The historic Nagoya Castle will hold a special nighttime viewing event for 14 days only, from November 25 until December 8, 2022. During this period, Honmaru Palace will be open to the public at night, and the Chrysanthemum Corridor inside will be open to visitors for the first time. 

The Ninomaru Garden will also be illuminated and will transport guests to a different place and time by showing a space only possible during dark hours.

Inspired by the relationship between light and shadow, this event focuses on changes that occur over time and the creation and emergence of new ideas and things.

Honmaru Palace, Typically Closed to the Public, to be Open at Night

Nagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace was completed in 1615 and served as the primary residence of the Lord of the Owari Domain and as the Domain’s government office. The interior of the palace was lavishly decorated with paintings and other art pieces and was praised as a masterpiece. Sadly, it was destroyed by an air raid in 1945. Restoration work began in 2009 and was completed in 2018 with unparalleled accuracy. The Honmaru Palace gives off a completely different aura at night. 

First Public Viewing of the Jodan-no-ma in the Joraku-den

The Joraku-den was added to Nagoya Castle to accommodate the third Shogun, Iemitsu, on his way to Kyoto. It is the most luxurious of all the Honmaru Palace buildings, and this event marks the first time that the Chrysanthemum Corridor on the north side will be open to the public. Visitors are welcome to admire the golden-blue paintings as they stroll through the historic site.

See Spectacular Paintings when Entering the Tsugi-no-ma Room

During this period, visitors can enter the Tsugi-no-ma room to view classical period paintings, giving a more clear idea of how people acted and dressed during this time in history.

[Ninomaru Garden Special Viewing] 

~Witness a Never-Before-Seen Feudal Lord’s Garden through a Spacial Presentation~

Scenography for this unique show was provided by the creative label PERIMETRON. In order to show another side of the Ninomaru Garden at night, the company focused on light’s characteristics, from reflection and transmission to refraction and absorption. Light and shadow intertwine in various ways, and guests will be transfixed by this curious showing.

Attack on Titan was created by Hajime Isayama, a manga artist born and raised in Hita, Oita Prefecture. Fans of the manga and anime series can experience the world of the famous series in his hometown, and by downloading a specific smartphone app and traveling to a specific location, they can now experience a new 3D-AR experience featuring Captain Levi. The installation will be installed at the camp resort Paradiso Oita in Oita Prefecture.

The AR application uses colored model data of the Captain Levi statue erected in the plaza in front of Hita Station on March 6, 2021. The realistic image of Captain Levi can be viewed from 360 degrees, and visitors can even take commemorative photos with the popular character!

The installation will be located at the Paradiso Oita Front Ridge, which costs nothing to enter. The grand opening will take place on July 22, 2022. With its convenient location just off the Amagase-Takatsuka interchange on the Oita Expressway, many believe that the installation will help to revive tourism in the area. 

NAKED will open a new cherry blossom-inspired outdoor light-up event at Nijo Castle in Kyoto from March 18 until April 17, 2022!

This will be the first time that NAKED FLOWERS will come to Nijo Castle. Along with projection mapping on the Karamon Gate, the largest-ever projection mapping of cherry blossoms will cover the entire 140-meter-long stone wall on the east side of the inner moat.

The event will also invite guests to participate in the ‘Your Cherry Blossom’ test, which will tell you what variety of cherry blossom matches your personality. Holding the NAKED Distanced Lanterns, visitors can wander the grounds with illuminated cherry blossoms at their feet. In the garden area, when the lanterns are held over a certain spot, their colors will change!

The DANDELION PROJECT will also be a part of the event. Inspired by the idea of world peace and hopes to help transcend barriers and connect people in an increasingly divided world. This networked initiative wants to bring this change about by planting (or installing) dandelion-inspired art around the world, while it invites people visiting these dandelion exhibits to send their prayers for peace as a digital flower in real-time. 

A tree-planting fund will be raising money on-site, with some of the proceeds being donated to the Executive Community of the 50th Anniversary of the Kyoto-Kiev Sister City Association to help support the city of Kiev.

Okazaki Castle in Aichi Prefecture is one of the most beloved historical spots in Japan. The fourth-largest castle in the country and the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the spot was illuminated by an impressive projection mapping event in early January. Now, thanks to a new video of the show, people around the world can experience it for themselves!

During the event, incredible images of the city’s cultural assets and artworks were shone on the gate, including those by Reizi Tamechika. The region’s popular Mikawa Fireworks made appearances as well, along with more modern digital art. The 16.4-meter wide and 11-meter high gate to the castle was also covered in brilliant lights!

