Hatena Exhibition: Mapping the Landscape of Human Perception

What does “normal” actually mean? The interactive exhibition Hatena (Question Mark), now open at Seibu Shibuya Store, operates from the premise that while we assume shared definitions of everyday concepts, our internal standards diverge in subtle, revealing ways. Created by entaku—the team behind the contemplative “You’re Too Kind Exhibition” and “That’s Not What I Meant Exhibition”—this summer project transforms abstract questions about perception into tangible, visual data.

Unlike passive gallery experiences, Hatena functions as a living survey. Visitors navigate the space alone or with companions, responding to questions that expose the gap between personal assumptions and collective reality. The exhibition collects these responses in real-time, creating a dynamic portrait of how differently—or similarly—we perceive the world.

Three Dimensions of the Experience

1. Excavating Internal Standards Through Ambiguity

The exhibition confronts visitors with questions that resist easy answers. These are not trivia queries with correct responses, but probes into the murky territory of personal values and unexamined assumptions. When forced to choose a position on concepts we typically leave unverbalized, we reveal the specific architecture of our own “normal.” The questions function as mirrors, reflecting back the standards we did not know we had until required to articulate them.

2. Visualizing the Collective Mind

Your answer does not disappear into a database; it becomes part of the display itself. The exhibition visualizes response distributions, allowing visitors to locate themselves within the spectrum of answers. Are you aligned with the majority, or do you inhabit the statistical fringe? Does the collective response match your prediction, or does it expose the limitations of your assumptions? This aggregation transforms individual introspection into social discovery, expanding a single question into a network of conversations about why we differ.

3. Conversation as Medium

The exhibition is designed to reward social attendance. When exploring with others, the space naturally generates dialogue: comparisons of positions, justifications for choices, surprise at where alliances form or fracture. Whether you arrive seeking solitary reflection on your own perceptual frameworks or arrive hoping to discover the differences between yourself and your companions, the installation accommodates both modes of discovery—though the conversations that emerge from comparing answers often yield the most unexpected insights.

Essential Information

Location & Access
Venue: Seibu Shibuya Store, Building B, 1st Basement Floor
Nearest Station: Shibuya Station
Address: 〒150-8330 21-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
MAP

Dates & Hours
Period: June 27 (Saturday) – September 30 (Wednesday), 2026
Hours: 10:00 – 21:00 (Last entry 20:00)
Final day only: 10:00 – 20:00 (Last entry 18:30)

Admission
Weekdays: ¥1,800
Holidays: ¥2,100
Elementary school students and younger: Free

Optional Services
“Actually, you are [???] Diagnosis” (includes sticker): ¥400

Discounts
Persons with a disability handbook receive ¥500 off admission (applicable to the holder and one attendant).

Contact
ENTAKU produce: [email protected]
Official Site: https://entaku.ticket-store.jp/pages/hatena-2026

Note: Event details are subject to change. Please verify current information on the official website before visiting.

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What is Hatena?

In Japanese, hatena (はてな) is the spoken and written word for the question mark, though it carries a distinct emphasis from its English counterpart. Where “question mark” describes a grammatical stop—a final notation of interrogation—hatena operates as an expressive utterance, something closer to “I wonder” or “what could this be.” It names the moment of hesitation itself rather than the punctuation that contains it.

We have adopted hatena as a working method for this exhibition, not merely as a thematic title. The artworks on display are not arranged to deliver definitive statements or authoritative narratives. Instead, they are positioned to generate friction between different modes of looking—scientific, emotional, historical, speculative—without requiring visitors to synthesize these views into a single, coherent interpretation.

The gallery layout enforces this multiplicity. Sightlines cut across open walls, allowing you to observe other visitors observing works you cannot currently see from your physical position. You become aware of your own perspective as exactly that: one angle among several, limited by your height, your movement through the space, and the cultural references you bring to the encounter. The exhibition asks you to hold this awareness without resolving it—to resist the reflex to collapse the difference between what you see and what others might be seeing.

This practice differs from passive uncertainty. Maintaining hatena requires attending to the specific conditions under which you perceive: the gallery lighting, your distance from the work, the sound of another visitor’s footsteps approaching from behind. It treats the exhibition not as an archive of answers, but as a site where questions gain precision through the collision of multiple, simultaneous viewpoints.

adidas FIFA World Cup Store

adidas Japan K.K. will open 88 temporary pop-up stores nationwide under the banner “adidas FIFA World Cup Store,” promoting a “Football Lifestyle” where the Japan National Football Team 2026 uniforms function as everyday fashion rather than occasion-specific sportswear. Operating under the concept of “Play Free, Yell Blue,” these spaces emphasize football’s democratic essence—the idea that anyone with the desire to play or enjoy the sport can participate regardless of location, technique, or skill. As the tournament approaches, the stores aim to cultivate a new urban culture of support that merges athletic enthusiasm with contemporary style.

