From October 23 until October 29, art project production group WATOWA GALLERY will host a solo exhibition by SNEAKERWOLF at elephant STUDIO in Shibuya. The artist has become popular both in Japan and abroad for his works inspired by calligraphy found in the Edo period of Japanese history. 

SNEAKERWOLF has garnered worldwide attention for his graffiti-style artwork depicting Edo-inspired kanji characters. In the past, he has collaborated with ASICS Tiger Japan and other popular brands. The artist will show around 15 new abstract works during this exhibition, many inspired by SD–or ‘super deformed’–versions of characters. The #FR2 x SNEAKERWOLF collaborative exhibition will be happening simultaneously in Harajuku, bringing the artist together with fashion brand #FR2. The brand and artist were brought together during an exhibition sponsored by WATOWA GALLERY in January 2021. During this period, three new pieces made specifically for #FR2 will be on display, and limited-edition clothing will be available for purchase!

Art collective teamLab has made a splash with their Reconnect exhibition, inviting visitors to enjoy a number of alternating hot and cold baths to transform their senses as they traverse a massive and constantly transforming art exhibition. From October 18 until November 23, the exhibition will feature incredible autumn scenery, including the piece ‘Proliferating Immense Life in the Rain – A Whole Year per Year.’ This constantly-moving image is not pre-recorded, but rather, the leaves will sway and respond to visitors’ movements. Due to the popularity of the exhibition, more ticket plans are now available, including morning tickets for limited entry on weekdays. Guests can also reserve one sauna room for private use.

Ephemeral Solidified Light
teamLab, 2021, Interactive Installation, Sound: teamLab

Step into the Light Circle
teamLab, 2021, Interactive Digital Installation, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi, teamLab

A Whole Year per Year / Proliferating Immense Life in the Rain – A Whole Year per Year
teamLab, 2020, Interactive Digital Installation, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi

Levitation
teamLab, 2021, Digital Installation, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi

In collaboration with popular app TikTok, Reconnect aims to be a more down-to-Earth art experience. Rather than going to a prestigious museum, guests are invited to reconnect with the world and with the concept of time as they explore the exhibition. With senses heightened by the use of each sauna, visitors might find that they are able to relax and experience the beauty of the world more than ever before. 

Tower Records Cafe is known for collaborating with a number of unique properties at their Omotesando location. Starting November 3, the ‘Pop-Up Cafe: Exciting Autumn Concert’ will be serving guests some adorable dishes in conjunction with the Sylvanian Families line of animal toys! The event will take place in two stages, and will continue until November 23, 2021. 

Collaboration Menu

Persian Kitten’s Sparkling Star Stew: ¥1,490 (Tax Included) 

Walnut Squirrel Style Honey Nut Chicken: ¥1,490 (Tax Included) 

Forest Fruit Salad: ¥1,320 (Tax Included) 

Baby Rabbit Chocolate Pancakes: ¥1,320 (Tax Included) 

Baby Deer’s Heart French Toast: ¥1,490 (Tax Included)

Panda-cotta with Fruit: ¥1,320 (Tax Included) 

Choose a Hot Drink (Latte/Cocoa/Milk): ¥890 (Tax Included) 

Exciting Autumn Concert Original Takeout Bottle: ¥980 (Tax Included)

Souvenir: Baby Animal Set

Table Mats

Merchandise

Sylvanian Melodies 1

Sylvanian Melodies 2

Baby Animal Camping Series (9 varieties)

Those purchasing goods will receive an original sticker. 

Those reserving a spot at the cafe will receive an original sticker. 

Sylvanian Families is a line of collectible animals made of flocked plastic, originally released in Japan in 1977. Made to place inside dollhouses, these little creatures have remained popular worldwide since release. This cafe will feature original goods and dishes, including five dishes inspired by the members of the marching band shown in the event’s main visual. Inside the store, there will be large dolls and an original diorama that can only be seen during the Omotesando event. 

Manksy ☆ gataro is a mystery. The artist’s nationality, real name, age, gender, and address are unknown. His works are bizarre and jarring, and from October 22 until November 14, Shibuya PARCO will hold the ‘Mysterious Artist manksy ☆ gataro: 100th Anniversary of Death Exhibition’ where 40 original creations will be on display. 

