Japanese yokai spirits enter the modern era in Nagoya's new digital art experience
Every culture has its stories about spirits, ghosts, and monsters, but the yokai of Japan are really something special, being both numerous and fairly unique. These supernatural beings and their stories have become interwoven with Japanese culture over the years, finding their way into popular culture. There are countless stories involving the winged, long-nosed spirits called tengu, and mischievous water demons called kappa which are infamous for stealing magical spheres from your butt. If you want to learn about these fascinating creatures, and many more in the rich world of yokai, you'll be excited to learn about a new interactive digital art exhibition that's dedicated entirely to them.
Coming from the company that developed the popular Ukiyoe Immersive Art exhibition, the Yokai Immersive Experience Exhibition utilizes 3-D CG, projection mapping, and holographic screens to dynamically animate the comical figures of yokai from traditional paintings, creating an incredibly immersive world.
With support from Japan's first rare book museum, the Nishio City Iwase Archives in Aichi, and the Yokai Art Museum in Shodoshima, Kagawa, this exhibition offers in-depth explanations on yokai culture, traditional yokai paintings, and how they connect to popular culture.
Beyond marveling at the vivid digital art spaces, guests can take photos and videos with the yokai, or even become part of a yokai scroll.
The exhibition is not limited to just digital art, as there are also 3-D models that have been prepared for guests to get up-close and personal with the yokai, admiring the detailed craftsmanship of their expressions and textures.
Additionally, there are original ukiyoe prints on display by famous historical artists like Kuniyoshi Utagawa, one of which is his famous work Takiyasha the Witch and the Skeleton Spectre.
Other valuable works that are being represented include the Hyakki Yagyo ('Night Parade of One Hundred Demons'), a procession of a large number of demons and spirits on the streets of Japan, and the Hyaku Monogatari Kaidankai ('A Gathering of One Hundred Supernatural Tales'), a traditional parlor game where people take turns telling scary stories and blowing out a candle after each one until it is completely dark.
The exhibition content itself is non-verbal and intuitive, with explanations available in both Japanese and English, making it accessible to international visitors also.
For those who are keen to explore more about the world of the yokai, the exhibition will be held at the Kanayama Minami Building Museum Wing (Former Nagoya Boston Museum of Fine Arts) in Nagoya between July 19 and September 23, 2025. Tickets will cost 2,200 yen (US$15.31) at the entrance, but advance tickets can be bought for 2,000 yen at the multicopy machines at 7-Eleven (P Code: 995-508) and Family Mart (no code provided so search by event name) or at the Loppi terminals at Lawson & Ministop (L Code: 41421).
Lose yourself in the fascinating world of yokai this summer, and enjoy this new sensory art entertainment exhibition. Or if you prefer your supernatural monsters roaming the streets, you can keep an eye out for news on the return of Kyoto's yokai parade later in the year.
Exhibition information
Ugokidasu Yokai-ten Nagoya ~Imagination of Japan~ / 動き出す妖怪展 NAGOYA 〜Imagination of Japan〜 Address: Aichi-ken, Nagoya-shi, Naka-ku, Kanayama-cho, 1-chome 1-1 愛知県名古屋市中区金山町１丁目１−１ Open: 9:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m
Website
Source and images: PR Times
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