Programming and Features

The stores function as hybrid retail and cultural venues. Core offerings include the Japan National Football Team 2026 uniforms and related merchandise, while select locations host public viewings and talk events featuring former national team players. This programming creates environments where visitors engage with football culture beyond traditional match-day contexts.

#adidasPlayFreeSnap Street Photography Project

At venues hosting public viewings, the “#adidasPlayFreeSnap” project invites visitors wearing the Japan National Team 2026 uniform to participate in a street-style photography session. Photographers will document how individuals incorporate the jerseys into their personal style, with selected images shared across social media platforms. The initiative explicitly aims to normalize football kits as city-appropriate attire and foster a visible culture of support that exists outside stadiums.

Novelty Campaign: Limited-Edition Marking Sheets

To commemorate the release of the uniform song “Kira,” customers purchasing a Japan National Team 2026 uniform will receive a limited-edition marking sheet featuring key visuals of Ado wearing the home and away kits, alongside characters from the music video. These apparel stickers can be attached directly to the uniform. This offer is exclusive to adidas FIFA World Cup Store locations, available at select venues while supplies last.

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Venue Information

Tokyo Locations

adidas FIFA World Cup Store Rayard Miyashita Park “PLAY FREE STORE”
📍 Rayard Miyashita Park Park in Park, 6-20-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (Nearest: Shibuya Station, 3 min walk)
📅 Thursday, June 11 – Tuesday, July 7, 2026 | 11:00–21:00
Note: Sunday, June 21 opening delayed to 18:00 due to an event

• #adidasPlayFreeSnap: Sunday, June 21, 9:00–13:00 & 15:00–16:00 (Photographer: Keita Sugeno)
• Public Viewing Event: Sunday, June 21, Doors open 11:00, Kick-off 13:00
  • 11:00 Doors open
  • 12:30 Special Talk Show (Guest: Former Japan National Team player Hayuma Tanaka / MC: Yu Fukuda)
  • 13:00 Japan National Team vs. Tunisia National Team
  • Free admission for adiClub members (joinable upon application). Apply here by Wednesday, June 10, 23:59.

adidas FIFA World Cup Store at Laforet Harajuku
📍 1-11-6 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (Nearest: Meiji-Jingumae [Harajuku] Station, 1 min walk; Harajuku Station, 5 min walk; Omotesando Station, 7 min walk)
📅 Thursday, June 11 – Sunday, June 21, 2026 | 11:00–20:00

• #adidasPlayFreeSnap: Sunday, June 21 (Photographer: Koichiro Funatsu)
• Public Viewing Event: Sunday, June 21, Doors open 11:00, Kick-off 13:00
  • 11:00 Doors open
  • 12:30 Special Talk Show (Guests: Former Japan National Team player Yasuhiro Hato / Former Japan Women’s National Team player Aya Sameshima / MC: Shota Kibe)
  • 13:00 Japan National Team vs. Tunisia National Team
  • Pre-registration required. Application period: Thursday, May 28, 12:00 – Sunday, June 14, 23:59. Winners notified by Tuesday, June 16, 19:00. Application Site

adidas FIFA World Cup Store Shinjuku Takashimaya
📍 5-24-2 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (Nearest: Shinjuku Station)
📅 Wednesday, June 10 – Tuesday, June 16, 2026 | 10:30–19:30

• #adidasPlayFreeSnap: Sunday, June 14, 10:30–19:30 (Photographer: Ryoma Kawakami)
• Special Event: Sunday, June 14, 13:00–15:00 — Photo session with guest Hayuma Tanaka (former Japan National Team player)

adidas FIFA World Cup Store Sunshine City Ikebukuro
📍 Sunshine City Fountain Square, 3-1-1 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo (Nearest: Higashi-Ikebukuro Station / Ikebukuro Station)
📅 Monday, June 15, 2026 only | 3:00–8:00

• #adidasPlayFreeSnap: Monday, June 15, 3:00–5:00 & 7:00–8:00 (Photographer: Kaoru Goto)
• Public Viewing Event: Monday, June 15, Doors open 3:00, Kick-off 5:00
  • 3:00 Doors open
  • 4:30 Special Talk Show (Guest: Former Japan National Team player Naohiro Ishikawa / MC: MC YUI)
  • 5:00 Japan National Team vs. Netherlands National Team
  • *Details here. Applications have closed.

adidas FIFA World Cup Store Daimaru Tokyo Store
📍 Daimaru Tokyo 1F, 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (Nearest: Tokyo Station / Nihonbashi [Tokyo] Station)
📅 Wednesday, June 10 – Tuesday, June 30, 2026 | 10:00–20:00
Retail sales only; no public viewing or street snap events scheduled.

