Matsuzakaya Nagoya will hold an exhibition for the popular manga series Chihayafuru from August 10 until August 29. The manga concluded on August 1 after 15 years of serialization and tells the story of Chihaya, a girl aiming to become the greatest competitive karuta player in Japan. Karuta is a Japanese card game, requiring players to memorize a collection of 100 classical poems in order to play. Generations of readers have been sucked in by the inspiring and romantic tale, and the series has grown to include an anime adaptation and a live-action film. The story has now reached its inevitable climax, and fans are saying farewell to Chihaya, Taichi, and Arata. 

Works on Display

Original Exhibition Goods

Daddy Bear Plush / Snow-maru Plush

Maki-e Nail Clippers by Hashimoto Lacquerware

Goshuin-cho (Shrine and Temple Stamp Book) Set

The exhibition will feature over 500 original drawings and will offer a look back at the series as a whole. Guests will also be able to see new drawings made exclusively for the event. In addition to valuable setting materials and research notes, the exhibition will also go behind the scenes, and a video of the elaborate production process and the creator Yuki Suetsugu’s thoughts on the work will be shown. If you’re a fan, you shouldn’t miss it!

©末次由紀／講談社

Starting on October 8, Tokyo Station Gallery will begin the 150th Anniversary of Railway in Japan Exhibition. To celebrate the opening of the event, Tokyo Station Hotel will begin offering a special lodging plan which includes a special ticket for entry starting September 15. 

2022 marks the 15th anniversary of Japan’s first railroad. The exhibition will look back at the history of railroads from their inception in 1872 to the present day, and will also feature modern and contemporary Japanese art.

Over 150 works will be on display, from oil paintings to photographs. The exhibition will also include Kawanabe Kyosai’s Jigoku Gokuraku Meguri-zu and Utagawa Hiroshige’s masterwork Steam Train Running Along the Shore at Yokohama. The train headmark was designed by Katsuhiko Hibino in 2021.

The accommodation plan will include a special tour held on the morning of check-out day before the gallery opens to the public. Visitors can enjoy the exhibition in depth while listening to explanations by the curators who planned the exhibition. After the tour, visitors can enjoy the exhibition again. The special ticket features Utagawa Hiroshige’s painting Steam Train Running Along the Shore at Yokohama and is perfect as a souvenir.

Enjoy a rare moment surrounded by the historic architecture of Tokyo Station’s Marunouchi Station Building and immerse yourself in the history of the railroad.

In 2023, an anime adaptation of the manga series Kimi wa Hokago Insomnia will air on television. During the Nanao Port Festival held on July 17 in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, fans were treated to tons of artwork and collaboration visuals. After all, the series takes place in Nanao City! Over 1,500 flyers for the show were handed out in under two hours, and the local community was thrilled to know that such a popular anime series would bring more attention to the town.

As part of the collaboration between Kimi wa Hokago Insomnia and Nanao City, an exhibition will be held featuring 30 reproductions from the original manga manuscript and some original anime drawings!

The exhibition will be held from August 10 until September 25 at Patria, located directly in front of Nanao Station and prominently featured in the series. Admission is free and reservations are not required, so fans should consider coming to check it out!

Kimi wa Hokago Insomnia is the latest work by Makoto Ojiro. Set in Nanao City, the coming-of-age story follows Ganta Nakami, a high school boy suffering from insomnia, and Isaki Magari, a girl with the same issue. The manga is serialized in Weekly Big Comic Spirits.

Kimi wa Hokago Insomnia will receive an anime adaptation in 2023, and a live-action film is also in the works. The first trailer for the anime series has been released, so be sure to give it a watch!

©オジロマコト・小学館／アニメ「君ソム」製作委員会

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure anime. To commemorate the event, a special anniversary exhibition will be held around Japan starting on August 10! The first venue will be Ikebukuro Sunshine City in Tokyo.

Menu

*This event will be held exclusively at the Tokyo venue. Please note that the café will not be open during the “Premium Preview” on August 9.
*The cafe will be held within the venue. Only visitors with a ticket for the day will be allowed entry.

Goods

The official website for the exhibition has revealed more information about the Tokyo event, including the collaboration cafe menu. Details about the exclusive merchandise that will be on sale have also been posted. This year’s exhibition will feature a large selection of canvas boards that can only be obtained at each venue. Canvas boards exclusive to the Tokyo venue for the first leg of the tour will feature Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando. The characters will change from venue to venue, so keep an eye out for more details!

Art collective teamLab will open a permanent nighttime exhibition at the Nagai Botanical Garden in Osaka starting July 29, 2022. On-site video footage shows off several new works, such as Sculptures of Dissipative Birds in the Wind, a digital work impacted by the environment. Birds flying around the work and the wind’s strength impact how the art moves.

