{"id":43873,"date":"2026-04-30T22:04:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T14:04:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/?p=43873"},"modified":"2026-04-30T22:04:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T14:04:22","slug":"deeply-moved-by-an-otherworldly-journey-actor-tao-tsuchiya-appointed-official-ambassador-for-tokyo-lights-2026-full-lineup-of-12-works-announced-for-light-art-park-artistically-dir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/?p=43873","title":{"rendered":"\u201cDeeply Moved by an Otherworldly Journey\u201d Actor Tao Tsuchiya Appointed Official Ambassador for TOKYO LIGHTS 2026; Full Lineup of 12 Works Announced for Light Art Park, Artistically Directed by Kenji Kohashi. Program Includes a New Work by Yoichi Ochiai and the Japan Debut of GAIA; Viewing Area Advance Registration Opens."},"content":{"rendered":"

The Tokyo International Projection Mapping Award Executive Committee is pleased to announce that TOKYO LIGHTS 2026, a creative festival of light illuminating Tokyo\u2019s nights, will be held from Saturday, May 23 to Sunday, May 31, 2026, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building, Citizens’ Plaza and the Nishi-Shinjuku area (including Shinjuku Chuo Park).<\/p>\n

The Committee is also pleased to announce that actor Tao Tsuchiya has been appointed official ambassador for TOKYO LIGHTS 2026. In addition, the Committee is unveiling the full lineup of 12 planned works for Light Art Park, the event\u2019s light art program under the artistic direction of Kenji Kohashi. The program will bring together notable works from Japan and abroad, including a new installation by Yoichi Ochiai, the Japan debut of GAIA, and legacy works from Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Viewing Area Advance Registration Now Open via official website!<\/p>\n

Official
\nAmbassador<\/b><\/p>\n

The Committee is
\npleased to announce the appointment of actor Tao Tsuchiya as the official
\nambassador for TOKYO LIGHTS 2026. Widely supported across generations and known
\nfor continually taking on new creative challenges, Ms. Tsuchiya will help
\npromote the event and will also appear at the Grand Finale on Sunday, May 31,
\n2026.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Comment from Tao
\nTsuchiya<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cMy first encounter
\nwith TOKYO LIGHTS was in 2022. I was deeply moved by the experience, which felt
\nas though I had traveled into another world, and since then my family and I
\nhave visited every year. It is a great honor to now take on the role of
\nambassador. Projection mapping and light art connect people and connect
\ngenerations and perhaps may even connect us to the universe. I believe they
\nhold limitless possibilities. I hope to share this experience with many people
\nat the venue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Profile of Tao
\nTsuchiya<\/b><\/p>\n

Born in Tokyo on
\nFebruary 3, 1995, Tao Tsuchiya made her film debut in Tokyo Sonata<\/i>
\n(2008) and rose to national prominence after being cast as the heroine of NHK\u2019s morning drama series Mare<\/i>
\n(2015). Since then, she has built a wide-ranging career across film,
\ntelevision, stage, and animation, with more than 37 starring works as of 2026. Recognized
\nfor her solid acting ability, she has received the Newcomer of the Year Award
\nat the 39th Japan Academy Awards, the Award for Excellent Actress in a Leading
\nRole at the 41st Japan Academy Awards, and the Award for Excellent Actress in a
\nSupporting Role at the 48th Japan Academy Awards. She is also widely praised
\nfor her dance and action performances, which draw on her strong physical
\nabilities. In recent years, she has actively taken on new creative challenges
\nin scriptwriting, planning, directing, and music, and incorporated projection
\nmapping into a staged reading of her original script. Her upcoming releases
\ninclude\u00a0Matching TRUE LOVE<\/i>\u00a0(autumn) and\u00a0SUKIYAKI Ue o
\nMuite Aruko<\/i>\u00a0(December 25). She is currently appearing in TV Asahi\u2019s\u00a0Borderless: Wide Area Mobile Investigation Unit<\/i>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Five Themes of
\nVISIBLE TOKYO<\/b><\/p>\n

Under the concept
\nof VISIBLE TOKYO, TOKYO LIGHTS 2026 presents five themes through which visitors
\ncan experience the city in light: Visible CITY, Visible NATURE, Visible HEART,
\nVisible CONNECTION, and Visible IMAGINATION. Through these themes, the event seeks
\nto visualize the many elements that shape Tokyo\u2014its urban landscape, nature, emotions,
\nhuman connections, and creativity\u2014through the shared
\nlanguage of light.<\/p>\n

