“POKÉMON X KOGEI PLAYFUL ENCOUNTERS OF POKÉMON AND JAPANESE CRAFT” will be held at the Azabudai Hills Gallery in Minato-ku, Tokyo, from Friday, November 1, 2024, to Sunday, February 2, 2025.
The exhibition, which first took place at the National Crafts Museum in Ishikawa, Japan, from March to June 2023, will then travel to JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, the Sagawa Art Museum in Shiga, Japan, and Shizuoka, Japan, from September 9, 2024, to February 2, 2025. Currently, it is on view at the MOA Museum of Art in Atami, Shizuoka, until Monday, September 9, 2024.
Featuring 20 artists with diverse ages and techniques, the exhibition includes Morihito Katsura, renowned for “carved metal” (living national treasure), textile designer Reiko Sudo, ceramic artist Yoshiko Masumoto, and metalwork artist Taiichiro Yoshida. The showcase highlights how Pokémon’s form, fur, and expression are captured through materials like metal, clay, and wood, blending Pokémon with craft functions, decorative grammar, and values. The Tokyo exhibition will present around 80 new works from additional artists, expanding upon the 70 pieces featured in previous locations. Further details will be announced soon.
2022, Private collection
© Kanma Imai
Photo by Taku Saishiro
2022, Private Collection
©YOSHIDA Yasuichiro
Photo by SAIJO Taku
2022 Private Collection
© Masumoto Yoshiko
Photo｜Saijo Taku
During the exhibition, there will be talk events and workshops. Additionally, original merchandise will be available for purchase, and a collaboration café will be set up at the Azabudai Hills Gallery Café. This collaboration café will be a first for the Tokyo exhibition and was not featured in previous locations.
Advance tickets will go on sale from Tuesday, September 3. These tickets include a porcelain free cup printed with a motif from the exhibition and a postcard with a Pikachu print in gold foil on special velvet paper. There will also be a premium passport, allowing unlimited entry without a reservation for one accompanying guest. This premium passport, along with other limited-time or limited-quantity items, will be available for purchase. Regular advance tickets will be available from Tuesday, October 1.
“POKÉMON X KOGEI PLAYFUL ENCOUNTERS OF POKÉMON AND JAPANESE CRAFT”
Organizer: Azabudai Hills Gallery, NHK Promotion
Supervision: National Crafts Museum
Special Cooperation: The Pokémon Company
Cooperation: Yomiuri Shimbun
Sponsored by: Lawson Entertainment
Supported by: J-WAVE
Exhibiting Artists:
Akihiro Ikeda, Kazumi Ikemoto, Kanemasa Imai, Kasumi Ueha, Morihito Katsura, Takuro Kuwata, Yasuyoshi Komiya, Eiichi Shiroma, Reiko Sudo, Yoshiaki Taguchi, Nobuyuki Tanaka, Yuki Tsubojima, Hiroki Shinmi, Shigeki Hayashi, Yuki Hayama, Tohru Fukuda, Yoshiko Masumoto, Saori Mizuhashi, Haruhi Mitsuda, Taiichiro Yoshida [In alphabetical order]
Exhibition Dates:
November 1, 2024 (Friday) – February 2, 2025 (Sunday)
- First Period: November 1, 2024 (Friday) – December 25, 2024 (Wednesday)
- Second Period: December 26, 2024 (Thursday) – February 2, 2025 (Sunday)
Closed on December 31, 2024 (Tuesday)
Exhibition changes between the first and second periods
Venue: Azabudai Hills Gallery
(Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza A MB Floor, 5-8-1 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Opening Hours:
- Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Sunday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Last entry 6:30 PM)
- Friday/Saturday/Public Holidays Eve: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Last entry 7:30 PM)
Tokyo Venue Website: Azabudai Hills Gallery Pokémon × Kogei Exhibition
Ticket Information:
Pokémon × Kogei Exhibition – Tokyo Venue Ticket Information
