Taro Okamoto's giant mural "Myth of Tomorrow" is on display in the second floor corridor of Shibuya Mark City, which connects JR Shibuya Station and Keio Inokashira Line Shibuya Station in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo. This work, which depicts the moment an atomic bomb explodes and the human vitality that overcomes it on a large screen measuring 5.5 meters in height and 30 meters in width, is said to be a work that Taro Okamoto himself highly praised. By installing it in a station corridor where many people pass by on a daily basis rather than in a museum, Taro Okamoto's idea of ​​experiencing art "in daily life" is embodied.

This mural was originally created in the late 1960s for a hotel that was planned to be built in Mexico, but it went missing due to the hotel's worsening management. After about 30 years, it was discovered in a pitiful state in a materials storage facility on the outskirts of Mexico in 2003, and after being restored over the course of about a year, it was permanently installed in Shibuya in 2008. A major renovation will be carried out from October 10, 2023, and it continues to send out its powerful message to this day.

Many people see this work every day at Shibuya Station, a major terminal station in Japan. It is not just a meeting place, but a place that gives you an opportunity to think about art and peace, so please stop by and take a good look at it. If you are sightseeing in Shibuya, be sure to take a look at this masterpiece.

[Trivia]
The motif of "Myth of Tomorrow" is the Japanese fishing boat "Daigo Fukuryu Maru," which was exposed to radiation in a US hydrogen bomb test in 1954. This mural was also created at about the same time as Taro Okamoto's masterpiece, the Tower of the Sun at the Osaka Expo. Taro Okamoto is also famous for saying "Art is an explosion!", but his works always contain strong messages about human vitality and society.

[Hidden Spot Information]
The area around Shibuya Station has been redeveloped in recent years, and many new commercial facilities and observation facilities have opened. You can enjoy a panoramic night view of Tokyo from the observation facility "SHIBUYA SKY" at Shibuya Scramble Square. Konno Hachimangu Shrine, located within walking distance of Shibuya Station, is also recommended as a power spot where you can spend some quiet time away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum is located in Aoyama. The Taro Okamoto Museum of Art is also located in Mukogaoka-Yuen, along the Odakyu Line.