Visible CITY <\/b>expresses Tokyo itself through light,
\nincluding the flow of the city, traffic, signs of human presence, and data. <\/b><\/p>\n

Visible NATURE <\/b>presents installations that evoke the
\nbreath of nature and the subtle movements of life. <\/b><\/p>\n

Visible HEART <\/b>features artworks that project emotions,
\nmemories, and lingering traces of feeling as light. <\/b><\/p>\n

Visible CONNECTION <\/b>explores interfaces of light linking the
\ncity and nature, and people and the city. <\/p>\n

Visible IMAGINATION
\n<\/b>offers
\nparticipatory and immersive expressions designed to stimulate creativity and
\ninspiration.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Light Art Park<\/b><\/p>\n

For a limited
\nperiod, Light Art Park will transform Shinjuku Chuo Park into an immersive
\nenvironment of light art. Under the artistic direction of Kenji Kohashi, who
\nhas led numerous international events and large-scale festivals including Expo
\n2025 Osaka, Kansai, artists from Japan and overseas will depict the \u201cinvisible Tokyo\u201d through light.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Light Art Park is
\norganized around four themes\u2014Visible CITY, Visible NATURE, Visible HEART, and Visible CONNECTION.
\nThroughout the venue, visitors will encounter works that give physical form to
\nthese themes, allowing them to experience the world of VISIBLE TOKYO as they
\nwalk through the park.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Featured 5 Works<\/b><\/p>\n

GAIA \/ Visible
\nHEART \/ Lawn Area (East) \/ Luke Jerram \/ United Kingdom<\/b><\/p>\n

Courtesy of Light
\nArt Collection<\/b><\/p>\n

Making its highly anticipated Japan debut\u2014an immersive experience of viewing Earth from space<\/p>\n

Created by Luke
\nJerram, known for works that cross artistic disciplines, GAIA is a monumental
\nEarth installation at seven meters in diameter. Produced using high-resolution
\nNASA imagery of the Earth\u2019s
\nsurface, the work offers an immersive experience akin to viewing the planet
\nfrom space. The installation will make its Japan debut at TOKYO LIGHTS 2026.\n<\/p>\n

Embrace \/ Visible
\nCITY \/ Fun More Time Hiroba \/ Beamhacker \/ Australia<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Human
\nconnection expands outward as ripples of light<\/p>\n

This
\nparticipatory installation by Beamhacker, known for interactive works combining
\nlight and mirrors, invites visitors to join hands with the human-shaped
\nsilhouettes arranged around the piece. As they do so, ripples of light spread
\noutward in a chain reaction, and the installation becomes increasingly dynamic
\nthrough communication and cooperation among participants.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Liquid
\nUniverse: S\u014db\u014d Ch\u016bfu <\/b>\u2014 An Unclassifiable Entomologia of the Luminous Swarm \/ Visible
\nCONNECTION \/ Chobo-no-Mori \/ Yoichi Ochiai \/ Japan<\/b><\/p>\n

A
\nnew installation by Yoichi Ochiai, where the lights of nature and the city intersect.<\/p>\n

Created
\nfor TOKYO LIGHTS 2026 by Yoichi Ochiai, this new installation brings together
\ndifferent forms of light found in nature and in the city\u2014such as fireflies,
\nbioluminescent organisms, and LEDs\u2014within a four-meter
\npillar of light. Amid imagery continuously generated by computational nature,
\nthe work invites visitors to reconsider the boundary between the natural and
\nthe artificial.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Visible TOWER \/ Visible CITY \/ Fun More Time Hiroba \/ V_T \/ Japan<\/b><\/p>\n

This
\ntower-shaped installation visualizes the memories and everyday activities of
\npeople passing through the city as \u201cmemories of light.\u201d During the
\nday, it reflects the surrounding urban landscape and its visitors like a
\nmirror; at night, AI-generated collages of the city\u2019s
\nmemories appear on an LED display. Visitors may also walk through the sculpture
\nitself and experience these \u201cmemories of light\u201d at close range.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

INTER-WORLD\/Cocooner:
\nApparent motion of celestial bodies <\/b><\/p>\n

\/ <\/b>Visible NATURE \/ Hana-no-Mori \/
\nAkihito Okunaka \/ Japan<\/b><\/p>\n

A
\nlegacy work from Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai that evokes the cycles of nature<\/p>\n

