Tokyo's latest illumination is inspired by the city's history

Last Updated on March 24, 2025

The Tokyo government have announced the latest illumination that will light up the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

“TOKYO Night & Light” is a program of illuminations and projection mapping displays that light up the facade of the Tokyo government’s primary administrative building.

It is part of a broader strategy to stimulate nighttime tourism and cultivate novel tourist attractions that will enhance Tokyo’s nightlife appeal.

The event utilizes large-scale projection mapping technology, integrating light and sound elements to transform the building’s east-facing wall into a dynamic canvas for a variety of artistic and narrative works.

The “TOKYO Night & Light” program has been recognized by Guinness World Records as “the largest permanent exhibition of projection mapping on a building”.

The Pac-Man illumination was popular with foreign tourists

Previous illuminations on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building have featured Godzilla, Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral and Pac-Man.

The upcoming premiere of a new projection mapping film, “The Courier Running Through Time”, has been announced as part of the “TOKYO Night & Light” program.

“The Courier Running Through Time” is a narrative-driven projection mapping experience that traces the historical development and evolution of Tokyo.

The storyline follows a time-traveling courier who journeys through different eras of the city’s past, present, and imagined future.

The new film is heavily inspired by traditional Japanese art

Key landmarks and cultural elements are sequentially depicted, including scenes reminiscent of Edo-period streetscapes, examples of modern Japanese architecture, and the iconic Tokyo Tower.

The culmination of the narrative sees the courier arriving amidst the towering skyscrapers of the Nishi-Shinjuku district, a prominent business and administrative center in Tokyo, conveying a sense of optimism and progress towards the future.

Previous illuminations have also focused on Japanese art and history

The presentation integrates visual aesthetics inspired by traditional ukiyo-e woodblock prints with a contemporary and dynamic visual style, accompanied by a synchronized musical score.

The new film has been produced by YOYOmiracle, a creative company established in 2003 that operates across a diverse range of creative disciplines, including video production for live stage performances, motion graphics design, projection mapping content creation, illustration, and animation production.

Music for the film has been composed by “ttymd.com”, the professional alias of a Japanese composer and sound designer who has worked on corporate advertising campaigns for major corporations such as Toyota and Google as well as sound design for attractions like the “Kuragerium” at Hakkeijima Sea Paradise in Yokohama, Japan.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building was turned into Notre Dame by a previous display

The new film will be featured as part of the ongoing “TOKYO Night & Light” program and will initially be shown only at weekends and on national holidays.

During the week, other projection mapping films from the “TOKYO Night & Light” program will be shown.

“TOKYO Night & Light” Information

Dates: Screenings are held daily (Screenings will be suspended during periods of inclement weather)
Projection Surface: The east-facing wall of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1
Viewing Location: Tokyo Metropolitan Plaza, situated at 2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
All Screening Times:
- 6:30 PM, 7:00 PM, 7:30 PM, 8:00 PM, 8:30 PM, 9:00 PM, and 9:30 PM JST
- These times include various projection mapping content.
- “The Courier Running Through Time” will only be shown on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays
Screening Schedule for “The Courier Running Through Time”:
- First Screening Date: Saturday, April 5th.
- Screening Times: Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays at 7:30 PM and 9:00 PM Japan Standard Time (JST)

Source: PR Times