National
NRA makes new reactor safety regimen official
The Nuclear Regulation Authority officially approves new safety requirements for reactors aimed at preventing disasters like the catastrophe at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant.
Art Topics
Openings outside Tokyo Jun 28, 2012
"Japanese Ghosts and Eerie Creatures"
by Tomohiro Osaki
This exhibition invites visitors into a world of “comical horror” and highlights spooky works from the collection of well-known painter Kanpo Yoshikawa (1894-1978). Japan has long been fascinated by yokai, the nation’s folkloric supernatural beings, which are often featured in storytelling and artwork. Their ...
Openings outside Tokyo Jun 21, 2012
"Shu Kubo: Paper Cutout Exhibition"
by Tomohiro Osaki
Paper-cutting artist Shu Kubo uses handmade washi (traditional Japanese paper) and combines it with various materials, including ordinary paper, fabric and even sand. His works are dynamic and realistic and his multi-media approach offers a wide range of colors and textures. Under the theme ...
Openings outside Tokyo Jun 14, 2012
"Marc Chagall 2012: The Love Story"
by Tomohiro Osaki
Marc Chagall lived through the hardships of both world wars. Because of this life and his Belarusian-Russian-French roots, he moved many times — from Vitebsk in Belarus, where he grew up, to traveling between St. Petersburg, Berlin and Paris — until he was forced ...
Openings outside Tokyo Jun 14, 2012
"Kiyomori Taira: The 50th Anniversary of the Birth of NHK Taiga Drama"
by Tomohiro Osaki
The hugely popular Japanese “Taiga Drama” on NHK TV, has turned 50 this year, and for the past half a century it has focused on a different historical character each year. This year, it follows Taira no Kiyomori (1118-1181), a military leader who survived ...
Openings outside Tokyo Jun 7, 2012
"Curator's Eye: Curators × Collection"
by Tomohiro Osaki
The Museum of Ceramic Art, Hyogo, which opened in 2005, has collected roughly 1,500 ceramic works that run the gamut from domestic to foreign and ancient to modern. Kenkichi Tomimoto and Bernard Howell Leach are just a couple of the well-known artists whose works ...
Openings outside Tokyo May 31, 2012
"Camille Pissarro: Patriarche de la Modernité"
by Tomohiro Osaki
As the oldest of the French Impressionist group, Camille Pissarro (1830-1903) was seen by many artists as a role model. He was also the only artist whose work was featured in all eight “official” Impressionist exhibitions in Paris — a testament to his dedication ...
Openings outside Tokyo May 24, 2012
"Keiji Uematsu: Axis — Gravity, Anti Gravity"
by Tomohiro Osaki
What makes the work of Hyogo-native Keiji Uematsu unique is the way the sculptor takes everyday materials such as stone and wood, and fashions them in the most surreal way imaginable. His sculptures command attention and yet are aesthetically pleasing, making the artist’s pieces ...
Openings outside Tokyo May 24, 2012
"Uemura Shoen: Japanese Arts in Taisho Era — Struggle Between Tradition and Revolution"
by Tomohiro Osaki
Shoen Uemura (1875-1949) was the first woman in the history of Japan to win the Order of Culture for her contribution to nihonga (Japanese painting). She is particularly famous for her depictions of elegant Japanese women. Her successful career was built on persistent hard ...
Openings outside Tokyo May 17, 2012
"Architect Togo Murano and The City of Amagasaki"
by Tomohiro Osaki
These days, Togo Murano (1891-1984) may not be a household name, however for architecture fans, he is renowned for his modernist designs of several prestigious buildings, including the Memorial Cathedral for World Peace in Hiroshima. Held in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, this exhibition reassesses Murano’s ...
Openings outside Tokyo May 17, 2012
"Shoichi IDA, Prints"
by Tomohiro Osaki
It has been six years since Shoichi Ida passed away. As a prominent woodblock print artist, Ida produced outstanding works throughout his career and is considered a significant contributor to the development of Japanese print art. Ida taught himself printmaking while still a college ...
Openings outside Tokyo May 10, 2012
"Reading Tea Ceremony Records"
by Tomohiro Osaki
Ichizo Kobayashi, also known by his pseudonym Itsuo, was an industrialist who first encountered the world of sado — the Japanese Tea Ceremony — while still a banker in his 20s. In his 40s, he founded what later became known as the Hankyu Railway ...
Openings outside Tokyo May 10, 2012
"Aloha Amigo! Federico Herrero × Kazuyuki Sekiguchi"
by Tomohiro Osaki
This long-term collaborative project aims to combine art and music by bringing together San José-based artist Federico Herrero and Japanese ukulele player Kazuyuki Sekiguchi. Designed by Herrero, the exhibition involves the participation of the public who have the opportunity to work with both artists. ...