【On-site Report Vol.09】Tokyo Biennale 2025 Appreciation Report

An art experience without the use of the eyes

The Tokyo Biennale is an international art festival held once every two years that brings together a diverse range of artists and creators from Japan and abroad in the city of Tokyo, delves deep into the city, and creates it together with local people. The third edition was held from October 17 to December 14, 2025, in six areas in northeastern Tokyo.
“Would you like to take a walk with me?” As one of the events to explore the charm of an art festival that walks around the city, an art festival experience without eyes ~Attending the “Dialogue in the Dark” and the Tokyo Biennale~ was held on December 10th.

This program aims to create a place where diverse participants, including the visually impaired, can enjoy art.
This is an appreciation event where visitors can experience works installed in urban spaces and explore new ways to enjoy art by sharing their senses. The guides are Lutoku Kinoshita, a staff member of Dialogue in the Dark, who is completely blind, and Mariko Sakuma, whose vision is closed for a long time. Each of the 11 participants decided on a “nickname” they would like to call to make it easier to communicate, and together they watched Akio Suzuki’s “Otodate” in Tokyo Biennale 2025 and Shun Yonaha’s “Taitataro 2023” in the Yaesu and Kyobashi areas.

45 seconds to close your eyes and surrender to the sound

The first thing I experienced was the sound art “Otodate” by Akio Suzuki at the Tokyo Biennale 2025. A project in which participants open their senses by listening carefully while feeling the scenery at a designated place (point). Immediately after the start, there were many confused voices saying, “I don’t know what to feel,” but in the second half, comments such as “I felt the wind and temperature” and “I imagined the seasons” changed to comments. By closing your vision, your sense of hearing and touch is sharpened, and the hustle and bustle of the city rises up like music. The value of this experience is condensed in the voice of “I learned that there are so many sounds that I don’t usually notice.”

Colors like a dream world ~ A huge work I met at Yaesu Exit

The next place we visited was Shun Yonaha’s “Taitaro 2023” spread out at the Yaesu Exit of Tokyo Station. The huge floor work is a mixture of small letters and puns in bright colors, giving the impression that it was printed out in the artist’s brain. From a distance, it looks like a geometric pattern, but when you get closer, it looks like graffiti. Participants gave various comments, such as “It looks like a large panel-splitting manga,” “The use of colors is like a dream world,” and “It was an appreciation experience that felt like it was in the artist’s head.”

11 interpretations if there are 11 people

After that, there was time to discuss each person’s impressions in the meeting room. Diverse sensations intersected, such as “I deepened my understanding through other people’s words” and “The acceptance that I didn’t have to understand led to free appreciation,” and opinions emerged that felt that there was no “right answer” to art appreciation.

“Awareness” asked by the two guides

What impressed me when I talked to the two guides was the “little realization” that I saw during the viewing party on the day.

By walking around the venue with us like this time, he said, “I think the point that the visually impaired can move more safely in this way was naturally recognized,” and “If the people involved think together from the planning stage, it will be a more enjoyable place.”

Although there is an appreciation program for the visually impaired, many people find it difficult to have an image of participating. Therefore, regarding information dissemination, there was talk that having short introduction audios, videos, and content that casually conveys the state of the experience would lead to a prior understanding of “what is it like?” and make it easier to participate.

He also said that any effort requires ingenuity to continue, and it is meaningful to start small or work as much as you can. Mr. Sakuma said, “Even if our efforts are not realized right now, for example, in 10, 20, 50, or 100 years, it may be that what we are doing now is that people with disabilities will be able to live more easily.” I realized that gradually accumulating efforts like this one will lead to the future.

Guide Profile

Mr. Kinoshita Lutoku (Kinopppi): A blind attendant. After losing his sight at the age of 16, he has been active as a Dialogue in the Dark Attendant since 2004. He is known for his flexibility in guidance and conversational skills.
Mariko Sakuma (Maripe): Dialogue in the dark attendance for amblyopia. While sharing their own way of seeing, they create a new viewing experience together with the participants.