Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale

When Nature and Art Become One ♡ A Visit to the Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, MonET Nestled in Honcho 6, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, the Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, MonET, is not your average art museum. I recently had the chance to visit this absolutely unique—and dare I say, magical—museum. It’s called "MonET," and yes, it’s just as stylish and dreamy as the name sounds. What makes MonET so special is how art and nature blend seamlessly here. The building itself is designed to reflect the surrounding landscape, with changing seasonal views that become part of ...

One of Japan’s Top 3 Gorges Turned Into an Art Tunnel?! My Mind-Blowing Trip to Kiyotsu Gorge Travel Date: June 2022 (Cloudy skies, but the vibes? 100 out of 10!) My destination this time was Kiyotsu Gorge, located in Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture. It’s one of Japan’s “Three Great Gorges” along with Kurobe and Osugidani, and it’s known for its towering rock walls with stunning columnar joints that’ll leave you breathless. But wait—this isn’t just a beautiful nature spot. That’s where the real twist begins. Back in 2018, during the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, the entire tunnel running through Kiyotsu Gorge ...

The Last Classroom: A Hauntingly Beautiful Art Installation in an Abandoned Japanese Schoolhouse Trip Date: June 2022 (Sunny and warm—just like the art) "Is this a horror-themed exhibit?" I wondered— But what I found was not fear, but nostalgia and a gentle ache in my heart. Located in Tokamachi, Niigata, The Last Classroom is a full-scale art installation housed in an abandoned elementary school. “Is someone still here?” I whispered at the entrance. Dim hallways, old desks lined up, chalk-covered blackboards… It felt like time had stopped—and in a way, it had. The space was like a frozen memory from ...