teamLab: Digitized World Heritage Site of Toji - TOKIO INKARAMI | teamLab

PAST EXHIBITION

Aug 06 - Aug 22, 2021 * Early ClosureTo-ji Temple (Kyo-o-gokoku-ji Temple), Kyoto

Information on Exhibition Closure

Measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19

PAST EXHIBITION

Aug 06 - Aug 22, 2021 * Early ClosureTo-ji Temple (Kyo-o-gokoku-ji Temple), Kyoto

Information on Exhibition Closure

Measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19

teamLab: Digitized World Heritage Site of Toji - TOKIO INKARAMI
Toji Temple, a World Heritage Site,  was built in 796. When the capital was relocated to Heian-kyo, it was built together with Sai-ji Temple across the Rajomon Gate, the main gate of Heian-kyo. The five-story pagoda, a national treasure and the tallest wooden pagoda in Japan, is the only remaining remnant of the Heian-kyo Capital, 1200 years after its construction.

After Kukai Kobo Daishi returned to Japan from China where he studied Esoteric Buddhism, Toji became the original and head temple for Shingon Buddhism and is said to be the first Esoteric Buddhist temple in Japan.

This exhibition is a part of teamLab’s Digitized City art project. The concept behind the project is that non-material digital technology can turn buildings or places into art without physically altering them.

A place with a long period of time becomes the space of the artwork, and the space of the work is interactively transformed under the influence of nature, the wind blowing, the rain, and the behavior of the people in the place, making the people a part of the artwork as well as nature, and a part of the long period of time. As a result, the work, the people, and nature, one’s self and others, the present and the past become continuous without boundaries.

The space of Toji will be transformed by the presence of people and the behavior of nature into an art space where the present and the past intersect.

ARTWORKS

Floating Resonating Lamps in the Hyotan Pond

Toji has a five-story pagoda, the tallest wooden pagoda in Japan, as well as a gourd pond, which is an element of a pond garden.

Each of the lamps on the gourd pond’s water surface floats autonomously. When a person passes close to a lamp, or when the wind blows a lamp, it shines brightly and emits a sound. The lamps in the vicinity responded one after another, shining and resonating their sound tones in succession.

It then continues to resonate through the nearby Resonating Trees and Forest of Autonomous Resonating Life. Perhaps people will become more aware of the existence of others in the same space.

When the wind is not blowing and people are not nearby, the lamps begin to blink slowly.

*The lamps are made of Murano glass (Venetian glass).

Proliferating Immense Life in Toji Kodo

In 823, Kobo-Daishi Kukai, who was entrusted with the former national temple Toji Temple, decided to spread the teachings of esoteric Buddhism and positioned the Kodo
 as the central building. It was built so that the center of the lecture hall would be the center of the temple area and of esoteric Buddhism.
Toji Temple was destroyed by fire in 1486 along with the Kondo and Nandaimon. While the Kondo was finally rebuilt in the Momoyama period and the Nandaimon in the Edo period, the Kodo was rebuilt five years after the fire with the highest priority.

In the Kodo, the flowers’ cycle of growth repeats itself in perpetuity. When too many flowers grow, they scatter and fade all at once.
When people touch them, the flower petals scatter and fall away.

The artwork is not a pre-recorded image that is played back: it is created by a computer program that continuously renders the work in real time. The interaction between people and the installation causes continuous change in the artwork: previous visual states can never be replicated, and will never reoccur. The picture at this moment can never be seen again.

Reversible Rotation in Toji Kondo

The Kondo are the main halls of To-ji Temple, which was built when the capital moved to Heian-kyo.
To-ji Temple and Sai-ji Temple were built across the Rajomon Gate, the main gate of Heian-kyo Capital. To-ji Temple was founded in 796, and the Kondo was the first temple to be constructed. The Kondo remained in front of the capital for over 600 years, but was destroyed by fire in 1486. The present building was rebuilt in 1603. It is a representative building of the Momoyama period (late 16th century), which combined the Tenjiku and Wa styles, incorporating the styles of the Sung dynasty.

Spatial Calligraphy is drawn in the Kondo, it rotates in the artwork space, every aspect rotating in the same direction. But because of the special characteristics of Ultrasubjective Space, it can appear to be rotating clockwise or counterclockwise.

Spatial Calligraphy is calligraphy drawn in space, a form of calligraphy that teamLab has been exploring since it was founded. The artwork reconstructs calligraphy in three dimensional space to express the depth, speed and power of the brush stroke, and that calligraphy is then flattened using the logical structure teamLab calls ultrasubjective space. The calligraphy shifts between two and three dimensions.

