What Is HITOHATA, INC.? Company Profile, Works and Awards of the Studio Behind the Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition and Castle Projection Mapping

*HITOHATA, INC., the company featured in this article, is an affiliate of HITOHATA ASSOCIATION, the general incorporated association that operates TOKYO ART SPHERE. Please also see “A note from the publisher” at the end of this article.

HITOHATA, INC. (株式会社一旗) is a digital creative company founded on July 1, 2019. Headquartered in Nagoya, it also has offices in Tokyo, Osaka and Milan, Italy. The company plans and produces projection mapping, immersive art museums, immersive shows and digital art installations, and stages its own IP, the Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition (動き出す浮世絵展) and the YOKAI Immersive Experience Exhibition (動き出す妖怪展), in Japan and abroad.

According to its official website, the company has produced more than 80 events and projects in Japan and overseas, drawing more than 2 million visitors in total, across 7 countries and regions and more than 30 cities (as of August 2026; standalone events organized or commissioned since 2020, excluding combined events and display installations). Based on the company profile, history and event information on its official website, this article sums up its business, major works, awards and 2026–2027 schedule.

*Disclosure: HITOHATA, INC., featured in this article, is an affiliate of HITOHATA ASSOCIATION, the general incorporated association that operates TOKYO ART SPHERE (About us).

Company profile

Company name: HITOHATA, INC. (株式会社一旗)
Founded: July 1, 2019
Representative Director: Takeaki Higashiyama (東山武明)
Capital: 59.71 million yen
Head office: Nagoya Head Office (Nagono Campus 3F, 2-14-1 Nagono, Nishi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi)
Offices: Tokyo Office (Yurakucho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo), Osaka Office (Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka), Milano Office (HITOHATA MILANO S.R.L., Milan, Italy)
Affiliates: HITOHATA MILANO S.R.L.; HITOHATA ASSOCIATION (一般社団法人一旗社)
Certification: Certified by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as a company eligible for policy-purpose negotiated contracts, as a startup providing projection mapping that uses cultural tourism resources (until March 31, 2027)
Official website: https://www.hitohata.jp/

Business: from projection mapping to touring exhibitions of its own IP

The main business lines listed on the official website are as follows.

• Planning, production, system design, installation and operation of projection mapping

• Planning, production, system design, installation and operation of immersive art museums, plus merchandise planning and sales

• Planning, production, system design, installation and operation of immersive shows and digital art installations

• Planning and production of visual content and AR/VR/metaverse content

• Planning, production and operation of tourism content; spatial design and consulting for facilities

• Cultural tourism and nighttime economy projects using cultural properties, historic buildings and urban landmarks

• Licensing, touring exhibitions, permanent museum operation and overseas expansion of its own IP (the Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition and the YOKAI Immersive Experience Exhibition)

The website says the company builds systems tailored to each venue and creative intent by combining more than 50 high-brightness projectors with lenses, media players and audio equipment. Its list of clients includes government bodies such as the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Japan Tourism Agency, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Aichi, Gifu and Kagawa prefectures, the cities of Nagoya, Osaka and Matsumoto, and the Macao Government Tourism Office, as well as companies and organizations such as NYK Cruises, Seiko Epson, Panasonic Connect and Sensoji Temple.

Major works (1): projection mapping on castles, temples and government buildings

Many of HITOHATA’s works use buildings that represent their regions, such as castles, temples, government buildings and Important Cultural Properties, as their screens.

• National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Keep Projection Mapping (Matsumoto, Nagano): The 2023–2024 edition was co-produced with Epson Sales Japan and Seiko Epson and drew more than 150,000 visitors. The company also produced the 2025–2026 edition.

• Tsurugajo Projection Mapping (Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima): Following October 2025, the 2026 edition runs November 20–22. See our article on Tsurugajo Projection Mapping 2026.

• Hiroshima Castle Yoimeguri 2026 (Hiroshima): The first projection mapping ever on the keep of Hiroshima Castle, from December 18, 2026 to January 11, 2027. See our article on Hiroshima Castle Yoimeguri 2026.

• ASAKUSA CULTURE & LIGHTS (Taito City, Tokyo): The 2025 edition, projected onto Sensoji’s Hozomon Gate, five-story pagoda and the Nitenmon Gate, an Important Cultural Property, won the Excellence Prize of the Projection Mapping Tokyo Award. The 2026 edition is covered in our article on ASAKUSA CULTURE & LIGHTS 2026.

• OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance: Osaka City Central Public Hall Projection Mapping (Osaka): Following 2025, the 2026 edition is scheduled for December 11–25. See our article on the Osaka City Central Public Hall projection mapping 2026.

