First Installation Features Renowned Photographer Rinko Kawauchi: 'Shibuya Shotoku Wall Gallery' Launches!

South-facing artwork (partial)

East-facing artwork (partial)

Tokyu Corporation, L Catterton Real Estate, and Tokyu Department Store Co., Ltd. will launch the 'Shibuya Shotoku Wall Gallery' (hereinafter 'the project'), a temporary art initiative on construction site hoardings, at the site of the 'Shibuya Upper West Project'—being developed through a jointly established special-purpose company for the redevelopment of the former Tokyu Department Store main store.

The project aims to pass on the rich cultural heritage cultivated in the 'Shibuya Upper West Area'—stretching westward from the former Tokyu Department Store site to Shotoku, Tomigaya, Uehara, and Komaba—to the next generation. It is being advanced through collaboration between Shibuya City and the Shibuya Upper West Project, with cooperation from Bunkamura and the Shibuya City Shotoku Art Museum located within the area.

The theme of the project is 'the flow and accumulation of time,' where memories of the former Tokyu Department Store intersect with the ongoing redevelopment toward the future. Within the once-in-a-century timeline of Shibuya's redevelopment, the project expresses the convergence of diverse experiences—from long-time residents of Shotoku to first-time visitors to Shibuya. It is a limited-time gallery using construction hoardings, designed to leave a lasting legacy and weave new history and culture.

The first installation, launching on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, features internationally acclaimed photographer Rinko Kawauchi. For this project, Kawauchi has newly photographed the surrounding area, delicately capturing the daily lives emerging in the fleeting light of dusk and the ever-changing cityscape. The installation creates a space where passersby can pause and feel the serene beauty and subtle presence of accumulated time in this neighborhood.

Additionally, the first installation is a collaborative program with the exhibition 'The Miracle of Gaze: Adventures of Japanese Women Photographers,' hosted by Bunkamura The Museum at 'Hikarie Hall' in Shibuya Hikarie, opening on Saturday, July 4, 2026. Together, they offer opportunities to enjoy 'photography' from multiple perspectives across the entire Shibuya district.

Through this project, the construction site hoardings will be transformed into a high-quality cultural platform, aiming to make the entire area a symbol of culture.

Overview of the First Installation of the Shibuya Shotoku Wall Gallery

Period: July 1, 2026 (Wed) – September 30, 2027 (Thu), planned

Location: Construction site hoardings of the Shibuya Upper West Project

Organizers: Shibuya City, Shibuya Upper West Project

Cooperation: Tokyu Corporation, Bunkamura, Shibuya City Shotoku Art Museum

Photography: Rinko Kawauchi

Design: Hayashi Takuma Design Office

About 'Another Shibuya' – The 'Shibuya Upper West Area'

The 'Shibuya Upper West Project' occupies a unique location at the intersection between the energetic Shibuya Scramble Crossing-centered areas around Shibuya Station and Tokyo's representative high-end residential district, Shotoku. In a Shibuya where urban development embraces diverse values, this project stands apart from the large-scale redevelopments rapidly progressing in front of Shibuya Station—effectively forming what could be called 'another Shibuya.'

Shotoku, originating from 'Shotokuen' (Shotoku Garden), a tea plantation established in the early Meiji era by the former Saga Domain lord, the Nabeshima family, later became a residential neighborhood for cultural figures and dignitaries. Today, it is a cultural hub surrounded by institutions such as Bunkamura, the Shibuya City Shotoku Art Museum, and the Tokugawa Memorial Museum. Further west lie refined neighborhoods like Tomigaya, Uehara, and Komaba—home to the University of Tokyo's campus—making this area a place where the legacy of 'cultural living' has been continuously passed down through generations.

Shibuya Upper West Project Overview

Developers:

Tokyu Corporation, L Catterton Real Estate, Tokyu Department Store Co., Ltd.

Location:

2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Uses:

Retail, hotel, residences, museum, etc.

Site Area:

Approx. 13,675㎡ (including Bunkamura)

Total Floor Area:

Approx. 119,000㎡ (including Bunkamura)

Floors:

New construction: 34 above ground, 4 below ground

Bunkamura: 7 above ground, 2 below ground

Height:

155.7m

Design Architect:

Snøhetta

Executive Architect:

Nikken Sekkei Ltd.

Construction Contractor:

Obayashi/Tokyu/Seibu Construction Joint Venture

Completion:

Fiscal Year 2029 (planned)

▲ Exterior Rendering by Mir, Copyright Snøhetta and NIKKEN SEKKEI LTD ▲ Use Distribution Diagram

Profile of Rinko Kawauchi

Born in Shiga Prefecture in 1972, currently residing in Chiba Prefecture. She received the 27th Kimura Ihei Photography Award for her photo books 'Utatane' and 'Hanabi' (Little More, 2001). Her works, which delicately reveal dualities such as life and death, light and shadow, within soft, gentle light and tones, are highly acclaimed internationally. She received the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's New Artist Award in 2013 and became the first Japanese recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award at the Sony World Photography Awards in 2023. She held a major solo exhibition 'Rinko Kawauchi: M/E On the Sphere Infinite Continuity' at Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery and Shiga Prefectural Museum of Art in 2022–2023. She will participate in the exhibition 'The Miracle of Gaze: Adventures of Japanese Women Photographers' opening in Shibuya on July 4, 2026.

Bunkamura Overview

Opened in 1989 as Japan's first large-scale integrated cultural complex where diverse genres of culture and art can be enjoyed in one space. Since then, Tokyu Culture Village Co., Ltd. has operated Bunkamura as the central hub for cultural activities within the Tokyu Group.

Since its opening, Bunkamura has served as a cultural platform introducing new and outstanding art. Although currently closed except for Orchard Hall, the organization views this closure period as an opportunity to pursue new creative challenges. It continues to create and disseminate culture and art that move people's hearts at various locations along the Tokyu lines, including Shibuya, and other Tokyu Group facilities.

Additionally, to pass culture on to the next generation, Bunkamura actively works to discover new talent, provide platforms to support their future activities, and create learning and experiential opportunities that help individuals discover their own potential.

Shibuya City Shotoku Art Museum Overview

Established in 1981 as the second municipal art museum in Tokyo after the Itabashi Art Museum. The museum's construction was decided as part of the cultural and educational advancement initiatives in the 1973 Shibuya City Long-Term Basic Plan. Designed by Shinohara Soji, known as the 'philosopher architect,' the building features a design suitable for a residential neighborhood. The museum hosts special exhibitions, open-call exhibitions, and salon exhibitions across all fields and eras—including painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, dyeing, weaving, and calligraphy—and conducts research and educational outreach programs.

Overview of 'The Miracle of Gaze: Adventures of Japanese Women Photographers'

Period: July 4, 2026 (Sat)