Tenkukaikatsu – Meiji Jingu Forest: Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition

“Tenkukaikatsu” (天空海闊) means “expanding into a clear, never-ending sky”.

An outstanding feature of Meiji Shrine, one of the most important shrines and temples in Japan, is the 700,000 square meters of forest that encompass the inner and outer gardens. Nowadays, the Meiji Shrine forests are loved and enjoyed as a sanctuary of nature within the city, but what is not widely known is that they were actually planted by hand, one hundred years ago. Using the latest ideas in forestry, landscape design and city planning of the time, the forests were planted by young volunteers from across the country, as a model of sustainable nature in the city. We believe that, through this exhibition, this fact will be instructive as we consider the role of nature and the city in the hundred years to come.

This will be the first time an outdoor sculpture exhibition has been held in the shrine forest.

The five contemporary artists who will show their works have visited the shrine many times in preparation, confirmed the positioning of their sculptures, learned of the history and culture of the shrine, and incorporated the awe and respect they have gained there into their work. The sculptures in the woods stand quietly strong in concert with the trees around them. We hope you will enjoy the chance to view these new artworks in the surrounding of the sacred forests.