19th Japan Media Arts Festival

Finally had some free time so I went to the 19th Japan Media Arts Festival in The National Arts Center, Tokyo!

*confetti-tears-more confetti* 

The said festival is an exhibition of the award-winning works classified under media arts, which were selected from 4, 417 entries of talented Japanese and foreign artists from 87 countries. The Special Exhibition Gallery 2E were partitioned according to various media arts divisions: art, manga, entertainment, and animation, with a bonus area on special achievement awards.  

Wanna hear some good news? Admission is free and the exhibit runs until February 14th in various locations in Tokyo! Plenty of time left so don't miss it, people! I suggest, go forth and savor free but great works of art! I just did *hurrah* and here are random photos from the event plus some photos from another exhibition also at the confines of The National Arts Center, Tokyo! :-)

Made it! Hurrah! :-)

Festival guide book

Special Exhibition Gallery 2E, Art Division

Anime version of yours truly hahaha *,*

Wutburger, a video installation of a German dealing with "personal anger and individual failure" by Andreas Lutz and Christoph Grunberger

Ultraorbism by Marcel-li Antunez Roca

A video installation of gigantic yet detailed drawings

Drawing Operations Unit: Generation 1 by Sougwen Chung

50. Shades of Grey (Grand Prize)

This is one of the five laser prints of codes on paper and is accompanied by monitors showing the product of the codes =  the 50 shades of gray.

As I See You See Me by Takahiko Iimura (Special Achievement Award)

           Found a related Vimeo video 

          https://vimeo.com/99620329

Game consoles!

I remember I had the leftmost one when I was a kid! What did you have? :))

Kakukaku shikajika (So and so, such and such) by Akiko Higashimura

Original manga drawings and storyboards

Ahhhhh! Too many  to see in one go! But I enjoyed! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to record a video of the Solar Pink Pong which I enjoyed "playing" haha! Be sure to look for it when you go! *wink*

I know this post is already too long but I want to include photos of more (colourful) works of art from another exhibit in The National Arts Center. Here they are~

The Cycle of Reincarnation

Transition~

Oni! Very timely for Setsubun haha!

Intricate~

Looks like Strawberry Pocky to me! :))

With some anorexic woman...

Spheres... and more spheres!

I hope you enjoyed the photos! 

More so, I hope you have made the most of your weekend!♡ 

Click here for other venues and more deets! You're welcome! :)

Chasing Winter Lights

I have been fond of city lights and lights per se for heaven knows how long. That's why I couldn't help but feel giddy whenever December comes for it means lots of winter illuminations in and around Tokyo! Ahhhh definitely one of the reasons why I don't mind the winter cold!

This year, I challenged myself to visit more illuminations than my usual one per year haha talk about being lazy and I'm just glad I was able to visit five! Yes, five! Hence, this post! :)) 
So without further ado, here are some photos I took as I chase them winter lights! 

Enjoooy! ♡

 1. Tokyo Midtown Starlight Garden

Before transforming into an outdoor ice skating rink, Tokyo Midtown Garden houses an enormous Christmas illumination. This year's theme Midtown Cruise, boasted of approximately 280,000 LED lights, a vision dome, and scheduled audiovisual mini shows. This illumination made me feel like I'm an intergalactic queen even for just a few minutes! :)) 

So blueeee~

Here's a clip I managed to record when we went there. It's a little shaky though. >_<

Access
Toei Oedo Line, Roppongi Station Exit 8 (direct link)
JR Chiyoda Line, Nogizaka Station Exit 3 (3 minutes)
Tokyo Metro Namboku Line, Roppongi-itchome Station (10 minutes)

2. Meguro-gawa Minna No Illumi

I went here with a few workmates on a weekday so the time I spent here was relatively short. This illumination stretches from Gotanda Station to Osaki Station, lighting up the Meguro River in shades of pink mimicking cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms in winter? Awesome!

You can opt to get off at Gotanda Station and eat some legit curry and nan at Thali-ya, a few minutes walk from the station before heading to see the illumination. They have gorgonzola naan which goes perfectly well with butter chicken curry! Then you can just walk until the end of the illumination, which will bring you to Osaki Station. We did just that!

3. Tokyo Dome City Illumination

Get off at Korakuen Station, cross the street towards Tokyo Dome (it's too huge for you to miss) and voila, you got yourself into a wonderland of lights and sounds! With towering Christmas trees and colourful lights, plus a water symphony show, going here would surely boost your Christmas spirits up!

LaQua Water Symphony

This tunnel plays Exile's Kiminimuchu on loop! My friends and I crazied our way through the tunnel dancing to it haha!

Ultramaaaaan~

And look who came to town! Santaaaa~

Access
Tokyo Metro Namboku Line /  Marunouchi Line, Korakuen Station
Mita Line, Suidobashi Station

4. Showa Kinen Koen Winter Vista Illumination

I have been to Showa Kinen a couple of times before but this is the first time that I went here on Christmas Day. And it was a good decision that I did! Not only did I witness the beautiful parade of lights but also a good five-minute fireworks display! It also had a themed light display entitled "Attaka-Warmth" in and around the field! Merry Christmas, indeed! ♡

A Christmas tree made of champagne glasses

Access
Akebono Gate: JR Chuo Line, Tachikawa Station (10 minutes) / JR Tama Urban Monorail, Tachikawa Kita Station (8 minutes)
Nishitachikawa Gate: JR Ome Line, Nishi-Tachikawa Station (2 minutes)

Fees
Adult (over 15 years) - 400 yen / Child (6 to 14 years)  - 80 yen / Over 65 - 210 yen

5. Tokyo Tower Winter Fantasy Orange Illumination

Whenever I'm in Roppongi, I always see Tokyo Tower from afar and it has always been magnificent in my eyes. Yesterday was not an exception, especially when it's strikingly orange and everything around it were adorned with lights! The main observatory was also lit up with blue and pink LED lights to match the official event ambassadors, Sanrio characters Kiki and Lala! What a sight to behold! ♡

Oraaaange~

Tokyo Tower replica

Chiizu~

Access

Metropolitan Subway Oedo Line, Akabanebashi Station  (5 minutes walk to Akabanebashi Gate)

Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Kamiyacho Station Exit 1 ( 7 minutes)

I hope your December was as shiny, shimmery, and splendid just like the lights I've chased! 
Happy  winter! 
Happy New Year, too! ♡