Life is Flickering Light Floating in Darkness – Sunflowers

In summer, 20,000 sunflowers bloom in the Life Garden, where seasonal flowers are transformed into an interactive space filled with illumination. This was opened to the public for a limited time to celebrate the exhibition’s opening and will be open until August 5.

The Nagai Botanical Garden covers 240,000 square meters and is home to roughly 1,200 species of plants. teamLab has transformed the space, with the digital art pieces changing according to the behavior of guests. 

In the future, teamLab plans to introduce seasonal works, making use of plants that bloom in spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Resonating Microcosms in the Common Camellia Garden – Liquified Light Color, Sunrise and Sunset

Floating Resonating Lamps on Oike Lake

teamLab’s art project Digitized Nature explores how nature can become art. The concept of the project is that non-material digital technology can turn nature into art without harming it.

Field of Light Color – Muhlenbergia Capillaris

teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka is a botanical garden by day and an art space by night. The art space transforms interactively, influenced by wind and rain, as well as by the behavior of the people and birds in it. People become a part of the artworks along with nature, and a part of the long continuity of time. The artworks, people, and nature; the self and others; the past, present, and future; all form a continuity without boundaries.

Come soothe your soul in the heart of Osaka.

©チームラボ

Starting July 25, fans of the upcoming anime mini-series BanG Dream! Morfonication will be able to visit the Morfonication Virtual Exhibition!

BanG Dream! is a next-generation girl band project that links anime characters and live performances. The franchise has become a media giant inspiring anime series, games, and live shows. The voice actors from the virtual bands Poppin’Party, Roselia, Morfonica, and RAISE A SUILEN have formed bands in real life and are actively performing!

The Morfonication Virtual Exhibition is being held on NTT’s social VR platform DOOR. Fans can access the exhibition from their smartphone, PC, or other devices, and there’s no need to install an app. You can even visit from a web browser, or for those wanting a more immersive experience, the exhibition supports VR headsets.

The two rooms currently open to the public are the Exhibition Room and Atelier of the Hiromachi Family. More rooms will open as they become available.

The exhibition room recreates the world of BanG Dream! Morfonication, a new original anime focusing on Morfonica, the fourth band appearing in the series. The Atelier of the Hiromachi Family is a faithful reproduction of the Hiromachi family’s atelier, as you may have guessed.

Come enjoy the world of BanG Dream! Morfonication from the comfort of your computer chair!

©BanG Dream! Project ©Craft Egg Inc. ©bushiroad All Rights Reserved.

Sebastian Masuda, known as the “father of kawaii,” moved to New York City in 2022 to be more active in the Big Apple while continuing his activities in Tokyo.

His first event since moving to the city will be the COLORS FOR PEACE charity art exhibition, which will be held at the Mizuma & Kips gallery on Manhattan’s Lower East Side from July 29 until July 31. A portion of all proceeds from the sale of artwork and donations collected will be donated to the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, a human rights organization supporting those whose lives have been impacted by war.

Masuda wanted people to think about peace, which is the theme for the COLORS FOR PEACE exhibition. The showing will feature artwork in four primary colors–blue, yellow, green, and pink.

Along with original paintings and lithographs, the exhibition will also feature a bed installation where guests can freely relax. Visitors will be able to think about the people whose peaceful daily lives are threatened by the ongoing war, and will be able to support them through art.

An opening reception for the event will be held on the evening of July 29, and reservations are open now. More information will be announced on Masuda’s social media accounts, including when the artist himself will appear.

Comment from Sebastian Masuda

“COLORS FOR PEACE is an event with a very straightforward theme, and that is for guests to think about peace. Close your eyes. Imagine it. Understand it. Understand how wonderful it is that you can sleep in your own bed at home tonight. We all know how comfortable it is to be able to sleep in our own bed, with our own sheets that have our own scent.

Through my activities over the years, I’ve come to realize that the ‘kawaii’ movement is one of the best ways to inspire peace. It helps us to understand each other, and the bright and vibrant colors make people happy, both in Japan and around the world. I hope that the COLORS FOR PEACE venue will be filled with many smiling faces and that it will transcend race, religion, age, gender, and all other borders.”

Tokyo City View in Roppongi Hills will hold ‘The Rose of Versailles 50th Anniversary Exhibition –The Rose of Versailles Forever-’ from September 17 until November 20, 2022. The exhibition will feature original drawings and gorgeous color illustrations from the original creator, as well as new developments and a look back at the anime series and many stage performances by the Takurazuka Revue. The venue will also feature a spectacular production inspired by the real Palace of Versailles. 

