New mural in Tokyo celebrates 160 years of German-Japanese relations

160 years ago the Kingdom of Prussia and the Tokugawa Shogunate signed the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation, which today is largely considered the starting point of German-Japanese diplomatic relations. In tribute to these long-standing ties, an expansive 80-metre mural has been created along the exterior wall of the German Embassy in Tokyo.

The monumental mural, which was curated by TokyoDex and created by the Osaka-based Japanese artist duo WHOLE9, features portraits of pioneers and events which have shaped the long history of relations between the two nations. Ascending the sloping street outside the embassy is to glimpse at avante-garde interpretations of the past, as well as what lies ahead.

Divided into six sections – medicine and science, culture, trade and economics, music, sports, and politics – the murals show photo-realistic portraits of trailblazers including Philipp Franz von Siebold and Mori Ogai, as well as more recent personages such as the East German conductor Kurt Masur and award-winning choreographer Pina Bausch. It will stay up for the remainder of 2021.