Ukiyo-e RE:BORN

Immersive Digital Art Theater – Ukiyo-e RE:BORN
A new way to explore ukiyo-e through immersive technology

rom April 26, 2025, to January 18, 2026, the Kadokawa Culture Museum in Tokorozawa, Japan, will host Ukiyo-e RE:BORN, an immersive exhibition offering audiences a unique audiovisual journey into the world of Edo-period ukiyo-e art.

Inside the Grand Gallery, an expansive 1,000 m² space, 33 high-brightness projectors transform walls and floors into dynamic, animated surfaces. The result is an enveloping environment where images and sounds seamlessly blend in real time. This immersive digital art theater presents a bold new approach to experiencing art, distinct from both traditional cinema and virtual reality.

Ukiyo-e, a highly popular art form during the Edo period, depicted scenes of everyday life, landscapes, Kabuki actors, women, heroes, and legendary creatures. Mass-produced through woodblock printing, it served as a widely accessible visual medium—comparable in function and reach to today’s social media.

The exhibition showcases works by iconic artists such as Hokusai, Hiroshige, Utamaro, Sharaku, and Kuniyoshi, and invites visitors to explore six thematic chapters: Journey along the Tokaido and landscapes of Japan; The beauty of nature and the four seasons; The feminine figure; The world of Kabuki actors and theater; Epic battles of legendary heroes; Monsters and mythical creatures.

The exhibition’s creative direction is led by Gianfranco Iannuzzi, with art direction and multimedia content produced by Karmachina. The original soundtrack, composed by violinist Ryōma (Ryōma Quartet), blends strings, piano, and traditional Japanese instruments such as the shakuhachi and koto, creating a musical bridge between past and present.