[To be held in autumn 2024] Guide to the international art festival "The Forest Festival of the Arts Okayama, the Land of Sunshine" - Schedule, Access, etc.

• Table of Contents
• ABOUT
• OUTLINE
• ARTISTS
• VENUES
• Area on the periphery of Tsuyama Castle,Tsuyama City
• Green Hills Tsuyama area,Tsuyama City
• Area in the vicinity of Nagi MOCA,Nagi Town
• Makido Cave area,Niimi City
• Hiruzen area,Maniwa City
• Okutsu area,Kagamino Town

ABOUT

The Forest Festival of the Arts Okayama Official Site

CONCEPT

From ancient times, the Izumo Road linking the provinces of Yamato to the east and Izumo to the west traversed this area, whose castle towns and post towns flourished in early modern times. The area consequently has a legacy of various traditional structures, crafts, and performing arts. Its land and forests yield an abundance of fruit, lumber, and other products.

Various efforts are being made to ensure the sustainability of its blessings. Of particular note is a project making effective use of forest resources in applications such as woody biomass power generation, which has been given high ratings as a progressive model for attainment of SDGs. In addition, the leisurely time and open space represented by the Hiruzen Highlands as well as the three Mimasaka spas, limestone caves, and other features which have not undergone excessive tourism development hold new possibilities in ecological thinking.

The title “Forest Festival of the Arts” was inspired by the forests in this area, which are full of elements that are of vital importance for our lives, including a moderate climate, ample supply of water and other resources, and foodstuffs. They likewise symbolize its diversity and richness as a place of natural bounty and culture, where people come together.

Taking the activation of this bounty born of forests into the future using the power of art as its objective, the festival will pose a question: “what kind of capital do we truly need?” Under an outlook regarding cultural facilities (such as art museums, memorial halls, and schools), life infrastructure (the supply of water, energy, and food), and the natural environment as components of the social common capital, the point is to create new capital through activities by not only artists but also experts (architects, scientists, and ethnologists), with the cooperation of local residents.

Besides reflecting diverse views, art generates empathy with them among viewers and nurtures powers of imagination toward new perspectives on the world and things. This makes people feel surprised, deeply moved, excited, and inspired, as well as the joy of being alive and the sense of fulfillment that comes from profound sensibility and thought. Infused with the energy of art, the ecological system of northern Okayama will be transformed into a topos that refreshes people’s hearts and minds. This festival of residents in the forested part of “clear-skies country” will celebrate this transformation.

Art Director: Yuko Hasegawa

Yuko Hasegawa is a curator, educator and writer based out of Tokyo. She currently holds positions as Director of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Artistic Director of the Inujima Art House Project and Professor Emeritus of Tokyo University of the Arts. She was Artistic Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo until 2021 and during her post she curated solo exhibitions of Dumb Type, Olafur Eliasson and rhizomatiks amoung others.

She has curated Japanese contemporary art and media and technology extensively both domestically and internationally. Her curatorial language is interdisciplinary, encompassing not simply art but also architecture, design, science and anthropology, and combined with global curating experience, allows her to view art as part of a single, holistic ecology.

Hasegawa has also curated, either solo or in a joint capacity, international art biennials including the 7th International Istanbul Biennial (2001), the Shanghai Biennale (2002), the 29th São Paulo Biennial (2010), the Sharjah Biennial 11 (2013), and the 7th Moscow Biennale (2017), Thailand Biennale, Korat (2021) and also served as art advisor to the 12th Venice Architecture Biennale (2010).

In parallel with her curating roles, as a professor of Curatorial Studies at the Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Global Arts since 2015, Yuko Hasegawa has taught students of multiple nationalities, while continuing to construct curatorial theories and contribute to the development of contemporary art discourse from non-western-centric points of view. She has also written, co-authored and contributed to numerous books, papers and catalogues. Among her most recent publications is New Ecology and Art: Anthropocene as dithering time.

Hasegawa has been honored with the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France (2015), the Ordem de Rio Branco, Brazil (2017), and Japan Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Award, the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan (2020).

LOGO

Concept　The visual identity of the festival is inspired by the duality of light and shadow. The delicate fabrics of the local Hinoki studio influenced a series of visual meshes that are used with fresh, contemporary colours creating a feeling of lightness and transparency. These are combined with photography of Okayama’s nature to represent the festival’s symbiotic relationship with the landscape.

Designer: Barnbrook Studio (UK)　Barnbrook Studio was founded by Jonathan Barnbrook in 1990. The studio works worldwide on a diverse range of cultural and social projects, believing that design can influence society in a positive way for change. The studio are most well known works for David Bowie record covers including his last album ‘Blackstar’ for which the studio won a grammy. It also has a strong relationship with Japan, creating the branding for Mori Art Museum and Roppongi Hills in Tokyo.

OUTLINE

Forest Festival of the Arts Okayama: Clear-skies Country is a project that will unfold in an area comprised of 12 municipalities (cities, towns, and villages). Specifically, these are the cities of Tsuyama, Takahashi, Niimi, Maniwa, and Mimasaka; the towns of Kagamino, Shoo, Nagi, Kumenan, and Misaki; and the villages of Shinjo and Nishiawakura.