This
\nexperiential work was exhibited as an official program of Study: Osaka Kansai
\nInternational Art Festival 2025 at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. Through a soft
\nsculptural form that amplifies natural phenomena created by the interaction of
\nair, water, and sunlight, the work encourages visitors to reflect on how human
\nbeings are connected to the world. Visitors are invited to step inside and
\nexperience being enveloped by cocoons of changing light.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Additional
\nWorks and Open Call Program<\/b><\/p>\n

In
\naddition to the featured works above, Light Art Park will include a range of
\nother installations, including Seeds of Light\u2014 Egg of Hope, first exhibited at
\nBurning Man in the Nevada desert in the United States; Photosynthesis, in which
\nFLIGHTGRAF, a headliner at one of Europe\u2019s leading light festivals, depicts the breathing cycle
\nof plants; and TOKYO Hyakka Ry\u014dran, which likens Tokyo\u2019s
\nindividuality to a giant blooming flower. Throughout the venue, visitors will
\nencounter light-based expressions that resonate with both the city and nature.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

As
\nopportunities to present light art in public spaces in Japan remain limited,
\nthe event has also held an open call and will exhibit works by emerging artists
\nand students selected through the screening process. Through these efforts,
\nTOKYO LIGHTS 2026 aims to help foster a new generation of artists and creators
\nworking in light-based expression.<\/p>\n

Images are for illustrative purposes only.<\/p>\n

1minute Projection Mapping Competition<\/b><\/p>\n

The 1minute Projection Mapping Competition is
\none of the world’s most established and prestigious international projection
\nmapping competitions, originating in Japan since 2012. Each year, creators
\ncompete for top honors with works running from one minute to one minute
\nfifty-nine seconds. Bringing together leading creators from around the world as
\nwell as rising young talent, the competition offers a unique opportunity in
\nJapan to experience a wide range of highly accomplished and distinctive works
\nin one place.<\/p>\n

The competition invited entries under the
\ntheme “Dialogue”. A total of 412 entries were received from 65
\ncountries and regions around the world. Finalists selected from among these
\nentries will compete for the Grand Prix.<\/p>\n

Jury Member and Invited Artist<\/b><\/p>\n

Ouchhh \/ Digital Media Artist \/ Turkey<\/p>\n

A global creative new media studio that
\ndevelops data-driven expression at the intersection of art and technology.
\nGuided by the concept of \u201cusing data as paint and algorithms as brushes,\u201d the studio creates immersive installations and public art powered
\nby AI and data in locations around the world. Based in Istanbul, it has
\ndelivered more than 75 international projects and received numerous
\ninternational honors, including the Red Dot Design Award.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kentaro Tanaka \/ Video Creator \/ Graphic
\nDesigner (Winner of the previous competition) \/ Japan<\/p>\n

Born in 2000 and raised in Sapporo, he
\nwon\u00a01minute Projection Mapping 2024. He has participated in the\u00a0Video
\nMapping Festival\u00a0in Amiens, France, as well as an artist residency in
\nLille, France. Centering his practice on\u00a0Cinema 4D, he works across 3DCG
\nand graphic design, exploring visual expression inspired by subtle moments of
\ndiscomfort and dissonance that surface in everyday life.<\/p>\n

MCs for the International Competition Awards
\nCeremony<\/b><\/p>\n

For the International Competition Awards
\nCeremony,\u00a0Tetsuya Bessho\u00a0and\u00a0Aki Shibuya\u00a0will serve as MCs.<\/p>\n

Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2026, led by Mr. Bessho, will be held during the same period as this event, creating a connection between two international visual media festivals. Ms. Shibuya will return as MC for the fifth consecutive year since the 2021 competition, helping create a vibrant bilingual program in both Japanese and English.<\/p>\n

Official Website of the 1minute Projection
\nMapping Competition:<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>
\nhttps:\/\/1minute-pm.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Advance Registration Information<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>
\nPlease note, however, that for the\u00a01minute Projection Mapping Competition,
\nattendance in the viewing area will require\u00a0advance registration on a
\nfirst-come, first-served basis\u00a0due to venue capacity limits.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

1minute Projection
\nMapping Competition Viewing Area<\/b> <\/b>Registration<\/b><\/p>\n

