: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: JR Hirosaki Station, Chuohirosaki Station (Hirosaki)
                        JR Hakodate Station, Hakodate Airport (Hakodate)

■Digital Stamp Rally Using the Mikunavi App

A number of panels will be installed at five checkpoints in Hirosaki and Hakodate. A total of 1,000 people–500 in each city–will win original merch including a Snow Miku mask case and decorated masking tape. All you need to do is check in!

・Available: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: (Hirosaki) Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center, Hirosaki City Machinaka  Information Center,

                         Hirosaki Tourist Information Center, Hirosaki Castle Information Center, Tsugaru-han Neputa Village

　　　　　　(Hakodate) Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, Yunokawa Hot Spring Footbath, Goryōkaku Tower,

Hakodate Green Plaza C Block (Hakodate Lumi-Pop), Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward

■Hirohako Winter Tourism Campaign Theme Song and Music Video 

The tourism theme song will get a new music video that will be broadcast on YouTube, at local tourist facilities, and on TV and radio!

・On Air: December 1, 2022~

・Theme Song: Mahou no Keshiki (Lyrics/Composition: ryuryu)

■Snow Miku Welcome Announcements to be Broadcast at Tourism Facilities, etc. 

A one-minute welcome announcement by Snow Miku will air at tourist facilities!

・Running: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: Tourist areas in both cities

■Snow Miku Filters Using AR

When each barcode is scanned with a smartphone, Snow Miku will appear on the screen! Visitors can take pictures with Snow Miku to commemorate their winter trip to Hirosaki and Hakodate.

・Available: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

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. 

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

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!” 

Starting September 23, teamLab Forest Fukuoka will be transformed for the autumn season! The interactive digital art installation will feature animals made entirely of fall foliage, and guests can enjoy red and orange leaves fluttering through the one-of-a-kind 3D world. 

teamLab’s prolific works are known for changing with the seasons. This autumn version of the popular exhibition will only be on display for a limited time, and visitors can use their
smartphones in the Catching and Collecting Forest to catch and collect the animals on display! The forest and ocean scenery will change as you explore, and starting on September 23, the trees will begin to show off beautiful autumn colors.

In the Forest of Movement, guests can enter the ‘Shifting Valley, Living Creatures of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives’ exhibit, where creatures made of autumn flowers exist in a three-dimensional space. The space is meant to make guests think about the cycle of death and rebirth, as flowers blossom and die each and every year.

The ‘Soft Terrain and Granular Topography’ will display tons of colorful grains raining down on visitors, while the ‘Flutter of Butterflies, Ephemeral Life’ will change the usual butterflies to have autumn colors as they fly around guests. This is a kind of autumn scenery you can’t see anywhere else, so be sure to come to Fukuoka during this beautiful season!

Japan’s largest sake event, TOKYO SAKE FESTIVAL 2022, will run from October 4 until October 6 at the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building’s Triangle Square.

The event’s aim is to make sake more mainstream around the world, with the first festival taking place in 2020. Tokyo Sake Festival blends sake with entertainment, showing off the very best of Japanese culture to those who may be new to craft sake. For the third year, former NMB48 member Yui Takano will serve as ambassador. Takano is known for leaving her idol career to manage the sake specialty store Yui Sake Shop. 

Tokyo Sake Festival 2022 is bringing together forty carefully selected sake breweries from around Japan, including Inoue Seikichi, winner of the Champion Sake award at IWC 2022. Tonoike Sake Brewery, winner of Kura Master 2022’s President’s Award, will also be in attendance. The full lineup can be found on the official website.

Popular influencers and artists from Raphael to BOYS AND MEN and Ukon Takafuji will take the stage during the event, so be sure to swing by if you’re a fan of Japanese spirits!

Jewelry brand Tasaki has announced a special collaboration pop-up with the popular manga Chainsaw Man from September 7 until September 13, 2022 at KIRAMEKI BOARD on the first floor of the Iwataya Department Store in Fukuoka. The pop-up is being held to celebrate new items in the ‘danger’ line, one of Tasaki’s new iconic items.

At the venue, guests can peruse a selection of Tasaki’s fine jewelry, including the new ‘danger’ collection which was inspired by the beauty of insectivorous plants. This is a perfect mix with Chainsaw Man, which has captivated audiences around the world with its unique plot, savage content, and one-of-a-kind characters. Special visuals of the main characters wearing jewelry from the ‘danger’ collection will be on display, drawn by the original author of the series Tatsuki Fujimoto. Also on display at the venue will be a special Pochita figure, whose chainsaw will be lavishly set with pearls.

Exterior ©TASAKI 

To celebrate the collaboration, unique jewelry inspired by Chainsaw Man, Pochita, and Power will be on sale exclusively at the pop-up venue. These will only be available in limited quantities.

