As part of its “IS JAPAN COOL?” initiative, Japan’s largest airline ANA shines the spotlight on art-based tourism in Japan. Visitors can now experience the world of Japanese contemporary art before even stepping foot into the country, made possible through ANA’s “IJC Museum”, a virtual art gallery that can be accessed via the “IS JAPAN COOL?” website.
Combining Japan’s renowned art and technology, the IJC museum brings visitors through a virtual visual feast, bringing to life art created by world-renowned Japanese contemporary artists in order to highlight Japan’s unique arts scene. An experimental project, the museum uses cutting-edge technological innovations to re-create artwork in a virtual space.
ANA developed the IJC Museum in response to the government’s Japan Tourism Agency report on spending trends among international tourists visiting Japan during the period of October-December 2015. The report indicated that “museums and art galleries” were listed number 12 on a list of experiences visitors hoped to enjoy during their trip to Japan, behind more mainstream activities such as enjoying “Japanese food”, “Japanese hot springs”, “shopping”, “natural scenery/ rice-field scenery” and “traditional scenery and historical sites”, hinting at room to grow the art tourism market.
The IJC Museum’s collection features some of the best works from seven of Japan’s leading artists (Yayoi Kusama, Tenmyouya Hisashi, Nerhol, Tabaimo, Taku Obata, Kohei Nawa, and Manabu Ikeda). The pieces on show include major three-dimensional works on display in Japan for the first time and some rarely-seen installations that are difficult to re-create elsewhere, as the museum utilizes virtual reality techniques to display a perspective that is impossible to showcase in a more traditional setting.
The IJC Museum can be accessed from the “Is Japan Cool?” website at https://www.ana-cooljapan.com/contents/art/
