Launch of an International Project Proposing 'FUDO': A New Cultural Concept Centered on Space

We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Japan FUDO Culture Institute (Representative Director: Toshiya Yoshimi, Director: Minoru Yoshikawa). We are launching an international project to propose 'FUDO,' a new concept that shifts the subject of culture from 'objects' to 'space,' and to update how we perceive cultural value through its practice.

'FUDO' is proposed not as the traditional term for climate or land, but as 'the experience of a place established by the relationship between humans and the environment.'

Until now, cultural dissemination has often focused on works, artists, or techniques, categorized by genres such as fine arts, architecture, interior design, or cuisine. However, we believe Japan's strength lies in the space and time itself, which integrates various elements: objects like crafts and architecture, people like architects and chefs, and the techniques surrounding them.

Furthermore, we believe the essence of Japanese culture lies in the experiences born from the interaction of people and objects with intangible elements such as light and shadow, sound, scent, physical movements, and the flow and accumulation of time.

The purpose of this project is not merely to introduce Japanese culture. The practice of treating spatial experience itself as a work of art is spreading globally. Connecting with these international trends, we propose 'FUDO' as a new cultural concept. Through this project, we aim to update the framework of culture by presenting theories and implementing programs that provide 'spatial experiences' in collaboration with artists, architects, and researchers from Japan and abroad.

To mark this new challenge, we will hold our first symposium, 'Shifting the Subject of Culture from "Objects" to "Space": Cultivating Society and FUDO,' on Thursday, May 28, at 14:00, featuring architect Kengo Kuma, journalist Nobuyuki Hayashi, and our Representative Director Toshiya Yoshimi.