Tsutaya bookstore has released a 250 copies limited edition high-definition giclée print of Katsuhiro Otomo's original artwork created for the design of the ceramic relief PROCESSION SPIN installed as a public artwork at at Tokyo’s Ginza Station back in December 2025.
From Jōmon-era pottery and Buddhist statues to contemporary forms and futuristic imagery, various expressions created by humanity are arranged within one great flowing continuum. The work expresses the continuous chain of human creativity extending from the present into the future, as the thoughts and prayers embedded in each era are transformed and passed down over time.
How do you feel now that the work has finally been unveiled?
It’s been about four years since I first came down to this underground passage and was told, “We’re going to make it here.” A lot happened during that time. I guess you could say I’m deeply moved—or maybe it’s more that I’m relieved, like, “It’s finally over.” These things never move forward in a straight line so easily. So yes, it’s a bit emotional.
What kind of thoughts did you put into the piece?
Since it was public art, the question was, “What do you do with art?” I had the idea of collaging various forms of art from the Jōmon period all the way into the future. But just drawing a single straight path ends up looking surprisingly awkward from a design standpoint. So I decided to rotate it once, and I think that allowed for a larger, more complex composition. That didn’t come easily at all. I struggled a lot, and the project was delayed quite a bit. But all of those thoughts are packed into it, and that’s probably why today finally came.
Ginza Station is used not only by Japanese people but also by many visitors from overseas. Was there anything you consciously kept in mind?
I see myself as closer to entertainment than to being a pure “artist.” Rather than pushing my own world to the forefront, I want people to enjoy it. In that sense, public art might suit me. Instead of pursuing only my own vision, it’s more about people coming here and enjoying it—there’s a bit of entertainment mixed in. That might be the difference. Maybe I’m a manga artist after all, rather than an artist in the strict sense.
Was the motorcycle from AKIRA added as part of the “entertainment” aspect?
Yes, that was when I was stuck (laughs). When you hit a wall, you start thinking, “Whatever, it doesn’t matter anymore.” So I thought, “Well, I’ll draw it for now.”
As a small playful touch?
Exactly. And it’s hard work, you know (laughs). It’s not something you can do easily at all.
Since the theme spans from the Jōmon period to modern times, were there any references or materials you used?
Over a long life, when making various works—whether animation or film—you look at all kinds of materials. I feel like I collaged all of that together. Maybe you can’t do this unless you’ve lived a long time.
So it’s like a gesture of thanks, in a way, for having seen so many great works—Jōmon flame-style pottery, and sculptures by Unkei and Kaikei from the Kamakura period. Japanese art really does have something special. Jōmon is wonderful, Kamakura is wonderful, Edo is wonderful. I feel like we were raised by all of that.
Did you incorporate things that represent each era?
Yes. I think what represents each era is probably what was most cutting-edge at the time. What remains is often what was considered the coolest thing back then. Jōmon flame-style pottery feels like it was made with the attitude of, “Look how cool this is.”
Honestly, I’ve made this one, but next time it should be younger people. I’m getting pretty old, so younger artists should make the next new things.
You included not only culture but also elements of Japanese history like catfish imagery and the battleship Yamato. Why?
Because art exists alongside war and everything else. Art flows together with those things—war, recessions, economic bubbles. Everything flows along, and what resonated most at the time ends up remaining as art. That’s how it feels to me. So today, maybe it’s games, anime, and manga.
Ukiyo-e wasn’t originally considered particularly valuable. People thought works by painters of schools like the Kanō school—artists painting in lofty, elite realms—would remain. But nishiki-e were souvenirs, things people bought when visiting Edo. And now those are considered art. If that’s the case, then what may not seem very “art-like” today—though it may be starting to look that way—such as manga, animation, or games, could become art.
New things created from now on may become new art. That’s the feeling I have. That’s what I’m trying to say with this piece (laughs).
You’ve been active as a manga artist for over 50 years. What inspires you today?
What inspires me, after all, is the great works of those who came before. You notice something and think, “What is this? I didn’t know about it. There’s such an amazing work out there.” That’s where it begins.
It’s like musicians who start out playing rock from birth, listening only to contemporary music, and then one day they hear the Beatles and feel crushed. Modern rock stands on top of the Beatles, after all. When you make music without knowing that and then discover them, it’s shocking. That still happens to us. All art has roots. New things are built on top of them. It’s hard to go all the way back, but if you do, you can keep going back endlessly. That’s how we can even go back to the Jōmon period (laughs).
