Originating Shibuya departure of art in the world, "WORLD X SHIBUYA" was started. As the first step, now, it is open a gallery in Second Life on the Los Angeles and web. Toyohiko Sato to serve as the art director of this project, artist who has been active in multi-fields, such as illustrator and graphic designer based in Shibuya. Transition and of Shibuya of the city that Mr. Sato saw, Shibuya Culture of charm and is.

Appear profusely Mecha trend seeds in Shibuya

- Time that offices in Shibuya?

College lived in Hongo. In the vicinity of the apartment and there are still eateries of old buildings and a long-established, such as was built in the Taisho era, it was also something art gallery to support the artist. Father of real estate next to the apartment, always, "I Do not continue to drink tea", I wonder were kind (laughs). It was hardly discard Hongo rooted is such old-fashioned culture, feeling the eyes was the direction in Shibuya won for a new stimulus. But I felt also value to that love the old thing, I think there is a need to absorb always a new culture as a human being involved in the media. In that sense, Shibuya it because it is a city that comes jumped information just to breathe the air. 1986's he moved to Yoyogi Fukamachi (Shibuya Tomigaya) in such a reason has been extremely busy as an illustrator. Shibuya at the time flourished the fire street, something in particular subculture tic goods just the collected culture shop grocery store was interesting. In the area of ​​the hill of Shibuya fire department, it had become an adult-ish area already entered the Sotheby's and Agnes b. I chose the Yoyogi Fukamachi it is, at that time, said that "the second Harajuku plan", because there was a plan to try to the neighborhood to the base of the culture. So it became the increasingly fashionable area. At that time, but had been with us at work and Yasuo Tanaka, "somehow, Crystal," I think I'm starting with a scene that jogging around also of Yoyogi Park at the beginning of.

- Shibuya and other city, what is critically different from you do?

Will be the trend of the flow is faster. In Shibuya, trend seeds (trend of the species) is I think you appeared profusely Mecha. Previously, one year, and the interviews to young people to walk Shibuya, was the work to explore the trend seeds. We made a marketing site for publication on the intranet the information to the company. At that time, in the Shibuya, or many people who wear a knit hat, or have a muffler to summer, or can NAGOMI system sum cafe, do fashion to epidemics are born quickly in other city in quite an early stage It is. But, interesting is, that the trend to the Shibuya originated is not necessarily consumed in Shibuya. As an example, when the girl called Yamanba appeared, culture magazine and fashion magazine of the street was picked unanimously. Then, as the donut phenomenon, been affected is high youth of the trend sensitivity of the Tokyo suburbs, come to Shibuya armed in its fashion. In other words, it trends to produce the Shibuya is in the composition that is fed back to Shibuya through the media. When it comes to be taken up to the TV in excessively progressed, boom ends spread the feeling that "the other lagging" between young people.

Town accelerated media influence occurs

- Why, do you kind of phenomenon occurs in Shibuya.

Distinct answer does not put out, the age structure of the city I would not unrelated. For example, there is the trend also in Ginza, it has a composition that guests are taken up with, such as "I was able this wine bar" gather. Media influence even in Ginza is not what is happening, but calm media to introduce the Ginza. The age structure of the Shibuya of town compared to it, but it overlaps with young people and somewhere south that wish to catch up the trend. Young people to disseminate information, through the culture magazine and fashion magazine, another young people receive. Young child because there is no vigilance against the media, is fed back directly to Shibuya. I guess the kind of accelerated media influence has occurred.

- Compared to the previous, the change in the age structure of Shibuya of the city does it not appear.

Where I see, age layer serving as the core is I have fallen. However, follow-up of the department store, including Tokyu and Seibu I think that is great achievement that recall the adult. Shibuya is a terminal, because not even pass through adults, of course is also the needs of other than young people occur. Also my own, asked the adult culture in Shibuya, it is often to walk the area that was off a little bit from the center. But also to hear the voice that "there is no restaurant for adults in Shibuya", certainly mature shop center street and overlooking from the front of the station has been on the wall is hard to find. But, if you look from the back, Kamiyama-cho and Sakuragaoka-cho, there are a lot of good shops and the like Miya Miyamasuzaka. Recently, I think that soba is highly significant degree of perfection of "Kiyoyama" that particularly like, there are also adults of the restaurant, such as the BAR, gold Tanaka for adults, such as Setsugekka. From it, is the way of the one-way Tokyu head office street, from the fact that the road to return to play at the end when drinking in Shibuya, a long time ago, but had been referred to as the "last load", recently, a new trend in the neighborhood it sounds like bar of is made a lot.

Installation view of "WORLD X SHIBUYA" Los Angeles