Latest news with #TokyoUniversityoftheArts
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Tokyo University of the Arts to Establish Game Department MA; Aims to Conduct, Disseminate Game Research
Tokyo University of the Arts announced Thursday that it will establish a 'Department of Games and Interactive Arts' master's program in the Graduate School of Film and New Media in April 2026. 'Japanese games, which have exploded in popularity, have gained worldwide recognition and should be promoted,' President Katsuhiko Hibino said at a press conference in Tokyo. 'We aim to conduct and disseminate research on games from the unique perspective of an arts university with expertise in fine arts and music.' The university views games as a 'new form of comprehensive art in the modern era' that combines multiple artistic fields — including fine arts, music and video — with digital technology. Since 2019, the university has been conducting research through a Game Course within the Graduate School of Film and New Media. However, with the increasing use of games in various spheres of society, such as healthcare, education and regional revitalization, the university decided to establish a new department. The planned enrollment capacity is 20 students, and the university expects to admit not only students with backgrounds in the arts but also those from the fields of information science and engineering.
Metropolis Japan
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metropolis Japan
Art Exhibition: Solitaire in Dreams
After four years as a quiet force in Tokyo's independent art scene, art space Ginga 101 in Higashi-Nakano will close its doors—leaving one final, poetic gesture. From August 1 to 8 the space hosts Solitaire in Dreams, a solo exhibition by Rina Ohito, known for her introspective work across painting and installation. The show builds on Ohito's earlier project, Marie's Monochrome World, and captures a dreamlike solitude that mirrors the emotional terrain Ginga 101 has often explored. Founded in 2020 by students from Tokyo University of the Arts, the space became a post-pandemic haven for experimentation, dialogue, and emerging talent—hosting over 20 exhibitions, talks and offbeat collaborations. With Solitaire in Dreams, Ginga 101 ends not with a retrospective, but a quietly resonant evolution— one last invitation to step into a world shaped by imagination, community and care. Friday, August 1 through Thursday, August 7 12pm–7:30pm, Friday, August 8 11:30pm–4pm.
Yomiuri Shimbun
29-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Everyday Items Brightened with Nature's Colors; Tokyo-Based Plant Dyeing Brand Offers Range of Products, Beginner's Kit
The Yomiuri Shimbun Hanks of yarn dyed with a traditional technique using cherry blossoms, safflower and other natural ingredients are seen with ingredients for plant dyeing. The Yomiuri Shimbun Soft colors and textures make plant-dyed products attractive When it comes to the subtle yet varied colors brought out through plant dyeing, simple descriptors like red, blue and green fall short. Both the pale tones and the bright hues capture people's hearts. Plant dyeing, also known as vegetable dyeing, is the technique of dyeing yarns and fabrics using natural ingredients. Based in Tokyo's Kuramae district, Maito Design Works offers a range of plant-dyed items for everyday use, such as socks, scarves and small bags. 'Plant dyeing is a traditional technique that requires time and effort to both make and use, which makes it fun and interesting,' said Maito Komuro, 42, a dyer and Maito Design Works representative. The dyeing process takes place at a separate location. In addition to plants traditionally used for dyeing, such as madder plants with red roots and indigo plants that produce blue tones, he also uses ingredients like onion skins and tea leaves. Onion skins naturally produce orange, yellow and moss green, according to Komuro. Riffing on the Japanese proverb 'ten people, ten colors,' which means that everyone is different, Komuro smilingly said that his version is 'ten plants, 100 colors.' The Yomiuri Shimbun Maito Komuro dyes yarns using a dye taken from hojicha tea leaves. The natural dyes are extracted through boiling the ingredients in hot water, sometimes taking about a week to produce a satisfactory color. Komuro then soaks the materials in the same liquid, dyeing repeatedly until the desired depth of color is achieved. Even when using the same ingredients and technique, the resulting color can differ depending on the season or the production area. 