Kawasaki Brave Thunders x AKB48 Collaboration Project: 16 Wall Art Pieces Adorning "Kawasaki, a City with Basketball" to be Displayed at La Cittadella

©KAWASAKI BRAVE THUNDERS / ©AKB48 The Kawasaki Brave Thunders, a professional basketball club in the B.League (operated by DeNA Kawasaki Brave Thunders, Inc., located in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, CEO: Wataru Kawasaki), in a joint project with the idol group "AKB48," will display wall art inspired by famous locations in Kawasaki City at the commercial complex "La Cittadella" in front of Kawasaki Station, starting from Friday, June 19. On Friday, June 19, AKB48 members will appear on a special stage at the "CITTA' Festival 2026," held at the same facility, to unveil the wall art. They will talk about the behind-the-scenes of the art creation and perform songs, adding a festive start to the project. ■ Special Website: https://kawasaki-bravethunders.com/lp/wallartproject/ This time, members centered around the "AKB Basketball Club" used basketballs as their canvas to express their unique sensibilities on a total of 15 locations, including places deeply connected to the Kawasaki Brave Thunders like "Kawasaki Cultural Park," "Tokyu D'ressee Todoroki Arena," as well as landmarks like "La Cittadella," "Ginryugai," "Kawasaki Daishi," and iconic Kawasaki scenes such as the tower apartments of Musashi-Kosugi and factory landscapes. The display location, "La Cittadella," has long been a hub for Kawasaki's culture and entertainment, a place where diverse cultures and people intersect. Its open atmosphere and the environment where one can encounter art while strolling through the city were deemed a perfect match for the project's theme of "fusion of sports and art." The project's realization at this location was made possible with the full cooperation of Citta' Entertainment Co., Ltd. The Kawasaki Brave Thunders uphold the mission "MAKE THE FUTURE OF BASKETBALL - The Future of Basketball from Kawasaki." This project is a new embodiment of that mission, an attempt to rediscover the charm of Kawasaki City with basketball at its core, alongside AKB48, with whom they have collaborated on home games and other events. In line with Kawasaki's ethos of cherishing culture and arts, a new approach of "Basketball x Art" was adopted. Through the members' individual, life-sized sensibilities, the project conveys the city's charm from a relatable perspective. We hope this initiative will be an opportunity for citizens and the Thunders family to re-examine the joy of sports and the goodness of Kawasaki City, deepening their attraction and affection for the city. 【Wall Art Special Event Overview】 Date: Friday, June 19, 2026, 13:00-13:20 Venue: Special stage within "CITTA' Festival 2026" at La Cittadella Performers: Yuna Akiyama, Saena Arai, Kasumi Kudo, Hinano Kubo, Yumei Sako, Kohina Narita, Azuki Yagi, Yui Yamaguchi Content: Talk, Singing *The event may be canceled due to weather. *Content and performers are subject to change without notice. ■ CITTA' Festival 2026 June 19 (Fri) - June 21 (Sun), 2026 https://lacittadella.co.jp/lp/matsuri/ 【Wall Art Overview】 ■ Display Details Period: Friday, June 19, 2026 - Friday, May 14, 2029 Location: Various locations within La Cittadella (4-1 Ogawa-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture) Number of pieces: 16 ■ Concept Kawasaki City is a town with many faces that cannot be described in one word, such as an industrial city, a cultural city, and a residential city rich in nature. This time, we re-examined "what makes Kawasaki unique" and selected a total of 15 locations covering all 7 wards, respecting the unique context of each ward's history, culture, nature, and industry. We want to convey the richness of Kawasaki as a whole while cherishing the individuality and charm of each region. As Kawasaki City's brand message "Colors, Future!" suggests, we believe that Kawasaki's "diversity" is the future of this city, and through the expression of art, we aim to connect it to each citizen's affection and pride for their city. ■ Location / Member Introduction ① Tokyu D'ressee Todoroki Arena (On the court) (Nakahara-ku) Member: Yuna Akiyama "I drew this with the image of the court at 'Tokyu D'ressee Todoroki Arena,' the sacred ground of the Kawasaki Brave Thunders. I created the club color 'Brave Red' from scratch and combined it mainly with 'Victory Gold.' I tried to capture the electrifying atmosphere of the arena and the moment when the various cheers of the fans mix together on this ball, creating a design perfect for Todoroki." ② La Cittadella (Kawasaki-ku) Member: Saena Arai "La Cittadella