Traditional and digital artwork combines for unforgettable images.

A big part of what makes Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print artwork so compelling is its sense of place. Whether it’s depicting a crowded street in Edo (back before the city was renamed Tokyo), a post road or pilgrimage path with a view of Mt. Fuji, or a kabuki actor on stage, ukiyo-e function as painted snapshots of life in old Japan.

The very best ukiyo-e make you feel like you could step inside of them, and that sort of artistic whimsy is at the heart of the newly opened Ukiyoe Immersive Art exhibition in Kagoshima.

The exhibit features displays of over 300 works of art from ukiyo-e masters including Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, and Kitagawa Utamaro. In addition, Nagoya-based digital art studio Hitohata has produced a number of stunning 3DCG projection mapping pieces for the event, drawing inspiration from iconic ukiyo-e.

Photography and filming are both allowed in the digital art area, so it should make for some amazing backdrops and unforgettable pictures.

You don’t have to wear a kimono, but it really does seem like the best choice of outfit, if you have access to one.

The Ukiyoe Immersive Art exhibition opened at the Reimeikan Museum, also known as the Kagoshima Prefectural History and Art Center, in Kagoshima City on July 19, following previous stints in Nagoya and Milan. This is its first time in west Japan, and the exhibition will be ongoing until September 1. Adult admission is priced at 1,600 yen (US$10.65) at the door or 1,400 for pre-purchases. Oh, and remember that a trip to Kagoshima City isn’t just a chance to see this amazing artwork, it’s also a chance to eat at one of the best conveyor belt sushi restaurants in all of Japan.

Related: Ukiyoe Immersive Art official website, Reimeikan Museum
Source, images: PR Times
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