Projection Mapping at the Aichi Prefectural Government Office and Nagoya City Hall Ran Until October 24, Coloring Important Cultural Properties with Light

“AICHI NAGOYA ART & LIGHTS,” which colored the Aichi Prefectural Government Main Office Building and the Nagoya City Hall Main Building with light, ended its run on Saturday, October 24, 2026. It was held every day without a break from Thursday, September 17, from 18:30 to 21:00, free of charge with no advance registration required. The venues were the two Imperial Crown-style government buildings, both designated as national Important Cultural Properties. Images inspired by history and culture unique to “Aichi and Nagoya” were projected onto their west walls, alternating with light-ups.

Two government buildings that are Important Cultural Properties: the Imperial Crown-style prefectural office and city hall

The two buildings are both Imperial Crown-style architecture designated as national Important Cultural Properties. According to Aichi Prefecture, the prefectural government’s main building was completed in March 1938, while the neighboring Nagoya City Hall Main Building had been completed earlier, in 1933. Both were designated national Important Cultural Properties together in 2014. The prefectural building was deemed to meet two of the five criteria for designating buildings as Important Cultural Properties: “excellent in design” and “of high historical value.”

The prefectural building is a steel-framed reinforced concrete structure with six floors above ground, one basement level and a rooftop tower, standing 39.79 meters tall. The basic design was commissioned from architects Yoshitoki Nishimura and Jin Watanabe, and the prefecture’s Building Department Repair Section carried out the detailed design based on their proposals. Its design, with a castle-style roof on top, is in the Imperial Crown style, and because it stands within the outer moat of Nagoya Castle, care was reportedly taken to harmonize it with Nagoya Castle and the City Hall Main Building.

The exterior is faced with granite up to below the 2nd-floor windows, and above that, up to below the 6th-floor windows, with yellowish-brown tiles said to express Aichi’s standing as a ceramics-producing region. White porcelain tiles are used on the 6th-floor walls, evoking the white walls of a castle. Aichi Prefecture’s explanatory page calls the west side of the building “the front of the building,” so the projection surface was the front of the prefectural government’s main building.

The event was organized by the Aichi-Nagoya Urban Art & Light Executive Committee, with production by HITOHATA, INC., under the theme “AICHI・NAGOYA GRAND SPECTRUM: A City Co-Creating Its Appeal Where Diverse Lights Intersect.” On the opening day, Thursday, September 17, a lighting ceremony was held by Aichi Governor Omura and Nagoya Mayor Hirosawa.

Highlights: “wide area and tradition” for the prefectural office, “city, motion and innovation (future)” for city hall

Images were projected onto the west walls of both buildings. Their motifs were history and culture unique to “Aichi and Nagoya,” shown together with line animation that highlighted the buildings’ outlines.

Each building had its own theme: “wide area and tradition” for the Aichi Prefectural Government Main Office Building and “city, motion and innovation (future)” for the Nagoya City Hall Main Building, with the prefectural and city buildings depicting different subjects.

At each building, a program of about 10 minutes, consisting of a digital art projection (about 5 minutes) and a light-up (about 5 minutes), was looped. The FAQ on the official website put the total at 20 minutes for the two buildings.

Avoiding the crowds: viewing areas and photography rules

The official website said crowds were expected from around 18:30 to 19:30 and recommended visiting at other times. Viewing was from the viewing areas on the premises of the prefectural office and city hall, not from roads or sidewalks. Stopping on the sidewalk to watch or take photos was said to obstruct passersby.

There was no seating, and visitors watched standing (except wheelchair users). Areas for wheelchair and stroller users were also provided; visitors were asked to speak to staff. Pets and assistance dogs (guide dogs, service dogs and hearing dogs) were allowed.

Taking photos and videos for personal enjoyment was allowed, as was posting on social media. Visitors were asked to refrain from shooting with tripods, as this could inconvenience other visitors and obstruct passersby. The event was to be held in the rain but could be canceled in stormy weather.

There were no toilets at the venue, and smoking was prohibited throughout. Eating and drinking were allowed, but visitors were asked to take their trash home.

Access and parking

The nearest station was Nagoyajo Station on the Nagoya Municipal Subway Meijo Line. No parking was provided, so visitors were asked to use public transportation. Bicycles could be parked at the bicycle parking area on the premises of the Aichi Prefectural Government Office.

The Aichi Prefectural Government Main Office Building is located at 3-1-2 Sannomaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya, and the Nagoya City Hall Main Building at 3-1-1 Sannomaru.

Editor’s perspective

Another example of using a government building as a stage for light is “TOKYO Night & Light,” which projects images year-round onto the east wall of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1. What distinguished the Nagoya event was that it paired two neighboring government buildings that are Important Cultural Properties and gave the prefecture and the city different themes.

Alternating projection and light-up was another feature. The roughly five minutes of light-up illuminating the Imperial Crown-style exterior was also, in the case of the prefectural building, a time to look at the granite- and tile-clad facade itself. As nighttime light staging at cultural properties spreads across Japan, how to balance attention between the images and the architecture was one of the points of interest. The event ran until Saturday, October 24.

Overview

Name: AICHI NAGOYA ART & LIGHTS
Dates: Thursday, September 17 – Saturday, October 24, 2026 (no closing days)
Hours: 18:30–21:00
Venues: Aichi Prefectural Government Main Office Building and Nagoya City Hall Main Building (both west walls)
Addresses: Aichi Prefectural Government Main Office Building: 3-1-2 Sannomaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture / Nagoya City Hall Main Building: 3-1-1 Sannomaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
Admission: Free; no advance registration required
Organizer: Aichi-Nagoya Urban Art & Light Executive Committee
Production: HITOHATA, INC.
Official website: https://aichinagoyaartlights.com/
*Information as of October 19, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

*Top image: from a press release by HITOHATA, INC.

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on information on the official websites of the Aichi-Nagoya Urban Art & Light Executive Committee, HITOHATA, INC. and Aichi Prefecture (as of October 19, 2026).

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team

A note from the publisher

*Disclosure: “AICHI NAGOYA ART & LIGHTS” is an event produced by HITOHATA, INC., an affiliate of HITOHATA ASSOCIATION, the general incorporated association that operates TOKYO ART SPHERE (About us).

The latest information on events produced by HITOHATA, INC. is available at HITOHATA, INC.’s event information. Inquiries about planning projection mapping on cultural properties, government buildings and other urban buildings are accepted through the company’s contact form.