Japan Cultural Expo - Nihonhaku -

The National Art Center,Tokyo(NACT)

The National Art Center, Tokyo was founded in 2007 with the mission of contributing to the creation of a new culture that advances mutual understanding and inclusion through the power of art.

NARA NATIONAL MUSEUM

Nara National Museum is nestled in a leafy corner of Nara Park near Tōdaiji Temple, Kōfukuji Temple, Kasuga Shrine and other ancient temples and shrines. One can expect a great experience in a relaxing atmosphere, coming into contact with exquisite Buddhist art contextualized historically and culturally. We hope that you enjoy your visit.

Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art (MIMOCA)

The Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art (MIMOCA) was opened November 23, 1991 as a project commemorating the 90th anniversary of the city of Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture and with the full cooperation of the artist Genichiro Inokuma, who spent his youth in and around Marugame. The beautiful station-front museum designed by architect Yoshio Taniguchi has a permanent collection introducing some 20,000 works personally donated by Inokuma and holds special exhibitions focusing primarily on contemporary art. A diverse program of lectures, concerts, and other events, including workshops to foster sensitivity and creativity among children, are part of the Museum’s dedication to education.

TOKYO NATIONAL MUSEUM

Tokyo National Museum (TNM) is the oldest institution of its kind in Japan. TNM is home to over 120,000 "items," some of which are individual objects while others are collections numbering in the thousands. The TNM collection including 89 National Treasures and 648 Important Cultural Properties, making it the most significant collection in Japan in terms of both quantity and quality. About 3,000 of these items are on display in the regular exhibitions and are rotated often in six exhibition halls, allowing visitors to view a wide range of valuable cultural properties from Japan and other parts of Asia. In the museum garden, there are five teahouses with a pond in the center, where visitors can enjoy the colors of the flowers of the four seasons.

Osaka Museum of History

　Over 1350 years of Urban Osaka history are realistically recreated at the Osaka Museum of History. It offers the opportunity to experience the atmosphere of every era of Osaka's recorded history, from the ancient Naniwa Palace to modern times, through full-scale restored buildings, models, graphics, and a wealth of actual documents. 　Take the elevator to the 10th floor from the entrance to find the Daigokuden Hall of the Naniwa no Miya Palace in the Nara period (710-794). From there, take in the breathtaking view of Osaka from a full-size replica of the ancient palace. Meanwhile, the ninth floor is home to a miniature of Osaka in the Edo period, when it became known as the "Nation's Kitchen." As for the seventh floor, gaze at a full-scale model of retro Osaka from the Taisho and early Showa eras, reproduced along with the hustle and bustle of the city. 　The Osaka Museum of History also offers other exhibits and experiences, including a hands-on archaeology corner on the eighth floor and the remains of the Naniwanomiya Palace preserved underground.

Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka

A platform for information and creativity, built around a collection of modern and contemporary art and design from Osaka and around the world Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka opened on February 2, 2022 in the Nakanoshima district of central Osaka. It has a collection of over 6,000 works, focusing on superb works of art and design from Japan and around the world created between the mid-nineteenth century and the present, together with additional examples of the richness of art produced here in Osaka. It is highly rated for notable works by Saeki Yuzo, Amedeo Modigliani, works by the Gutai Art Association leader Yoshihara Jiro, and well-known masterpieces by international artists. The museum aims to be an open hub for art-based activities, with the architecture incorporating a passage—an alley or arcade allowing pedestrians to transit freely—where anyone, regardless of their level of interest in art, can experience and perhaps be inspired by art as they casually pass through. The museum is proud to serve the public in its role as a new platform for art, exhibiting works from its varied collection and actively producing and presenting a wide range of exhibitions.

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

Opened in 2004, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa stands out compared to more traditional art museums. The museum features a captivating disc-like design, as if it were a UFO touching down in the middle of Kanazawa. All the walls are made of glass and the building features five gates, all pointing towards different parts of the city. The museum exhibits experimental contemporary art that visitors can touch or sit on and is perfect for children and adults alike. Some of museum’s highlights include commissioned works, which are integrated into the building’s unique design. The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art excels at offering visitors unique experiences that can’t be found anywhere else. Highlights include Leandro Erlich's The Swimming Pool, which enables visitors to feel as if they’re standing at the bottom of a swimming pool, and a wall decorated with flowers gathered from the suburbs of Kanazawa.

