Kansai Scene Magazine

Mar 2004
Issue 046

KS Classifieds
Issue 22 OUT NOW!

Tezuka Osamu’s
Astro Boy Exhibition

Until Mar.28

Technology and moving images were connected deeply and developed by leaps and bounds in the 20th century. A cartoonist by the name of Tezuka Osamu (1929-1989) began his series called "Astro Boy" in 1952, which cultivates the new robot image as a human's good and most understanding partner and from there, it was all history. Japanese animation took off like wildfire and he was the one taking the initiative.

This Exhibition celebrates the first 100 years that human beings spent with robots alongside with Atom Boy since in the story, Astro Boy was born in 2003. It will explore new innovations in the field of robots as well as celebrate the creation of its predecessors from Atom to the robot exhibited in the 1970 Osaka Expo.

The Museum of Kyoto
Subway Torigoshoike stn, exit #5. Hankyu
Torimaru-stn. Exit 16. Keihan Sanjo stn. Exit #7.
Admission: ¥1000/¥700/¥400
Open: 10am-5:30pm (closed Mondays)
Tel: 075-222-0888

Kazumasa Nagai

Until Mar.12

The DDD Gallery will be presentung an exhibition of posters by Kazumasa Nagai. An Osaka native, Kazumasa Nagai has attracted attention from around the world for his "Life" series of visually and ecologically inspiring posters on the theme of animals. Nagai's unique world of artistic expression has changed flexibly with the times, delivering fresh surprises and emotions to his viewers.

The 125 posters on display in this exhibition will highlight Nagai's activities over a half century, during which he has carved out his own domain in the field of postwar Japanese graphic design. The exhibition will also include a new five-part, B0-sized poster series created especially for this occasion.

DDD Gallery
Subway Nishi-Umeda stn. Or JR Osaka stn.
Open: 10am – 5:40pm (closed weekends and national holidays)
Tel: 06-6347-8780

Lions and Lion Dogs

Until Mar.28

Two years have passed since the last special spring display of Lions and Lion Dogs was held. Unlike previous years, this exhibition focuses on the style of guardian lion (shishi) and lion dogs (koma inu) developed in the Kamakura period by the Buddhist sculptor Tankei. In past exhibitions, the term “Tankei-style” was used to describe stylistic changes and develop-ments in the lion and lion dogs on display.

This exhibition both explains and shows actual examples of the Tankei-style, which became the standard for later generations of sculptors. You can see stylistic innovations in lions and lion dogs from the late Heian period from Mikami Shrine to early Kamakura sculptures attributed to Tankei from Kozan-ji Temple. The standing images of the deities Zennyoshin and Byakkoshin and other Buddhist images done by or influenced by the the master sculptor can be compared. As the successor of his father Unkei, the great Buddhist sculptor, Tankei fashioned his own distinctive sculptures while inheriting Unkei’s style. The lion and lion dog style and Buddha sculptures created by Tankei express a sense of quiescence and charm in their fullness and realism.

Kyoto National Museum
Keihan Shichijo stn.
Open 9:30am – 4:30pm
Closed Mondays
Tel: 075-525-2473

Kansai Art Listings

Osaka

Thru Mar.7
Kirin Plaza Osaka
Modification: Works for Venice Biennale 2003 by Motoohiko Odani
Soemon-cho.
Open: 11am – 8:30pm
Admission: ¥700/¥500/free
Tel: 06-6212-6578

Mar.18-Apr.15
DDD Gallery
Exhibition of Modern denmark posters (of last ten years)
Subway Nishi-Umeda Stn./
JR Osaka Stn.
Open: 10:00am-6:00pm (Mon~Fri)
Admission: Free
Tel: 06-6347-8790

Mar.25-Jun.15
Kokuritsu Minzokugaku Hakubutsukan (Museum of Ethnology)
Multiethnic Japan: Life and History of Immigrants
Inside Expo Park, Banpaku Kinen Koen Stn.
Open: 10am-4:30pm, closed Wed
Admission: ¥420/¥250/¥110 www.minpaku.ac.jp/english/
Tel: 06–6876-2151

Thru Mar.31
The Museum of Oriental Ceramics
Masterpieces of Oriental Ceramics
Midosuji subway/Keihan Yodoyabashi stn. 5 min. walk
Open: 9:30am–4:30pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥500/¥300
Tel: 06-6223-0055

Mar.17–May10
Osaka Rekishi Museum
Dynastic Heritage of China 5000 Years: Shanghai Museum
Otemae 4-chome
Open: 9:30am-4pm closed Tue.
Admission: ¥1000/¥750
Tel: 06-6946-5728

Thru Apr.4
Suntory Museum, Tempozan
Jena Nouvel: Architect
Open : 10:30am-7pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥1000/¥700/¥500
Tel: 06-6577-0001

Thru Apr.6
Osaka Shiritsu Toji Tojo Museum
Chinese, Korean and Japanese Ceramics
Keihan/Subway: Yodoyabashi stn.
Open: 9:30am-4:30pm closed Mon
Admission: ¥500/¥300/free for children and seniors
Tel: 06-6223-0055

