Between October 1 and 31 2021, Sumida Aquarium will be hosting the ‘HALLOWEEN in Sumida Aquarium’ event, where you can enjoy an exciting Halloween alongside the Jellyfish. 

A workshop will be held at the event, teaching guests all about the floaty, mysterious and ghost-like jellyfish.

The aquarium’s famous 50m ‘Kaleidoscope Tunnel,’ which is formed of 5,000 mirrors, will be transformed into a Halloween wonderland for the ‘Jellyfish and Halloween’ event. Eight aquariums are embedded into the walls, with colorful background panels which feature Halloween motifs such as witches and pumpkins. The jellyfish look just like festive ghosts!

Moon Jellyfish Aquarium in the Kaleidoscope Tunnel 

Each aquarium introduces seven mysterious facts about jellyfish – For example, did you know that jellyfish have no heart, and have tons of eyes?

The mysterious tunnel wall is covered in images of cute jellyfish that transform into ghosts and jack-o-lanterns, while Halloween themed music plays in the background.

A jellyfish comparison workshop

A jellyfish comparison workshop will also be held at the aquarium’s Aqua Academy. Young children can participate in the workshop which explains the visual differences between different types of jellyfish, while crafting a cute jellyfish mobile under staff supervision.

Spend this Halloween at the incredible Sumida Aquarium!

The Nihonbashi ART AQUARIUM will be closed on September 26 2021 to make way for new exhibits and works. The museum is scheduled to be relocated in the first half of 2022.

The ART AQUARIUM Museum opened in Nihonbashi, Tokyo on August 28 202 with the concept of “a museum where life dwells.” This will be the largest renewal in the history of the museum Museum, opened by writer and general producer Hidetomo Kimura, with the addition of more exhibits and new and improved interactive areas.

The Nihonbashi Art AQUARIUM Museum opened alongside the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic, with the expectations that visitors would come from both within Japan and overseas, thanks to the exhibitions which easily explain and represent Japan’s proud traditional culture and performing arts, but due to Covid restrictions, foreign tourists are still unable to enter the country. Despite this, the Museum saw many customers and with the closing of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the museum will be closed in preparation to relocate to the new ART AQUARIUM. If you want to see the Nihonbashi location for yourself then this is your last chance!

In addition, the “ART AQUARIUM” digital tour is being held from September 12, allowing you to appreciate the Museum in a digital format until the reopening.

Make sure to check out the Nihonbashi ART AQUARIUM while you have the chance!

Blending living creatures with art, átoa, a new urban aquarium, will open in Kobe’s Shinkocho on October 29, 2021. New images have just been revealed, and we now have an idea of what the interior will look like!

‘átoa’ comes from a combination of the words ‘aquarium’ and ‘art,’ and as the name suggests, the space will blend over 100 pieces of digital and performance art with 3,000 ocean creatures to provide a never-before-seen experience.  

The exterior of the Kobe Port Museum looks like a contemporary art gallery

The stairway leads guests to a cave entrance, making the visit feel more like an adventure

‘MARIN NOTE – The Movement of Life’ embodies underwater life 

‘ELEMENTS – The Forest of Spirits’ welcomes you to a foggy sea of trees

Light cutout show by famed cutout artist Atsumi Sakai

A mysterious walk through a traditional Japanese garden

‘PLANETS,’ a journey through the darkness of outer space and the deep sea

Food & drink offerings worthy of posting on social media

A spectacular view of the Kobe Bay area
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átoa original products on sale

Rokko, the land on which Kobe City sits, is said to have been formed over one million years ago by the upheaval of the Earth and consistent water erosion. The Kobe Port Museum (KPM), where átoa is located, has long attracted visitors with its unique exterior, embodying the ancient origins of the surrounding lands.

átoa will be divided into eight different zones, each with its own theme and distinctive presentation. Visitors will first enter the ‘Cave of Beginnings,’ where fish-shaped lights reflected on the walls and floor lead you deeper into the space, as if through a kaleidoscope. 

After emerging, ‘MARIN NOTE – The Movement of Life,’ a visual embodiment of underwater life, will greet you. The sound and scents of the sea will surround guests, with a cylindrical water tank at the center of the room filled with zebra sharks, spotted garden eels, and many more underwater creatures. 

On the second floor, enter ‘ELEMENTS – The Forest of Spirits,’ a foggy sea of trees straight out of a fairy tale. This is where you can find freshwater fish, amphibians, and adorable tree-dwelling animals not typically found in aquariums, like woodchucks! This is another highlight of átoa: you might find more animals you wouldn’t expect!