Forest of Autonomous Resonating Life

The densely packed, standing ovoids of light are autonomous. When an ovoid is pushed over by people moving through or blown down by the wind, it stands back up while the color of its light changes and emits a sound tone specific to that color. The surrounding ovoids respond one after another, continuously changing to the same color and emitting the same tone. The light then continues to resonate through the nearby Resonating Trees and Floating Resonating Lamps in the Hyotan Pond. Perhaps people will become more aware of the existence of others in the same space.

When the wind is not blowing and the people nearby are not interacting with the ovoids, their lights begin to blink slowly. 

Autonomous Resonating Life and Resonating Trees

The resisting and resonating ovoids placed amongst the trees shine. The light of the ovoids and the light of the trees are autonomous: they shine brightly and then fade slowly, as though they are breathing.

When an ovoid is pushed, the color of the light it emits changes and a tone unique to that color echoes out. The light that originated from that ovoid resonates out to other ovoids and trees nearby. The tone resonates out continuously in the same way as the light, spreading throughout the ovoids and trees.

If a wave of light comes from the other side, it signifies the presence of people there. People gain a heightened sense of awareness of the existence of other people in the same space.

Floating, Resonating Spheres

The spheres of light are autonomous. When a person touches a sphere, or when the wind blows it, its color changes, and it emits a sound tone unique to that color. One after another, the surrounding spheres successively change to the same color and emit the same tone.

When there is no wind, and nobody touches the spheres of light, they begin to blink slowly.

Concrete and Abstract - Between Hachiman Shrine and the Five-Story Pagoda

This artwork is located in between the Hachiman Shrine and the Five-Story Pagoda, which has been standing there since before Toji was built.

When people stop inside the artwork space, a new set of lines is born and spreads across the space.
The combination of the lines turns the trees into flattened layers.

The artwork is not a pre-recorded image that is played back: it is created by a computer program that continuously renders the work in real time. The interaction between people and the installation causes continuous change in the artwork: previous visual states can never be replicated, and will never reoccur. The artwork at this moment can never be seen again.

Resonating Trees

The trees shine brightly. The light of each tree is autonomous, blinking as if breathing slowly.

The light transmitted from Forest of Autonomous Resonating Life and Floating Resonating Lamps in the Hyotan Pond causes the trees’ lights to change color, and a tone specific to that color resonates out. The light of a tree is transmitted to the surrounding trees one by one, continuously emitting the same tone.

If light approaches from the trees in the distance, it signifies the presence of people there, making people more aware of the existence of others in the same space.

VISIT US

Update

Information on Exhibition Closure -- Updated on September 10
In consideration of the extension of the state of emergency declared by Kyoto Prefecture and the resulting situation, the remaining exhibition dates have been cancelled.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. We thank you for your understanding in this matter.

If you purchased a ticket for one of the affected dates, please follow the instructions below to request a refund.
Affected dates: August 9, 13 to 15, August 23 to September 19

[About Refunds]
All unused tickets for the affected dates will be refunded.

- For those who purchased tickets on the official teamLab site
Unused tickets for the affected dates will be refunded in a lump sum after the exhibition term ends.
No further steps are needed from ticket holders. The executive committee will handle refunds (payment cancellations and refund processing).

If you have already paid your credit card bill for the month, the amount will be deducted from your account once, but it will be refunded when you are billed the following month or later, so please check your credit card statement.
* Please note that we do not know the credit card payment date, as that varies by credit card company.

Inquiries: teamLab: Digitized Toji Executive Committee
0570-200-883 (Mondays - Saturdays 11:00 - 16:00)

- For those who purchased tickets at Lawson Ticket
Refund period: Monday, September 20 at 10:00 ~ Thursday, September 30 at 23:59

Refunds will be made directly at Lawson and Ministop locations.
If you purchased your ticket at Lawson, please bring the unused ticket to a Lawson location. If you purchased your ticket at Ministop, please bring the unused ticket to a Ministop location.
Please note that refunds will not be processed after the refund period.
* Customers who had their tickets delivered will be refunded at the nearest Lawson store.
http://l-tike.com/oc/lt/haraimodoshi/

Inquiries: Lawson Ticket

- Other inquiries
Please call the below phone number by 30th September
0570-200-883 (Mondays - Saturdays 11:00 - 16:00)

Venue Details

teamLab: Digitized World Heritage Site of Toji - TOKIO INKARAMI

Term

Aug 06 - Aug 22, 2021 * Early Closure

Hours

Aug 6 - 22 19:00 -
* Closes at 21:00

ACCESS

Address

To-ji Temple (Kyo-o-gokoku-ji Temple)
Kujo-cho 1, Minami-ku, Kyoto
* Please enter through the Keigamon Gate on the north side on Omiya Street.

