🎨 Imagine watching Hokusai's iconic Great Wave crash before your eyes, or seeing Sharaku's kabuki actors perform as if stepping off the stage. Edo-period woodblock prints, once frozen in time, are now coming alive through cutting-edge digital technology. This is your chance to experience the essence of Japanese art in a way never before possible.
What is "Moving Ukiyo-e Exhibition OSAKA"?
From January 17 to March 14, 2026, the "Moving Ukiyo-e Exhibition OSAKA" is being held at the Event Lab in Knowledge Capital, Grand Front Osaka North Building. This exhibition is an immersive digital art museum that has traveled internationally to Nagoya, Milan (Italy), Kagoshima, Tokyo, Taipei, and Fukuoka, attracting over 350,000 visitors.
The exhibition has received the Excellence Award in the Project Category at the "CJPF Award 2025" hosted by the Cool Japan Public-Private Partnership Platform (Secretariat: Cabinet Office Intellectual Property Strategy Promotion Office), making it an officially recognized Japanese cultural promotion project.
Over 300 Masterpieces Come Alive with 3DCG
The venue showcases over 300 works by world-renowned ukiyo-e masters including Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Utagawa Hiroshige, Kitagawa Utamaro, Toshusai Sharaku, and Utagawa Kunisada. Unlike traditional museum exhibitions, this show uses 3DCG animation and projection mapping to bring static woodblock prints to dynamic life.
The Osaka venue features seven three-dimensional projection spaces, each offering a unique thematic experience of the ukiyo-e world. Over 40 projectors work together to create complex dimensional spaces where visitors feel as if they've stepped inside the artwork itself.
Katsushika Hokusai: The "Old Man Mad About Painting"
One of the exhibition's highlights is the work of Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849). Hokusai was a master artist of the Edo period who created over 34,000 works during his 88-year lifetime. In 1999, he was the only Japanese person included in Life magazine's list of "The 100 Most Important People of the Last Millennium."
Among his masterpieces, "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" from the "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" series is one of the most recognized Japanese artworks worldwide. Van Gogh praised it enthusiastically in letters to his brother, and composer Debussy drew inspiration from it for his orchestral work "La Mer." In July 2024, the image was featured on the back of Japan's new 1,000 yen note, demonstrating its enduring cultural significance.
At this exhibition, you can experience Hokusai's great wave breaking and spraying before your very eyes. The wave expression that Hokusai perfected at over 70 years of age has been given new life through the latest digital technology.
Toshusai Sharaku: Ukiyo-e's Greatest Mystery
Another must-see artist is Toshusai Sharaku. Sharaku burst onto the ukiyo-e scene in May 1794, produced approximately 145 works in just 10 months, and then vanished without a trace—becoming known as the "mysterious artist" of ukiyo-e history.
Sharaku's most distinctive feature was his "okubi-e" (large-head pictures) of kabuki actors, which boldly exaggerated their features—hooked noses, wrinkles, protruding jaws—to capture their individual personalities. This revolutionary style was controversial at the time. German art researcher Julius Kurth reportedly ranked Sharaku alongside Rembrandt and Velázquez as one of the world's three greatest portrait painters.
Sharaku's true identity remained a mystery for centuries, but recent research suggests he may have been Saito Jurobei, a Noh actor employed by the Tokushima Domain. In the 2025 NHK Taiga drama "Berabou," which focuses on publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo who discovered and promoted Sharaku, this mysterious artist plays a key role in the storyline.
Osaka-Exclusive Exhibition Content
The Osaka venue features unique exhibition commentary not available at other locations. Visitors can learn about the history of ukiyo-e in Osaka and the relationship between Kamigata (Osaka-Kyoto) culture and woodblock prints, offering cultural depth beyond the digital art experience.
In addition to digital displays, the exhibition includes precious original ukiyo-e prints from the Edo period and reproductions, allowing visitors to compare the original works with their digital interpretations.
Venue Information & Tickets
Exhibition Period: January 17 (Sat) - March 14 (Sat), 2026 Hours: 10:00-20:00 (Last entry 19:30) *Open daily during the exhibition period Venue: Grand Front Osaka North Building, Knowledge Capital Event Lab Address: 3-1 Ofuka-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka Access: 3-minute walk from JR Osaka Station, 3-minute walk from Osaka Metro Midosuji Line Umeda Station
Ticket Prices:
- Adult: ¥2,300 (day-of) / ¥2,000 (advance)
- Student (High school/University/Vocational): ¥1,600 (day-of) / ¥1,300 (advance)
- Child (Ages 4 to Junior High): ¥1,000 (day-of) / ¥800 (advance)
- Ages 3 and under: Free
Photography and video recording are permitted throughout the venue, and social media posting is encouraged. Dive into the fantastical world of ukiyo-e and capture those "Instagram-worthy" moments!
Ukiyo-e was born as popular entertainment for Edo-period commoners, sold for just a few hundred yen per print. Today, these works are housed in museums worldwide and can fetch prices in the millions. This exhibition offers a unique opportunity to experience the allure of ukiyo-e with your whole body through cutting-edge technology.
