Toranomon Light Art

Recognizing the transformative power of light art to positively amaze local communities, the city of Amsterdam, our mayor, and the Dutch embassy immediately thought of Light Art Collection when they learned that their colleagues in Tokyo were enthusiastic to spark Japan’s capital postcovid public nightlife.

Together with the Amsterdam Light Festival, we warmly welcomed a delegation from Mori, a leading Tokyo real estate supplier, to our Dutch capital. The Tokyo group visited our light festival and were inspired to see how light art was able to continuously fuel the city’s nightlife: before, during and after the pandemic.

From public place to shared cultural space

The rest is history. Mori decided to partner up with us to organize a large-scale light art festival in Toranomon Hills, a vibrant new urban district that seamlessly blends the bustling business district with the relaxed atmosphere of a residential area. We skillfully selected a series of installations for each location in Toranomon Hills, with a curatorial vision that aimed at harmonizing light art with Tokyo’s iconic night view.

Toranamon Light Art has kickstarted the local nightlife in Toranomon Hills by reminding its residents and office workers of the joys of urban public life, through the uplifting glow of light art installations. During the festival, 500.000 visitors explored Toranamon Hills in less than two months, drawn by the allure of light art. The local press boasted Toranomon Light Art as ‘a journey of artistic brilliance’.

This case shows the tremendous ability of light art to transform public spaces into a common place where people enjoy sharing cultural experiences. From Amsterdam to Tokyo, our light art helps to spark a connection between inhabitants and curious passers-by.