This area stretches from the Chugoku Mountains, which separate the Sanyo and Sanin regions, to the Kibi Highlands, and constitutes the upstream district of the three major rivers whose sources are in the Chugoku Mountains (the Yoshii, Asahi, and Takahashi rivers). It has a landscape differing from that of the area along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea in the southern part of the prefecture, and is blessed with many attractive resources. These include abundant greenery and majestic nature, the station towns and castle towns along the old post roads, historic townscapes of communities that flourished as nodes of river transport, and the three Mimasaka spas fed with hot springs water of excellent quality (Yunogo, Okutsu, and Yubara).

Displaying works of art and including related events, the festival will highlight the appeals of the area from new perspectives and deliver a special, out-of-the ordinary experience. The main aims are to promote excursion-oriented tourism, expand the population engaged in interchange, and enhance civic pride, all around the festival as a centerpiece.

Title

Forest Festival of the Arts Okayama: Clear-skies Country

Festival period

September 28th (Sat) - November 24th (Sun), 2024

Area

12 municipalities in Okayama Prefecture (the cities of Tsuyama, Takahashi, Niimi, Maniwa, and Mimasaka; the towns of Kagamino, Shoo, Nagi, Kumenan, and Misaki; and the villages of Shinjo and Nishiawakura)where works of art will be installed

the cities of Tsuyama, Niimi, and Maniwa, and the towns of Kagamino and Nagi

Art Director

Yuko Hasegawa

Organizer

Forest Festival of the Arts Okayama: Clear-skies Country Executive Committee

Ryuta Ibaragi (Governor of Okayama Prefecture)

Schedule going forward

Autumn, 2024: Holding of the festival

ARTISTS

Click here for a list of artists

VENUES

Area on the periphery of Tsuyama Castle,Tsuyama City

Tsuyama City has a rich history and culture, and is still the central city in the northern part of the prefecture. During the Edo period, the city center was a flourishing castle town on both the east and west sides of Tsuyama Castle (Kakuzan Park), and the wooden buildings built at that time and European-style buildings built in the Meiji and Taisho periods stand side by side, making it a place where you can feel the prosperity and rich history of the past.

Sakushu Folk Crafts Museum

708-0046 18 Nishiimacho, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture

The building, constructed in 1920 as the former Doi Bank, has been renovated to display folk crafts and local toys made throughout Sakushu, with a focus on Tsuyama City. On the second floor, materials that tell the history of the Josai area are on display, providing a broad introduction to the area.

Shurakuen Garden　(Former Tsuyama Domain Villa Garden)

628 Yamakita, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture 708-0004

This is a meandering style garden built by Nagatsugu Mori, the second lord of the Tsuyama domain, who invited gardeners from Kyoto. It was built to imitate the Sento Imperial Palace in Kyoto Gyoen National Garden. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery of each season, such as cherry blossoms in spring, water lilies in summer, colored leaves in autumn, and snowy scenery in winter. It is currently open to the public for free and is visited by many people. In September 2002, it was designated as a national scenic spot as the "Former Tsuyama Domain Villa Garden (Shurakuen)".

Josai Romankan

122 Tamachi, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture 708-0052

This is the former main building of Nakajima Hospital, built in 1917 (Taisho 6). It is a two-story wooden building with a dome on the front, and is a European-style building characterized by detailed decorations on the roof and windows. There is a cafe and gallery attached, so you can enjoy a nostalgic atmosphere. It is also possible to take photos inside the facility.

Joto Old Townhouse (Former Kajimura Residence)

40 Higashishinmachi, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture708-0832

From the main house built in the Edo period to the storehouse built in the early Showa period, structures that correspond to the lifestyles of each era have been preserved. This is a place where you can experience the history of the castle town of Tsuyama.

Tsuyama Manabino Railway Museum

Otani, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture 708-0882

The Tsuyama Manabino Railway Museum is the former Tsuyama fan-shaped locomotive depot, with a space to display rolling stock, turntables, steam locomotive wheels, etc., as well as a space where you can learn about the history of Okayama's railways and the workings of railways while experiencing them. It consists of a space displaying a diorama of the cityscape. The former Tsuyama Fan-shaped Locomotive Depot, built in 1936, is a valuable facility and is the second largest existing facility in Japan. The DE50-1, a diesel locomotive equipped with a high-horsepower engine and the only one produced in Japan, is preserved. A must-see for anyone interested in trains and locomotives.

PORT ART&DESIGN TSUYAMA

823 Kawasaki, Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture, 708-0841

Utilizing the former Senoo Bank Hayashida Branch, a Tsuyama City designated important cultural property completed in 1920, this facility was renovated in 2018 as a hub for the creation and dissemination of arts and culture. In 2020, this historical architectural space marked its 100th anniversary, and regularly hosts special exhibitions showcasing the works of outstanding artists, workshops, art events, and more.

Green Hills Tsuyama area,Tsuyama City

Green Hills Tsuyama is a lush park located north of the center of Tsuyama City, spreading across hills overlooking the Chugoku Mountains. Its vast 25-hectare grounds are dotted with cafes, walking paths, flower gardens and more, making it a popular place of relaxation for the local community.