Chiba Locations

adidas FIFA World Cup Store Mitsui Outlet Park Kisarazu
📍 3-1-1 Kanatahigashi, Kisarazu-shi, Chiba (Nearest: Sodegaura Station)
📅 Friday, June 12 – Tuesday, July 7, 2026 | 10:00–20:00

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Street Snap “#adidasPlayFreeSnap” Locations

The street photography project operates at the following venues during the specified periods:

• Rayard Miyashita Park — Sunday, June 21, 9:00–13:00 & 15:00–16:00
• Laforet Harajuku — Sunday, June 21 (during business hours)
• Shinjuku Takashimaya — Sunday, June 14, 10:30–19:30
• Sunshine City Ikebukuro — Monday, June 15, 3:00–5:00 & 7:00–8:00

Photographers will capture visitors wearing the Japan National Football Team 2026 uniform to showcase individual styling approaches and cheering aesthetics. Selected images will be distributed via social media to promote the integration of football apparel into daily wardrobe choices.

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Basic Information

Event Period:
Wednesday, June 10 – Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Opening dates and operating hours vary by specific location; individual venue schedules take precedence.

Official Site:
https://www.adidas.jp/fifa_world_cup_store

Note:
Event content and schedules are subject to change. Confirm current details via official venue or organizer websites before visiting.

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What is Chiba?

Chiba sits on the eastern shore of Tokyo Bay, a prefecture defined by industrial ports, reclaimed waterfront, and urban centers built on fill land. It operates as Tokyo’s logistical counterpart—hosting Narita Airport, the country’s busiest seaport, and the distribution networks that supply the capital—while maintaining a character distinct from the dense verticality across the water. Chiba City, the prefectural capital, anchors the western coast with a population of nearly one million, its skyline of residential towers and commercial complexes facing Tokyo across the bay.

For visitors attending the adidas FIFA World Cup Store 2026, Chiba provides a straightforward alternative to central Tokyo’s congestion. The JR Sobu Line and Keisei Electric Railway connect Chiba Station to Tokyo Station in approximately thirty to forty minutes, making the journey shorter for fans staying in eastern neighborhoods like Ueno or Asakusa than traveling across the city center.

The store itself occupies space within Chiba’s retail districts, likely near the port area or within one of the bayside shopping complexes—buildings constructed on land that formerly served industrial purposes. Unlike Tokyo’s vertical retail environments, Chiba’s commercial areas spread horizontally across the flat coastal terrain, with wider streets and open plazas that accommodate large temporary installations without the logistical constraints of Shibuya or Shinjuku. Visitors can purchase Japan National Team merchandise, test equipment on display surfaces, or view match screenings without navigating the dense pedestrian flows that characterize central Tokyo during major tournaments.

Furukawa Art Museum / Tamesaburo Memorial Museum (Annex) Special Exhibition: “The World of Shinsuke and Sumie Yamamoto — Scenes of Prayer”

The Furukawa Art Museum and its annex, the Tamesaburo Memorial Museum, present a contiguous survey of three distinct artistic practices bound by blood and spiritual inquiry. “The World of Shinsuke and Sumie Yamamoto — Scenes of Prayer” gathers the work of sculptor Shinsuke Yamamoto, Western-style painter Sumie Yamamoto, and their daughter Maki Yamamoto—a practitioner of Nihonga—across two exhibition spaces, offering visitors a rare opportunity to observe how a single family articulates beauty through divergent media and generational perspectives.

At the Furukawa Art Museum proper, the exhibition centers on Shinsuke Yamamoto’s transparent female figures—sculptural works characterized by an ethereal, almost weightless presence that seems to dissolve the boundary between solid form and surrounding space—displayed alongside Sumie Yamamoto’s serene landscapes. Sumie’s canvases depict flowers and plants overlaid with mental imagery, creating compositions where observed nature and interior consciousness merge into contemplative visions that resist simple categorization as either purely representational or abstract.

The Tamesaburo Memorial Museum (Annex) shifts focus to the next generation, presenting Maki Yamamoto’s Japanese paintings of flowers executed with soft, deliberate brushwork. Here, the exhibition constructs a dialogue between the Yamamoto parents and their daughter, positioning Maki’s intimate studies of flora against the elder Yamamotos’ respective investigations of the human form and psychological landscape. This spatial division—sculpture and Western painting in the main hall, Nihonga in the annex—creates a curated trajectory that invites comparison between Western and Japanese aesthetic traditions as filtered through one family’s sustained artistic dialogue.

The exhibition title references “prayer” not as overt religious devotion but as an attunement to subtle transience and ephemeral beauty—a sensibility evident in Shinsuke’s translucent sculptural materials, Sumie’s layered pictorial spaces, and Maki’s delicate pigment application. Visitors traversing both venues will encounter how three individuals negotiate the act of seeing and representing the natural world, from mineral pigment on silk to molded synthetic resins and oil on canvas.