KYOTO

Thru Mar.21
Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Sanso Museum
Over 150 animal-shaped toys and dolls from around the globe
JR Yamazaki/Hankyu Oyamazaki stn.
Open: 10am – 6pm Closed Mon.
Admission: ¥600/¥400/free
075-957-3123

Thru Mar.28
Kyoto Bunka Hakubustsukan
Tezuka Osamu’s Astro Boy exhibition and the history
of robots
Hankyu Karasuma stn./Subway Karasuma-oike stn.
Open: 10am-5pm closed Mon
Admission: ¥1000/¥700/¥400
Tel: 075-222-0888

Apr.2–Jun.27
Koryo Museum of Art
The Age of Korea
From JR Kyoto station, take city bus #9. From Keihan Sanjo station, take city bus #37. Get off at Kamogawa Chugakko mae.
Open: 10am–4:30pm. Closed Mondays and May 2nd–6th.
Admission: ¥500/¥400/¥300
Tel: 075-494-2238

Mar.23-Jun.9
Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Sanso Museum
SPRING HAS COME: AN EXHIBITION ON SERIES OF PAINTING BY INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS
JR Yamazaki/Hankyu Oyamazaki stn.
Open: 10am–5pm, Closed Mon.
Admission: ¥600/¥400/free
Tel: 075-957-3123

Thru Mar.7
Kyoto Kokuritsu Museum
The Art of Star Wars
Props, costumes and other items
from the movie on display.
Keihan Shichijo stn.
Open: 9:30am – 5pm Closed Mon.
Admission: ¥1400/¥1000/¥400
Tel: 075-541-1151

Hyogo

Thru Mar.28
Himeji Shiritsu Bijyutsukan
Collection of Belgian Art
JR/Sanyo Himeji stn.,
Behind Himeji Castle
Open: 10am–4:30pm closed Mondays, Jan.13, Feb.12
Admission: ¥500/¥400/¥200
Tel: 0792-22-2288

Thru Mar.4
Hyogo Kenritsu Bijutsukan
Gutai Exhibition
Hanshin Iwaya stn.
Open: 10am – 5pm. Closed Mon.
Admission: ¥1200/¥800/¥400
Tel: 078-262-0901

Thru Mar.28
Kobe City Museum
Treasures from the World’s Cultures : The British Museum after 250 Years
JR/Hankyu Sannomiya stn.
Open: 10am – 5pm closed Mon
Admission: ¥800/¥550
Tel: 078-391-0035

Thru Mar. 2004
Kobe Fashion Museum
Hats, caps and headDresses from around the globe
Island Center stn. Rokko Island
Open: 10am-5:30pm closed Wed.
Admission: ¥500/¥250
Tel: 078-858-0050

Thru Apr.11
Kobe Shiritsu Koiso Konen Museum
Okada Kenzo: A Retrospective
Rokko Liner Island Kitaguchi stn.
Open: 10am-4pm Closed Mon
Admission: ¥700/¥500/¥300
Tel: 078-857-5880

Thru Mar. 29
Mssohkan
Asian Insight
Co-exhibition by Two Dutchmen: Jan Montyn and Sjoerd Bakker.
Hankyu Oji-Koen Stn.
Open: 1-6pm Closed Wed.
Free admission
Tel: 078-802-8822

NARA

Thru Mar.28
Nara Photography Museum
Photos of Omizu-tori at Todai-ji temple by Irie Taikichi.
JR/Kintetsu Nara stn.
Open: 10am-4:30pm Closed Mon.
Admission: ¥500/¥200/¥100
Tel: 0742-22-9811

Thru Mar.28
Yamato Bunkakan
Porcelain, paintings & crafts from Ming and Ching Dynasties
Kintentsu Gakuen-mae stn.
Open: 10am-4pm closed Mon.
Admission: ¥600/¥300
Tel: 0742-45-0544

	:: CINEMA LISTINGS Up to date cinema listings guide so you always know what's on, where and when!
	:: EVENT LISTINGS Festivals, performances, shows, gallery openings...your guide to what's coming up in the next few weeks.
	:: FEATURE Spring Fashion Splash Time to accessorize darling.
	:: TRAVEL The Land of Natural Treasures The eco-paradise of Sabah, Borneo.
	:: SPORT J-League Season Preview Soccerphile.com's Sanborn Brown reports.
	:: FOOD & DRINK St. Patricks's Day '04 4 places to find a green pint, some fiddly music and the mother of all hangovers this coming 17th. Nudic Colony Osaka's newest nightclub Nudic, shows a bit of class.
	:: NEWS Some of the news you won't see printed elsewhere, plus the best of the rest.
	:: ART Astro Boy, Nagai Kazumasa poster exhibition... plus our round up of other art events in January.
	:: TECH The waiting is over, an affordable yet high-spec digital camera - the Nikon 570.
	:: LIVE Ani Difranco, Deep Purple, Soulive & more incoming live acts...
	:: CLUB Exclusive Tim Deluxe interview, Takkyu Ishino@Motherhall and all the usual hot picks...
	:: FILM The Good Thief, Dogville and many more reel reviews...
	:: PROFILE Andy Walmsley. Neither Sam nor Dave, yet the man that makes it all happen.