Featured Events in Osaka in February, 2025 (May Updated)

This exhibition will feature 54 works by 18 ukiyo-e artists carefully selected from the museum's collection of masterpieces, including Kitagawa Utamaro, a leading figure in painting beautiful women who established the style of "large neck painting" that focuses on the face rather than the whole body, and Katsushika Hokusai, a genius artist who influenced not only Japan but the world. Please also take a look at 12 works being shown at the museum for the first time, including Kitagawa Utamaro's "Blue Chamber of Victory - Tamayauchi Komurasaki and Hanamurasaki" and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's "One Hundred Views of the Moon - Nankaitsuki," known as the last ukiyo-e artist and active from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji era.

There are many "borders" in our daily lives. These boundaries range from physical to psychological, social and cultural, and shape our actions, thoughts and values. However, artists attempt to dismantle these existing frameworks and present new perspectives on identity, culture, physical space, time and genre. This exhibition introduces works that question the very nature of what we call "borders." Artists scheduled to be exhibited: Ming Wong, Alin Runjiang, Evelyn Tao-Chen Wang, Mika Tajima, Chikako Yamashiro, Christian Boltanski, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Danh Vo, Wolfgang Tillmans, and more.

Nihon Hidankyo, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. It can be said that this is the fruit of the activities carried out by the only country in the world that has suffered from atomic bombings, which has continued to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons and has poured its heart and soul into such efforts. The recognition that peace is the common prayer of all human kind is universal, regardless of whether we live in the East or the West. In light of the recent international situation, the Koji Kinutani Tenku Art Museum will hold a Special Exhibition, “Koji Kinutani Peace,” a proposal for peace through the power of art and the arts. At the root of Kinutani's world, which uses rich images and colors to explore all things in nature as a motif, is the strong belief that “Art is mightier than nuclear weapons.” His ideals and strong passion are to show the power of art as “wisdom” to help people all over the world who are suffering from the ravages of war, and to celebrate the revival of dreams and hopes in the hearts of people. Please fully experience the true essence of Kinutani’s art.

Collection 2 in 2024 will focus on the work of three artists, Louise Bourgeois and Leonor Antunes, who were acquired by the museum in 2023, and Ruth Asawa, who was acquired in 2024 and will be exhibited in Japan for the first time, and will focus on the artist's technique and the way in which the work unravels and reconstructs existing materials, structures, and history. In addition, many works acquired in recent years will be introduced. The title of this exhibition is inspired by the title of a work by Bourgeois that she exhibited in the Turbine Hall of Tate Modern in 2000, "I Do, I Undo, I Redo," and the creative process of artists such as Aiko Tezuka, two of whose works were acquired in 2023.

Natural history specimens stored in museum storage are fundamental materials for understanding nature. Osaka Museum of Natural History holds approximately 2 million items, of which approximately 400,000 are plant specimens. These specimens are used by various researchers every day, and after extensive examination, the results are published as papers. For many people, the use of these specimens in research is probably something far removed from their imagination. This time, we will be exhibiting plant specimens held by Osaka Museum of Natural History that have actually been used in research, along with the results of that research, in the hope that many people will become aware of the excitement of research using specimens.

Fishing Show Osaka goal is to promote information sharing among involved traders and users by exhibiting a wide range of fishing tools and related products Fishing Show Osaka goal is to promote information sharing among involved traders and users by exhibiting a wide range of fishing tools and related products while explaining the movement of the market in a clear manner. It also focuses on expanding the bottom line of the fishing population and promote the improvement of fishing manner, environmental preservation, and handing down fishing culture. Information Source: Osaka Fishing Tackle Cooperative Association | expotobi

Popular K-pop girls group Billlie announced the dates and cities for their world tour concert 'Our FLOWERLD (Belllie've You)'. According to the currently released schedule, the tour will kick off in Hong Kong in February 2025, followed by Taipei, Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Osaka and Yokohama. Billlie World Tour 'Our FLOWERLD (Belllie've You)' will take place in Osaka on February 27, 2025.

The Osaka Castle Illuminage, which is popular every year, will be held again this year! There are many areas that reproduce Osaka's history, areas that reproduce Osaka's famous spots, and areas for enjoying activities. You can enjoy the fantastic illuminations throughout Osaka.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861), a late Edo period ukiyo-e artist, is known for his unique creativity and novel designs, and is very popular both in Japan and abroad. This exhibition is the final edition of Kuniyoshi's exhibition, and will display about 300 works, including ukiyo-e prints of various themes such as warrior paintings and opera paintings, as well as precious hand-painted paintings.

