Japan Cultural Expo - Nihonhaku -

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sanriku International Arts Festival 2023 SHIFT

The Sanriku International Arts Festival began in 2014 as a result of the encounter between artists who visited the Sanriku coastal area and local folk performing art practitioners after the Great East Japan Earthquake. This is a festival that reaches over 600km as its core location from Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, to Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture, aiming to realize a sustainable "creative recovery" by communicating the charm of Sanriku, a treasure trove of performing arts, to people in Japan and abroad, and by exchanging with traditional and contemporary performing artists from all over the world, especially from Asia.

RYUKYUKAIENASAI WINTER 2023

The RYUKYUKAIENSAI is an event where fireworks are set off in time with music. In December 2023, the RYUKYUKAIENASAI WINTER 2023 will be held at Kanucha Resort in Nago City. We will hold a fireworks display that everyone can enjoy regardless of age, gender, or nationality, and will attract many visitors from outside the prefecture and overseas. The purpose is to make it an opportunity to promote Kumiodori, Karakuri fireworks, Eisa, Okinawan music, and Ryukyu culture.

Special Exhibition of the Kusakabe Mingeikan in 2023 Yoichi Ochiai : ”Digital Nature from null to null: Encoded Eternity, Object-Oriented Primal Vow”

This is a project to exhibit contemporary art installations with the backbone of the nature, climate, and culture of the Hida region, as felt in the Kusakabe House, an Important Cultural Property. Visitors can enjoy media artist Yoichi Ochiai's digital and physical works in the space of the historic Kusakabe House. During the exhibition, a contemporary dance performance by Koichi Omae, a dancer with artificial legs from the Hida region who performed at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, will be held.

Tokyo Opera Days

The Tokyo Nikikai Opera Foundation will hold a variety of opera events inside and outside the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan over the next three years, starting in 2023, with a focus on opera performances at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan each fall. Embracing the catchphrase "Fall in Ueno is for Opera!", we've designed an array of events not only for a Japanese audience but also for guests from overseas. We warmly invite you to visit the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan this October.

Show-RAKUZA 2023

At tourist attractions such as Tokyo Tower and Kanda Myojin Shrine, and cultural facilities such as the Tokyo National Museum, regular performances and workshops on rakugo comic storytelling, daikagura acrobatics, wazuma performance, ongyoku songs with shamisen accompaniment, and more are held to create opportunities for people to come in contact with the traditional vaudeville entertainment that Japanese people have loved for generations. In addition, a tour linking rakugo comic storytelling, history (historic sites), and cuisine will be held in Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture. Going forward, the tour will cover three of Japan's most scenic destinations. Throughout the year, we will promote the appeal of vaudeville entertainment which is full of laughter, surprise, and aesthetic beauty through live demonstrations.

Journey through Nohgaku

'Noh' and 'Kyogen' are performing arts emblematic of Japan, continuously practiced for over 650 years since the Muromachi Period (1333-1573 CE). Together, they are called "Nohgaku," often referred to as “Noh” or “Noh play” for short. Nohgaku is believed to have influenced various other performing arts. "Journey through Nohgaku" is a new approach that delivers the charm of Nohgaku from various perspectives sucah as the seasons, nature, and history. The concept is to "rediscover Japan through Nohgaku,"linking these themes with the idead of a journey. Over the course of history, this art form was beloved by many warlords, and in modern times it has been designated as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, and is highly regarded both in Japan and overseas. It has been over twenty years since it became a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in 2001. As Nohgaku continues to transform, it adds to its rich, enduing history. Let's embark together on a Nohgaku journey.