Area in the vicinity of Nagi MOCA,Nagi Town

Nagi Town is located at the southern foot of Mount Nagi, a beautiful peak in the Chugoku Mountains, and you can see its majestic form in harmony with nature throughout the seasons. In addition, by providing comprehensive support for relocation and child-rearing, the town's total fertility rate in 2019 was 2.95, one of the highest in the country, and it is known as a "miracle town" in terms of measures to combat the declining birthrate. The Nagi Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by world-renowned architect Arata Isozaki, is the world's first experiential museum, a public building in which artwork and building are semi-permanently integrated.

Nagi Museum of Contemporary Art

708-1323 441 Toyosawa, Nagi-cho, Katsuta-gun, Okayama Prefecture

Three groups of artists were commissioned to create giant works, and the entire space was turned into architecture, making this the world's first public museum in which artworks and the building are semi-permanently integrated. It consists of three exhibition rooms named "Sun," "Moon," and "Earth." The cylindrical exhibition room "Sun" displays works by leading Japanese contemporary artists Shusaku Arakawa and Madeline Gins, which can be viewed in a mysterious, slanted space. Architect/Completion year: Arata Isozaki/1994 Visits and photography: Photography is permitted in the exhibition rooms.

Makido Cave area,Niimi City

Niimi City is located in the northwestern corner of Okayama Prefecture, at the source of the Takahashi River, a first-class river. It is an area rich in clear water and nature, with most of the city located on a karst plateau. There are several limestone caves in the city, one of which is Maki-do Cave, a natural monument designated by Maki-do Cave Prefecture. It got its name from the poets Yosano Tekkan and Akiko, who praised it as a cave full of wonders.

Makido Cave

719-2721 2276-2 Akauma, Toyonaga, Niimi City, Okayama Prefecture

A 450m-long limestone cave designated as a natural monument by the prefecture. In 1929, the poets Yosano Tekkan and Akiko praised it as a "cave full of wonders," and it came to be called Makido. The silent cave is lit up with colorful LEDs, creating a mystical atmosphere. There are plenty of things to see, such as the Ryugu Bridge over the inner lake at the very back of the cave, and Senmaida, one of Japan's best rimstone fields. The Lover's Fountain in the cave has been selected as a "Sacred Place for Lovers." From Saturday, September 28, 2024 to Sunday, November 24, 2024, the international art festival "Forest Art Festival: Okayama, Land of Sunshine" will be held in the north of Okayama Prefecture, and Makido has been selected as the exhibition venue for art works. Photographer and film director Mika Ninagawa will exhibit her works in Makido.

Hiruzen area,Maniwa City

Maniwa City is located almost in the Chuo of the Chugoku Mountains in the northern part of Okayama Prefecture. The Hiruzen region, located in the gently sloping plateau in the north, has vast pastureland and is one of the leading areas in Japan for raising Jersey cows. At GREENable HIRUZEN, a tourism and culture hub facility aimed at raising awareness of the value of sustainability among more people, you can enjoy experiencing sustainable living through museums and activities, including the symbolic "Kaze no Ha" designed by architect Kengo Kuma.

GREENable HIRUZEN

717-0602 1205-220 Hiruzen Kamifukuda, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture

``GREENable HIRUZEN'' is a base facility to spread awareness of the value of sustainability to as many people as possible. This facility was designed and supervised by architect Kengo Kuma, and was relocated from a wooden building that was once used in Harumi, Tokyo. The removable building, which is not possible with conventional concrete buildings, has become a symbol of the brand, as a decarbonized and sustainable architecture, and as a symbol of the exchange of resources and culture between cities and regions. The facility consists of a visitor center and shop that sells goods that allow you to practice sustainability, the Maniwa City Hiruzen Museum that disseminates art and culture, a cycling center that offers experiential programs, and the CLT Pavilion ``Kazenoha''.

Okutsu area,Kagamino Town

Kagamino Town is an area blessed with a rich natural environment, with forests in the background of the Chugoku Mountains. Okutsukei Valley, which runs for 3 kilometers along the Yoshii River, has beautiful, crystal clear water, and in autumn, the area is filled with spectacular autumn leaves and the beautiful valley can be admired. In addition, the "foot-stomping laundry" that takes place at the foot of Okutsu Bridge is a symbolic sight of Okutsu Onsen.

Okutsukei Valley

708-0504 Okutsugawanishi, Kagamino-cho, Tomata-gun, Okayama Prefecture

Okutsu Gorge is a 3km long valley where you can enjoy a beautiful and varied valley. It is known as a famous spot for autumn leaves in Okayama Prefecture, and many tourists from outside the prefecture visit during the season. The ``Autumn Leaves Walk'' with a local guide is also popular at this time of year, and it is said that if you take a walk along the mountain stream while enjoying nature and history, you will be energized by the negative ions. We recommend walking while enjoying the kobushi and rhododendrons in the spring, and the cool fresh greenery in the summer. There is a promenade along the river where you can enjoy the rare group of potholes.

The Forest Festival of the Arts Official Site