Comment

In the days before the ‘materialistic and information-oriented society’, the Japanese had a receptive sense that “everything in nature has something to do with us”.

It is said there are hundreds of thousands of Shinto shrines in Japan, celebrating all the gods and goddesses. Japanese people find it aesthetically pleasing to be in awe of nature, trying to be together with nature rather than confront it, and their prayers and wishes to get an “en (connection)” may have arisen from this way of life.
For every turn of Fortune’s wheel, there’s a time when you feel you have a secret bond with the “supernatural” beyond your own intentions and choices, which might give you or deny you these “en”, and guide you somewhere else.

I think that in today’s changing times, we’ve forgotten that such inter-relationships do exist. We are connected with everything we encountered so far, and our world will continue to expand as it connects with everything we meet.

I hope that your “en” with Japan, this room, and everything that happens to you in future, will be good.

Mariko Kobayashi

*Please note that the photos shown were taken during the creation of the Artist Room. Due to changes in the surrounding area, the view of Tokyo Tower in some images may differ from the current view.