Digital techs revive ‘Yokai’ at Tokyo Immersive Art event

By Waka Ota TOKYO --An immersive museum event in Tokyo is bringing "yokai" supernatural creatures from Japanese folklore to life, offering a fantastical experience for visitors to enjoy historical artworks through cutting-edge visual and 3D technologies. "Yokai Immersive Experience Exhibition Tokyo" is being held at Warehouse Terrada in the Japanese capital's Shinagawa Ward, featuring digitally recreated yokai from "emaki" picture scrolls and "ukiyo-e" woodblock prints. The event showcases works based on more than 300 yokai creatures, including "kappa" and "nurarihyon," across eight themed rooms such as one titled "Birthplace of Yokai." Through projection mapping technology with stereophonic sound, the event reimagines historical yokai illustrations from artworks of the Edo (1603-1868) and Meiji (1868-1912) eras. Legendary creatures are projected onto walls and floors, making visitors feel as though they have stepped into another world. Origins of Manga and Anime "This is the first immersive art museum event dedicated to yokai art," said Takeaki Higashiyama, CEO of visual content creator Hitohata Inc. "I think yokai have many elements that became the origins of Japan's pop culture, including manga and anime," he said, referring to Japan's culture of characters. Historical yokai art shows that "Japan has had its own unique 'kawaii' cute culture since old times," said Higashiyama, the exhibition's producer and general director. One way to enjoy the exhibition is to "compare yokai depicted in Japanese history with yokai characters appearing in modern Japanese manga and anime," Higashiyama added. The exhibition allows visitors to experience yokai art in various ways, showcasing the history of yokai-themed artworks, including works by famous artists such as Utagawa Kuniyoshi and Katsushika Hokusai, alongside contemporary works. "We want people to learn about Japanese culture and pass it on to future generations," Higashiyama said. Yokai culture researcher Naoyuki Shimada said, "The exhibits explain the historical context behind why...