Shimokita Under the Autumn Moonlight
The 5th edition of Moon Art Night Shimokitazawa will return, inviting locals and visitors to explore a stunning collection of moon-themed artworks, immersive theater and community events scattered across the neighborhood.
Designed to blend art with everyday life, this 17-day festival uses the entire town as its stage. The festival’s mesmerizing centerpiece by UK artist Luke Jerram will be a massive, seven-meter illuminated sphere featuring detailed imagery of the lunar surface. The sphere will glow above the Shimokitazawa Railway Street open space.
The Cat Town immersive theater experience will guide guests through a fantastical story based on the works of modern poet Sakutaro Hagiwara. Now featuring English guidance, this immersive theatrical walk will lead audiences from Shimokitazawa Station to Setagaya-Daita Station, even granting access to railway facilities normally strictly off-limits to the public.
On September 25th, the night of the mid-autumn festival, the neighborhood will transform into a community-wide event, with interactive choral performances directly under the giant moon installation. Savory and sweet “Shimokita Mooncakes” developed by the Fermentation Department will also be available for a limited time.
Moon Art Night Shimokitazawa will have many other diverse art installations, including Teppei Kaneuji’s “A Thousand Faces of the Moon” on the Tohoku-zawa Station rooftop and Masahide Matsuda’s emoji-inspired digital sculptures at Bonus Track. The festival will extend throughout the Shimokitazawa area; please visit the event website for a full breakdown of art locations.
All-area viewing tickets are available for ¥1,200 in advance or ¥1,500 during the event. Separate tickets are required for specific experiences like the “Cat Town” immersive theater.
