Press Release: Experimental Exhibition of "Sea of Time - TOHOKU," a Collaborative Work by Tatsuo Miyajima and 3,000 People with a Fondness for Tohoku – To be Held in July at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall in Tokyo

Image: ©ATTA - Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects

The "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" Project Executive Committee and the Fukushima Tomioka Cultural Foundation will conduct a public demonstration experiment of the artwork "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" over four days: Saturday, July 4; Sunday, July 5; Saturday, July 11; and Sunday, July 12, 2026, at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall in Chuo-ku, Tokyo.
This event is a public verification process of the final stage, aiming for the permanent exhibition of the artwork at the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum" planned for construction in Tomioka Town, Fukushima Prefecture, offering an opportunity to experience the artwork in conditions closest to its actual exhibition.

The "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" Project is an art project initiated by contemporary artist Tatsuo Miyajima in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake, with the hope of commemorating the victims, passing on the memory of the disaster, and building a future together, in collaboration with people who have a strong connection to Tohoku. The artwork "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" is formed by the accumulation of "time" and "thoughts" from 3,000 participants, each setting their own time with great care on an LED counter gadget that counts down from 9 to 1, symbolizing the eternal nature of life. The completed artwork will be permanently installed in the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum" and will continue to shine as a sea of light connecting people's memories and prayers to the future.

"Sea of Time - TOHOKU" Project Official Website

This demonstration experiment is the first attempt to verify crucial processes directly related to the completion of the artwork and museum construction, such as the "balance between LED light density and space," "impact of external light on artwork viewing," and "viewing flow and safety in a dark environment," under conditions close to the actual museum experience.

The event aims to provide an opportunity for visitors to learn about the latest information on the artwork production and museum architectural design, as well as to participate as financial supporters (Support Artists) of this project.
Furthermore, all admission fees from visitors to this exhibition will be allocated to the preparations for the establishment of the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum." By participating in this exhibition, you can contribute to the establishment of the museum.

Event Overview

"Sea of Time - TOHOKU" Project "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" Public Demonstration Experiment

Dates

Venue

Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall 
COREDO Muromachi 1 5F (Entrance 4F), 2-2-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Google Map　https://maps.app.goo.gl/6WyqjCW7iWMgQEGq8

Capacity

50 people per session (advance reservation required)

Admission Fee

1,800 yen (tax included)
※Admission fees will be carefully used for the preparation and establishment of the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum."

Details and Participation

Please make a reservation via the link below.
URL：https://artsticker.app/events/134248
※Reservations open on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 10:00 AM
※Members of the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum" Supporters' Association and those registered for the "Sea of Time - Tohoku" Project Newsletter will receive information about "priority reservations" before general reservations open. Please register for this opportunity.
※Personal information collected will be strictly managed and used only for the operation and 안내 of this project.
※Contents may be subject to change.

Organizers: "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" Project Executive Committee, Fukushima Tomioka Cultural Foundation

Sponsor: Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

Supported by: Tomioka Town

About the artwork "Sea of Time - TOHOKU"

3,000 LED counter gadgets, each filled with the thoughts of 3,000 people, glow within a 22.5 x 40m water basin. This scene evokes the gently lapping waves of the Tohoku sea.

Tatsuo Miyajima | "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" Concept Drawing | 2024

Tatsuo Miyajima | "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" [Detail] | 2020 | Photo: Nobutada Omote

About the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum" Architecture

The planned site for the museum is on a hill overlooking the sea in Tomioka Town, Fukushima Prefecture. The vast land, spanning 36,744 square meters (approximately five soccer fields), boasts a rich natural environment where mountains and the sea meet, and a beautiful soundscape where the sound of waves gradually becomes audible as one moves from the entrance towards the sea. This location is situated between the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant. In such a place, this museum is also an attempt to create a new cultural space open to the future, while confronting the memories and history etched into this land.

The museum's design is by architect Tsuyoshi Tane (ATTA - Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects), who advocates the concept of "Archaeology of the Future," creating architecture from the memories of places. The circular building, gently embraced by the earth, quietly responds to the surrounding topography, integrating with nature to create a space where silence, sound, and art resonate. There, people can gaze at the horizon, engage with the artwork, and quietly deepen their thoughts on life, time, memory, and the future. This museum is not merely a vessel for exhibiting artworks. It aims to be a "living cultural hub" where people living in Tohoku, and those who have a deep connection to it, can always return; a place to reconnect with the experiences and various memories of Fukushima and Tohoku; and a place where intergenerational dialogue and new hope are nurtured.]