\u30fbAdvance Registration Start:\u00a0Thursday,\u3000April 28,
\n 3:00 p.m. <\/p>\n

\u30fbVenue:\u00a0Viewing Area, Tokyo Metropolitan
\n Government Building No.1 \u2013 Citizens\u2019 Plaza<\/p>\n

\u30fbAdmission fee:\u00a0Free<\/p>\n

\u30fbRegistration website:\u00a0<\/p>\n

https:\/\/cloud-pass.jp\/get\/tokyolights2026<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>\u30fbSession schedule:<\/p>\n

\u3000Saturday, May 23<\/p>\n

\u3000Session 1: 7:20 p.m. \u2013 8:10 p.m. (Reception opens at 6:45 p.m.)\n<\/p>\n

\u3000Session 2: 8:50 p.m. \u2013 9:40 p.m. (Reception opens at 8:25
\np.m.)<\/p>\n

\u3000Sunday, May 24\n<\/p>\n

\u3000Session 1: 7:20 p.m. \u2013 8:10 p.m. (Reception opens at 6:45 p.m.)\n<\/p>\n

\u3000Session 2: 8:50 p.m. \u2013 9:40 p.m. (Reception opens at
\n8:25 p.m.)<\/p>\n

\u3000Saturday, May 30<\/p>\n

\u3000Session 1 and Awards Ceremony: 7:20 p.m. \u2013 8:50 p.m. (Reception opens at 6:45
\np.m.)<\/p>\n

\u3000Sunday, May 31<\/p>\n

\u3000Grand Finale
\n(Award-Winning Works Screening & Stage Program):
\n7:20 p.m. \u2013 8:10 p.m. (Reception opens at 6:45 p.m.)<\/p>\n

\"Tokyo<\/p>\n

Event Overview: TOKYO LIGHTS 2026<\/b><\/p>\n

TOKYO LIGHTS<\/b>\u00a0is a festival of light born in 2021
\nthat illuminates Tokyo\u2019s nights. Centered on an international projection mapping
\ncompetition featuring creators from around the world and experiential
\nentertainment that fuses light, art, and technology, the event sends a message
\nof creativity and hope toward the future.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Event Title:<\/b>\u00a0TOKYO LIGHTS 2026<\/p>\n

Venues:<\/b>
\nTokyo Metropolitan Government Building No.1, Tokyo Citizen’s Plaza<\/p>\n

(2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
\n160-0023)
\nShinjuku Chuo Park<\/p>\n

(2-11 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Dates (scheduled):<\/b>
\nSaturday, May 23 to Sunday, May 31, 2026<\/p>\n

1minute Projection Mapping Competition<\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0 1. Screenings: Saturday, May 23; Sunday, May 24; and Sunday, May 31,
\n 2026<\/p>\n

\u00a0 2. Screenings \/ Awards Ceremony: Saturday, May 30, 2026<\/p>\n

Light Art Park<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>
\nSaturday, May 23 to Sunday, May 31, 2026<\/p>\n

Grand Finale<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>
\nSunday, May 31, 2026<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Organizer:<\/b>\n<\/p>\n

Projection Mapping International Award TOKYO Executive Committee<\/p>\n

Co-host:<\/b>\n<\/p>\n

Tokyo Metropolitan Government<\/p>\n

Official Website: <\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>https:\/\/tokyolights.jp<\/a><\/p>\n

Social Media:<\/b>\n<\/p>\n

X (formerly Twitter):\u00a0https:\/\/x.com\/tokyolights_jp<\/a>
\nInstagram:\u00a0https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tokyolights_jp\/<\/a>
\nFacebook:\u00a0https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tokyolights.jp<\/a>
\nYouTube:\u00a0https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@tokyolightsjp<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Inquiries Regarding Event Details and Tickets<\/b><\/p>\n

TOKYO LIGHTS 2026 Call Center<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>
\nTEL: +81-3-6706-7972<\/p>\n

Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays
\nonly
\n(excluding weekends and public holidays)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Tokyo International Projection Mapping Award Executive Committee is pleased to announce that TOKYO LIGHTS 2026, a creative festival of light illuminating Tokyo\u2019s nights, will be held from Saturday, May 23 to Sunday, May 31, 2026, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building, Citizens’ Plaza and the Nishi-Shinjuku area (including Shinjuku Chuo Park). The…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43874,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-philippines"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43873","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43873"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43873\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/43874"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43873"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43873"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apacvision.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}