Art lives and flourishes with no boundaries in this city, teasing and inviting viewers with modern aesthetics and endearing ideas.
It’s hard not to get excited when I have the chance to come back to Tokyo. There’s always something I didn’t get to do last time, some place I didn’t get to visit. Last time I avoided the Ginza district like the plague, spooked by the belief that everything costs more there than in the already-expensive city. This time I knew better to look it up and found that I couldn’t possibly miss an opportunity to see a kabuki show.
Newly renovated Kabukiza Theater has daily kabuki performances with different plays every month. It’s a classical dance-drama featuring an all-male cast even for the female roles. A full-length performance lasts a whole day, but cheap single-act tickets are available for those who just want to experience kabuki. I watched Act IV of Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura and enjoyed it thoroughly thanks to the English earphone-guide. Also not to be missed is the gallery on the fifth floor containing the beautiful kabuki costumes and the adjoining rooftop Japanese garden. At the basement shopping area I found a variety of goods from traditional snacks to souvenirs like a photo calendar of a famous kabuki actor.
Strolling along the streets of Ginza, luxury designer brands are abundant as expected, all with elegant displays and sophisticated building façades – works of art in themselves. There were at least two art galleries in Ginza owned by renowned brands, Le Forum in Maison Hermès and Shiseido Gallery in Tokyo Ginza Shiseido Building. Both were closed by the time I found them, but a visit to Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo on another day more than made up for it.
The gallery was located on the seventh floor of the Louis Vuitton Omotesando Building, presenting a glorious view of the surrounding area before and after sundown. The ‘Infinite Renew’ exhibition by Mariko Mori was on, inviting visitors to experience an endless renewal of invisible energy while reflecting on the common faith of existence, the never-ending circulation of life and death through sculptures with möbius form and a story of their own. There were three illuminated spirals called the ‘Infinite Energy’ series representing the regenerating force of life that towered near the ceiling and delivered a strong impression with a real-time control system which altered the hues of the LED lights as I moved around them.
Just on the other side of the block, younger crowds with colorful hair and wearing crazy fashions flocked the small Takeshita Street. But I’d had my share of that, so I took my time to explore the spacious Omotesando area instead. Just like Ginza, it’s lined by the visually striking architecture of standalone flagship stores and large shopping centers. Designed by renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, Omotesando Hills has been an iconic landmark for a long time with its giant LED façade and diagonal entrance square. Further down the road, the entrance to Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku is an impressive mirrored structure designed by Hiroshi Nakamura.
Was it thirst for prestige that drives these ambitious designs or do people in Tokyo simply hold the arts in high regard? It could be a combination of both, seeing as art seems to increasingly become a living, breathing part of Tokyo. An exhibition held by 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT titled ‘Toward a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN’ was a good reflection on how design impacts every corner of our lives, bringing daily joy but also leading the way to industrial growth and affluence. This exhibition also contemplated the roles expected of 21st century design museums, examined through new outlooks based on the past, present, and future accompanied by introductions to past exhibitions as examples. Designer Issey Miyake, who is one of the directors of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, also took part in the exhibition.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo even held a summer exhibition especially for children. Torafu Architects contributed an interactive Haunted House, with hallways filled with portraits with changing faces and moving eyes to spook unsuspecting visitors. Behind the walls is a backstage room where children took turns to become the tricksters after being on the receiving end.
The vibrant art scene might be defined by the easy access to art of all forms and endless stimulation of the imagination. Creative products are abundant, and there are stores specializing in DIY tools and variety goods among others. I spent hours at Loft, a seven-floor lifestyle store in Shibuya with curiosities from local designer accessories to unfamiliar crafting tools. On the top floor, Arteum offered a collection of reproductions, decorative objects and accessories under license by artists and inspired by reference materials. Rather than a concept store, it’s more like an art gallery offering artworks in a more accessible and affordable form.
On the other side of Shibuya, Lammfromm concept store occupies a corner inside Shibuya Hikarie building. There were original art and design products, from clothing to interior goods by both emerging and widely recognized artists such as Yoshitomo Nara and Yayoi Kusama. Small though it may be, I spent quite some time touching and turning each item while finding out about new artists along the way.
If the cute yet devilish characters of Yoshitomo Nara caught your fancy, visit the ever-crowded A to Z Café where you can enjoy good food while eyeing his artwork, which is stored inside a small cottage in the center. Another café-cum-gallery in Shibuya, TWS Art Café is famous as the gathering place of artsy crowds. Entrance is free as long as you order one drink or some food. It was fully packed when I passed by so I had to be satisfied with peeking through the semi-open area.
Staying at Claska would’ve made my visit to Tokyo complete. But the stylish boutique hotel only has 20 specially designed rooms which are always in high demand. But even if you’re unable to book, Gallery & Shop DO and the bar lounge are enough reason to see the place.
I ended up staying at Nui Hostel & Bar Lounge, a popular chic hostel with easy access to the Asakusa area and less-crowded subway stations, which almost always meant that I could sit during the ride. The industrial lobby bar is said to be popular, but I didn’t know how popular until the first time I returned to the hostel, sweaty and messy from a whole day of walking. I had to scurry past the fashionable crowd flocking the area and told myself to know better next time.
Photography by:
Cita Arsita Farani, Pulung Uci, Masaya Yoshimura, Louis Vuitton / Jérémie Souteyrat, Fuminari Yoshitsugu, doc. Claska, doc. Lammfromm