Your works are popular overseas as well. How do you think about working abroad?
I don’t actually go abroad to draw. That’s both unfortunate and maybe a good thing. If I had gone to America, I probably wouldn’t have come back (laughs). If I’d gone in my twenties, I definitely wouldn’t have. I didn’t go because I wasn’t very smart, couldn’t speak English, and had various other issues. But young people today—if they go, they might not come back. Though now, I’m not sure. Hollywood doesn’t shine like it used to. In the end, everyone has to find their own place. Tokyo was right for me, and that’s more than enough.
What is most important to you when working?
What matters most is that I find it interesting myself. If you do it for other people, it doesn’t last. If it’s not fun for you, it won’t last. Once you start making a work—say, a manga—you have to see it through, and you have to enjoy who you are at that time. You can’t keep the same thing going forever.
I’m doing public art like this now, but honestly, I want to hand it over to the next person as soon as possible (laughs). I’d rather go home and quietly paint ink paintings.
The latest public artwork from Katsuhiro Otomo PROCESSION SPIN was unveiled today. Installed in the 1st basement floor passage at Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line in Ginza Station; the 7 meters wide and 2.4 meters high ceramic relief, made up of 164 individual ceramic tiles, 4 bronzes and 290 glazes was planned by the JPTCA (Japan Traffic Culture Association) and produced over approximately two years by seven artisans at CREARE Atami-Yugawara Studio based on the original drawings that Otomo spent about three years creating. Otomo supervised the whole project and he personally colored the sticker on kaneda's motorcycle located in the lower left.
I've shaped the flow of art-from the Jomon period to the present and beyond-into a single form. The thoughts and prayers people wished to express by era are passing down while changing form. From that sequence, I'm lining up the fragments that have drawn me in and remain in my heart. Many hands have worked on, the colors emerge, it gradually rose up as a three-di-mensional form. From here on, the work belongs to the viewer.
When you happen to stop by, approach and retreat as you please, I would be happy if something resonates within you.
I’m not very good at speaking, but today, being here in such a wonderful place…we all created this work together. This piece took an incredible amount of time, and it’s probably the most difficult work I’ve ever made.
After all, because it’s public art, it’s not inside a museum, but out there in the city. I think this will probably become a work that everyone can physically interact with. Maybe people will stick 100-yen or 10-yen coins into little gaps somewhere in it…And maybe I’ll come collect them at the end of the year.
But really, if people enjoy it, that alone makes us very happy. So everyone, please, show some love to the artwork.
Katsuhiro Otomo has offered a 7 minute interview to TV Tokyo's World Business Satellite (WBS) for their new series, TOP RUNNER'S PERSPECTIVE (WBS Xトップランナーの視点) where individuals who are at the forefront of their respective fields and continue to take on challenges are interviewed about their perspective on navigating the current era. Otomo shared his insights into his approach to creating his works and his perspective on living in the present. He also showcased for the first time part of his upcoming ceramic mural that will be installed in Tokyo's subway.
The interview is available online only in Japan only for subscribers:
JPTCA Japan Traffic Culture Association has released a behind-the-scenes video of ELEMENTS OF FUTURE, the ceramic relief mural designed and supervision by Katsuhiro Otomo and created by CREARE Atami-Yugawara Studio that was installed last december at "Hisao & Hiroko Taki Plaza" on the Ookayama Campus of Tokyo Institute of Technology (東京工業大学 大岡山キャンパス).
Otomo's Comments
I came up with the concept of elements. They create things. The idea was to express them in a new, modern way. Fire, water, air you know the five elements, But today's new creative elements should be students, the city that surrounds them, science or IT. Those new elements will create new generations.
I didn't want to create a goal, hence the empty space at the center. So instead of saying, "This must be your goal" or "this is how things must be", I created something that was abstract, like space. I wanted to say, "The rest is up to you."
Jiro Tanimoto's (谷本二郎) comments
It's an incredibly complex drawing, but it's also exciting. It's going to be a challenge. Mr. Otomo's picking fights with everybody. Like he keeps saying, "Can you do it?" But of course nobody says no.
This mural is about 7 meters to the top, so we needed different tricks to show things that were way up there. Such as making the top parts larger or thicker. We did things like that and assembled the pieces into a mural. It's three dimensional, so it looks different depending on where you stand or if it's day or night. There are lots of ways to enjoy it.
