About the Executive Committee for the Tokyo International Festival of Arts and Culture

Message

On behalf of the Executive Committee, I am pleased to announce that we will hold the new international art exhibition TOKYO ATLAS in Tokyo in autumn 2026. The venues for this exhibition will be Daiba, which began as a former coastal gun battery at the end of the Edo period (1603–1868) and was later revitalized, becoming an icon of urban development; Aomi, which has grown as a hub for logistics and technology; and Tennozu, which has been transformed from a warehouse district into a nexus for cultural and creative industries. All are located along the Tokyo waterfront and symbolize the history and evolution of Edo and Tokyo. In this metropolis that has expanded on an extraordinary scale as Japan’s capital and, in some ways, reached a point of saturation, this exhibition will build on the character of its surrounding neighborhoods and deploy the power of art to stir emotion and instinct, at times catching us off guard with moments of surprise or uncertainty. Such encounters foster new forms of social value and deliver fresh momentum for the future. I especially hope that for young people, the experience of encountering and engaging with these works will provide an “atlas” for locating where they stand today. We will continue to share detailed information as the opening approaches, and we sincerely appreciate your interest and support.

Aoyagi Masanori Chairman, Tokyo International Arts Festival Executive Committee