In conjunction with "ART FAIR TOKYO 20," held in Yurakucho — adjacent to both Hibiya and Yaesu — two special art programs are taking place at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya (Chiyoda-ku, Yurakucho) and Tokyo Midtown Yaesu (Chuo-ku, Yaesu): a video and photography exhibition, and a public talk event series.
Through their connection with ART FAIR TOKYO, the programs aim to raise cultural value within the neighborhoods. Tokyo Midtown Hibiya — known as a hub for film and theater culture with Hibiya Park nearby — focuses on creating art experiences beyond passive viewing. Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, Japan's gateway directly connected to Tokyo Station, creates opportunities for exchange through the fusion of business and art.
※ ART FAIR TOKYO is one of Japan's largest and Asia's longest-running art fair events. In 2025, it drew a total of 50,000 visitors and recorded ¥2.8 billion in sales.
Event Highlights
■ Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, 9F
① FILMS — a new video-art-focused program with non-syntax serving as Program Director. The program is structured around three layers: "Watch," "Learn," and "Buy," and includes accompanying talk and educational programming.
② Photo Exhibition — in cooperation with Amana Inc., featuring works by notable photographers including Daido Moriyama, the exhibition highlights the diversity and depth of photographic expression.
■ Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, 4F
③ Dialogue: ASK ART, WHY? — a talk event series organized by Art Tunes, Inc., which works to build infrastructure for the cultural arts. Practitioners from the forefront of the art world, specialists from adjacent fields, and experts from other disciplines gather for open dialogue centered on the question: "What is art?"
① FILMS — "Art and Film? The Future of Moving Images Beyond Definition"
FILMS is a special section of ART FAIR TOKYO that, together with curators, shines a spotlight on outstanding video artworks and the galleries that present them. It focuses on video works that have had limited exhibition opportunities, presenting their artistic merit and historical context. The program introduces the possibilities of video as a contemporary artistic expression and proposes new collecting perspectives and approaches for collectors.
Venue: Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, 9F Conference ROOM 6
Dates: March 12 (Thu) – March 19 (Thu), 11:00 AM–7:00 PM
Admission: Free
Program Details:
- Screenings of video works by approximately 10 artists
- On-site talk programs to strengthen the "Learn" component
- Interviews with video art stakeholders — including the director of Image Forum, a curator from e-flux, and a programmer from Asian Film Archive — scheduled for release on March 9 on the FILMS official site: FILMS
Program Director:
non-syntax is a platform founded in 2019 by Kim Qiuyu and Xu Junyi that explores the experimental possibilities of the image in the contemporary era. Based in Taipei and Tokyo, the platform rethinks the frameworks of existing media and genres, creating new spaces for creation and dialogue around moving images and visual culture.
https://www.instagram.com/non.syntax/
Talk Program:
A series of talk sessions featuring stakeholders from the moving image field is held at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, 9F. No advance registration required — note that seating is limited and entry may not be possible if capacity is reached.
Venue: Space in front of Conference ROOM 6, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, 9F
Moderator: Takashi Sawa (Curator, Programmer)
- 1:00 PM–1:50 PM — Hidenori Okada (Chief Researcher / Film Archivist, National Film Archive of Japan)
- 2:00 PM–2:50 PM — Hiroshi Kanetsuki (Exhibition engineer; has been involved in artwork installation, technical support, and maintenance since the 1990s)
- 3:00 PM–3:50 PM — Yusuke Shono (Editor, Designer; has published the annual "100 Video Artists" (BNN) for over 15 years, engaged in researching and disseminating information on video creativity)
- 4:00 PM–4:50 PM — Shinjiro Nishino (GASBON METABOLISM / Representative Director, Gas as Interface Co., Ltd.)
- 5:00 PM–5:50 PM — Shintaro Wada (Media Director; Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Film and New Media, Tokyo University of the Arts)
Organizer: A-to Tokyo Co., Ltd. / Supported by: Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.
② Photo Exhibition
This exhibition shines a light on the diversity and intensity of photographic expression — a medium that, like video, tends to receive limited attention in the art market — and celebrates the perspectives, thoughts, and techniques of artists working in the field. Visitors can deepen their appreciation of both photography and video, and discover new ways of relating to creative expression.
Venue: Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, 9F Sky Lobby
Dates: March 8 (Sun) – March 19 (Thu), 11:00 AM–7:00 PM
Admission: Free
Exhibiting Works:
- IMA gallery | Hiroshi Sugimoto, Ku Bong-Chang, Rinko Kawauchi, Terri Weifenbach
- AKIO NAGASAWA | Daido Moriyama, Tatsuo Miyajima
- PGI | Michiko Kon
Organizer: A-to Tokyo Co., Ltd. / Supported by: Amana Inc., Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.
③ Talk Event "Dialogue: ASK ART, WHY?"
Held during "ART FAIR TOKYO 20," this interactive public talk series reexamines the essence of art. Artists, art world professionals, critics, educators, and practitioners from various other disciplines gather to debate and discuss the fundamental question: "What is art?" Through cross-disciplinary dialogue, the event explores the multi-layered meaning and potential of art in contemporary society.
Venue: Tokyo Midtown Yaesu Conference, 4F Main Conference Room
Date: March 15 (Sun), 1:00 PM–8:00 PM (7 sessions planned)
Admission: Free
Scheduled Speakers:
- Hiroki Yamamoto (Cultural Anthropologist)
- Yasuhide Okabe (Executive Fellow, Japan Football Association)
- Atsuo Nakayama (Entertainment Sociologist / Member of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Entertainment Content Committee)
- Daito Manabe (Artist)
- Junya Komatsu (Lawyer / Collector)
- Kiichi Kitajima (CEO, Art Fair Tokyo)
Details on speakers and schedules will be announced on the ART FAIR TOKYO 20 official website and social media.
Organizer: A-to Tokyo Co., Ltd. / Planned and Operated by: Art Tunes, Inc. (https://art-tunes.art/ja) / Supported by: Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.
