Design a poster for the Yokohama Port Opening Festival

I didn’t notice any mention of a prize but it would be pretty cool to have your design used for the official Yokohama Port Opening Festival poster. There is only one winner which kind of makes sense. I mean, how many posters do they need? My guess is one.
You can find more details here: http://www.yoke.or.jp/englishblog/diarypro/diary.cgi?no=1051. The link on the page was broken but you can check out the Japanese Port Opening Festival Page here: Kaikousai.com.

Flower Art Festival Gallery

We at Yokohama Living went over to the Nihon Odori Flower Art Festival that was held over the weekend to take some photos for those of you who weren’t able to attend. It was nice but I was a little disappointed. I don’t know what I was expecting but I know I was expecting something more. The petals of the flowers seemed to have been placed on what amounts to a great big coloring book and for the most part they kept within the lines. It was windy though and I also felt that some of the art wasn’t finished. It was also difficult to get a good view as we had to look at the flower art from the side mostly so it was difficult to get a good angle when shooting. Well, check them out for yourself.

Nihon Odori Flower Art Festival

From May 2nd to May 4th this year the Nihon Odori Flower Art Festival will be held in Nihon Odori (of course). Nihon Odori Avenue will be covered in beautiful art created from flower petals. You can check out the official website to get a better idea of what to expect. It’s all in Japanese but if you check out the Pre-Event page you’ll get a good idea about what is going down.

Video: Giant Robot Spider in Yokohama

As if Japan didn’t have enough trouble with robots and giant creatures already they have decided to import (albeit temporarily) a giant spider robot from France. Apparently the spider is walking the streets as I write this which is a pity, as I would love to see it in action. It is here as a part of the Y150 events celebrating the opening of Yokohama Port 150 years ago. While the giant spider probably won’t be seen on the streets after this there will be plenty of opportunity to watch it in action as it will be in Yokohama until September 27th.

Below are a selection of videos so you can see what to expect if you go to see it.

Link: Y150

IKEBANA

Ikebana, or the Japanese style flower arrangement, has more than 600 years of history. It began as part of the Buddhist ritual and developed into a disciplined art form independent from its religious origin. It is distinguished from decorative flower arrangement for its philosophy, different styles and methods. In short, ikebana is about creating the universe where nature and humanity coexist harmoniously. Sounds difficult? Though it is a full-fledged art, it is not esoteric. There is plenty of room for amateurs to enjoy it. If you are interested, Asahi Culture Center Yokohama is offering Ikebana class of Sogetsu school in English for two days:

Asahi Culture Center Yokohama

2-16-1, Takashima, Nishi-ku, Yokohama-shi 220-0011

– 8th Floor of LUMINE building adjacent to Yokohama station.

Time/Date: 6 – 8 PM, September 11th & 25th

Fee: 7,770 yen for two sessions

Bookings can be made online, by telephone or at the school registration office.

Office hours: 9:30-17:00

Telephone: 045-453-1142 (10:30 – 17:00 , Mon – Sat)

Click here for more info.

Uniqlo’s Uniqlock

I came across this bizarre video/clock on the Uniqlo site. Apparently it is an award winning piece of viral marketing.  (More information on the T-Shirt Review.) Well done Uniqlo. For those who are interested there is a sale on at Uniqlo Online Store selling tees for only 500 yen. Pretty sweet.

Graffiti Stops Shinkansen

The story of the Shinkansen (Japan’s bullet train) being stopped because vandals/artists defaced/decorated it with graffiti has been in the news the last few days. (Link: Japan Times) I have heard a similar story before in Japan. Of course the graffiti wouldn’t affect the performance of the train but it might damage the reputation of the company. And, if you think about it, if someone is able to gain access to this high speed train for graffiti purposes, some other people could also gain access for more nefarious purposes.

Personally I like graffiti, not the ridiculous tagging, which to me, is comparable to a dog marking his territory with no real intention of claiming it, but those that could just as easily hang in a modern art museum. There is a famous wall in Yokohama, near Sakuragicho Station that runs undeneath the railway tracks. It is very impressive and I recommend going there if you have the chance or the inclination. When I get time I will search for the photos I have and post a gallery.

I occasionally go for a jog near my house and a couple of pieces of graffiti caught my attention. One is a complicated image of a character running (above) and the other is an abstract piece featuring three heads (below). They kind of reminded me of Spy vs. Spy.

If you have any pictures of graffiti in Japan please post them in the forum or leave a link to your gallery below or in the forum.

Harley Davidson Exhibition in Yokohama

BankArt 1929 Yokohama will be a hosting a free exhibition detailing the history of the iconic Harley Davison motorcycles from July 9th to July 21st. The exhibition will include a selection of classic bikes, old advertising materials, Harley paintings and more. One area of the exhibition will focus on Japan’s relationship with the Harley fron the early Show period to today.

List of Museums in Yokohama

Here is a list of Yokohama’s museums and their web sites. If I have left any out or if there are any dead links please just leave a comment. To be honest, I haven’t been to most of these museums as I am not really a museum person but if you have and would like to review any of them please contact us.

1. Yokohama Museum of Art (English/Japanese)
2. Mitsubishi Minato Mirai Industrial Museum (English/Japanese)
3. Nippon-Maru Memorial Park (English/Japanese)
4. Sogo Museum of Art (English/Japanese)
5. Yokohama History Museum (English/Japanese)
6. Electric Power Historical Museum (English/Japanese)
7. Kanazawa Bunko Museum (English/Japanese)
8. Iwasaki Museum (English/Japanese)
9. Kanagawa Museum of Modern Literature (English/Japanese)
10. Yokohama Yamate Museum of Tennis (English/Japanese)
11. Equine Museum (English/Japanese)
12. Yokohama Streetcar Museum (English/Japanese)
13. Museum of Yokohama Urban History (English/Japanese)
14. Yokohama Museum of Eurasian Cultures (English/Japanese)
15. The Japan Newspaper Museum (English/Japanese)
16. Broadcast Library (English/Japanese)
17. Silk Museum (English/Japanese)
18. Yokohama Doll Museum (English/Japanese)
19. Yokohama Archives of History (English/Japanese)
20. NYK Maritime Museum (English/Japanese)
21. Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History (English(pdf)/Japanese)
22. Japanese Overseas Migration Museum (Japanese)

Yokohama Triennale 2008

The Yokohama Triennale was first held in 2001 and will be held for the third time this year from 13 September to 30 November 2008 (79 days). It is basically a showcase of modern art from both Japanese and foreign artists and according to their web site will be held at several locations in Yokohama. Luckily most of them are pretty close to each other which means if you are stuck for time you may be able to take in all the exhibitions in one day. Although it is probably better to break it up into several viewings so you can really appreciate the art.

Videos, installations, photography, painting, and sculpture—by about 60 to 70 selected artists from many countries will be put on display. And if it is like previous years some of the art will be interactive.

See Official Site for more details.