Japanese Painter Shunryu Aoki’s “World Tour 2026” Opens in Ginza

Japanese-style painter Shunryu Aoki will hold the “Shunryu Aoki World Tour 2026,” an exhibition of Japanese-style paintings, at three venues in Tokyo, Italy, and France from September through November 2026.

Japanese Painting Exhibition Poster

At the first venue, Ginza, Tokyo, a solo exhibition is currently underway at “Gallery Ginza” from Tuesday, September 8, 2026, through Sunday, September 13, 2026.

The second venue is Pietrasanta, in the Tuscany region of Italy. The exhibition will be held at “Galleria Il Cesello” from Friday, October 30, 2026, to Sunday, November 1, 2026, and is sponsored by the City of Pietrasanta.

After that, the exhibition will move to its third venue in Juvisy-sur-Orge, near Paris, France, where works will be on display for two days—Saturday, November 7, and Sunday, November 8, 2026—at “Peniche Bali.”

From Tokyo to Italy, and then to France.

“From a place where Eastern and Western cultures converge, bringing the beauty and prayers of Japanese painting to the world.”

We will bring the world of “prayer”—which Shunryu Aoki has been depicting for many years—not only to Japan but also to Europe.

Weeping Cherry Blossoms

■ Depicting “Prayer”

At the heart of Haruryu Aoki’s artistic practice lies “prayer.”

While struggling with a nationally designated intractable disease and facing various hardships, he encountered Buddhist painting and has continued his work with a positive outlook.

The works born from this experience carry more than just the meaning of religious paintings; they embody

“never giving in to despair and moving forward,”

“the sanctity of life,”

“salvation,”

“world peace,”

“people’s health and happiness”

are all embodied in this work.

Through the traditional art form of Japanese painting, the goal is to convey “prayers” that can be shared across nationalities, languages, cultures, and religions. That is the central theme of this world tour.

Scene from the creation process while my dominant arm was fractured

Dainichi Nyorai from the Taizō Mandala at Kanzō-in Temple

■ Venue 1: Ginza, Tokyo

Haruryu Aoki World Tour 2026: Tokyo Edition

Dates: Tuesday, September 8, 2026 – Sunday, September 13, 2026

Hours: 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

　　　　　 *Closes at 5:00 PM on the final day

Venue: Gallery Ginza

　　　　　 1F, 2-13-12 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

　　　　　 03-3541-6655

■Second Venue: Pietrasanta, Italy

Shunryu Aoki Japanese Painting Exhibition “Prayer”

Dates: Friday, October 30, 2026 – Sunday, November 1, 2026

Venue: Galleria Il Cesello

　　　　　 Via Stagio Stagi, 64

　　　　　 55045 Pietrasanta LU, Italy

Sponsored by: City of Pietrasanta (Comune di Pietrasanta)

A key milestone in this European exhibition is the solo exhibition in Pietrasanta, Italy.

This exhibition is held with the support of the City of Pietrasanta.

Works transported from Japan will be exhibited on-site, directly conveying to the Italian public the unique Japanese art form of Nihonga and the “prayers” embedded in the works.

■ Venue 3: Near Paris, France

Dates: Saturday, November 7, 2026; Sunday, November 8, 2026

Venue: Peniche Bali

　　　　 4 Quai J.P. Timbaud

　　　　 91260 Juvisy-sur-Orge, France

Following the conclusion of the Italy exhibition, the artworks will be transported to France.

The third venue, Juvisy-sur-Orge, is located in the suburbs of Paris, where a two-day exhibition will be held at Peniche Bali.

Japan, Italy, and France. By exhibiting works in places with distinct cultural backgrounds, we explore how the “prayer” depicted by Shunryu Aoki is received across cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Dainichi Nyorai from the Kongo-kai Mandala at Kanzo-in Temple

■ “Shunryu Aoki World Tour 2026” Event Overview

Title: Aoki Shunryu World Tour 2026

Theme: “Prayer”

Venues: Tokyo, Japan

　　　　　 Pietrasanta, Italy

　　　　　 Juvisy-sur-Orge, France

Dates: September 8–November 8, 2026

Tokyo Exhibition: September 8 (Tue) – 13 (Sun), 2026

　　　　　　 Gallery Ginza

Italy Exhibition: October 30, 2026 (Fri) – November 1, 2026 (Sun)

　　　　　　 Galleria Il Cesello

　　　　　　 Sponsored by the City of Pietrasanta

France Exhibition: November 7 (Sat) and 8 (Sun), 2026

　　　　　　 Peniche Bali

Official Website: https://blsjapan.info/aoki/

■ Shunryu Aoki Profile

Shunryu Aoki

Japanese-style painter. Master’s degree (Art: Kyoto University of the Arts Graduate School). Currently enrolled in the Department of Esoteric Buddhism, Faculty of Letters, Koyasan University, where he conducts research and creates works centered on Buddhist paintings and mandalas.Building on traditional Japanese painting techniques, he creates works centered on the themes of “prayer,” “life,” and “nature.” His works have been selected for numerous open-call exhibitions, and his piece “Mid-Autumn Full Moon” was chosen for the “Asuka III × Art Collection.” In 2026, he will embark on a world tour of Japanese painting, traveling through Tokyo, Italy, and France.

Artist Photo