Second Exhibition 'The Meaning of the Sea' Launches – Museum of Ocean Nexus MOON

General Incorporated Association 3710Lab (Minato Lab / Representative Director Yasuhiro Taguchi), which designs and provides next-generation education under the theme of 'Connecting people and the ocean through learning,' launched the comprehensive web museum 'Museum of Ocean Nexus MOON' on March 3, 2026, to deepen understanding of the connection between humans and the sea. Now, the second exhibition, 'The Meaning of the Sea,' has been unveiled. This exhibition re-examines the relationships woven between people and the ocean from multidisciplinary perspectives, including architecture, design, art, film, faith, lifestyle, and language.

About MOON

The Museum of Ocean Nexus MOON is a comprehensive ocean museum dedicated to deepening understanding of the relationship between humans and the sea, and discovering its values.

The ocean, while vast and boundless nature, is simultaneously our living space and a nurturing presence for our cultures, memories, and livelihoods. MOON is a museum that re-examines these diverse aspects of the ocean and creates a space connecting the past, present, and future.

MOON digitally archives cultural materials, expressions, and records related to the ocean, preserving and publishing them in an accessible format for all, aiming toward a future symbiotic society with the ocean. As a platform for exhibitions, projects, and learning spaces, MOON creates opportunities for people of all ages—from children to adults—to think about, feel, and enjoy the ocean.

MOON aims to be a museum that shares knowledge and joy between all people and the ocean, envisioning a future where we live together with the sea.

https://moon-museum.com

The first exhibition, 'The Future of the Sea,' which has concluded its run, remains accessible via this page.

◼ Second Exhibition: 'The Meaning of the Sea'

Overview

Humans have always found 'meaning' in the vast expanse of the sea. Through reverence, prayer, naming, building, drawing, and storytelling, diverse relationships with the ocean have been cultivated. This exhibition traces the relationships between people and the sea through clues from architecture, design, art, film, faith, lifestyle, and language, opening new perspectives on how we see the ocean.

Exhibition Period

August 4, 2026 (Tue) – February 3, 2027 (Wed)

Admission

Free

※ This is an online exhibition

Exhibition Contents

1. Sea and Architecture

Using 'architecture'—which has reflected the relationship between humans and the sea—as a clue, this section re-examines the meaning of the sea. Buildings that have protected people from the sea, offered views of it, and nurtured maritime activities bear the history of humanity's engagement with the ocean. Through interviews with architects, a map touring 30 sea-related buildings across Japan, and original essays by writer Minori Kai, we trace the rich narratives woven between the sea and architecture.

2. Listening to 'The Meaning of the Sea'

We asked characters, designers, and photographers engaged in ocean-related creative work and research about 'the meaning of the sea.'

Hoya Boy (Child of the Sea), RAW COLOR (design duo), Mohammed Hesham Salem (photographer)

— Sequentially released from August 14 onwards | Kosaku Kahei (spear fisher), Pekka Niittyvirta & Timo Aho (artists), Tomoko Konishi (mariner)

3. Inno of Iheya Island, Okinawa

Through the lens of photographer Tsuda Naoki, this section examines the landscape and practices of 'Inno' on Iheya Island, Okinawa—a place of 'boundary.' It traces how nature has been perceived, named, and related to, prompting viewers to reconsider their own worldview when looking at the sea.

4. Walking the Sea of Film: 'blue'

A serialized travel and film essay by video artist Fukuhara Yusuke, who selects works resonating with the exhibition's theme, visits their filming locations, and articulates thoughts and experiences about the sea from places where imagery and reality, past and present, overlap. The second installment visits Yotsugoya, Nishi-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture—the filming location of 'blue' (2003), directed by Noboru Ando and based on a story by Kiriko Nohara.

5. The Festival of Salvador – Iemanjá and the Flower Basket (Coming Soon)

This exhibition presents curator Nagai Yoshiko's record of her stay in Brazil, capturing the festival born from the faith in the sea goddess 'Iemanjá' and the actual prayers of local people. It explores why humans entrust their feelings to the sea and pray, re-examining the meaning of human-sea relationships.

◼ Permanent Exhibitions

Overview

Re-examining human-sea connections across time and regions through landscapes, tools, language, and memories, this exhibition creates new value through creative curation and editing.

Exhibition Contents

Tides RADIO | Musicians and DJs deliver ocean-inspired music via Spotify and Apple Music playlists. Vol. 13 features DISTEST, including interviews about the sea. National Directory of Fisheries and Maritime High Schools | Features fisheries and maritime high schools across Japan. The first installment introduces rare processed seafood products developed by students, along with exclusive behind-the-scenes school visits! MOON GALLERY | Archives various ocean-related works in art, design, and architecture. No. 004 and 005 feature 'Blue Waves' by Project Kan Shun'ichi, Integrated Design Department, Tama Art University.

Sea's MING GANG | Introduces selected maritime folk tools and toys from the folklore collection held by the Folklore Materials Room at Musashino Art University. Professor Kato Kouji from the university provides commentary to explore their charm. Umi no Kihon (Basics of the Sea) | Learn essential facts about the sea. Each installment explores a single 'why?' to uncover lesser-known aspects of the ocean. 100 Manga That Connect the Sea | How is the sea depicted in manga? Reading from a 'sea perspective' opens new horizons. Works selected in collaboration with manga museum curators and researchers are introduced.

New Exhibition: Sea Books at Libraries

The latest permanent exhibition, launched on July 20. Based on book selections submitted by 100 libraries nationwide, it introduces approximately 600 books related to the sea. This is the first initiative where libraries across Japan collaborate to create an exhibition. Details available here.

Free Newspaper Available: Tabloid Edition from '100 Manga That Connect the Sea'

The permanent exhibition '100 Manga That Connect the Sea' has reached Volume 9, with 50 selected works. To commemorate this, the tabloid-format free newspaper '50 Manga That Connect the Sea' has been completed, packed with insights into the selected works. It is being distributed free of charge at educational institutions, bookstores, libraries, and public facilities. Request yours here.

Monthly Museum Tours!

MOON hosts monthly museum tours via Instagram Live.

Each session features different staff as guides, introducing highlights for enjoying MOON and exclusive behind-the-scenes stories. We also answer audience questions about MOON live during the broadcast.

Next broadcast scheduled for August 27 (Thu) at 20:00 (subject to change). Follow the official MOON Instagram for updates!

Welcoming Partners to Grow MOON Together

MOON is an open space for exploring the relationship between humans and the sea. We welcome inquiries regarding collaborative projects, programs, research, sponsorships, workshop hosting, and materials or real