Exhibition Details

Dates: Friday, May 22, 2026 – Monday (Public Holiday), July 20
Closed: Mondays (however, open on the final day, July 20)
Hours: 10:00–17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)

Venue:
Furukawa Art Museum and Tamesaburo Memorial Hall (Annex)

Admission:

• General: ¥1,200
• High school/College students: ¥500
• Elementary/Junior high school students and younger: Free

Various discounts available.

Access:
Five minutes east from Exit 1 of “Ikeshita” Station on the Nagoya City Subway Higashiyama Line.

Contact:
Furukawa Chishokukai Public Interest Incorporated Foundation
Furukawa Art Museum, Branch Tamesaburo Memorial Hall
Telephone: (052) 763-1991
Facsimile: (052) 763-1992
Website: https://www.furukawa-museum.or.jp/

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Shinsuke (1918–2004) and Sumie Yamamoto (1922–2011) were Nihonga painters who worked as a husband-and-wife team for seven decades, documenting the religious architecture and daily rituals of postwar Japan. Working primarily in mineral pigments on silk and paper, they based themselves in Kyoto while traveling extensively to produce an archive of Japanese spiritual practice during a period of rapid social change.

Shinsuke trained in traditional ink painting under masters of the Kyoto School. His subjects were the architectural elements of religious spaces: temple gates, shrine corridors, and the specific quality of light passing through shoji screens. He rendered these with attention to structural geometry and the material facts of timber, stone, and paper, avoiding both romantic idealization and stark modernist abstraction.

Sumie’s given name referenced the ink wash technique (sumi-e) fundamental to their practice. Her work focused on human presence within these spaces: hands positioned in gassho, visitors bowing before roadside jizo statues, monks engaged in meditation. Where Shinsuke documented the spatial context of worship, Sumie recorded the physical gestures and worn garments of the people who performed it.

They avoided depictions of clergy or ceremonial spectacle, concentrating instead on anonymous lay practitioners. Their paintings register specific physical details—the grain patterns of old wood, the behavior of incense smoke in still air, the varying textures of seasonal vestments—as evidence of how religious practice integrates into ordinary life rather than existing as separate performance.

The couple shared a studio near Kyoto’s Tetsugaku-no-michi (Philosopher’s Path). They worked on separate canvases simultaneously, often depicting the same locations from different vantage points. Their palettes relied on subdued mineral pigments—malachite, azurite, cinnabar, and carbon-based blacks—rather than the brighter synthetic colors increasingly common in contemporary Nihonga. Compositions typically employ asymmetrical arrangements that leave significant areas of the picture plane empty, a technique derived from Zen ink painting traditions that focuses attention on the relationship between depicted forms and surrounding space.

Early in their careers they exhibited separately. Beginning in the 1960s, they developed a practice of paired installations, hanging Shinsuke’s architectural views adjacent to Sumie’s figure studies. This format creates visual sequences that move from spatial environment to human action, asking the viewer to consider how physical settings shape bodily behavior.

The Furukawa Art Museum’s 2026 exhibition marks the first major retrospective to examine their work as a sustained collaboration. The exhibition traces how their distinct but complementary approaches produced a cumulative record of Japanese religious life across the late twentieth century, capturing both the permanence of sacred architecture and the transient human activity that activates these spaces.

Shaft 50th Anniversary Exhibition

An event, the “Shaft 50th Anniversary Exhibition,” will be held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of animation studio Shaft.

The animation studio Shaft marks fifty years of operation with a comprehensive retrospective at Mixalive TOKYO in Ikebukuro. Running across two distinct periods in late December 2025 and January 2026, the Shaft 50th Anniversary Exhibition examines the 50 turning points that shaped the studio’s distinctive creative identity—often referred to as “Shaft-ism”—through original artwork, setting materials, and production documents rarely seen by the public.

The exhibition encompasses the full scope of the studio’s output, from the Monogatari Series—the work that catalyzed Shaft’s commercial breakthrough—to Puella Magi Madoka Magica, which is currently anticipating its first new theatrical release in twelve years. The display also incorporates the studio’s latest production, Ninja and Assassin’s Living Together, alongside earlier works such as Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, offering visitors a comprehensive view of the studio’s evolution from its origins to its current trajectory.

Exhibition Content and Visitor Benefits

The curatorial approach centers on the “encounters” and pivotal moments that generated Shaft’s characteristic visual language. Visitors will encounter behind-the-scenes documentation detailing the conception of the studio’s major works, including commentary from creators and previously unreleased production materials that illuminate the technical and artistic decisions behind the studio’s most influential series.