Osaka Museum of History will hold a special exhibition "Excavation! Daimyo's Storehouses - Rice, Goods, and People Gathered in the 'Kitchen of the Nation'" in the Special Exhibition Room on the 6th floor from Saturday, January 11, 2025 to Monday, March 3, 2025. During the Edo period, Osaka flourished as the nation's kitchen. Many feudal domains built storehouses in and around Nakanoshima to sell rice tax and local specialties. The number of storehouses reached over 120 during the Tenpo era (around 1840). This exhibition will portray the actual state of the storehouses, which supported the finances of feudal domains throughout Japan and were the driving force behind the development of Osaka, including the birth of the Dojima Rice Market, while also introducing drawings and ancient documents, focusing on the results of the latest excavation surveys. In recent years, many storehouses have been surveyed in and around Nakanoshima, revealing a variety of storehouse styles, from those equipped with a shipyard, storehouse, and palace, such as those in Saga, Hiroshima, and Takamatsu domains, to those in Akita's Yajima domain, which had no shipyard and only had a storehouse covering the entire site. Based on excavated wooden tablets, shells, ceramics, etc., it is now possible to depict the work, lifestyle, and interactions within the residences. By taking a bird's-eye view of these storehouses from their birth to their demise, we hope to provide an opportunity to widely publicize the important role and importance that Osaka played in early modern Japanese society. We will shed new light on the Osaka storehouses, a historical heritage that represents the city of Osaka, along with Naniwa Palace and Osaka Castle.

Participating artists: Jiro Yoshihara, Kazuo Shiraga, Sadamasa Motonaga, Atsuko Tanaka, Shozo Shimamoto, Tomosuke Uemae, Tsuruko Yamazaki, Yuko Nakasaka, Takehan Matsutani, Shuji Mukai To commemorate the opening of ICHION Contemporary Art Museum, ICHION CONTEMPORARY will hold the exhibition "GUTAI was live" from January 13 (Monday) to March 29 (Saturday), 2025. After the war, the pioneer art group "Gutai Art Association" was established in the Kansai region, advocating "the pursuit of pure creativity" and producing a series of innovative forms of expression. Its existence is known as "GUTAI" worldwide, and even more than 70 years later, it is still highly praised. This exhibition features new installations and collected works by Shuji Mukai (1940-), a member of Gutai Art Association. We will immerse ourselves in the memory of Gutai from Mukai's perspective, rethink its place in art history, and explore its contemporary value and future prospects. In addition, he created an installation that resonates with the exhibition space of Tadao Ando Architectural Institute, inspired by Goethe's favorite expression "Architecture is solidified music". An unknown rhythm spreads throughout the space, as if a "violin symbol party" is being staged. In addition, large-scale works by Jiro Yoshihara exhibited at the 1970 World Expo, as well as works by representative artists of the Gutai group such as Kazuo Shiraga, will be exhibited. This is a unique space where architecture and art resonate, so please treat it as a special moment for the perfect start of the new year.

It is often said that it is difficult to understand what is depicted in 20th century art. But is that really the case? The 20th century, which experienced major wars in succession and is also known as the "century of refugees," was a time when many artists were forced to leave the lands they were used to living in and emigrate. In particular, artists who traveled to the United States pioneered new forms of expression, such as abstract expressionism, pop art, and minimal art, by promoting abstract expressionism. At the same time, the loneliness and alienation they felt in a foreign land continued to smolder deep questions that could not be easily answered, such as who they were and what art is. This was spurred on by the capitalist society of mass production and mass consumption. For example, after the sudden death of Marilyn Monroe in 1962, Warhol often created works with her as the subject, but we must not ignore the inner conflict of the great actress engraved in her death. The self that we really want to be, and the self that is forced to play the role of a seductive woman for the sake of a consumer society. Perhaps a similar conflict led Warhol to utter these not-so-simple words: "If you want to know everything about Andy Warhol... just look at the surface. That's where I am. There's nothing behind." Don't overthink it, start by taking a good look at the "surface." Enjoy the various "surfaces" with your eyes and heart, featuring 39 pieces of 20th century art from the Ohara Museum of Art (originally planned to be 35 pieces) and the Yakushi Nyorai standing statue (special exhibit) from our museum's collection.