Fans of the series who are looking for some gorgeous new drip shouldn’t miss this curious crossover event!

Amazon Music Live: DEAD POP FESTiVAL 2022 was originally held on June 25 and 26, 2022. Those who missed out on SiM’s outdoor festival will be able to watch it on the Amazon Music Japan channel on Twitch on August 16 at 20:00 along with exclusive commentary from the members. In addition, Shuhei Igari (HEY-SMITH), GEN (04 Limited Sazabys), and Takuya Yamanaka (THE ORAL CIGARETTES) will appear. 20 artists who participated in the festival will give their personal thoughts on the June event including behind-the-scenes stories.

Fans of Attack on Titan won’t want to miss the first live performance of SiM’s track The Rumbling, used as the opening theme for The Final Season Part 2.

Prior to the event on the Amazon Music Japan channel, a playlist consisting of songs performed at DEADPOP FESTiVAL 2022 is available on Amazon Music Unlimited. Be sure to check it out!

NIJISANJI Fes 2022, the largest NIJISANJI event to date, will be held on October 1 and October 2 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba. Ahead of the festival, ANYCOLOR has announced the 118 VTubers that will be participating, along with new illustrations showing some popular personalities wearing class T-shirts which will be available at the venue.

NIJISANJI Fes 2022 Special Announcement Video
https://youtu.be/st-m1G_DYS8

The image song for NIJISANJI Fes 2022, Hurrah!!, is now available to stream. The music video for the track will feature fan art which will also be displayed at the venue, so get your entries in by August 28!

Illustrations Highlighting Class T-Shirts

NIJISANJI Fes 2022 Image Song, Hurrah!!

Music: Mito Tsukino, Sasaki Saku, Kuzuha, Lize Helesta, Sara Hoshikawa, Minato Fuwa, Axia Krone
Lyrics / Composition / Arrangement: Jin

On the special website, newly-drawn illustrations of the 118 participating VTubers are featured. Each member is a part of a different class, and these class T-shirts will be handed out at random to those with tickets to the event as a bonus. They will also be available for purchase, so don’t worry if you don’t get the one you want!

▼Green
Manami Aizono, Uiha Aiba, Youko Akabane, Axia Krone, Akane Asahina, Hina Asuka, Momo Azuchi, Kokoro Amamiya, Sayo Amemori, Almal Ars, Katrina Ange, Mugi Ienaga, Inui Toko, Ibrahim, Ichigo Ushimi, Muyu Amagase, Vox Akuma

▼Indigo
Kou Uzuki, Albio Ex, Emma★August, Eli Conifer, Elu, Haruka Onomachi, Oliver Evans, Haru Kaida, Hayato Kagami, Kanae, Shoichi Kanda, Hisui Kitakoji, Gilzaren III, Gwelu Os Gar, Kuzuha, Yotsuba Umise, Aza

▼Blue
Natsume Kurusu, Kuroi Shiba, Mirei Gundou, Tojiro Genzuki, Touya Kenmochi, Akina Saegusa, Ritsuki Sakura, Sasaki Saku, Yuika Shiina, Shellin Burgundy, Rin Shizuka, SisterClaire, Hajime Shibuya, Joe Rikiichi, Tomoe Shirayuki, Akira Shikinagi, Eine

▼Red
Sango Suo, Kana Sukoya, Utako Suzuka, Masaru Suzuki, Aki Suzuya, Miyako Seto, Kirame Sorahoshi, Rion Takamiya, Mito Tsukino, Debidebi Debiru, Kohaku Todo, Dola, Kyoko Todoroki, Kei Nagao, Naraka, Kanato Fura, Elira Pendora

▼Orange
Naru Naruse, Chigusa Nishizono, Sociere Nui, Fuyuki Hakase, Hanabatake Chaika, Sou Hayase, Marin Hayama, Air Harusaki, Kaede Higuchi, Gaku Fushimi, Tamaki Fumino, Furen E. Lustario, Fuwa Minato, Belmond Pandelas, Nei Ponto, Pomu Rainpuff

▼Yellow
Sara Hoshikawa, Himawari Honma, Keisuke Maimoto, Ririmu Makaino, Meme Mashiro, Chima Machita, Mao Matsukai, Moira, Alice Mononobe, Kazaki Morinaka, Rine Yaguruma, Kizuki Yashiro, Karuta Yamagami, Chihiro Yuki, Seraph Dazzlegarden, Mysta Rias

▼Violet
Riri Yuhi, Mahiro Yukishiro, Roa Yuzuki, Kakeru Yumeoi, Ratna Petit, Lize Helesta, Ryushen, Mikoto Rindou, Lain Paterson, Luis Cammy, Levi Elipha, Vincent Leos, Lauren Iroas, Hibari Watarai, Finana Ryugu, Hyakumantenbara Salome