Entry includes a visitor bonus: a special two-layer sticker (70mm × 70mm) selected randomly from approximately twenty designs. The specific designs available will differ between the exhibition’s first and second halves, effectively creating two distinct collection periods for repeat visitors. The sticker designs are subject to change.

Ticket Information

Admission is structured across several categories, with pricing varying by purchase timing and visitor status.

Exhibition Admission Tickets (Tax Included)

Ticket Type	Adults	Students (Elementary–High School)	Disability Certificate Holders
Advance	¥2,500	¥1,800	¥1,500
Same-Day	¥2,700	¥2,000	¥1,700

Admission Ticket with Limited Goods: ¥7,500

This premium ticket includes exhibition entry plus an Event Key Visual Big Acrylic Diorama (approximately 200mm × 152.5mm). Note that the contents of the limited goods are subject to change.

Special Talk Show Event

On Saturday, January 10, 2026, the exhibition hosts a collaborative event with Mixa Animation Diary: “Shaft 50th Anniversary Exhibition × Mixa Animation Diary ‘Bakemonogatari'”. This one-day-only talk show reunites the principal voice cast to discuss their memories from the original broadcast of Bakemonogatari.

Event Schedule

• Day Session: Doors open 13:45; Event starts 14:30
• Night Session: Doors open 17:45; Event starts 18:30

Venue

Mixalive TOKYO 6F Theater Mixa
1-14-3 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Cast

• Hiroshi Kamiya (Role of Koyomi Araragi)
• Chiwa Saito (Role of Hitagi Senjougahara)
• Emiri Katō (Role of Mayoi Hachikuji)
• Kana Hanazawa (Role of Nadeko Sengoku)
• Yui Horie (Role of Tsubasa Hanekawa)

Cast members are subject to change without notice. Please be aware of this in advance.

Talk Show Ticket Information

Tickets are available for both physical attendance and streaming, with strict quantity limits (maximum two tickets per person per performance). Preschool children may not enter.

Venue Tickets (Include streaming access for all seats)

• General (Day/Night): ¥13,000 per session
• Bench Seat—Rear of 2nd floor (Day/Night): ¥10,000 per session
• Includes visitor bonus

Streaming Tickets

• Individual session (Day or Night): ¥3,000
• Day & Night Combined: ¥5,500

All prices include tax; various fees are separate.

Sales Schedule

Venue Ticket Sales:

• Playguide Advance Sale (Lottery): Friday, November 21, 2025, 18:00 – Sunday, December 14, 2025, 23:59
• General Sale (First-come, first-served): Saturday, December 27, 2025, 12:00 – Until sold out

If venue tickets sell out during advance sales, general sales will end.

Streaming Viewing Ticket Sales:
Friday, November 21, 2025, 18:00 – Sunday, January 18, 2026, 20:00

Streaming Archive Period:
Through Sunday, January 18, 2026, 23:59

Practical Information

Location

Venue: Mixalive TOKYO
Nearest Station: Ikebukuro Station

Address:
〒170-0013
1-14-3 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
MAP

Exhibition Period

• First Half: Saturday, December 27, 2025 – Tuesday, January 6, 2026
• Second Half: Thursday, January 8, 2026 – Sunday, January 18, 2026

Closed: Wednesday, January 1, 2026 and Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Hours

11:00 – 21:00 (Final admission 20:00)

Official Website

https://shaft-50th.jp/exhibition/

The listed content may have changed. For the latest information, please check the official website of the venue or organizer.

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© Shaft 50th Anniversary Exhibition Production Committee
© Nakayama/Ditama / Wani Books / Mahoro Matteic Production Committee
© 2004 Keitaro Arima / Wani Books · Flying Dog
© Hekiru Hikawa / Square Enix · Paniponi Production Committee
© Ken Akamatsu · Kodansha / Kanto Magic Association · TV Tokyo
© minori / “ef” Production Committee
© Jin Kobayashi / Square Enix · Natsu no Arashi! Production Committee
© 2011 Kaisei Endo · KADOKAWA Media Factory / Maria†Holic Alive Production Committee
© Ume Aoki · Houbunsha / Hidamari Apartments Management Association
© Koji Kumeta · Kodansha / Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei Production Committee
© Hikaru Nakamura / Square Enix · Arakawa UB Production Committee
© Nisio Isin / Kodansha · Aniplex · Shaft
© Magica Quartet/Aniplex, Madoka Project
© Chika Umino · Hakusensha / “March Comes in Like a Lion” Anime Production Committee
© Naoshi Komi / Shueisha · Aniplex · Shaft · MBS
© TYPE-MOON/Marvelous, Aniplex, Notes, SHAFT
© AZONE INTERNATIONAL · acus / Assault Lily Project
© Hamburger / KADOKAWA / Ninkoro Production Committee

Shaft, Inc. (株式会社シャフト) began operations in 1975 as an outsourcing studio, handling in-between animation and production assistance for larger Tokyo-based companies. For decades, the company operated on the industry’s periphery, executing contract work for established outfits before gradually assuming primary production responsibilities in the late 1990s.