<Exhibition Entrance> ©Riyoko Ikeda Production

Entrance

At the back of the elegant entrance corridor, inspired by the Palace of Versailles, are four lifesized panels of Marie Antoinette, Oscar, Andre, and Fersen.

On the windows, portraits of the characters will appear as if they were portraits in a palace. The incredible backdrop of the Tokyo skyline is sure to create a lasting memory.

Riyoko Ikeda debuted as a manga artist at the age of 20 and had a massive interest in history, particularly the life of Marie Antoinette. Publishing The Rose of Versailles was a dream for the artist, though the subject matter was strange for the time.

[Chapter 1] The Rose of Versailles

Approximately 180 original drawings from The Rose of Versailles, including color illustrations and rare original two and four-color drawings from the time of its original serialization, will be on display.

In addition to the charming story, guests can enjoy the incredible art and heart-wrenching dialogue. 

Also on display will be original drawings from The Rose of Versailles: Episodes, which shares many secrets and truths not revealed in the original story. This is the first new book in 40 years. The exhibition will also share Ikeda’s thoughts on her work and behind-the-scenes details, giving fans a deeper understanding of the creator’s process. 

Along with additional artwork, the exhibition will feature a dress that Oscar only wore once in his life. Created by students of the haute couture department of Bunka Fashion College, the dress, made with lustrous silk fabric and thousands of beads, is sure to bring a tear to your eye.

©Riyoko Ikeda Production

[Chapter 2] The Rose of Versailles Musicals by the Takurazuka Revue

The Takurazuka Revue is a Japanese all-female musical theater troupe known for its Broadway-style productions of Western-style musicals and adaptations of films, novels, and manga. The Rose of Versailles was first performed by the group in 1974 at the Takurazuka Grand Theater in Hyogo Prefecture, inspiring a major Versailles boom. 

Since then, it has inspired a number of new musicals, and in 2014, it became one of Takurazuka Revue’s most popular productions, attracting a total audience of 5 million people. The exhibition will feature a part of the set from Oscar’s room, in which Oscar and Andre pledged their love to each other. The costumes and props work and used by Oscar and Marie will also be on display.

<Takurazuka Revue’s Cosmos Troupe performs The Rose of Versailles – Oscar & Andre- in 2014> ©Riyoko Ikeda Production

[Chapter 3] The Rose of Versailles Anime Series

While the series continued to be popular even after its serialization ended, it was adapted into an anime series in 1979. The opening theme song, Roses Scatter Beautifully, became a big hit when the show was first broadcast.

Along with rare cels, the exhibition will discuss the show’s directors Tadao Nagahama and Osamu Dezaki, while also highlighting some of the best parts of the anime series.

[Chapter 4] The Future of The Rose of Versailles

For half a century, The Rose of Versailles has remained in the public consciousness. 

This part of the exhibition highlights the many collaborations, goods, and releases related to The Rose of Versailles, including overseas releases, nostalgic items, spin-off manga, and more. Are you familiar with this impactful shojo manga series?

©Riyoko Ikeda Production / Shueisha

Art collective teamLab will open a permanent nighttime exhibition at the Nagai Botanical Garden in Osaka starting July 29, 2022. Tickets for teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka are on sale now at the official website, and a new group of exhibits take full advantage of the beautiful setting. In summer, 20,000 sunflowers bloom in the Life Garden, where seasonal flowers are transformed into an interactive space filled with illumination. As the flowers change each season, so will the art.

Resonating Microcosms in the Common Camellia Garden – Liquified Light Color, Sunrise and Sunset 

Life is Flickering Light Floating in Darkness – Sunflowers

Other works on display include Life is Continuous Light – Bald Cypress and Life is Continuous Light – Crepe myrtle, both taking advantage of the natural environment. The 240,000 square meter park will be completely transformed, with the digital art pieces changing according to the behavior of guests. More exhibits will be added in the future.

Crepe myrtles at Nagai Botanical Garden

Nagai Botanical Garden opened in 1974, and had its reopening on April 1, 2022 following extensive efforts to create an environment where plants can thrive and grow into the future, involving tree thinning, replanting of trees in anticipation of root growth, and soil improvement.

Nagai Botanical Garden’s Bald Cypress

teamLab’s art project Digitized Nature explores how nature can become art. The concept of the project is that non-material digital technology can turn nature into art without harming it.

Floating Resonating Lamps – One Stroke

Universe of Fire Particles – Secondary Forest

teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka is a botanical garden by day and an art space by night. The art space transforms interactively, influenced by wind and rain, as well as by the behavior of the people and birds in it. People become a part of the artworks along with nature, and a part of the long continuity of time. The artworks, people, and nature; the self and others; the past, present, and future; all form a continuity without boundaries.