Video Recording of Event

In 1959, Okazaki Castle’s tower was reconstructed, and in 2006, the location was selected as one of the 100 best castles in Japan. Each floor inside the castle has a different theme, and the location’s history is introduced through a collection of exhibits and a diorama theater. Guests can enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the observation room on the 5th floor

The creators of the event hope that visitors and viewers from around the world can experience Japanese culture, art, and tradition through digital entertainment.

The Matsumoto City Illumination 2021-2022 event will continue to run until the end of this month! Due to the popularity of the Matsumoto Castle Winter Illuminations, the Grand Finale will be held for seven days only from February 22 until February 28. Guests will enjoy eight different performances during this period!

Matsumoto City Illumination 2021-2022

Present

Past

Future

Christmas

New Year’s

Ice Carving Festival

Valentine’s Day

In addition to the past, present, and future effects, visitors will also be treated to four special seasonal effects: Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, and an Ice Carving Festival-inspired illumination.

For the Christmas performance, Matsumoto Castle is lit up like a Christmas tree, with the lights flickering to the sound of bells. Fireworks light up the structure for the New Year, ice crystals dance for the Ice Carving Festival, and the color pink drenches the castle for Valentine’s Day. Which effect do you like the most?

Creative company NAKED is bringing their popular DANDELION PROJECT to Kumamoto Castle from November 19 until December 5, 2021, just in time to celebrate the Autumn Festival Castle Lighting event! 

The DANDELION PROJECT is inspired by the idea of world peace and hopes to help transcend barriers and connect people in an increasingly divided world. This networked initiative wants to bring this change about by planting (or installing) dandelion-inspired art around the world, while it invites people visiting these dandelion exhibits to send their prayers for peace as a digital flower in real-time. 

To celebrate the recent restoration of Kumamoto Castle’s tower, the DANDELION PROJECT will ask visitors to give their prays for peace and safety as they enjoy the autumn lights. After the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, the castle has slowly recovered, and this is the final step. Currently, DANDELION installations are popping up around Japan and internationally, with locations in Tokyo Tower, Saga Prefectural Exhibition Hall, and plenty of other places.

NAKED’s popular attractions–the NAKED Distanced Lanterns and NAKED Flower Cleansing–will also be available to participate in during the event. Each is perfect for social distancing, and each will get a special Kumamoto Castle version. Interactive projection mapping will cause flowers to bloom beneath visitors’ feet as they explore. After the event period, the works will be moved to Josaien, where they can be enjoyed until January 15, 2022. 

NAKED’S DANDELION PROJECT is coming to Shiga Prefecture’s Hikone Castle! The National Treasure site will display the digital art on the castle’s stone tower starting November 27, 2021. This comes as a collaboration with Kinki Nippon Tourist. Since its launch in 2020, the DANDELION PROJECT has opened 16 locations around the world, with over 650,000 visitors participating in both the local and online exhibitions. 

The DANDELION PROJECT is inspired by the idea of world peace and hopes to help transcend barriers and connect people in an increasingly divided world. This networked initiative wants to bring this change about by planting (or installing) dandelion-inspired art around the world, while it invites people visiting these dandelion exhibits to send their prayers for peace as a digital flower in real-time. Current installations include Tokyo Tower and Saga Prefectural Exhibition Hall. 

Starting on November 6, 2021, Hikone Castle is now open to the public during nighttime hours. The castle overlooks Lake Biwa and is filled with 400-year-old charm. Visitors are welcome to send their wishes and prayers to the world and to hope for a better new year. 

Okazaki Castle in Aichi Prefecture has a fascinating history, known as the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu and once the fourth largest castle in Japan. Now, a new projection-mapping event by the digital artist group Hitohata will cover the main gate of the structure in incredible lights from November 12 to November 14. 

During the event, incredible images of the city’s cultural assets and artworks will be brilliantly shone on the gate, including those by Reizi Tamechika. The region’s popular Mikawa Fireworks will proudly make appearances as well, along with more modern digital art.

At the same time, the Sakurajo Bridge x FORUM 8 Central Rally 2021, also produced by Hitohata, will be held at the nearby Sakurajo Bridge. 

Kochi Castle is known as one of the three most beautiful Japanese castles to see at night, along with Osaka Castle and Takada Castle. The site has now been chosen as the first location in the Chugoku and Shikoku region to display NAKED’s popular NAKED FLOWERS exhibition, opening from November 19, 2021, until January 10, 2022. This outdoor art show filled with lights will be safe for all attendees, with staff taking measures to protect against the spread of COVID-19. 

NAKED FLOWERS is a hands-on art exhibition allowing guests to experience flowers with all five senses. One of NAKED’s most popular events, it has been held in locations throughout Japan and abroad, including Nijo Castle in Kyoto, Nihonbashi in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Korea. With the aroma of blossoms filling the air, the event will feature projection mapping covering every inch of Kochi Castle’s main tower. 