• TOKYO Night & Light “City of Water: Edo Outer Moat” (Shinjuku City, Tokyo): A long-run show since November 2025 in the projection mapping on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building, which is certified by Guinness World Records. It is explained together with the Edo Castle outer moat projection mapping in our article on “City of Water: Edo Outer Moat” and the Sotobori Purification Project.

• AICHI NAGOYA ART & LIGHTS (Nagoya): Projected onto the main buildings of the Aichi Prefectural Government and Nagoya City Hall from September 17 to October 24, 2026.

The company has also produced projection mapping at Toyama Castle for Ethics Lights 2025 (エシックスライツ2025), at Anabuki Arena Kagawa and at Tennoz Canal East. Overseas, it projected onto the Palazzo Pubblico in the World Heritage “Historic Centre of San Marino and Mount Titano” in the Republic of San Marino in 2022, and onto the Macao Science Center for Light Up Macao 2024 in Macao in 2024.

Major works (2): the Ukiyoe and YOKAI immersive exhibitions and immersive shows

The company’s own Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition began with the NAGOYA exhibition in July 2023 (more than 80,000 visitors), and in 2024 it opened “Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition MILANO” in Italy. It has since toured Japan and abroad, including Taipei, Kaohsiung and Paris, and “Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition GIFU” has been open at the Gifu City Museum of History since November 6, 2026. A permanent venue, “Ukiyoe Immersive Art Museum GINZA,” is scheduled to open in Ginza, Tokyo, in spring 2027. The venues and dates are listed in our article on the history of the Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition.

The YOKAI Immersive Experience Exhibition drew more than 120,000 visitors in Nagoya in 2025 and more than 110,000 in Tokyo (Terrada Warehouse G1 Building) in 2026, and won a 2026 Good Design Award (our article on the Good Design Award). For the Utagawa Kuniyoshi exhibitions at the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art (2025) and the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art (2026), the company produced “KUNIYOSHI IMMERSIVE ART.”

In immersive shows, four works, including “KAGUYA” and “MYSTERIO,” have been running since July 2025 aboard NYK Cruises’ cruise ship Asuka III (our article on the immersive theater aboard Asuka III). In February 2026, it staged “MAI: The Immersive Nihon Buyo,” a special performance with the Senju Buyodan dance company (扇寿舞踊団), in Osaka.

History (key milestones)

• July 2019: HITOHATA, INC. founded (Nagoya)

• February 2020: Produced its first visual content, “DRONE×NINJA DAIJUJI” (Okazaki, Aichi)

• November 2020: Produced its first projection mapping, “Sakuranoshiro Bridge × Rally Japan Projection Mapping” (Okazaki)

• July 2021: Founded HITOHATA ASSOCIATION, a non-profit affiliate that promotes culture and the arts

• July 2022: Produced its first projection mapping overseas, in the Republic of San Marino

• November 2022: Produced the Okazaki Digital Art Night Festival, an official program of the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Japan Cultural Expo

• July 2023: Produced its first immersive art museum, the Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition NAGOYA

• September 2023: Produced its first immersive show overseas, in New York (a reception promoting travel to Japan held by the Japan Tourism Agency as a side event of the UN General Assembly)

• October 2023: Won the 32nd UPGRADE with TOKYO pitch event organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (with a projection mapping proposal for the national historic site of the Edo Castle outer moat)

• December 2023: Produced the National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Keep Projection Mapping 2023–2024

• April 2024: Produced its first immersive art museum overseas, the Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition MILANO

• July 2024: Opened HITOHATA MILANO S.R.L. in Milan

• August 2024: Certified by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as a company eligible for policy-purpose negotiated contracts

• December 2024: Produced the Macao Science Center projection mapping for Light Up Macao 2024

• July 2025: Produced the Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition TAIPEI, the YOKAI Immersive Experience Exhibition NAGOYA and the immersive shows aboard Asuka III

• November 2025: Produced TOKYO Night & Light “City of Water: Edo Outer Moat”

• December 2025: Produced ASAKUSA CULTURE & LIGHTS 2025 and OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance 2025: Osaka City Central Public Hall wall projection mapping

• March 2026: Produced the Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition PARIS

Awards

• 2026 Good Design Award (Japan Institute of Design Promotion, October 2026): YOKAI Immersive Experience Exhibition

• MUSE Creative Awards 2026, Platinum (IAA, September 2026): Asuka III “KAGUYA” and “MYSTERIO”