Address in local language:

真言宗総本山東寺（教王護国寺）
京都市南区九条町１
* 大宮通沿い「慶賀門」北側よりご入場ください。

By Train

JR: Kyoto Station Hachijo Exit (15-minute walk)
Kintetsu Line: Toji Station (10-minute walk)
Keihan Line: Switch from Tambabashi Station to Kintetsu Tambabashi Station, then to Toji Station (10-minute walk)
Hankyu Line: Take city bus 18, 71, or 201 from Omiya Station to Toji Higashimonmae (1-minute walk) 

By Bus

Bus stops : 'Toji Minamimon-mae' , 'Toji Higashimon-mae' , 'Kujo Omiya' and 'Toji Nishimon-mae' bus stops.

Inquiry

KYODO Information

Tel

tel. +81 570 200 883
Mon-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm (Except Holidays)

Notes

Regarding Entry
An entry fee is required to enter any part of Toji, and tickets are required to view this exhibition.
This exhibition does not include Kondo Hall nor Kodo Hall.
In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, admissions may be limited depending on crowdedness.
Visitors in elementary school or younger must be accompanied by a guardian 20 years old or older.
Please refrain from visiting the venue if you feel unwell or are drunk.
Re-entry is not permitted.

Regarding Tickets
Tickets are date specific.
Please note that there is a limited number of tickets that can be purchased on the day, so if the number of visitors exceeds the limit, you may not be able to purchase a ticket onsite.
Tickets are not refundable under any circumstances, except in the case of exhibition closure.
Resale of tickets is prohibited. Those who purchased resold tickets will not be able to enter the venue. The organizer will not be held responsible for any problems caused by resale.

Regarding Visits
Please use public transportation.
This exhibition does not have a parking lot. The Toji parking lot will not be available during the run of the exhibition. Parking bicycles and other vehicles near the venue is strictly prohibited.

Regarding Valuables
Please bring valuables at your own risk. The organizer will not be held responsible for any theft or loss.

Regarding Injuries
Please watch your step, as it is dark in the exhibition.
The organizer and the venue will not be held responsible for any accidents that occur in the venue.

Trash Free Park
For environmental preservation, be prepared to take your trash home for disposal and recycling.
Cans and glass bottles are not permitted in the venue.

No Smoking
All parks and natural areas are strictly smoke and tobacco-free.

No Pets Allowed
No pets are allowed in the park. Service dogs are welcome.

Exhibition Suspended or Delayed Due to Weather
The exhibition will remain open in the event of light rain. In case of stormy weather, the exhibition will be suspended. Please check the official exhibition webpage, Twitter, or Facebook for details.

Photography & Videography
Please refrain from any photography/videography/streaming activities that may disturb other visitors.
Use of flash, and/or tripods (including monopods) inside Toji is prohibited.

Other
Please be aware that the organizers may photograph or film the event, and you may be photographed or filmed. The resulting materials, including still photographs, video, and audio recordings may be used by the organizers or local promotional entities without restriction or financial compensation, in news materials, promotional materials, on the web and other properties.The exhibition period and viewing hours may be changed or cancelled depending on the COVID-19 situation.

NEWS

Featured on the japan times, August 22, 2021

TeamLab targets little minds with art designed to stimulate

Welcome to the latest sensory-tapping exhibition from teamLab, the art collective of self-described ultra-technologists who push creative boundaries at the intersection of art, technology, nature and high-tech fantasy, seducing a generation of kids (not to mention adults) in the process. For children, there are perhaps few more naturally enchanting, stimulating and — in a nutshell — joyful experiences than the immersive dreamscapes teamLab brings to life.(Excerpt from the text)

ARTIST

teamLab

teamLab (f. 2001) is an international art collective. Their collaborative practice seeks to navigate the confluence of art, science, technology, and the natural world. Through art, the interdisciplinary group of specialists, including artists, programmers, engineers, CG animators, mathematicians, and architects, aims to explore the relationship between the self and the world, and new forms of perception.

In order to understand the world around them, people separate it into independent entities with perceived boundaries between them. teamLab seeks to transcend these boundaries in our perceptions of the world, of the relationship between the self and the world, and of the continuity of time. Everything exists in a long, fragile yet miraculous, borderless continuity.

teamLab exhibitions have been held in cities worldwide, including New York, London, Paris, Singapore, Silicon Valley, Beijing, and Melbourne among others. teamLab museums and large-scale permanent exhibitions include teamLab Borderless and teamLab Planets in Tokyo, teamLab Borderless Shanghai, and teamLab SuperNature Macao, with more to open in cities including Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Hamburg, Jeddah, and Utrecht.

teamLab’s works are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney; Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide; Asian Art Museum, San Francisco; Asia Society Museum, New York; Borusan Contemporary Art Collection, Istanbul; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; and Amos Rex, Helsinki. 

teamlab.art

Biographical Documents

teamLab is represented by Pace Gallery, Martin Browne Contemporary and Ikkan Art.

Organizers

teamLab: Digitized Toji
Executive Committee