A tribute event to Ryuichi Sakamoto on the first anniversary of his death will be held at the Ace Hotel Kyoto starting on Thursday, March 28.
The hotel has had a close relationship with Sakamoto, as Sakamoto’s piano concert was held at the Ace Hotel in Seattle in 2002. The event will be held in conjunction with the forest conservation organization “more trees” founded by Sakamoto, Alex Calderwood, founder of the Ace Hotel, John C. Jay, a world-renowned creator who brought Sakamoto together, and Kengo Kuma, an architect who has taken over Sakamoto’s vision and become a representative of “more trees. The event will touch on the history of Sakamoto’s activities and the present day.
On the first day of the event, which is also the anniversary of Sakamoto’s death, Kuma will unveil his new product “Marumarushikaku,” the first new product designed by more trees in about nine years since “Tsumiki” in 2015. During the exhibition, an installation of “XX□” will be on display, and a library using “XX□” as a bookshelf will also be set up. Visitors to the library can pick up books by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Kengo Kuma, Alex Calderwood, and John C. Jay, and read in the lobby area.
A talk session with Kuma will be held on Saturday, April 6. He will talk about his memories of Sakamoto, his new work “○○□□,” and the exterior design of the hotel, which Kuma supervised.
A “Tsumiki” play area will be set up for one day only, and a workshop will be held as an opportunity to experience firsthand the warmth of wood and forests. In addition, there will be an exhibition of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s art box “Ryuichi Sakamoto | Art Box Project 2020 (2020S),” for which more trees was involved in the production of the wooden box, a booth for listening to Sakamoto’s music, and an exhibition of products made from naturally derived materials founded by John C. Jay, “Pearl. The space will be created with a special fragrance using essential oils from Pearl, a company founded by John C. Jay that proposes products made from naturally derived materials.
In addition, three Ryuichi Sakamoto related films will be screened at Uplink Kyoto, a movie theater located on the basement floor of Shinpukan, a commercial facility that houses Ace Hotel Kyoto, at the same time. The films are “Merry Christmas in the Battlefield 4K Restored Edition” and “The Last Emperor: 4K Restoration” (screened in 2K at the theater), both of which feature Sakamoto as an actor and composer, and “Sakamoto Ryuichi WAR AND PEACE Professor: Words Left Behind”, a film from the 4th TBS Documentary Film Festival 2024, which focuses closely on Sakamoto’s social activities. A celebration of Ryuichi Sakamoto
A celebration of Ryuichi Sakamoto with more trees, Kengo Kuma, Pearl＋ & friends
■ Exhibition Event
Duration: March 28th, 2024 (Thursday) – April 14th, 2024 (Sunday), 18 days
Location: Lobby area and Lobby Gallery, 1st floor, Ace Hotel Kyoto
Accommodation Benefit: Guests staying in Ace Suites, Loft Suites, and Tatami Suites during the period will receive a special version (1 piece) of the more trees original product “Tsuzumi” with the Ace Hotel logo printed on it, Pearl+ soap, and an Exhibition Special Leaflet as gifts.
Firstly, visitors will be greeted by the “○○□” installation towering eight levels high at the entrance of the Ace Hotel’s 1st floor. As the name suggests, the dynamic ○ (circle) partition boards and □ (square) tabletops create spaces resembling architectural structures, with depth and dimension. Additionally, a library where visitors can browse books by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Kengo Kuma, as well as Pearl+ founder John C. Jay, and Ace Hotel founder Alex Calderwood will be available. Here, the “○○□” will serve as bookshelves, providing an opportunity for reading in the lobby area.
<“Tsumiki” workshop
Date: April 6, 2024 (Sat) 14:30-15:30 (Mr. Kengo Kuma is scheduled to make a speech at the end of the workshop, around 15:30)
Venue: Ace Hotel Kyoto, 1F Lobby Gallery
The workshop will be held as an opportunity to experience firsthand the warmth and importance of forests (trees) by setting up a play area for “Tsumiki,” an original “more trees” product designed by Kengo Kuma. (Tsumiki will also be available at three restaurants of Ace Hotel Kyoto during the period. Please feel free to pick one up.)
Venue: Ace Hotel Kyoto, 1F Lobby Gallery
Speaker: Kengo Kuma (Representative of “more trees” general incorporated association, architect)
Facilitator: Mr. Shinkichi Mizutani (Executive Director of “more trees”)
Contents: Mr. Kengo Kuma will talk about the exterior design of Ace Hotel Kyoto, his memories of working with Ryuichi Sakamoto, more trees, and his new product “XX□”.
Venue: Ace Hotel Kyoto, 1st floor lobby entrance
A booth will be set up to listen to Sakamoto’s music. Pearl essential oils will be used to create a special fragrance in the space.
Other related events
At the movie theater “Uplink Kyoto” located on the basement floor of the commercial facility “Shinpukan” where Ace Hotel Kyoto is located, three films related to Ryuichi Sakamoto will be screened at the same time. These include a 4K restored version of a nostalgic masterpiece and a documentary, offering a glimpse of Sakamoto in his various roles as a musician, actor, and social activist. Similarly, the more trees product “Tsumiki” and the wood shelf “XX□ (marumarushikaku)” will be installed at Uplink Kyoto.
The 4th TBS Documentary Film Festival 2024 “Words Left Behind by Professor Sakamoto Ryuichi WAR AND PEACE
Friday, March 22 at 16:10, Thursday, March 28 at 16:10, Saturday, March 30 at 16:10, Tuesday, April 2 at 14:30
Director:Takashi Kanatomi Cast:Ryuichi Sakamoto
Merry Christmas at the Battlefield 4K Restored Version
March 22 (Friday)~ Screening
Director/Screenplay:Nagisa Oshima/Music:Ryuichi Sakamoto Cast:David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Beat Takeshi
The Last Emperor: Theatrical Release Version 4K Restoration
2K screening at UPLINK Kyoto – to be continued after March 29 (Fri.)
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci / Music: Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, Soo Song
Cast: John Lone, Peter O’Toole, Joan Chen, Ryuichi Sakamoto