• MUSE Creative Awards 2026, Gold (IAA, May 2026): Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition, YOKAI Immersive Experience Exhibition, ASAKUSA CULTURE & LIGHTS 2025

• Projection Mapping Tokyo Award, Excellence Prize (Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau, March 2026): ASAKUSA CULTURE & LIGHTS 2025

• CJPF Award 2025, Project Division, Excellence Prize (Cool Japan Public-Private Partnership Platform, March 2025): Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition

• UPGRADE with TOKYO, 32nd, winner (Tokyo Metropolitan Government, October 2023): projection mapping for the national historic site of the Edo Castle outer moat

• Cool Japan Contest 2020, Video Division, Encouragement Prize (Cabinet Office and KADOKAWA, July 2021) and Drone Movie Contest 2020, Judges’ Special Prize (March 2020): DRONE×NINJA DAIJUJI

2026–2027 schedule

As of November 9, the events listed as ongoing or upcoming on the company’s official website are as follows.

• Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition GIFU: Until Monday, January 11, 2027 (national holiday), Gifu City Museum of History (Gifu)

• Tsurugajo Projection Mapping 2026: Friday, November 20 to Sunday, November 22, Tsuruga-jo Castle Park (Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima)

• OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance 2026: Osaka City Central Public Hall Projection Mapping: Friday, December 11 to Friday, December 25, Osaka City Central Public Hall (Osaka)

• Hiroshima Castle Yoimeguri 2026: Friday, December 18 to Monday, January 11, 2027 (national holiday), Hiroshima Castle (Hiroshima)

• Gifu Light Story 2027: Saturday, January 30 to Sunday, February 28, 2027, Gifu Park and Shohoji Temple (Gifu)

• Ukiyoe Immersive Art Museum GINZA: Scheduled to open in spring 2027 (details to be announced)

• Long runs: TOKYO Night & Light “City of Water: Edo Outer Moat” (Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building, weekends and holidays) and four works aboard Asuka III

Dates, times and admission for the winter events can be compared in our list of 2026–2027 winter projection mapping and the Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition GIFU.

Editor’s view

Looking across HITOHATA’s work, two pillars emerge: projection mapping staged on buildings that are the face of their regions, such as castles, temples and government buildings, and immersive exhibitions of its own IP based on ukiyo-e and yokai paintings. The former is tied to cultural tourism and nighttime tourism policies of local governments and tourism organizations, while the latter has grown into exhibitions touring Japan and abroad.

The permanent venue planned for Ginza in spring 2027 will be an attempt to root IP developed through touring exhibitions in a single place. How to choose a projection mapping company, and the features of each, are also covered in our article on projection mapping production companies.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of company is HITOHATA, INC.?

It is a digital creative company founded on July 1, 2019, and headquartered in Nagoya. It plans and produces projection mapping, immersive art museums and immersive shows. Its Representative Director is Takeaki Higashiyama.

Who produces the Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition?

It is an exhibition of HITOHATA, INC.’s own IP, produced by the company. Starting with the Nagoya exhibition in July 2023, it has been held in Japan and abroad, including Milan, Taipei, Kaohsiung and Paris. A permanent venue, “Ukiyoe Immersive Art Museum GINZA,” is scheduled to open in Ginza, Tokyo, in spring 2027.

Which castle projection mapping shows has HITOHATA produced?

They include the keep of Matsumoto Castle, a National Treasure (Matsumoto, Nagano), Tsurugajo (Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima) and Toyama Castle (Ethics Lights 2025). From December 18, 2026, it will stage Hiroshima Castle Yoimeguri 2026, the first projection mapping ever on the keep of Hiroshima Castle.

How can I consult the company about a project?

Inquiries are accepted through the contact form on HITOHATA, INC.’s official website, including inquiries from local governments and public projects.

*Information as of November 9, 2026. Please check HITOHATA, INC.’s official website for the latest information.

The system that lets local governments procure from certified businesses through negotiated contracts without bidding is explained in our article on policy-purpose negotiated contracts.

The roles involved in projection mapping and HITOHATA, INC.’s open positions (including staff for “Ukiyoe Immersive Art Museum GINZA”) are introduced in our article on jobs and team structure in projection mapping.

*Top image: Ukiyoe Immersive Art Exhibition PARIS (from a press release by HITOHATA, INC.)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on HITOHATA, INC.’s official website (company profile, history and event information, accessed November 9, 2026) and Tokyo Metropolitan Government announcements.

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team

A note from the publisher

*Disclosure: HITOHATA, INC., featured in this article, is 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 and immersive exhibitions are accepted through the company’s contact form, including inquiries from local governments and public projects.