'What colors are waiting to come out? I feel like dyeing is like trying to find the answer,' he said. Let's take cherry blossoms as an example. While a natural dye can be extracted by boiling cherry tree branches and bark, the color differs depending on the season: They produce pale pink in summer and darker pink in autumn and winter. Before a cherry tree blossoms, the color becomes vivid, Komuro said. Plant-dyed products require special care and attention, such as only using certain detergents for washing, and drying in the shade. For that reason, a sense of attachment is created with the owner. Komuro first encountered plant dyeing in elementary school, when his father opened a plant dyeing factory in Fukuoka Prefecture. Surrounded by the region's nature, he became interested in the craft. He studied at the Tokyo University of the Arts and gained experience working under his father. He eventually created his own brand, called 'Maito,' which is a homophone for own name but is written with different kanji that can mean being dedicated to yarn craft, to express his determination and commitment to yarns. 'The colors nature creates can heal and add brightness to our lives,' he said. Yomiuri Shimbun photos Left: Socks in various colors Right: A sweater in a soft color Plant dyeing kits The Yomiuri Shimbun A plant dyeing kit Maito Design Works offers a plant dyeing kit that includes fabrics and other tools along with the ingredients for dyeing for ¥9,900, with the hopes that everyone can enjoy plant dyeing. In addition to organizing plant-dyeing events, Komuro published a book on how beginners can enjoy plant dyeing at home in May of last year. 'I hope many people have fun plant dyeing casually. There is no right answer when it comes to getting the perfect color,' he said.
The Mainichi
16-05-2025
- Climate
- The Mainichi
Ancient aristocrat procession at Kyoto festival captivates 30,000 spectators
KYOTO -- More than 30,000 spectators were treated to an ancient Japanese imperial procession, a highlight of Kyoto's Aoi Matsuri festival, May 15 as some 500 people clad in aristocratic costumes paraded through central Kyoto. The annual early summer festival organized by Shimogamo Jinja shrine in Kyoto's Sakyo Ward and Kamigamo Jinja shrine in the city's Kita Ward is said to have started in the sixth century. As part of the May 15 "Roto-no-gi" parade, a reenactment of a Heian period (794-1185) imperial procession, participants including this year's "Saio-Dai" festival heroine Aya Yamauchi, a graduate student at Tokyo University of the Arts and a native of Kyoto's Sakyo Ward, departed the Kyoto Imperial Palace and marched for some 8 kilometers to Kamigamo Jinja via Shimogamo Jinja. Approximately 33,000 spectators (reported by Kyoto Prefectural Police) viewed the spectacle despite the early summer heat as the city's temperature hit a high of 26.7 degrees Celsius that day, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. (Japanese original by Yuki Ohigashi and Saki Hidaka, Kyoto Bureau)
The Mainichi
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Kyoto Aoi Matsuri's heroine undergoes purification ritual ahead of festival
KYOTO -- The Aoi Matsuri festival's heroine "Saio-Dai" underwent a purification ritual on May 4 at Kamigamo Jinja shrine in Kyoto's Kita Ward as the fine weather attracted many families and tourists to the sightseeing spot amid Japan's Golden Week holiday period. This year, Aya Yamauchi, a second-year graduate student at Tokyo University of the Arts, and a native of Kyoto's Sakyo Ward, serves as the 67th Saio-Dai. The 25-year-old entered the shrine grounds on May 4 clad in a "junihitoe" 12-layered ceremonial kimono. She was accompanied by a procession of about 50 women, including "warawame" (young girls) and "uneme" (court ladies), all dressed in vibrant traditional attire. Amid the sounds of ancient court music, she purified herself by dipping her fingertips into the Mitarashi River, then blew onto a wooden human-shaped doll and set it afloat in the clear stream to cleanse away any impurities. Yamauchi said, "The 'junihitoe' dress carried a lot of weight. I feel solemn." The Aoi Matsuri, one of Kyoto's three major festivals, is an annual celebration jointly held by Kamigamo Jinja shrine and Shimogamo Shrine, featuring a procession of participants dressed in Heian-period (794-1185) court attire, starting from the Kyoto Imperial Palace and visiting both shrines. The festival will be held May 15. (Japanese original by Yuki Ohigashi, Kyoto Bureau)