PARCO Museum Tokyo Exclusive ‘Edition Print’ (8 varieties) 

Merchandise

Long Sleeve T-Shirt (Black, 5 varieties) *Embroidered on the front

Postcard Box (40 varieties) 

Bandana

Acrylic Magnet (40 varieties) 

Shibuya PARCO B1 ‘Rice & Circus’ Collaboration Menu

Old Lady’s Boobs Curry: ¥1,200 (Tax Included) 

Old Lady’s Colorful Cheese Fries: ¥850 (Tax Included) 

Old Lady’s Power-Up Cocktail: ¥1,000 (Tax Included) 

The Emerging Art Museum -manksy ☆ gataro AR EXHIBITION-

The exhibition’s website explains that 40 original drawings discovered in an abandoned apartment will be on display for the first time. The artist had already turned to bones when these were found and left no trace of when they were created or what they represent. Various manksy ☆ gataro prints will be on sale, along with a number of exclusive pieces of exhibition merchandise. Themed dishes will also be available, and for each order, guests will receive a novelty sticker (3 varieties) at random. Don’t miss out on the special AR Exhibition at the Shibuya PARCO Art Wall!

The limited-time ‘BEAUTY EXPANSION’ exhibition is being held at ‘Shiseido Global Innovation Center S/Park’ between October 15 and 20 2021. 

For the event, Shiseido’s beauty artists have collaborated with ‘Pokémon Shirt,’ the personalized Pokémon shirt service. The special exhibition relives the visual collaboration between Shiseido’s top hair and makeup artist Harada Tadashi and ‘Pokémon Shirt,’ with behind the scenes footage and more.

From the inspiration for the Harada Tadashi and ‘Pokémon Shirts’ collaboration to the three key visuals,  the exhibition has been split into sections to show how the visuals were created. With drawings, crocheted hair parts, and more, you’ll learn about the order of production, how visuals are created, and even how new ideas about beauty are formed. 

Not only can you relive the creation process of a top creator, but you will also experience the ever-changing and evolving expression of “beauty.” The music used for the promotional video was inspired by the key visuals and produced by Conisch, a music writer and producer who has worked for many animated TV shows and has even previously written the theme song for Pokémon. The hair and makeup fashion show held on October 20 will be broadcast on YouTube, with guest appearances from Harada Tadashi and Conisch themselves. The incredible show will combine the world of Pokémon, the key visuals, and all kinds of motifs to match the space, so be sure to check it out! 

©Pokémon. ©Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.
ポケットモンスター・ポケモン・Pokémonは任天堂・クリーチャーズ・ゲームフリークの登録商標です。

Located in an old traditional Japanese house in Kiyosumi Shirakawa, no mark.Café has a cozy ambiance for guests looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. From October 15 until November 30, the cafe is collaborating with the parent-child art unit Musee du Aouvre, and thirteen works from the group’s blog will be on display throughout the building. A campaign will also be held, giving visitors the chance to receive some original coasters and a small wind God figure to sit on the side of a coffee cup. 

Campaign Present A. Aouvre Coaster / B. Aouvre Wind God Figure

The cafe aims to be a place where guests can enjoy art as they relax, and to further this idea, they will be collaborating with a number of artists in the ‘CAFE DE ART’ project. 

The first collaboration is with Musee du Aouvre, an art unit consisting of a father and son duo who copy famous works of art. These aren’t just any forgeries–they are incredibly adorable and pay proper homage to the original creations. Thirteen works will be selected from the pair’s blog and will be exhibited under the title ‘The no mark.Café Great Counterfeit Exhibition.’ A 2022 calendar and postcards of the works will be on sale at the store, and videos will provide information about the original works of art. Visitors can also participate in the Twitter and Instagram campaign to win a special collaborative item!

BE:FIRST is a seven-member dance and vocal group created during THE FIRST boy band audition. Organized by BMSG, a company founded by popular rapper SKY-HI, the group immediately amassed an army of fans who immediately fell in love with the member’s incredible perseverance and passion during the audition program.

Original Merchandise

Long Sleeve T-Shirt: ¥5,800

Hand Towel: ¥900

Rubber Keychain: ¥700

To commemorate the group’s major debut on November 3, PARCO will play host to the ‘BE:FIRST Photo Exhibition “We Just Gifted” event starting on October 22 in Shibuya and November 13 in Nagoya. The showing will feature unreleased photos and videos of the audition process, and original merchandise and materials will only be available at the event. There are plans for an online photo exhibition and regional tour in the future, so keep an eye out for details!

From October 13 to October 27, artists are flocking to BONUS TRACK Gallery in Shimokitazawa to display some incredible works based on daruma, a type of lucky Japanese traditional doll. These works will also be up for sale in an online auction happening during the event period!

October 2020 Exhibition

October 2020 Exhibition

The motif of BONUS TRACK is the daruma, which are seen as symbols of perseverance and good luck in Japanese culture. This marks the third time that artists have been invited to create and sell their daruma-inspired works.

20% of the final bid price for each piece will be donated to various organizations. 30% will be given to the venue, while 50% will be given to the artists themselves. 

During the first event, donations went towards the Nippon Foundation’s Emergency Relief Fund for Coronavirus. Other organizations supported include the Kitazawa Osekkai Club, a group involved in PTA and youth committee activities in the area, and Peace Wanko Japan, a dog protection organization in Hiroshima. 

