To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Meiji Jingu Shrine in 2020, an art and culture festival, "Jingu no Mori Art Festival," will be held for approximately one year. As part of this, the outdoor sculpture exhibition "Tenku Kai Katsu" will take place from March 20, 2020 (Friday, holiday) to December 13, 2020 (Sunday).

Against the backdrop of Meiji Jingu's overwhelming natural beauty, the art and culture festival "Jingu no Mori Art Festival" is being held. Under the artistic direction of Ms. Hiromi Yamaguchi, various events, including outdoor sculpture exhibitions, art exhibitions, and special exhibitions on the contemporary culture that has flourished around the shrine, are planned to take place over approximately one year starting from March 2020. As part of this festival, the outdoor sculpture exhibition "Tenku Kai Katsu" will be held in the inner garden starting March 20, 2020.

This exhibition features three-dimensional works by sculptor Kohei Nawa, contemporary artist Mika Funai, New York-based artist Tomokazu Matsuyama, sculptor Atsuhiko Misawa, and Takamasa Kuniyasu, who creates installations using logs and ceramic blocks. These pieces will be displayed at various locations within Meiji Jingu's inner garden.

These works were created after the five artists visited Meiji Jingu multiple times, surveyed the installation sites, and gained an understanding of the shrine's history and culture. It is not widely known that the inner and outer gardens of the shrine, now cherished as an urban sanctuary, were originally an artificial forest created 100 years ago using contemporary forestry, landscaping, and urban engineering techniques, with the planting of evergreen trees suited to the environment. This exhibition, through the artworks placed within the forest, will allow visitors to feel the resonance between nature and the city, and between art and culture.

In June 2020, the "Shikan Suiyo" exhibition will feature paintings on the themes of nature and life at the Meiji Jingu Museum. Following that, in July, the "Kiin Seido" exhibition will be held in the Treasure House, tracing the lineage of sculpture and three-dimensional art from Meiji-era sculptor Denchu Hirakushi, who greatly influenced modern and contemporary sculpture, to contemporary sculptor Kohei Nawa, who is active worldwide. The "Jingu no Mori Art Festival" will be an excellent opportunity to enjoy new encounters with artworks while contemplating the nature of nature, culture, and art.

Jingu no Mori Art Festival "Tenku Kai Katsu"
Dates: March 20, 2020 (Friday, holiday) – December 13, 2020 (Sunday)
Venue: Various locations within Meiji Jingu's inner garden
Hours: In accordance with Meiji Jingu Shrine's opening and closing times
Organizers: Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Arts Council, Japan Cultural Expo Secretariat, Jingu no Mori Art Festival Executive Committee, Art Powers Japan
Special Cooperation: Meiji Jingu Shrine
Collaboration: Meiji Jingu Shrine Centennial Commemorative Project