MOA Museum of Art

MOA Museum of Art opened to the public in 1982. Built on a hillside overlooking Sagami Bay, the MOA provides breathtaking ocean views on a fine day. Its impressive collection which includes three registered National Treasures and about seventy Important Cultural Properties ranges from woodblock prints by Hokusai and Hiroshige, including the iconic Great Wave off Kanagawa, to exquisite urushi lacquer wares, Buddhism sculptures and bronze artefacts from ancient Japan. One of the unique features of the museum is a full-scale Noh stage where traditional performances and music concerts are regularly organised. The museum's grounds also include a landscape garden, where you can take a stroll while enjoying the beauty of the four seasons. MOA offers visitors a delicious choice of food and refreshments and the museum shop offers a range of high-quality kogei craft works created by contemporary kogei artists.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE

The National Museum of Nature and Science, founded in 1877, is one of Japan's most historic museums. It stands as the country's only comprehensive science museum dedicated to the history of nature, science, and technology. The museum showcases approximately 25,000 specimens and artifacts housed in two buildings: the Japan Gallery and the Global Gallery. The Japan Gallery, a classic structure designated as a national Important Cultural Property, provides a journey through "Nature and Us in the Japanese Archipelago." It exhibits the nature and origin of the Japanese archipelago and its people, as well as the history of their relationship with nature. The Global Gallery follows the theme of "Evolution of Life on Earth and Mankind." with the interconnected lives of Earth's diverse species on display. It traces the path of life's evolution through repeated births and extinctions amid the changing global environment, along with the history of human wisdom and inventions. The museum is also home to a dome-shaped theater, "Theater 36◯." The entire interior of this 12.8-meter-diameter dome (roughly 1/1,000,000 the size of Earth) serves as a screen, and visitors can watch from a bridge inside. It is the world's first theatre to offer a unique floating sensation through 360° omnidirectional projection.

Michinoku Coastal Trail

The Michinoku Coastal Trail stretches over 1,000 km from Hachinohe City in Aomori Prefecture to Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture, connecting 28 cities, towns, and villages across four prefectures. It was established through a collaboration among the Ministry of the Environment, related local governments, private organizations, and the locals. This national trail aims to utilize hiking culture to promote the coexistence between nature and humans, raise awareness of environmental issues, and preserve the memories of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The Michinoku Coastal Trail is renowned for its beautiful scenery of the dynamic sea, rivers, villages, and forests unique to the Tohoku Pacific coast. Many joys and discoveries await—wonders you'll only savor on foot. Set out on your hiking adventure in Tohoku now.

Kusakabe Folk Crafts Museum

The Kusakabe Mingeikan is the residence of the Kusakabe family, a representative merchant family of Takayama, built in 1879 (Meiji 12) and designated as a National Important Cultural Property. Visitors can see the interior of this valuable building, which inherits the architectural style of Takayama's Edo period minka (private house), while at the same time showing the breath of the new Meiji period in many places, as well as exhibiting old documents and antiques and Hida handicrafts handed down in the Kusakabe family for generations, and Mingei (folk crafts) made in various regions. The high atrium space is also used for music events and special exhibits on an irregular basis.

"Kabukiza Gallery Special Exhibition Welcome to the Kabukiza Theatre."

"The special exhibition, “Welcome to the Kabukiza Theatre” will be held at the Kabukiza Gallery located on the 5th floor of the Kabukiza Tower. With “Welcome to the Kabukiza Theatre”, you can learn more about kabuki through 3 special exhibitions; “1. Deepening Your Understanding of Kabuki”, “2. Kabuki Experiencing Area” and “3. Special Film Presentation “The Making of Umeōmaru” – Theatre Screening”."

