The Wanoakari × Hyakudan Kaidan illumination exhibition is one of the most anticipated summertime Tokyo events, usually attracting over half a million visitors every year.
Inside the Hyakudan Kaidan, the “hundred-step staircase” that was designated as a tangible cultural property by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, 38 artists of various genres and specializations come together for an intricate display of traditional and contemporary art.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the exhibit, and the 2025 theme is “A Gathering of 100 Onis.” Since ancient times the existence of the oni demons has been passed down in various forms in Japan, from metaphors for terror and natural evil to folktales, onis have persisted in the Japanese consciousness for a millennia. Through mixed media such as paintings, ceramics, spatial installations and a massive Aomori Nebuta lantern floats, the world of the onis comes to life in a spectacle for all the senses. The exhibit expertly uses lighting and aroma for an experience that can only be felt in person.