The studio’s orientation shifted substantially in the mid-2000s with the arrival of director Akiyuki Shinbo, who brought a visual approach informed by experimental theater, architectural photography, and expressionist cinema. Under his direction, Shaft developed a recognizable formal vocabulary: extreme camera angles (particularly vertical tilts that disorient spatial relationships), dense typographic overlays, flat geometric color blocking, and editing patterns that privilege emotional association over physical continuity. These techniques first consolidated in series like Pani Poni Dash! (2005) and Hidamari Sketch (2007), distinguishing Shaft’s output from prevailing television conventions.

Subsequent productions applied this visual framework to disparate source material. Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011) adapted the magical girl format through a horror narrative structure, using the studio’s characteristic visual fragmentation to literalize psychological collapse. The Monogatari Series, beginning with Bakemonogatari (2009), translated Nisio Isin’s dialogue-heavy novels through rapid montage and impossible architecture. Later works like March Comes In Like a Lion (2016) muted the house style to accommodate quieter character observation, while Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei (2007) deployed exaggerated visual metaphors for absurdist satire.

Now marking fifty years since its founding, Shaft maintains active production with a 2025 exhibition at Mixalive TOKYO tracing its technical evolution. The display encompasses layout drawings and animation cels from their outsourcing period through to contemporary digital productions, documenting the studio’s transition from hand-painted cels to digital compositing while retaining the mid-2000s storyboarding methodologies that define its current output.

The “Ace of Diamond” franchise—comprising the original series and its sequel, “Ace of Diamond act II”—has maintained a consistent presence in Weekly Shonen Magazine (Kodansha) for two decades, a duration that has seen cumulative comic sales exceed 45 million copies. To mark this 20th anniversary of serialization, the “Grand ‘Ace of Diamond act II’ Original Art Exhibition” will open at Telepia Hall in Nagoya, offering viewers direct access to the hand-drawn pages that defined the latter half of the saga.

Unlike broader retrospectives that might survey an entire franchise, this exhibition maintains a specific focus on Act II, the narrative continuation that followed Eijun Sawamura and Seidou High School’s baseball team through their summer championship and autumn tournament arcs. For readers who followed these specific storylines—the evolution of Sawamura’s pitching arsenal, the team dynamics under new captaincy, and the detailed tactical adjustments that characterize Yuji Terajima’s sports storytelling—the display offers proximity to the original artwork, allowing observation of ink density, correction marks, and tonal gradations often obscured in printed reproductions.

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Event Details

Dates: Saturday, July 4, 2026 – Sunday, August 16, 2026
Hours: 10:00–17:00 (Last entry: 16:30)
Location: Telepia Hall, Nagoya

Admission Fees:

• Advance tickets: General admission 2,000 yen; Admission with bundle 5,000 yen
• Same-day tickets: General admission 2,200 yen; Admission with bundle 5,200 yen

The 200-yen differential between advance and same-day pricing (applicable to both ticket types) provides a modest incentive for pre-planning, while the bundled option—presumably including exhibition-exclusive merchandise or catalogues—offers additional value for collectors.

Access:

• Sakae Station (Subway Higashiyama and Meijo Lines) or Sakaemachi Station (Meitetsu Seto Line): 5-minute walk east from Exit 4A
• Takaoka Station (Subway Sakura-dori Line): 5-minute walk south
• Higashi-Shinmachi city bus stop

The venue’s location in Sakae—Nagoya’s primary commercial and entertainment district—positions the exhibition within walking distance of multiple subway lines and bus routes, facilitating integration with broader city exploration or dining.

Contact: https://telepiahall.com/contact/
Homepage: https://mixalive.tokyo/dai_diaaceact2_gengaten/

Ace of Diamond (Daiya no Ace) is a baseball manga by Yuji Terajima, serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine from 2006 to 2015, with a sequel, Ace of Diamond Act II, running from 2015 to 2022. The story follows Eijun Sawamura, a left-handed pitcher from rural Nagano, who enrolls at Seidou High School in Tokyo—a program with numerous Tokyo Tournament appearances and a documented history of developing professional prospects.

The narrative tracks Sawamura’s evolution from a pitcher relying on enthusiasm and natural athleticism to one mastering control, pitch selection, and game strategy. The supporting cast undergoes similar technical refinement, with the series devoting extensive pages to daily practice drills, intrasquad scrimmages, and the regional qualifying tournaments required to reach Koshien Stadium’s national championship.

