DIG SHIBUYA 2025 Announces Program Featuring Ryuuichi Ohira and More
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The official program for DIG SHIBUYA 2025, a cultural event held in Tokyo’s Shibuya area from February 8 (Saturday) to February 11 (Tuesday, public holiday), has been announced.
Combining technology and art, the event offers a chance to experience the latest culture. First held in January 2024, it attracted around 110,000 visitors over three days. The event showcased new forms of culture through an art parade on Kōen-dōri, which was closed to traffic, and art installations in Yoyogi Park. This second edition will expand opportunities for both domestic and international artists, including collaborative projects with 12 selected groups from an open call.
The highlight of the official program is Pineapple Scramble, a work created by main artist, sculptor Ryuuichi Ohira. Known for his iconic pineapple motif, Ohira will collaborate with students from Jinnan Elementary School in Shibuya to color the sculpture using action painting techniques. The piece will be displayed as a float along Kōen-dōri from 12:00 to 15:00 on February 9 (Sunday). After the exhibition on Kōen-dōri, the piece will be showcased at Kitayama Park on February 10 (Monday) and 11 (Tuesday, public holiday). Ohira has expressed hopes that this project will offer a new way to rediscover Shibuya.
The highlight of this event is the collaboration with local elementary school students. Ohira himself is unsure of the exact reason why a large pineapple needs to appear in Shibuya. However, by adopting the perspective of children who ask honest questions about things we often take for granted, walking through Shibuya may lead to new discoveries of the area. With the help of the children, Ohira hopes this will be an opportunity for everyone involved in the event to rediscover Shibuya.
Ryuichi Ohira
Also included in the official program is the “Pac-Man Scavenger Hunt.” In celebration of the 45th anniversary of the iconic game Pac-Man, a collaboration between the Los Angeles-based startup Flickplay and Bandai Namco Entertainment will offer participants a location-based scavenger hunt throughout Shibuya, featuring Pac-Man characters.
The popular “Shibuya Crossing Night Art,” which features art displays at the Shibuya Crossing late at night, will also return. From February 8 (Saturday) to 10 (Monday), each night at midnight for one hour, works from the official and open-call programs will be showcased on the large screens at the Shibuya Crossing. Additionally, NEORT, which operates a digital art gallery, will direct the project “BYOD² – BRING YOUR OWN DATA & DISPLAY.” This exhibition will be held at locations such as Shibuya PARCO and Miyashita Park, and will focus on installing “data” in physical space, transcending distance.
In addition, as part of the official partner program, a tribute festival titled “RADIO SAKAMOTO Uday -New Context Fes × DIG SHIBUYA-” will be held, continuing the spirit of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s regular program “RADIO SAKAMOTO,” which aired on J-WAVE for 20 years until 2023. The event will take place on February 10 (Monday), featuring performances by Cornelius, Yoshinori Sunahara, Daito Manabe, TOWA TEI, and others.
RADIO SAKAMOTO Uday -NEW CONTEXT FES × DIG SHIBUYA
DIG SHIBUYA 2025
● Event Dates: February 8 (Saturday) to February 11 (Tuesday, national holiday), 2025 (tentative) ● Venue: Shibuya Park Street and surrounding areas, and others ● Participation Fee: Free (some programs may require a fee) ● Organized by: SHIBUYA CREATIVE TECH Executive Committee, Independent Administrative Institution Japan Arts and Culture Foundation, Agency for Cultural Affairs ● Co-organized by: Shibuya Ward ● Supported by: Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Public Art section), Shibuya Tourist Association, Shibuya Future Design Association ● Collaboration: Civic Creative Base Tokyo [CCBT] (CCBT-hosted programs) ● Commissioned by: 2024 Japan Expo 2.0 Project (Commission-based)
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