Aug. 2-Aug. 28
The game kimodameshi can be a scary way to chill your bones on a hot summer night. It involves daring a friend to venture into a supposedly haunted place and return with some kind of souvenir to prove their courage.
The Ota Memorial Museum of Art challenges visitors to play kimodameshi with a collection of spooky ukiyo-e prints depicting spirits, monsters and ghouls. During the Edo Period (1603-1868) traditional ghost and monster tales were popular themes for kabuki plays and novels, which were often depicted by ukiyo-e artists in detailed prints. One of the highlights of this show is a Kuniyoshi Utagawa print of a scene from the famous 1825 Tsuruya Nanboku IV kabuki play "Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan," a horror story of betrayal, murder and a vengeful ghost.
Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art; 1-10-10 Jingumae Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Harajuku Stn. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. ¥700. Closed Mon. 03-5777-8600; www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp
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