Miyakonojo Shimazu Residence/Shimadzunosho Suthern Kyushu snd Miyakonojo in the Heian andKamakura Periods

The Shimadzu-no-sho manor was established during the Manju period (1024-28) through the connections between the residents of Miyakonojo area, the Dazaifu, and the Sekkan-ke. The Shimadzu-no-sho manor grew quickly by making connections with influential individuals of the time,

Shinji Ohmaki: Interface of Being

The artist Shinji Ohmaki is acclaimed for his large-scale installations, which extract space and time and convey them as physical sensations. When we step into his works, our bodies and senses are severely shaken, and we encounter new perspectives on a variety of phenomena in the world and our own existence. In this exhibition, Ohmaki presents a new installation in which he makes the most of a huge space with eight-meter-high ceilings.

Pre BIWAKO BIENNALE 2025 exhibition "Voice of Autumn"

"KICHOU: The Kita Shichiemon house served mainly as a tatami and hemp wholesale distributor beginning in the Edo period. Former OGIKICHI Storehouse for unrefined soy: A signature soy sauce brewery in Omihachiman; the kura was a storehouse for mash."

Naha Municipal Tsuboya Pottery Museum Special Exhibition ”Earthenware of Islands -Beginning and Future-”

This year marks the 25th year since the opening of Naha Municipal Tsuboya Pottery Museum, the only museum in Okinawa Prefecture dedicated to pottery. In commemoration of this 25th anniversary, the museum is holding a special exhibition focusing on earthenware, the earliest type of ceramic. The exhibition will feature a range of displays from ancient earthenware discovered in Okinawa all the way up to works by contemporary artists. Displays are arranged to portray the history of earthenware in Okinawa, its impact today, and the future of pottery.

ECHO TOMORROW FIELD - FOOD AND ART

Certainly, food and art play an important role in early adulthood, and considering that the existence of communities that nurture them forms municipalities, whether remote or urban, for all citizens residing in Japan and visitors from abroad, not only the scenery and historical sites, but also the people living in the present are the memories, records, and experiences of the land. In recognizing that food and art play a role in connecting nature and the history of the land—which is not something that schools can do alone—we will realize a program based on food, art, architecture, and crafts in 2023 that will be an opportunity for people to visit the area and give thought to the young people living today and in the future. Unlike a single event, the official activities of this program will continue for five years and are intended to grow into a sustainable art project that becomes an integral part of the local community and the world at large.

Repair Site of Traditional Japanese Houses​ Open for Viewing

The Nara Prefectural Museum of Folklore (also known as Naramin Park) lies in the vast 26.6-hectare Yamato Folk Park. It exhibits tools and implements used in daily life and agriculture, mainly from the early 19th to the mid-20th century, which the people of Nara have passed down through never-ending improvement and ingenuity. The museum's location, Yamato Folk Park, is home to 15 traditional Japanese buildings relocated and restored from various parts of the prefecture, dating from the early 18th to mid-19th centuries. Three of these houses are nationally designated Important Cultural Properties and 10 are prefectural Cultural Properties. Discover how life was in Nara 100 years ago.

Special Lecture on Manyo Ancient Studies

The Complex of Manyo Culture is a comprehensive cultural center for ancient culture, centering on the "Manyoshu." It is located in Nara Prefecture, the hometown of Manyo. The complex conducts research and study on ancient Japanese culture, and has the exhibition (Manyo Museum) to promote the culture related to the Manyo and library and information service to collect and provide information on the Manyoshu (Manyo library and information room). Also, the museum aims to serve as e a comprehensive cultural facility that coexists with the archeological site by preserving the cultural assets that have been unearthed through prior excavations and by creatively utilizing them through restored exhibits and other means. The Manyoshu is Japan's oldest anthology of poetry, containing more than 4,500 poems composed between the 5th and 8th centuries, and can be considered a classic of the Japanese mind and a cultural heritage of language. Many of the poems in this historic anthology are themed on Nara. You can find many historical spots and natural landscapes featured in Manyoshu poems across the prefecture.