PARCO Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, hereinafter PARCO) will hold an exhibition + pop-up shop event [DEATH STRANDING 5th Anniversary Exhibition & Popup] at Shibuya, Nagoya, and Shinsaibashi PARCO to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the release of the world-famous game "DEATH STRANDING" by KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS. "Death Stranding" is an open-world action adventure game created by game creator Hideo Kojima and starring world-famous actors such as Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Lea Seydoux, and Lindsay Wagner. It boasts a total of more than 19 million players worldwide, and even now, five years after its release, it has many enthusiastic fans. An exhibition + pop-up shop event to commemorate the 5th anniversary of its release will be held at Shibuya PARCO in November. This well-received event, which attracted a total of 12,000 visitors, will be held at Shinsaibashi PARCO from February 7th. The exhibition venue will recreate the "distribution center" visited by the main character Sam, who makes deliveries in the work, and will feature a number of valuable archives, including original drawings and concept art by Shinkawa Yoji that have never been on public display until now, as well as production materials. In addition, Ludens, the symbol of KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS, will be installed in the venue, and visitors can enjoy taking photos with Ludens in a space that makes them feel like they are in the studio. The content of the exhibition of Shinkawa Yoji's original drawings will change at each venue. New exhibits will be available at each venue.

The Mobac Show 2025, also known as the Machinery Materials Marketing Of Bakery And Confectionery Show, is a highly regarded business show both in Japan and abroad. This event showcases a comprehensive range of machinery, equipment, tools, raw materials, and sub-materials that are essential for the bakery and confectionery industries. With a strong focus on promoting the development of new technologies and products, the Mobac Show 2025 is dedicated to showcasing bakery and confectionery machinery, raw materials and sub-materials, packaging machines, and other equipment and tools related to the industry. Additionally, it serves as a platform for exchanging valuable market information, thereby contributing to the growth of the food industry and the enhancement of food culture. The event will take place at INTEX Osaka, located at 1 Chome-5-102 Nankōkita, Suminoe-ku, Ōsaka-shi, Ōsaka-fu 559-0034, Japan, from February 18th to February 21st, 2025. Don't miss this opportunity to explore the latest advancements in the bakery and confectionery sector at the Mobac Show 2025 in Osaka.

Mark your calendars for the much-anticipated Seafood Show Osaka 2025, taking place at the renowned ATC Hall in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. From February 19th to 20th, 2025, this premier event will showcase the finest selection of seafood from around the globe. With a serious and official tone, it's worth noting that the Seafood Show Osaka 2025 is not just any ordinary expo; it's a grand affair that promises to be a feast for the senses. Attendees can expect to be dazzled by the array of fresh and sustainable seafood on display. Whether one is a seafood connoisseur or an industry professional, this event is a must-visit. The ATC Hall, located in Osaka Prefecture, will serve as the perfect backdrop for this prestigious event, providing an elegant and spacious setting for exhibitors and visitors alike. With its commitment to excellence and a focus on sustainability, the Seafood Show Osaka 2025 is set to be a landmark event in the seafood industry calendar. It is an opportunity not to be missed for those who are serious about seafood.

Seafood Show Osaka 2025 will showcase a wide array of seafood products, services, and innovations related to the fisheries industry. This event is scheduled to take place at the ATC Hall in Osaka, Japan, from February 19 to February 20, 2025. Visitors can expect to explore the latest trends and developments in the seafood sector, network with industry professionals, and discover new opportunities for business growth. Join us at Seafood Show Osaka 2025 to stay informed and connected within the dynamic world of seafood and fisheries.

The Monster Hunter 20th Anniversary Great Hunting Exhibition Osaka will be held in Osaka, Japan from February 20, 2025 to April 5, 2025. This Osaka exhibition will provide "Anniversary Theater", "Weapon Projection", "Equipment Interaction", "Monster Encyclopedia AR Experience", "Black Dragon Invasion" and sales of Great Hunting Exhibition commemorative peripheral products.

Green Day Osaka, a highly anticipated event, will take place at the renowned Ōsakajōhōru in Osaka on February 21, 2025, at 19:00. This extraordinary occasion promises an unforgettable evening filled with electrifying performances and a vibrant atmosphere. With tickets priced at 322 USD, attendees can expect a top-tier experience in a premier venue known for hosting world-class events. The Ōsakajōhōru, located in the heart of Osaka, offers an exceptional setting that enhances the overall experience of Green Day Osaka. This event is set to attract a diverse audience, eager to witness a night of unparalleled entertainment.