Featured Events in Nagoya in February, 2025 (June Updated)

Noritake was founded in 1904 (Meiji 37) with the aim of manufacturing dinner sets for export. A dinner set is a set of tableware with a set size and purpose for the number of people. Since successfully manufacturing such sets in 1914 (Taisho 3), the company has developed and sold shapes and patterns to meet market needs. At times, the company has sought added value beyond the tableware's original function and design in order to provide products that are in line with the times. This trend accelerated after the period of high economic growth. When consumers had the financial means to spend on interior design, Noritake sold ceramic reproductions of works by painters, calligraphers, and illustrators. In the mid-1960s, when the penetration rate of black-and-white televisions exceeded 90%, the company also began to produce melamine children's tableware decorated with characters from anime and puppet shows. The 1970s marked an era of fashion and diversification of everyday items. Noritake, which places emphasis on developing high-value-added products that add color to life, began manufacturing and selling tableware in 1977 in collaboration with a famous fashion designer. This was the beginning of the boom in designer and character products in the ceramics industry. This led to an increase in design collaborations and joint development with artists and other companies. In recent years, with the growth of content businesses such as manga and anime, the needs and target demographics of character products have expanded. The expansion of sales networks with the spread of online services has increased consumers' options, and products are increasingly required to have value other than functionality and a story. Against this backdrop, collaborations that utilize the mutual advantages of companies are not uncommon. During its long history, Noritake has cultivated the technology to commercialize high-quality models with rich colors and delicate patterns. Enjoy the world of co-creation created by sharing the desire to utilize this to deliver products that resonate with your heart.

This year, the LEGO NINJAGO special event will be held again. This park-wide event includes attractions in the LEGO NINJAGO World area, LEGO building experiences, and stage performances featuring popular LEGO NINJAGO characters.

Green Day Nagoya is set to take place at the PortMesseNagoya (Nagoya International Exhibition Hall) First Exhibition Hall, located in the vibrant city of Nagoya, Japan. This highly anticipated event is scheduled for February 23, 2025, at 17:00, promising an unforgettable experience for all attendees. With its serene and professional atmosphere, Green Day Nagoya offers a unique opportunity for individuals to come together and celebrate their love for the environment. The venue, known for its state-of-the-art facilities, provides the perfect backdrop for this prestigious gathering. Although ticket prices have not been disclosed, interested parties are encouraged to keep an eye out for further announcements. As the date approaches, the excitement for Green Day Nagoya continues to grow, marking it as a must-attend event for those passionate about sustainability and green initiatives.

Soo-in Okame-no-kata (1573-1642) was a heroine who built the foundations of the Owari Tokugawa clan. After losing her first husband, she lived with Tokugawa Ieyasu and gave birth to Yoshinao, who would later become the first lord of the Owari clan. Okame-no-kata cared for Yoshinao along with Ieyasu in Sunpu Castle in his later years, and when he died, she shaved her head, took the name Soo-in, and moved into Nagoya Castle to support Yoshinao. Soo-in passed away in 1642, and the following year, Houkisan Soo-ji Temple was built below Nagoya Castle as her family temple. Soo-ji Temple was moved from its original location in Higashi-ku to its current location in Chikusa-ku in 1932, but images of Soo-in Temple painted by Yoshinao have been passed down, and valuable paintings on the cedar doors dating back to the temple's founding still remain. In 2024, the paintings, Buddhist paintings, and statues owned by Souji Temple, as well as the main hall, main gate, and mountain gate, were designated as tangible cultural properties by the city of Nagoya. To commemorate this, the temple treasures of Souji Temple, centered on the sliding screen paintings, will be open to the public. Please enjoy the luxurious space that surrounded Souji Temple during his lifetime.

"The world can never understand me, for I live not only with the dead, but also with those yet to be born." These words of Paul Klee were used in the sales strategy of galleries that sold Klee's works in 1920, spreading the image of him as an artist who meditated in solitude. Klee's works may indeed be mysterious. However, like many other avant-garde artists of his time, Klee was also a human being who lived through difficult times, inspiring and sharing dreams with his peers. While confronting the fundamental tragedy of life, Klee evoked light through lines and colors, depicting the energy of life in abstraction. His works will take on a new appearance when placed in a historical context. In this exhibition, in academic cooperation with the Paul Klee Center in Switzerland, we will compare Klee's works with those of artists who had contact with him and refer to valuable materials from that time to re-examine Klee in the constellation of many people and information, and trace the trajectory of his creative career throughout his life.

In time for the Doll's Festival, which heralds the arrival of spring, we will be exhibiting doll decorations handed down through the Owari Tokugawa family from the Edo period to modern times. The Yusokubina dolls owned by Edo-period princesses and the intricate doll accessories, which are miniature wedding furnishings, are works of elegance that demonstrate the status of the feudal lord's family. Please enjoy the gorgeous Hinadan display, which features dolls from three generations of the Owari Tokugawa family from the Meiji to Showa periods, as well as other items filled with the joy and gaiety of welcoming spring.

Based on the theme of "Fun To Drive" and the idea that "cars are industrial products that deserve love," the exhibits will clearly show the evolution of technological development that has been undertaken by many engineers to date, as well as future prospects, focusing on actual vehicles and each of their component technologies.

This exhibition will introduce works from three new trends in painting from the mid-Edo period onwards: the Nagasaki School, Nanga, and Yamato-e Restoration. From the mid-Edo period, works inspired by the realistic Chinese flower and bird paintings that had recently been introduced from Nagasaki became popular among both the public and private sectors, and came to be known as the Nagasaki School. Under its influence

In early spring, plum, peach, and cherry blossoms bloom in Tokugawa Garden from late February to early April. Various spring activities are held in the garden to welcome visitors.