‘Ways of Telling’ Venue  Photographer: Kioku Keizo

The Ways of Telling Exhibition is now open at the Shibuya Koen-dori Gallery in Tokyo. The focus of the gallery is to closely inspect how people ‘tell,’ or communicate with others. Human beings often depend on hearing or seeing as ways to get information, but there are many other ways to express thoughts and emotions, from paintings and photography to video creation. The exhibition highlights different attempts to receive and express invisible ‘narratives,’ and visitors will have to rely on their imagination to understand each piece.

‘Ways of Telling’ Venue  Photographer: Kioku Keizo

‘Ways of Telling’ Venue  Photographer: Kioku Keizo

‘Ways of Telling’ Venue  Photographer: Kioku Keizo

Exhibition Space Design – Hideyuki Nakayama Architecture / Photo: Takashi Kato

Eight artists have contributed to the exhibition, each utilizing a wide variety of mediums. Hideyuki Nakayama, the architect behind the exhibition space, wanted to encourage visitors to use their imagination. “A building is a place that has been given a name and a fixed purpose, but I tried not to see it that way. I wanted it to feel like a different place for each guest. I hope that the space will overlap with the underlying purpose of the exhibition, in a way,” he explains. 

Bringing together both the seeing and the blind, a special book club was established as a place to discuss each person’s ‘way of seeing’ when it comes to art. In the exhibition space, Rinko Kawauchi’s book Hajimari no Hi, containing images and thoughts captured by blind individuals during the book club, will be displayed in both words and other mediums. 

UMEZZ ART PROJECT logo featuring self-portrait by Kazuo Umezu ©Kazuo Umezu

The UMEZZ ART PROJECT, focusing on the works of manga artist Kazuo Umezu, is coming to Tokyo City View in Roppongi Hills in Tokyo from January 28 until March 25, 2022. The artist is widely known for his work on a number of horror series including Cat Eyed Boy and The Drifting Classroom, Working in the industry since 1962, his works have inspired a number of other manga creators, with Urusei Yatsura and Inuyasha creator Rumiko Takahashi once serving as Umezu’s assistant.

Orochi（1969-1970）

The Drifting Classroom（1972-1974）

My Name is Shingo（1982-1986）

*Dates of serialization in parentheses.

©楳図かずお/小学館

Cinnamoroll, one of Sanrio’s most popular characters, is collaborating with Tower Records to commemorate his second idol single ‘Star Dome.’ An event will be held, while collaboration goods will be available in 35 Tower Records stores nationwide and online.

Cinnamoroll is a male puppy who first appeared in 2001 and debuted in 2002. He is extremely popular, taking first place in the Sanrio Character Ranking four times. He made his idol debut with his first single in 2020 and is pushing forward with second single “Star Dome,” which will be released as a CD on November 4.

34 Stockists / Products Available Online

Products Available in the Shibuya Store / Akihabara Store / Abeno Hoop Store / Online

Sweater

T-Shirt

Products Available in the Shibuya Store / Abeno Hoop Store / Online *Scheduled to be 

released on December 2.

Bracelet (Silver)

Bracelet (Pink Gold)

‘Star Dome’ Regular Edition Jacket

‘Star Dome’ First Press Limited Edition Jacket 

The collaboration goods scheduled to be released on November 3 will feature Cinnamoroll in his ‘Star Dome’ costume and the Tower Records logo in all-new illustrations. In addition, a release event will be held at the Shibuya store on November 3 and at the Abeno Hoop store on November 27. Customers who spend over ¥3,000 (Tax Incl.) on collaboration goods will be invited to participate in a mini live and photo session.

Be sure to check out Cinnamoroll’s second single along with the limited edition merchandise!

Metal J-pop group BABYMETAL has brought their 10th-anniversary celebration to a close with a new YouTube video. The group previously announced that their history would be ‘sealed’ on October 10, 2021. 

BABYMETAL  – THE ONE – STAIRWAY TO LIVING LEGEND

The video shows SU-METAL and MOAMETAL climbing a staircase into the clouds, leaving the Earth in order to become ‘living legends’ of the Metal Galaxy they have cultivated for the past decade. Fans will also recognize the track THE ONE, which has become the group’s anthem. 

BABYMETAL has been celebrating its anniversary for the past year with special concert performances, limited-time merchandise, and exhibitions. The 10 BABYMETAL BUDOKAN concert, held this year from January to April, was the group’s first collection of solo shows at Nippon Budokan. 

Despite all of the fanfare, this might not be the end of BABYMETAL. Sadly, it has been said that ‘only the Fox God knows’ when the seal will be broken, but the girls are asking fans to ‘stay metal’ until the next chapter of their journey is announced.