Atsuo Suzumura's (鈴村 敦夫) comments
What I love about glazing is that... the result always exceeds my expectations. The possibilities are infinite. It's like alchemy. We prepared 118 glazes for this single artwork. And each piece had 2 or 3 layers for complexity. Colors change depending on thickness, where they're placed in the kiln or if it's electric or gas. There are endless possibilities. Once the firing starts,I'm anxious until the pieces come out. It's the result of the balance between all the pieces. The overall result is good.That's the best aspect of this work.
The large mural titled "ELEMENTS OF FUTURE" designed upon an illustration by Katsuhiro Otomo was unveiled today at the Ookayama Campus of Tokyo Institute of Technology (東京工業大学 大岡山キャンパス). Otomo also supervised the construction and assembly of the work conformed of 499 pieces of ceramic.
Creare Atami Yugawara Kobo (クレアーレ熱海ゆがわら工房) has shared
the installation video of the ceramic plate relief they produced, that was
designed and supervised by Katsuhiro Otomo titled "ELEMENTS OF FUTURE". The
relief will be presented to the public on December 12.
You can follow Create Atami Yugawa Kobo's works on their Facebook,
Twitter
and Vimeo
The Japan Traffic Culture Association (公益財団法人 日本交通文化協会) has shared some news on the upcoming Katsuhiro Otomo's project presentation that will take place on December 12, 2020.
Otomo has supervised the creation of a large covex shape plate mural conformed out of 499 pieces of painted ceramic, titled "ELEMENTS OF FUTURE" based on an original illustration created by himself. The mural will be installed at "Hisao & Hiroko Taki Plaza" on the Ookayama Campus of Tokyo Institute of Technology (東京工業大学 大岡山キャンパス).
CREARE Atami-Yugawara Studio (クレアーレ熱海ゆがわら工房) have just shared in their Vimeo channel a video of the ceramic relief designed by Katsuhiro Otomo they produced in 2015 titled “Kinka Doji Riding the Waves Accompanied by Fujin and Raijin” (キンカドウジフウジンライジンヲシタガエテハトウヲコユルノズ）that was installed in the Sendai Airport.
You can follow Create Atami Yugawa Kobo's works on their Facebook, Twitter and Vimeo
The unveiling ceremony of the ceramic relief designed by Katsuhiro Otomo, “Kinka Doji Riding the Waves Accompanied by Fujin and Raijin” (キンカドウジフウジンライジンヲシタガエテハトウヲコユルノズ） installed in the Sendai Airport took place today. A special website in Japanese, English and French was launched where the work is described:
Katsuhiro Otomo, the world-renowned manga artist whose works include the seminal AKIRA, was born in Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture. This relief, which was designed by Otomo, depicts Kinka Doji astride a mechanized goldfish, flanked by Fujin and Raijin—the gods of wind and lightning—rising above the billows and beckoning the auspicious clouds. The artwork represents our children—on whom the future rests—armed with twin pillars of knowledge and understanding, opposing the mighty powers of nature and moving bravely forwards in the face of intense difficulties. It is hoped that Kinka Doji will come to be cherished as a guardian deity of the region.
I made this hoping that lots of different people would be able to enjoy it. Of course, there are many thoughts and feelings connected to the various disasters and earthquakes… but more than that, I wanted this to be something that, many years from now, when children come here and look at it, they’ll ask, ‘What exactly is this?’ And then people can tell them, ‘Something like this happened,’ and continue passing those stories down. That’s the kind of feeling I had when making it. So it’s not really something focused on tragedy or misery. Rather, I made it so people could enjoy it. And now, seeing it myself like this, I honestly think, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’”
There wasn’t really a specific model for it. Someone just said earlier, ‘Since the teacher wears glasses, isn’t it supposed to be you?’ But no, it’s not. I drew it more as a kind of ordinary, generic child.
The mural designed by Katsuhiro Otomo for the first floor lobby of Sendai Airport Terminal Building is already concluded and will be installed on location on march.
Today has been announced that a huge mural designed by Katsuhiro Otomo will be installed in the first floor lobby of Sendai Airport Terminal Building. The work is due to be ready by march 2015. The work will measure 8.7m × 2.8m in size and will be produced in ceramic plate relief by Creare Atami Yugawara workshop (クレアーレ熱海ゆがわら工房). The image of work consist on a fictional figure"Doji" followed by Fujin and Raijin that confront the great forces of nature towards a future that is desired.
The illustration by Otomo is a modification of a illustration he did back in 1997 for a hawaian shirt design: KINTARO Matsuri Nami Miasashi (KINTARO 祭波雅). This illustration is collected in the pages 58-59 of the artbook KABA2