SCOT Summer Season 2023

SCOT Summer Season 2023 will be held again this year at Toga Art Park, with three performances directed by Tadashi Suzuki. In addition, Tadashi Suzuki (Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture), Satoshi Miyagi (Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture), Oriza Hirata (Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture), and Makoto Nakashima (Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture) will present works that they have created in their respective regions, organized by Momotaro no Kai, an organization established last year to create works in collaboration with next-generation theater artists in Japan. This year, a performance directed by an Indonesian theater artist will be presented as special participantion. The works created in Shizuoka, Toyooka, and Tottori will also be performed at theater festivals to be held in the respective regions after the SCOT Summer Season.

Performances organized by National Theatre Okinawa, Kumi Odori workshop, lecture and karakuri fireworks

[Cooperation with Theater Tours and Tourism Resources] We will provide multilingual support for workshops and backstage tours prior to the performance, so that the audience can enjoy the traditional performing arts of Okinawa. In addition, interpreters will be available for Kumi Odori workshops and backstage tours. Guided tours, Kumi Odori workshops and other events will be held at Shuri Castle. [Lectures and Karakuri Fireworks] We will research traditional handmade fireworks from mainland Japan and China, and present the findings at lectures and other events. We will also provide videos after the fireworks demonstrations have taken place, in multiple languages on our website and SNS.

Travel back to ancient times! Historical and Cultural Experience Festival

The year 2023 marks the 1350th anniversary of the end of the 'Jinshin Rebellion,' the largest war in ancient history, and the accession of Emperor Temmu to the throne at Asuka Kiyomihara Palace, with which the creation of a new nation was undertaken. This is an event where you can relive history and it will be held as an opportunity to learn about the process of nation building that was established by Emperor Temmu and his consort, Empress Jito. This event is not only for those who usually take an interest and are familiar with history or people who are just starting to take an interest in it, but it's also geared towards families with young or elementary school aged children so that they can feel the joy of discovering history.

Relive history! A walking event where you can 'walk around the places remembered in connection with the 1350th anniversary of Emperor Temmu's accession to the throne.'

Asuka-Fujiwara' is the fourth cluster of archaeological sites in Nara Prefecture aiming to be registered as a World Heritage Site. 'Asuka-Fujiwara's Ancient Capitals and Related Properties' was included on the World Heritage Tentative List in 2007. The 'Asuka-Fujiwara' sites are assets which demonstrate that during the approximately 100 years from the end of the Kofun period (end of the 6th century) to the transfer of the capital to Heijo-kyo, a nation was created based on exchanges with China and the Korean peninsula, that adopted a centralized system of government. It is made up of historical sites such as palace ruins, Buddhist temple ruins, and tombs located in Kashihara City, Sakurai City, and Asuka Village.

art stage OSAKA

The Art Tokyo Association aims to develop Japan's cultural potential around the world, and will hold two art events, 'art stage OSAKA' and 'artKYOTO 2023' at the same time in the Kansai region, in order to convey the appeal of art to people in Japan and abroad. As well as activating the art market in the Kansai region, the event will also aim to create an art scene there that will attract attention from around the globe in preparation for the Osaka Expo to be held in 2025. It will also try to draw attention from tourists visiting Japan and the Web3 network, to form a community that transcends the framework of the conventional art scene, aiming to develop it into an international event never before seen.

Year-round program”Echigo-Tsumari Art Field 2023”

～April 29-November 5 "Echigo-Tsumari Artfield 2023"～ In Echigo-Tsumari, the people who live there cultivate their fields from spring to fall, and in winter they have a unique way of life born from the heavy snowfall. On that land, ｍany artworks located on. You can enjoy a journey through artworks deeply connected to the Echigo-Tsumari Art Field.