Come visit another dimension right in the heart of Osaka!

©チームラボ

Blue Period Exhibition ~Art is a gift?~ will run from June 18 until September 27, 2022, at Tokyo’s Warehouse TERRADA G1 Building. The manga series, written and illustrated by Tsubasa Yamaguchi, has been serialized in Kodansha’s seinen manga magazine Monthly Afternoon since June 2017.

Blue Period follows Yatora Yaguchi, an aspiring painter trying to get into the Tokyo University of the Arts. For this exhibition, 34 students from art college prep schools around Japan drew the first six covers of the Blue Period manga series in their own unique styles. These creations were made across multiple media including charcoal, pencil, and oil paint. All 34 paintings will be on display during the exhibition period.

Selection of Paintings to be Displayed

Artist: Tomori Marimo
This angel was drawn by art club member Mori-senpai in the series and inspired Yatora to pursue art. Appears in Volume 1.

Artist: Yamamichi Shota
The painting Yatora drew based on the theme of ‘Fate.’ It was the first F100 painting and seemed like it would swallow him up. Appears in Volume 3. 

Artist: Yamazaki Yuko
Piece drawn for Yatora’s first exam. The theme was ‘self-portrait.’ Appears in Volume 4.

Artist: Tamana Moteki
Piece drawn for Yatora’s second exam. The theme was ‘nude.’ Finished at the last minute. Appears in Volume 6.

The in-person event will also invite fans of Blue Period to see 50 works of art integral to the series. An immersive theater will also be open, and visitors can see exclusive commentary from the series creator.

©山口つばさ／講談社／ブルーピリオド展製作委員会

From July 23 until September 25, 2022, the world’s first exhibition of Yayoi Kusama prints will be on display at the Matsumoto City Museum of Art in Nagano Prefecture. During this special event, fans will be able to see some of her earliest works, including her Ai wa Tokoshie (Love is Forever) series and ukiyo-e prints of Mount Fuji.

Yayoi Kusama was born in 1929 and has become a world-renowned avant-garde artist. Kusama is originally from Matsumoto.

In 1993, Kusama made her debut on the world stage at the 45th Venice Biennale, cementing her as one of Japan’s top artists. Early in her career, the artist actively worked on making prints, many of which will be on display at the museum. 

In 1979, Kusama’s works Going to the Field with Shoes on and Standing on the Visionary Field were put on display. Artwork is not only a hobby or interest to Kusama, but a lifeline–the artist has gone on record many times stating that “if not for art, I would have killed myself a long time ago.” Many of her works pull from the idea of life and death, and this trend began when Kusama returned to Japan after living abroad for a number of years. Along with the abstract nature of her earlier works, Kusama also heavily incorporates motifs into her pieces, from pumpkins and dresses to hats and grapes. Many recognize her works instantly due to her use of polka dots.

The black-and-white motif present in her earlier works is a far cry from the more colorful pieces that she has become known for around the world. For those in the United States, exhibitions featuring the artist’s unique Infinity Rooms have become a staple, popping up in New York, Louisiana, Washington D.C., and many other locations.

Come fall in love with the artistic world of Yayoi Kusama at this exclusive exhibition.

The second exhibition for the popular manga, novel, and anime series That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime will open at Matsuya Ginza on July 21. With over 30 million copies in print, the series has become massively popular both in Japan and abroad, and an anime film is scheduled to release this November. 

The exhibition will be open until August 9, 2022, and is then scheduled to begin a regional tour.

Certain scenes from the highly-anticipated upcoming film will be shown exclusively at the exhibition. Those who are having trouble waiting until November won’t want to miss this rare chance!

During the previous exhibition, guests were able to enter a lottery to win a signboard autographed by Miho Okasaki, the voice of Rimuru. Due to the large number of entries, prizes for the second lottery are even more incredible!

The following autographs, which were previously displayed during the last exhibition, will be given away to some lucky fans. More details are available on the official Twitter page!

Signboard autographed by That Time I Reincarnated as a Slime author Fuse / Signboard autographed by Tenchura! That Time I Reincarnated as a Slime author Fuse / Signboard autographed by That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Trinity in Tempest artist Tae Tono / Signboard autographed by That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: The Ways of the Monster Nation author Sho Okagiri / Signboard autographed by That Time I Got Reincarnated (Again!) as a Workaholic Slime illustrator Shizuku Akechi / Signboard autographed by The Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime artist Shiba

*Prizes are awarded at random.