The third floor houses both ‘MIYABI’ and ‘PLANETS,’ where guests can enjoy a ‘theatrical aquarium experience.’ Discover Atsumi Sakai’s famed cutout art in the ‘MIYABI’ area, meant to simulate a Japanese garden. Enjoy the magical experience of fish swimming just beneath your feet as you stroll along a glass-covered floor. 

The ‘PLANETS’ area houses AQUA TERRA, one of Japan’s largest spherical water tanks, with a diameter of 3 meters. Guests are welcome to ponder the vastness of both outer space and the deepest stretches of the sea. The area is bathed in the light of countless stars thanks to optical fibers embedded in the floor, while mist will continuously pour from above. 

Housed on the fourth floor, an outdoor exhibit, the ‘SKYSHORE Sky Garden,’ will soothe your soul as you play with only the most adorable marine life, from penguins to otters. This is also where visitors can enjoy the átoa cafe, offering a lineup of Instagram-worthy food and drink. 

The observation deck ‘ROOF TOP’ also provides a breathtaking view of Kobe. Whether you visit during day or night, take in the views of Kobe Harborland and Meriken Park to your heart’s content. A full museum shop will be stocked with adorable plushies and other original products. 

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo is set to host the Moshimo Tokyo Exhibition as part of Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL’s 13 special exhibits from August 4 to September 5. The event is free to enter but tickets, which are now available, must be ordered in advance.

Japan’s top manga artists drew exclusive pieces for the exhibition

©Inio Asano – taken from TP

©Shinichi Ishizuka – taken from Tokyo Sound

©Taiyō Matsumoto

©Sumito Oowara – taken from East East

The theme of Moshimo Tokyo is “Tokyo” and will exhibit works from 20 big Japanese manga artists, such as Taiyō Matsumoto (Ping Pong; Tekkonkinkreet; Sunny), Inio Asano (Goodnight Punpun; Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction), and Shinichi Ishizuka (Blue Giant). Each artist has illustrated special pieces in line with the exhibition’s theme which will be shown at the in and around museum.

Felissimo and Sebastian Masuda’s cute and happy KAWAII COMPANY project released a new collection of multicoloured soumen noodles at Senjutei Somen Chaya on July 11 which are available for a limited time until August 31. The colours of the noodles are naturally-derived.

KAWAII COMPANY 5 Kawaii Soumen Noodles | 1 Set = ¥2,420 (Tax Included)

Digital Catalogue

The cute Miwa soumen noodles are made by Ikeri, a long-standing shop that was established in Nara over 170 years ago. Each noodle colour signifies a different colour: Japanese purple sweet potato, plum, kabosu citrus, beefsteak, and plain. The noodles are packaged in a wooden box featuring KAWAII COMPANY’s key visual designed by Sebastian Masuda along with golf leaf.

The noodles aren’t designed just to look cute – they are authentic in flavour and in how they are made with traditional Japanese techniques.

Roppongi Museum is set to open its The Promised Neverland exhibition on July 17 where it will run until December 30. The exhibition covers the Grace Field House Jailbreak Arc, where guests can feel like they’re really walking through the house.

Cafe Logo

As part of the exhibition, a themed cafe called the Minerva Cafe will open inside the museum serving food and drink inspired by the anime series.

BLT Sandwich & Salmon Cream Cheese | ¥1,740 (Tax Included)

Minerva & Phil’s Chocolate Banana Pancakes | ¥1,600 (Tax Included)

The Minerva Cafe menu includes the mysterious William Minerva who Emma, Norman, and Ray are pursuing, chocolate banana pancakes with Minerva and Phil designs, and more, including a range drinks.

Latte Art | ¥770 (Tax Included)

Isabella’s Brown Sugar Milk Tea | ¥540 (Tax Included)

The Emma, Norman, and Ray lattes also come with a coaster you can take home, and there’s a special Isabella milk tea you can buy at THE ALLEY, a food truck at Roppongi Musuem that’s popular for its Taiwanese milk teas.

©白井カイウ・出水ぽすか／集英社・約束のネバーランド製作委員会

The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto has announced a new exhibition. A Chronicle of Modern Crafts: Works from the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto Collection will run from July 9 to August 22.

Crafts are one of the pillars of the activities at the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, a facility that opened in 1963. This emphasis has helped form one of Japan’s premiere collections of crafts. Moreover, they have on occasion presented exhibitions such as the International Exhibition of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Contemporary Ceramic Art: Canada, U.S.A., Mexico and Japan, Fiber Works: Europe and Japan, and Contemporary Glass: Europe and Japan, which introduced and compared crafts from other countries with Japanese works, and exerted a strong influence on the Japanese art and crafts scene.

In this exhibition, the museum takes a look back at some of these events from the past based on works from the museum collection while retracing the development of modern crafts. This includes the exhibiting of 305 pieces, 231 from Japanese craftsmen and 74 from those overseas.