Yabusame Ritual at Kamakura Ground, Kamigamo Jinja Kasagake Ritual, Discover YABUSAME

By enhancing the quality of yabusame and kasagake, two forms of horseback archery reputed as icons of Japan’s traditional culture, and conducting events that offer various experiences in collaboration with other local cultural traditions, this project will make more visible the attraction of traditional Japanese culture and the local region. As the Japan Equestrian Archery Association does not have annual events in July and December, it will hold additional yabusame rituals during these months, thus offering more opportunities to view yabusame. We will also expand the content of the annual Kamigamo Jinja Kasagake Ritual in Kyoto. All events will be presented in conjunction with local cultural traditions; making effective use of local cultural resources, with yabusame and kasagake at the core, we will further draw out the appeal of the local area. The July 16 and December 2 events will be held at the Yabusame Kamakura Ground, while the October 15 event will take place at Kamigamo Jinja. The Yabusame Kamakura Ground is a dedicated training facility for yabusame that was opened in November 2020 and is equipped with a 220-meter horse track. Located in Kamakura City, the ancient samurai capital, it is easily accessible from central Tokyo. Kamigamo Jinja is located in Kyoto City and has deep ties with horses, having conducted the Kamo Kurabeuma ritual, said to be the world’s oldest horse racing event, since 930 years ago.

The Last National Theatre Open House

Introducing the appeal of the first National Theatre grand theater facility, which will be demolished for reconstruction. Lobby tours using an audio guide app (Japanese and English) and stage tours by English-speaking guides will be conducted.

Discover BUNRAKU

Discover BUNRAKU' is a performance with commentary provided beforehand by a Bunraku performer and an English-interpretation guide. The performance features representative works of Bunraku based on the universal themes of tragic love between a man and a woman and the affection shared between a parent and a child. You will be able to appreciate the real thrill of Bunraku both visually and audibly. *Performed with English subtitles *Simultaneous audio commentary provided in English and Japanese *Commentary pamphlets provided in six languages: Japanese, English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Korean, Spanish, and French Bunraku is a unique form of theater performance that can be seen nowhere else in the world, in which the narrator, instrument players, and performers work separately to create a single play. Each puppet used in the performance takes three performers for acting, making it possible to show realistic emotional expression. Since 2016, the National Theatre of Japan has been holding 'Discover BUNRAKU' performances to introduce Bunraku to foreigners. This program, which was not canceled even during the Coronavirus pandemic, is a valuable opportunity for people to see the appeal of Bunraku through to the use of multiple languages to support understanding.

Opera Simon Boccanegra

Originally composed during Verdi's middle period when the composer was 43 and then revised to great acclaim 24 years later, Simon Boccanegra will be staged for the first time at the New National Theatre Tokyo. Based on the real-life figure Simon Boccanegra who lived during the 14th century and became the first Doge of Genoa, this powerfully dramatic work depicts battles between plebeians and patricians, where the love and hate of parents, children and lovers all intertwine. It offers endless delights for the ears, including Fiesco's pensive aria 'Il lacerato spirit', Amelia's romanza 'Come in quest'ora bruna', Simon and Amelia's duet, Gabriele's aria 'Sento avvampar nell'anima', Simon's monologue 'Plebe! Patrizi! Popolo!' as well as highly-charged ensembles and a variety of chorus scenes. Featuring many of Verdi's unique, remarkably appealing characters with lower male voices like the reformed pirate, Simon (Baritone), and the stern patrician, Fiesco (Bass), this is also a work that requires superb singers to perform it.

Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2023 in ACHI

"SSFF & ASIA 2023 in ACHI" will be held in Achi Village, Nagano Prefecture, which is recognized by the Ministry of the Environment as having the Japan’s Best Starry Sky. SSFF & ASIA will screen a program of short films specially selected by SSFF & ASIA in this beautiful natural village.

Noh and Kyogen Audience Growth Project: From the National Noh Theatre in Sendagaya to the World

The National Noh Theatre Showcase offers a concise, authentic Noh performance within two hours. The showcase (with Japanese and English subtitles) starts at 7:00 PM, scheduled for October 20, 2023 (Fri) and January 19, 2024 (Fri). A free workshop, limited to 30 participants, will be held a week before each performance. Interpreters can also be provided upon request. All other sponsored performances are always subtitled with lyrics and explanations in Japanese and English.