"Sea of Time Tohoku Museum" Architectural Exterior (Bird's-eye View) Image
©Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects

"Sea of Time Tohoku Museum" Architectural Exterior (Near Entrance) Image
©Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects

Name: Sea of Time Tohoku Museum
Location: Tomioka Town, Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture
Land Area: 36,744㎡
Design: ATTA - Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects
Completion: 2029 (planned)

About the Museum Logo

The visual identity (VI) plan for the museum is handled by graphic designer Rikako Nagashima (village®), who excels at translating concepts and philosophies into visual information. The logo design, which will be the face of the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum," has now been completed. It embodies the image of the emerging artwork and architectural space, and the sea and sky of Fukushima spreading beyond it. Different fonts, different textures, and the boundaries that appear between them. To be with people of different values, and to create together. This logo embodies the museum's aim to be a place that can accept various ideas and continuously foster dialogue.

Design: Rikako Nagashima (village®)

Logo Concept

The "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum," born from the desire to mourn the victims of 3.11, to pass on the memories of the disaster, and to create a future together, is also a place where people of different thoughts, opinions, backgrounds, and positions meet.
There are various opinions and situations: those who experienced the disaster and those who didn't, those who lost loved ones or homes and those who didn't, those who know about Fukushima's situation and those who don't, those who are against nuclear power and those who are for it, those who live here and those who don't. Between these two kinds of people, there are many gradations, creating a complex landscape.
The logo, as a place where diverse people look at the same sea and ponder their own thoughts, places different elements—Gothic/Mincho fonts, Japanese/English—side by side at the same size.
The blank straight line that appears between the characters is like the horizon connecting the sky and the sea.
It is our hope that different elements exist here with the sea, connecting both like a horizon and becoming a place that permeates.

Rikako Nagashima

About Financial Supporters (Support Artists)

The production costs for the "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" project, operational expenses, and museum construction costs are funded by Tatsuo Miyajima's personal funds and donations from those who support and agree with this project. The project continues its fundraising activities with a target of 2 billion yen for museum construction. However, there is still a significant funding gap for the museum's realization. The "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" project is seeking financial supporters (Support Artists) to ensure that the artwork "Sea of Time - TOHOKU," created with 3,000 participants, and the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum" can be passed on to the future.
Each individual's involvement will help shape the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum."

Construction Cost for "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum": 2 Billion Yen

1. Construction cost for the museum to display and preserve the artwork
2. Construction cost for message rooms to encounter the thoughts of 3,000 participants
3. Construction cost for a community center and cafe building as a hub for interaction with local residents and visitors

Donation site URL: https://donation.seaoftime.org/products/support-the-project

"Support Artist Certificates" issued to financial supporters

List of Support Artists displayed at "Art Fair Tokyo 20"

Related Event: Talk Event (July 5)

The Future Landscape Unveiled by the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum"

A talk event will be held featuring Tatsuo Miyajima (contemporary artist), Tsuyoshi Tane (architect), and Rikako Nagashima (graphic designer), who are central to the "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" project. From the perspectives of art, architecture, and visual design, they will discuss the latest museum architectural design and the newly announced logo design for the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum," as well as the current status of the "Sea of Time - TOHOKU" project and the future it aims for.

Event Outline

Date: Sunday, July 5, 2026, 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM (Doors open: 1:00 PM)

Venue: Tokyo Midtown Yaesu Conference Event Space
Yaesu Central Tower 5F, Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, 2-2-1 Yaesu, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Google Map https://maps.app.goo.gl/Nbka6ABaPwH2AXkPA

Capacity: 80 people (advance reservation required)

Fee:
Talk + Exhibition viewing: 2,500 yen (tax included)
Talk only: 1,000 yen (tax included)
※Admission fees will be carefully utilized for the preparation and establishment of the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum."

Details and Participation:

Please make a reservation via the link below.
URL: https://artsticker.app/events/134248

※General reservations open on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 10:00 AM
※Members of the "Sea of Time Tohoku Museum" Supporters' Association and those registered for the "Sea of Time - Tohoku" Project Newsletter will receive information about "priority reservations" before general reservations open. Please register for this opportunity.
※Personal information collected will be strictly managed and used only for the operation and 안내 of this project.
※Contents may be subject to change.

Speakers: Tatsuo Miyajima, Tsuyoshi Tane, Rikako Nagashima