Does your country have similar initiatives that reinterpret traditional art through digital technology? We'd love to hear about examples or your thoughts on the fusion of classical art like paintings and sculptures with technology in your country!
References
Reactions in Japan
The Moving Ukiyo-e Exhibition exceeded my expectations! I got goosebumps when Hokusai's wave crashed right before my eyes. It's different from teamLab - the unique beauty of Japanese art really shines through digitally. Amazing!
Went with my kids. Honestly thought ukiyo-e would bore them, but the moving images kept their attention. There's even a festival corner with ring toss and goldfish scooping games. Surprisingly kid-friendly!
As a ukiyo-e enthusiast, I have mixed feelings... Some scenes feel like the animation diminishes the original's essence. But it might work as an introduction. I appreciate that they also display real ukiyo-e prints.
So many photogenic spots! Took tons of amazing pics with friends 📸 The indigo blue space was especially magical~ Great for dates too 💕
From an engineer's perspective, syncing 40+ projectors to create complex 3D spaces is impressive. Heard they use AI to enhance ukiyo-e resolution - wish they'd shared more technical details.
After watching the Taiga drama 'Berabou,' the Sharaku section was fascinating. Viewing it while imagining Tsutaya Juzaburo's intentions when promoting Sharaku adds a whole new dimension.
2,300 yen admission is pricey... You can see everything in about an hour, so the cost-performance ratio is questionable. Should've bought advance tickets. At least it wasn't crowded on a weekday afternoon.
Worth the day trip from Kyoto! Happy to hear it's been held overseas too - love that Japanese culture is being shared globally. The Osaka-exclusive exhibition commentary was a nice touch.
Brought friends visiting from abroad and they loved it! With English explanations and visual appeal, language barriers don't matter. Highly recommend for international tourists.
I've struggled to convey ukiyo-e's appeal to students, but this might spark their interest. The kid-friendly explanations are well done. Wonder if we could use this for school field trips.
Even we in our 70s enjoyed it. Standing for viewing was tiring, but the benches placed throughout helped. Thought it'd be all young people, but surprisingly many were our age.
Love that photography is allowed! No tripods makes sense though. Shooting in dark spaces is challenging, but video captures the beauty of the visuals. Definitely social media-worthy!
Open until 8pm so I could stop by after work. You can breeze through in 30 minutes or take 2 hours to savor it. Nice that you can spend time however you like.
The gift shop has great taste! Couldn't resist buying an ukiyo-e tote bag and masking tape. Perfect for souvenirs!
Went Saturday afternoon and it was quite crowded... Had to wait in line to take photos at popular spots. If you can go on weekdays, I'd recommend that.
I became interested in Japanese digital art after seeing teamLab in London. Amazing that ukiyo-e can move like this! I've seen the original 'Great Wave' at the British Museum, but I'd love to see the animated version too.
I attended when it was held in Milan! As an Italian, it was moving to see Japanese traditional art revived through digital technology. Would be interesting if Renaissance paintings could be experienced the same way.
Visited the Taipei exhibition. I was amazed at how digital display made ukiyo-e colors appear even more vibrant. The 'Ai' (indigo) space was truly beautiful. Happy to see Japan-Taiwan cultural exchange continue in this form.
Immersive exhibitions like this are popular in Korea too. It would be interesting to digitize Korean traditional 'Minhwa' paintings the same way. There's much to learn from Japanese ukiyo-e.
As a German, I'm proud that Julius Kurth introduced Sharaku to the world. Curious how Sharaku's works are presented in this exhibition. Hope it comes to Germany!
Immersive exhibitions are becoming popular in American museums too. I've seen immersive Van Gogh and Monet shows, but would love to see the ukiyo-e version. Hope it comes to New York!
France has been interested in ukiyo-e since 19th century Japonisme. The ukiyo-e that influenced Impressionist painters now moves - I wonder what Monet or Van Gogh would think if they saw this.
Planning a trip to Japan from Australia. This exhibition is definitely on my must-visit list! Want my kids to experience Japanese culture, so glad there's kid-friendly content.
Digital art exhibitions at the Palace Museum are popular in China too. Would like to compare with Japan's ukiyo-e exhibition. It's wonderful that Asian traditional art is gaining new life through digital technology.
Immersive exhibitions like this are still rare in Poland. The fusion of Japanese tradition and cutting-edge technology is truly fascinating. Hope the European tour will come to Eastern Europe someday.
Honestly, I think digitizing traditional art is controversial. Doesn't it lose the original's stillness and delicacy? But perhaps it's valuable for reaching new audiences.
Spain has the Prado Museum - it would be interesting if Velázquez's paintings moved like this. I'm intrigued to hear Sharaku is considered on par with Velázquez as a portrait painter.
Canada has been experimenting with digital exhibitions of Indigenous art. Preserving and sharing cultural heritage through digital technology is a global trend. I think Japan is a pioneer in this.
Swedish museums have been increasing interactive exhibitions lately. But we haven't reached Japan's level yet. I think Japan is world-leading in projection mapping technology.
It would be wonderful if Indian traditional miniature paintings could be digitized like this. Japan and India have ancient cultural ties, so collaborative projects could be interesting.