Works connected to the DANDELION PROJECT will also be on display. The DANDELION PROJECT is inspired by the idea of world peace and hopes to help transcend barriers and connect people in an increasingly divided world. By planting (or installing) dandelion-inspired art around the world, people are invited to use these network-connected dandelion exhibits to send their prayers for peace as a digital flower in real-time. When visitors to Kochi Castle interact with the Dandelion, the projection mapping will display the petals flying across the castle tower. Petals will also appear from those interacting with installations at Tokyo Tower, Kyoto, and other locations.

Representative Works on Display

DANDELION

A Hundred Flowers Blooming in Unison (Kochi Castle Tower Projection Mapping)

NAKED BIG BOOK, ‘Prologue’ 

MOSAIC FLOWERS

NAKED Distance Lanterns (Kochi Castle version)

NAKED Flower Cleansing (Kochi Castle version)

Japanese creative company NAKED has begun a new projection mapping event at Maruoka Castle in Fukui, as well as the nearby Otenshuzen Park. The company has also introduced a new way to safely promote the area’s beautiful nighttime scenery, with the NAKED Distanced Lanterns. 

Since 2014, NAKED has used new creative and futuristic technology to better highlight the appeal of local sites around Japan. 

In March 2021, NAKED’s influence at Maruoka Castle became permanent with the start of the Maruoka Castle x NAKED Hikari Musubi installation. The castle itself is one of the oldest in Fukui prefecture, and visitors and locals alike can now enjoy a symphony of beautiful lights shining on the historic landmark year-round. This new version of the projection-mapping project is ‘Hikari Musubi ~Creating the Future~’, and it hopes to convey the charm of Sakai city to the rest of the world. 

The company brought its projection-mapping technology to Shinzen Izumi Elementary School in Tokyo in 2014 and to Kesennumakoyo High School in Miyagi in 2015. In 2016, NAKED launched the 0 x 0 Mugen Project in collaboration with the Osaka University of Arts, which supports the projects of students at the university as well as those of prospective students. 

Event Overview

Maruoka Castle Tower

The theme of this projection-mapping show is ‘From Maruoka Castle to the World and the Future.’ The Maruoka Junior High School Chorus Club is responsible for some of the event’s music. 

NAKED Distanced Lanterns®︎

A participatory artwork allowing people to create light while maintaining social distance, the NAKED Distanced Lanterns project has invited local citizens to design lanterns to display outside Maruoka Castle. 

2021 marks the fourth year that the Oi Racecourse, also called Tokyo City Keiba, will be bathed in a sea of over eight million colorful lights! The Tokyo Mega Illumination is back from October 16, 2021, until April 10, 2022, and features a water fountain show synchronized to music, a 100-meter tunnel covered in twinkling lights, and more. This year, in the Twinkle area of the event, guests can enjoy various AR illuminations created as a collaboration with NAKED, a creative production company headquartered in Shibuya. The NAKED BIG BOOK interactive experience will also welcome visitors to enjoy a projection mapping experience like no other.

NAKED BIG BOOK

Pergola (Interactive)

Illuminated Logo

AR Horse Camera Filter

AR Lights
Limited-Time Area: Tree Playing with Lights (Lawn Area)

NAKED’s most popular work, NAKED BIG BOOK, utilizes projection mapping to allow guests to turn the pages of a giant book and experience a unique world separate from their own. Using web filters and AR, guests can also see the object as a pop-up picture book! 

During this special collaboration held on a horse racing track, visitors can also see a giant white horse in AR as they explore the grounds. Colorful horseshoes and stars will pop up from people’s footprints, and the sound of visitors’ steps will take on the sound of a horse’s hooves instead. Be sure to make some memories by snapping commemorative photos with themed filters during the event!

SAWA, a restaurant featuring both Japanese and traditional Ryukyu cuisine, will begin the third season of its delicious and artful Monogatari Kaiseki menu starting October 1, 2021. Each season featured a selection of dishes inspired by original stories created by the head chef, and with the new installment, guests will also be supporting the reconstruction of Shuri Castle which suffered damage after a 2019 fire. The restaurant is located at Okinawa’s Hotel Nikko Alivia, and the meal will be available until October 31. 

Monogatari Kaiseki: Appetizer ‘Beneath the Moonlit Night’ 

Monogatari Kaiseki: Grilled Items ‘Vampire’s Dinner’ 

Monogatari Kaiseki: Dessert ‘Pumpkin Ghost/Tidings of Autumn’ 

In this imagining, a collection of ghosts and spirits gather at the Shuri Castle Festival on Halloween to compete in a cooking competition, and guests are invited to judge each dish. A drink pairing set will also be available. 

5% of all sales will be donated to the Okinawa Prefecture Shuri Castle Fire Restoration and Recover Fundraiser, to help rebuild the historical site.