is a place packed with all sorts of fun, so colorful and cheerful images just kept popping into my head, and I ended up drawing a lot of motifs! I scattered musical motifs like drums, pianos, and notes from the live hall 'Club Citta'' on the premises. Since La Cittadella is modeled after an Italian town, I also drew pizza, lemons, and my favorite, olives. While weaving in my own personality, I created a colorful ball imagining a space where people of all generations can gather and make fun memories, a place where you can hear wonderful music." ③ Tokyu D'ressee Todoroki Arena (Nakahara-ku) Member: Momoka Ito "Last year, I went to Tokyu D'ressee Todoroki Arena to cheer for the Kawasaki Brave Thunders. When I actually visited, it was a very lovely and beautiful arena full of energy, so I wanted to express that bright atmosphere. I used pink and a vivid sky blue as a base and scattered stars. I expressed the home of the Kawasaki Brave Thunders, Todoroki, with a cute worldview!" ④ Ikuta Ryokuchi / Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum (Tama-ku) Member: Kairi Okumoto "The highlight of the Kawasaki Municipal Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum is that it's packed with the charm of historic old houses, but I tried to express that deep history with various colors. I drew a wing motif with the image of a new 'era of basketball' descending upon a place with history. It might look like a pop design at first glance, but it actually carries such a deep message!" ⑤ Ozenji Furusato Park (Asao-ku) Member: Yui Kawamura "Ozenji Furusato Park is a very spacious and open place full of nature, so in the blue part, I depicted the wide sky, and in the green part, I included cherry blossoms to create a design full of nature!" ⑥ Kawasaki Daishi Heiken-ji Temple (Kawasaki-ku) Member: Kasumi Kudo "When I visited Kawasaki Daishi, I was strongly impacted by its vastness and size, so I tried to express that first impression. The reason I composed the work in two colors is that I actually visited the site twice, in the morning and at night. I've always liked temples, so I was really grateful to be in charge of this place, but visiting twice revealed completely different expressions. In the morning, there was an overwhelmingly solemn atmosphere, and at night, it was very magical. I incorporated both of these charms into the design, so I hope you'll pay attention to it." ⑦ In front of Musashi-Kosugi Station (Nakahara-ku) Member: Hinano Kubo "I drew this with the image of the cityscape around Musashi-Kosugi Station. The night view was so beautiful, so I expressed the sparkle of the apartments with slightly neon-like colors. Musashi-Kosugi is an area currently undergoing urban development and is evolving into a city that symbolizes Kawasaki's new growth. I wanted to express the momentum of the city, so I incorporated buildings like high-rise apartments and commercial facilities into the design." ⑧ Togaku-in Temple (Miyamae-ku) Member: Saki Kondo "Togaku-in is very famous for its azaleas, with about 2,000 azalea bushes blooming in the temple grounds. When I visited, the colorful azaleas were very impressive, so I tried to express that scene. I also did my best to draw the Kawasaki Brave Thunders' mascot, 'Rowl'!" ⑨ Factory Night View (Kawasaki-ku) Member: Haruka Sakagawa "I was in charge of the Kawasaki factory night view. I actually went to see it, and the factory lights were so magical and beautiful, so I tried to express that magical atmosphere in the ball's design. It's my favorite!" ⑩ Ginryugai (Kawasaki-ku) Member: Yumei Sako "It's right near Kawasaki Station, so I drew trains coming and going in the design. Also, Ginryugai has a lovely stained-glass arcade, making it a pleasant place even on rainy days, so I drew people enjoying themselves there. I tried to capture the charm of this lively street, which is always bustling with people and has many shops." ⑪ Tama River Riverbed (Saiwai-ku, Nakahara-ku, etc.) Member: Kohina Narita "The time I visited the Tama River riverbed, the sunset was just so beautiful... The sight of a family with children taking a walk was very memorable, and I actually drew it in my work. If you look closely, you can see a man, a woman, and a child holding hands. I heard it's also a famous spot for cycling and saw a bicycle on the bridge, so I really wanted to draw the bridge too, but I ran out of steam this time (laughs). Instead, I put my heart into drawing the beautiful sunset as the main feature." ⑫ In front of Mizonokuchi Station (Takatsu-ku) The center of Takatsu Ward where the JR Nambu Line and Tokyu Line intersect, and where the lives of many citizens...