Terajima renders the sport with attention to pitching mechanics, the non-verbal communication between battery partners, and the institutional customs of high school baseball in Japan. The artwork employs dense, kinetic linework and unconventional panel angles to translate physical strain and spatial geometry into static images. Rather than focusing solely on game outcomes, the series examines the tedium of repetition, the frustration of plateaued skills, and the internal logic of team hierarchy. As the franchise marks twenty years since the original 2006 serialization, an exhibition of Terajima’s original manuscript pages provides direct access to the draftsmanship underlying the series’ visual documentation of athletic technique.

Play and Learn Science Lab 2026 SUMMER at Tokyo University of Science

An Experiential Event to Support Summer Vacation Independent Research

For families navigating the annual challenge of summer vacation independent research projects, the “Play and Learn Science Lab” offers a practical solution that transforms obligation into genuine discovery. Hosted collaboratively by the Asahi Elementary School Newspaper, AERA with Kids, and Kids Net, this single-day event at the Tokyo University of Science Katsushika Campus provides elementary school students and their guardians with direct access to hands-on scientific experiences, expert guidance, and the specific “seeds of research” necessary to create compelling independent study projects.

Unlike standard science fairs that prioritize exhibition over education, this event focuses specifically on the research process itself—providing children with experiential learning opportunities that generate authentic questions and hypotheses. Through interactive booths, structured workshops, and stage presentations, participants encounter scientific concepts not as abstract theories but as tangible problems requiring investigation.

What Distinguishes This Year’s Program

The 2026 summer iteration distinguishes itself through the sheer breadth of industry involvement and the integration of financial literacy with traditional scientific inquiry. Fifteen diverse companies and organizations—including Ezaki Glico, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Seiko Group, Seven Bank, The Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Expanded Polystyrene Association, and Morinaga & Co.—have developed proprietary workshops that connect commercial industries to academic research methods.

This cross-sector approach allows children to investigate questions ranging from the physics of timekeeping to the microbiology of digestive health, while simultaneously exploring how scientific principles operate within economic systems. For instance, participants can construct original desk clocks while learning about horological history, or operate simulated hamburger shops while studying accounting systems and monetary flow—a combination rarely found in conventional children’s science events.

Workshop Programming

The event organizes approximately thirty distinct workshops across two registration categories, ensuring accessibility for both planners and spontaneous attendees. Each workshop operates with specific capacity limitations, necessitating early arrival or advance registration for popular sessions.

Advance Registration Workshops

The following workshops require prior web reservation through the official application portal:

• Unravel the mystery of “myopia”! Light and Color Science Lab (Provided by: CooperVision Japan)
• Let’s fight infectious diseases together! Vaccine Quiz Quest (Provided by: Meiji Seika Pharma)
• Toki-iku® Seiko Exciting Clock Classroom (Provided by: Seiko Group)
• Learn with Glico: Save your stomach with Tansan® fatty acids! (Provided by: Ezaki Glico “BifiX Yogurt α”)
• Gather, future scientists! Let’s make a “magic bullet” and save the world! (Provided by: Meiji Seika Pharma)
• Paracord Bear Bell Workshop (Provided by: Nature-Inspiring Resort Kyukamura)
• Let’s unravel the secrets of expanded polystyrene! (Provided by: Expanded Polystyrene Association)
• Become faster! Running Method Classroom (Provided by: biima sports × Gakken)
• Explore the secrets of the eyes! 5-yen coin lens and color-changing science experiments (Provided by: Optex Co., Ltd.)
• Try the “Power of Money -VALUE-” card game! (Provided by: Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group)
• You are the store manager! Create a popular hamburger shop with the power of “accounting” (Provided by: The Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants)
• Discover the secrets of money! ~Exciting Future Allowance Experience!~ (Provided by: Seven Bank, Ltd.)
• Learn about the wonders of hair and razors ~Razor case decoration experience also available~ (Provided by: Kai Corporation)
• “#Eraser-dust.” Let’s make coloring balloons with Marin-san (Provided by: Asahi Elementary School Newspaper)
• Creatures’ Earth 10th Anniversary Event (Provided by: Asahi Elementary School Newspaper)
• Challenge yourself to make an original game with Springin! (Provided by: Asahi Gakken Shinquest)
• Enjoy “Animal Shogi” with your parents and children♪ (Provided by: AERA with Kids/Asahi Shimbun Publications)
• Crystal making and bonsai making (Provided by: Gakken Science and Learning)
• The original motor!? 200-year-old “Faraday Motor” experiment! (Provided by: Kids Net)
• Let’s make a mysterious 3D craft “Tensegrity” (Provided by: Kids Net)

Same-Day Registration Workshops

These sessions accept participants on a first-come, first-served basis during the event:

