SPECIAL
There Is a Spring That I Want to Show You— Understanding the Japanese Through Tanka:Special Lecture by Peter MacMillan
As a special event held in conjunction with the “The Landscape of Emotion — In Tanka Poems and Illustration” currently on view on the third floor of the Kadokawa Culture Museum, we are pleased to present a lecture by Peter MacMillan, an Irish translator and poet who translated the tanka featured in the exhibition. Having translated a wide range of Japanese waka and tanka, from classical poetry to the present day, Mr. MacMillan will explore the richness of Japanese expression. From the perspective of a non-native speaker, he will offer insights into the emotions embedded in tanka and the nuances of phrasing unique to the Japanese language. This lecture is especially recommended for those interested in the Japanese language and emotional expression, including international participants.
- Speaker
- Peter MacMillan
- Date
-
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Opening：13:10
Lecture：13:30 ~ 15:00(90 minutes)
- Language
- Japanese / English
- Venue
- Tokorozawa Sakura Town Japan Pavillion Hall B
- Learn More & Register >
- https://petermacmillanlecture.peatix.com/view
Thank You Social Media Campaign
Starting Saturday, March 14
Thank you for the warm reception of “The Landscape of Emotion — In Tanka Poems andIllustrations.”
To show our appreciation, we are launching a social media posting campaign.
Post a photo taken at the venue on social media with the hashtag #kanjyoten, and receive an original postcard.
This limited-edition postcard is available only through this campaign.
- Please show your post to the venue staff to receive your postcard.
- Limited quantities available, while supplies last.
Mika Pikazo × Hiro Sakakibara Talk Event
& Signing Session with Mika Pikazo
As a special programme associated with Landscape of Emotion, a talk event and signing session will take place at Japan Pavilion Hall B, Tokorozawa Sakura Town, featuring illustrator and exhibition creative director Mika Pikazo.
The talk event will include a special conversation with tanka poet Hiro Sakakibara, who also participates in the exhibition. The session will be moderated by Torako, producer of the art book VISIONS, offering audiences an in-depth discussion from multiple creative perspectives. Consecutive Japanese–English interpretation will be provided throughout the event, allowing a wide audience to enjoy the programme.
-
Mika PikazoIllustrator, Art Director
Born in Tokyo in 1993. After graduating high school, she moved to Brazil for two and a half years, pursuing interests in film technology, design, and music.
Upon returning to Japan, she began her career as an illustrator, later expanding into character design and animation production (from 2022).
She has held numerous solo exhibitions since 2019, attracting a total of over 110,000 visitors (as of May 2025). -
Sakakibara HiroTanka Poet
Born in Aichi Prefecture in 1992. Currently lives in Nara Prefecture.
Winner of the 2nd Hiroyuki Sasai Prize (First Prize) and runner-up for the 31st Kadan Prize.
Poetry collections include "Akuyu" and "koro" (runner-up for the 1st Teika Prize).
Author of the introductory guide "Oshi Tanka Nyumon". Member of the tanka group Saihyousen.
- Date and Time：
- Saturday, 28 March 2026, 14:00–16:00 (scheduled)
- Venue：
- Japan Pavilion Hall B, Tokorozawa Sakura Town
- Programme
Schedule： -
14:00–15:00 Talk Session
Speakers: Mika Pikazo, Hiro Sakakibara, Torako15:00–16:00 Mika Pikazo Signing Session - How to
Participate： -
The event is open to participants of the official exhibition tour (Application deadline: 8 February) .
A limited number of places are also available through
a lottery for visitors who purchase the exhibition catalogue at the venue.
Landscape of Emotion Official Tour
(Application deadline: 8 February)
An official tour accompanies Landscape of Emotion, combining exhibition admission, accommodation, original merchandise, and access to the talk event and signing session on 28 March.
Tour participants receive priority seating in the front section of the venue (up to the fifth row) for the talk event and signing session.
Full tour details and booking information are available at the link below.
Application deadline: 8 February. The tour is organized by Kinki Nippon Tourist.
Azumagawa Tanka Walking Road:
A Collaborative Project Linked to Landscape of Emotion
Developed in cooperation with Tokorozawa City, the Azumagawa Tanka Walking Road presents tanka poetry along a scenic stretch of the Azumagawa River, an area widely known for its cherry blossoms.
Spanning approximately six kilometres, the route features tanka poems displayed at 15 locations, using existing waymarkers from established walking paths. Poetry appears gradually along the walk, encouraging visitors to engage with the landscape at a relaxed pace.
The selection includes works by poets closely associated with Tokorozawa, including Mikajima Yoshiko and Wakayama Bokusui, alongside tanka by modern poets recognised for their expressive emotional depth. Contemporary tanka poets participating in Landscape of Emotion, as well as poets connected to the Tokorozawa area, respond to these modern works with new interpretations, including response poems, which are presented together along the route.
By experiencing the poetry alongside Tokorozawa’s natural scenery, visitors are invited to explore the enduring appeal of tanka through works by modern-era poets and new responses by poets participating in Landscape of Emotion.
Exhibition Tie-in Project:
Announcing the Contest Winners!
Alongside The Landscape of Emotion — In Tanka Poems and Illustration exhibition, we held an illustration and tanka contest on the creative platform pixiv, where users share illustrations, manga and novels.
We invited participants to submit illustrations inspired by tanka written by renowned early modern poets such as Akiko Yosano, as well as tanka inspired by illustrations created by four leading contemporary illustrators. We were thrilled to receive more than 3,100 submissions.
(1) The Landscape of Emotion × pixiv: From Tanka to Illustration
Awards: 1 Grand Prize, 2 Excellence Awards, and additional Honorable Mentions 17
(2) The Landscape of Emotion × pixiv: From Illustration to Tanka
Awards: 1 Grand Prize, 2 Excellence Awards, and additional Honorable Mentions 25
Even if your arms
are blocked
by countless flowers
and can’t reach me
and you
blurring together—
I don’t like umbrellas,
so I plucked a flower
Still living in
the midst
of an awareness
of a love too late