Roppongi Museum is set to open its The Promised Neverland exhibition on July 17 where it will run until December 30. The exhibition covers the Grace Field House Jailbreak Arc, where guests can feel like they’re really walking through the house.

Newly illustrated artwork to be used on exclusive merchandise

Limited-edition museum exclusive merch line-up

Hangers | 3 Designs: Emma, Norman, Ray | ¥1,430 Each (Tax Included)

Pins | 10 Designs | ¥440 Each (Tax Included)

Acrylic Figures With Stills | 3 Designs: Emma, Norman, Ray | ¥1,430 Each (Tax Included)

Croquis Notebook | ¥990 (Tax Included)

Folder | ¥440 (Tax Included)

3D Postcard Set | ¥990 (Tax Included)

Stainless Steel Bottles | 3 Designs: Emma, Norman, Ray | ¥1,870 Each (Tax Included)

Key Keyring | ¥990 (Tax Included)

4C Ballpoint Pens | 4 Designs: Emma, Norman, Ray, Little Bunny | ¥880 Each (Tax Included)

Flat Pouches | 3 Designs: Emma, Norman, Ray | ¥1,760 Each (Tax Included)

Compact Mirror | ¥2,200 (Tax Included)

Little Bunny Pouch | ¥3,080 (Tax Included)

The exhibition artwork and 136 pieces of merchandise focus on the strong bond between Emma, Norman, and Ray. Dive into the world of The Promised Neverland at the special exhibition arriving this summer.

NARA TSUTAYA STORE is set to host an exhibition in promotion of Japanese artist Aki Kondo’s new artbook Koko ni Aru Shiawase (The Happiness Here) which is running from July 1-15.

Front cover of Aki Kondo’s artbook Koko ni Aru Shiawase

Koko ni Aru Shiawase “A Hundred Flowers” Special Edition

Examples of drawings at the exhibit

Koko ni Aru Shiawase hit the shelves in March of this year as Aki Kondo’s first artbook release. Her colourful, imaginative, and humorous works have captured the hearts of many. But her works also touch on the deeper topic of her view on life and death, having experienced the suffering wrought by the Great East Japan Earthquake as well as knowing loss.

Her new artbook focuses on her paintings of flowers as well as themes of fleeting life and our relationships with others. Everything from the book’s design to the works shown, the printing, and so on were crafted with the utmost care to capture the full essence of Aki Kondo and to create a book the owner will always want by their side.

The poop-themed Unko Museum is heading to Hiroshima Marina Hop for a limited time from July 17 to September 12. The museum has been around both inside and outside Japan since 2019. It has popped up in Yokohama, Tokyo, Shanghai, Fukuoka, and online.

The museum is an educational facility that teaches visitors (also called poopers at the museum) everything they ever wanted (or didn’t want) to know about poo.

All the classic installations and facilities are making an appearance including the poop-spurting Unko Volcano, the Poopteractive Area which is filled with games, the Poopogenic Area which is covered in cute sparkly poo decorations, and more.

Roppongi Museum is set to open its The Promised Neverland exhibition on July 17 where it will run until December 30. The exhibition covers the Grace Field House Jailbreak Arc, where guests can feel like they’re really walking through the house.

Grace Field House entrance

Venue map

The exhibition is split into seven ‘chapters’ which recreate various scenes from the manga and anime series. The areas are littered with props such as the truck that Conny goes into, the test room desks, ​William Minerva’s pen, and so on. They even have the rooms smelling like they would in the series.

D&DEPARTMENT PROJECT is teaming up with Loftwork to open the 47 RENTAL STORE inside the d47 MUSEUM located on the 8th floor of Shibuya Hikarie in Tokyo. Running from July 1 to September 27, the store will offer ‘rental’ products and services from Japan’s 47 prefectures.

Some of the exhibits include

Sense of Tono・TONO MADE (Iwate Prefecture) / KIYO Dessert Set・ZIKICO (Tokyo) / XYLOPHONE CHAIR・Chiffon Chair・Toymasu  / suwa megami・suwa megami (Nagano Prefecture)

What to look out for

Experience things from 47 prefectures and help support their promotion and growth.

This project has been held 27 times in the past at d47 MUSEUM, with various themes centred on Japan’s prefectures such as travel, craftsmanship, lifestyle, fermentation, and more. The theme for its 28th run is the 47 RENTAL STORE which focuses on fostering communication through services. Visitors will be able to buy and experience a range of products and services first-hand and in turn help to provide feedback to exhibitors.

The products or services visitors are interested in at the event can be tested or rented to see if they wish to incorporate them into their own lives. It’s a chance to discover new and wonderful things for adoring lifestyles.