Shibuya’s reputation as a pop culture hub is long established, and this ever-vibrant Tokyo district is also fast becoming a focal point for the tech sphere: witness Google’s towering Japan HQ, surrounded by some of the city’s most futuristic architecture. Dig Shibuya 2024, a brand new event held over three days across key Shibuya venues and public spaces, promises a unique cultural experience that fuses the area’s artistic and hi-tech creative energy.
Locations including music venue Spotify O-East, the Shibuya Koen-dori area and various gallery spaces become a dynamic stage for performances, interactive installations, and other activities hosted by creators including Dig Shibuya headliner FriendsWithYou. This US-Cuban duo is hugely popular for innocent, irrepressibly optimistic works that resemble characters from a kids’ computer game rendered IRL and on a giant scale.
The festival will kick off on January 12, when Spotify O-East will be hosting five and a half hours’ worth of talks and performances. First up will be FriendsWithYou and the Nanzuka gallery’s Shinji Nanzuka at 2.15pm, followed by discussions on everything from the impact of AI on self-expression to treating the city as a canvas. Tickets for the opening session are available via Peatix.
At midnight on all three days, Dig Shibuya is taking over all the digital billboards around Shibuya Crossing for an entire hour, screening works by over 30 artists including Asako Fujikura and Yoshirotten. And on January 13, don't miss the FriendsWithYou characters parading along Koen-dori between 12noon and 3pm. Here you can dance together with the Happy Dancing Rainbow Alliance in a performance intended to spread good vibes across the globe.
As for the exhibitions, 13 organisations are scheduled to showcase their works at a dozen or so locations. You can even participate in an NFT stamp rally by collecting QR codes.