The ideas behind Japan’s unique “inconvenient art” movement defy conventional wisdom about how people consume art and culture. I recently wrote and spoke about the phenomenon, in the pages of The Japan Times and on the Deep Dive from The Japan Times podcast.
Far from any major city or shinkansen stop, usually nestled in nature and remote towns, these artworks and events are hard to access by design. Fram Kitagawa, one of the movement’s founding figures, wrote in his 2015 book “Hiraku Bijutsu” (“Open Art”) that he wanted people to experience “the charm of inefficient and sweaty art exhibitions.”
Melting under the summer sun, or buried in meters of snow, or at risk of being blown away at the edge of the sea, here are some of the best-known inconvenient art sites and events in Japan. To navigate them, check bus and ferry schedules ahead of time. You may need to catch a free shuttle or book a rental car. You will likely sweat.