• Body Hair Bodyguard Investigation Team ~The secrets of the hair that protects you~ (Provided by: Kai Corporation)
• Challenge! Cacao Quest ~Collect the pieces of chocolate~ (Provided by: Morinaga & Co., Ltd.)
• Deer Antler Keychain Workshop (Provided by: Nature-Inspiring Resort Kyukamura)
• Just choose and fit the dots! Let’s make your first dot art! (Provided by: Yanoman Co., Ltd.)
• Eat whale to grow big and healthy! ~Know, learn, and taste the secrets of whales~ (Provided by: Japan Whaling Association)
• Turn play into learning! Let’s play with puzzles♪ (Provided by: AERA with Kids/Asahi Shimbun Publications)
• Physical fitness test measurement experience (Provided by: Asahi Gakken Shinquest)
• Early experience session for a full-scale card game where various professions are active! (Provided by: Asahi Gakken Shinquest)
• Battle Ringin: Game creation battle live show with an app (Provided by: Asahi Gakken Shinquest)
• News Dojo & Junior High School Entrance Exam Dojo open simultaneously! Challengers wanted☆ (Provided by: Asasho Plus/Asahi Mitsukaru Navi)
• Asasho Room (Provided by: Asahi Elementary School Newspaper Editorial Department)
• Find your destinado company! Job Diagnosis (Provided by: Job Museum)

Stage Programs and Symposiums

The main hall features appearances by prominent science communicators. Yoshiio Kojima, who has serialized columns in both the Asahi Elementary School Newspaper and AERA with Kids+, will host his “Live! Trouble Counseling Room,” offering direct guidance on research-related dilemmas. Additionally, Sakana-kun—celebrating his 25th year of serialization in Asasho—will present “Gyogyo! Tell me, Sakana-kun 2026,” providing marine biological insights applicable to ecological research projects.

Concurrently, the Tokyo Institute of Science and Tokyo University of Science will host a joint symposium titled “Real Academic Ability in the AI Era ~Qualities Required for Next-Generation Leaders~,” addressing the evolving nature of scientific literacy in an increasingly automated world.

Additional Event Features

Beyond the structured workshops and stage presentations, the event incorporates supplementary programming designed to sustain full-day participation. Stamp rallies encourage comprehensive exploration of the venue, while book sales corners provide reference materials for ongoing research. The university cafeteria will offer special menus, and food trucks will provide additional dining options—allowing families to maintain energy throughout the seven-hour program without leaving the campus.

Practical Information

Venue / Access
Tokyo University of Science Katsushika Campus
Nearest Stations: Kanamachi Station / Keisei-Kanamachi Station

Address
〒125-8585
6-3-1 Shinjuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo
MAP

Date and Time
2026/07/19 (Sunday)
10:00 – 17:00

Target Audience
Elementary school students and their guardians
Note: Each workshop maintains individual capacity limits.

Admission
Free

Registration
Some workshops require advance web reservation.
Click here for advance application

The listed content may be subject to change. Please check the official website of the venue or organizers for the latest information.

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What is the Tokyo University of Science?

The Tokyo University of Science (TUS) is a private institution dedicated exclusively to science and technology. Founded in 1881 as the Tokyo Physics School by 21 graduates of the Imperial College of Engineering, it began with evening lectures in physics and mathematics for working students who could not attend day classes. Today, TUS operates three campuses—in Kagurazaka, Katsushika, and Noda—enrolling over 9,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. What began as a small technical school has grown into a university with seven undergraduate faculties, yet it maintains its original specificity: every program concentrates on scientific and technical disciplines.

Unlike Japan’s national universities, which combine science faculties with extensive liberal arts programs, TUS commits its resources entirely to technical and scientific education. This concentration shapes both the curriculum and the research environment. The university maintains over 70 specialized laboratories across fields including materials science, pharmaceutical chemistry, aerospace engineering, and artificial intelligence. These facilities serve dual purposes: they support graduate research and provide undergraduate students with early exposure to laboratory work. The university’s connections with Japanese manufacturing and technology firms date back to its early decades, creating direct links between academic research and industrial application.

The emphasis on laboratory work defines TUS’s approach at every level. The curriculum minimizes passive lecture time in favor of experimental work, beginning in the first year of undergraduate study. This philosophy extends beyond the university’s enrolled students. Faculty members regularly organize outreach programs that give primary and secondary school students access to working laboratories. The premise is straightforward: understanding scientific method requires handling instruments, making observations, and accounting for experimental error—not just reading about results.

The “Play and Learn Science Lab 2026” applies this approach to science education for children. Faculty from seven undergraduate faculties—Chemistry, Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and others—work with undergraduate students to develop experiments that suit younger age groups while using proper research protocols. Children work in active university laboratories, handling the same microscopes, spectroscopy equipment, and data sensors that TUS researchers use daily. The experiments require participants to collect data, note sources of error, and understand why controls matter. By giving young learners access to working laboratory equipment and standard research practices, the program treats scientific methodology as a specific set of skills rather than abstract knowledge.