J-Pop Stars Energize Tokyo’s Massive Projection Mapping Show at Gov Building

A meteoric J-pop duo with a huge global following has pitched in to boost the world’s largest projection mapping show and help illuminate midsummer nights in Tokyo. YOASOBI, consisting of female vocalist Ikura, 23, and male singer-songwriter Ayase, 30, has contributed a newly composed song “Butai ni Tatte (Standing on the Stage).” This up-tempo vocal and instrumental artwork debuted on the TOKYO Night & Light program on July 26.

The nightly show uses the exterior of the 243-meter-tall Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) No. 1 Building as its screen. Alongside YOASOBI’s projection, three other artworks by internationally acclaimed artists joined the lineup that weekend. YOASOBI’s contribution is especially significant as the song has been adopted by Japan’s public broadcasting corporation NHK as a theme song for its sports programs. The timing of its first showcase coincided with the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, making it a fitting tribute to athletes preparing for competition.

On the first screening night, a horde of spectators gathered at the Citizens’ Plaza at the foot of the 48-story building located in Shinjuku, a well-known business and entertainment hub. They watched animated silhouettes of runners and other athletes coming to life on the massive wall, creating a vibrant and dynamic display.

The Night & Light project aligns with TMG’s goal of establishing a “new tourism resource to color Tokyo’s nightlife.” Since its launch on February 25, the show has attracted 280,000 visitors in just five months. The projection covers an area of 127 meters by 110 meters and has earned the Guinness World Records™ certification for the “largest architectural projection-mapped display (permanent).”

Screened every half hour between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., the program strings together several projections for a total of 15 minutes. On weekends and holidays, the series showcases popular figures such as the world-renowned Japanese movie monster Godzilla and displays inspired by traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e paintings. “Standing on the Stage,” which is 3.5 minutes long, will feature nightly in the lineup for the foreseeable future.

YOASOBI, which means “night out,” has become a global sensation in just five years since its debut. Their hit song “Idol,” which served as the theme for the TV animation “Oshi no Ko,” became the first Japanese song to top Billboard’s Global (excluding U.S.) chart in June of last year. It has also been acknowledged as the best popular song in Japan in terms of royalties for the year ending in March 2024.

Source: Tokyo Night & Light PR Office