A place to encounter monsters this summer: Harajuku's "Daihyakki Yakou" Exhibition

Yokai (specters) that look as if they have come out of a picture scroll are drawn on the streets of Harajuku. You can experience such a fantastical scene at the Yokai Illustrations "Daihyakki Yakou" exhibition, which will be held in August 2025. This exhibition, which brings together over 100 yokai, is not just an art exhibition, but a space filled with deep love and respect for yokai culture.

When I read about the exhibition, I felt a sense of connection to the night capital of the Heian period. Although it is contemporary art, the composition and brushwork are somehow nostalgic, reminiscent of picture scrolls. I was strongly drawn to the expression, which is vibrant in color but also has a sense of "shadow."

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A mysterious aura lurks in a scroll-like composition

What attracted me to Aizawa Nini's paintings is that, although they are drawn with a modern sensibility, they have a somewhat old-fashioned feel to them, and the composition makes you feel as if you are looking at a picture scroll from the Heian period. The touch, which values the "atmosphere" of the yokai, makes the paintings feel more like a story than just art.

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Encounter with over 100 monsters

As mentioned above, the yokai introduced in this exhibition include familiar yokai from classics with an original touch by Aizawa Nini, and you can see the ingenuity that breathes new life into the existing yokai images everywhere. The exhibition is structured to make use of traditional motifs while highlighting the individuality of each yokai, so even old-fashioned yokai fans will be impressed by something new. There is such an exciting feeling.

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Exhibition space and photo experience

There will be a photo spot set up in the exhibition, where you can take photos as if you were a member of the Hyakki Yakou (good news for all you yokai).

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Goods and a worldview that will appeal to yokai fans

In the goods corner, there will be a tin magnet gacha, which is one of the artist's representative works, as well as bamboo fans, clear files, hand towels, teacups, etc. that feature the yokai illustrations on display (see attached image). This will be an irresistible experience for yokai fans.

This exhibition is not just interesting or eye-catching, but also an opportunity to take a fresh look at the diversity and imagination of yokai. We would like to encourage people who love yokai for the stories, atmosphere, and aesthetic sense behind them, rather than simply consuming them as characters or symbols of fear, to come and see the exhibit.

This is a must-see exhibition for anyone who truly loves yokai. Why not encounter some yokai in Harajuku this summer and experience a little taste of another world?

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Special benefits for participants of the Kawagoe Yokai Walk

Those who participate in the Kawagoe Yokai Town Walk on July 5, 2025 will receive a special badge! This is great news. I'll try to sneak in and report when I have the chance.

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Fun points

• A photo spot will be set up in part of the exhibition space where visitors can pretend to be a yokai and take photos.
• Try your luck with 100 types of yokai! You might even get a rare one! The yokai tin magnet gacha will be available.
• You can vote for your favorite yokai with a sticker. The top 5 yokai will be made into original merchandise at a later date.
• Special novelty gifts will be given to those who purchase various exhibits or participate in the voting!

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Event Outline

Date: Saturday, August 2, 2025 – Friday, August 8, 2025
Time: 11:00-20:00 (last entrance 19:30, last day until 17:00 due to dismantling work)
Venue: Design Festa Gallery Harajuku [WEST] (3-20-18 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
Nearest station: JR Harajuku Station
Admission fee: Free

Advance booking with benefits:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflk64s6kdtNkkVwHAiUZ-EMe1BJ8ED2O23s6rBYs42q5ph9A/viewform

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About Nini Aizawa

Aizawa Nini is a character designer affiliated with Hibiya Design in Tokyo, and is known for her style of freely fusing tradition with pop culture. She has been working on series of works with a yokai motif for many years, and her representative work, the "Japanese Yokai Series," has sold over 30,000 units in total at Nakano Broadway's gacha, and the LINE stamps have also been downloaded about 5,000 times, making it popular with many yokai fans.

In particular, this exhibition, "The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons - Aizawa Nini's Yokai Picture Scroll," is a large-scale milestone exhibition that brings together over 100 yokai to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the series that began in 2016. The unique worldview that combines visuals that are conscious of the composition of classical picture scrolls with modern sensibilities will surely make you rediscover the charm of yokai culture.