Sony Park Exhibition 2025: A New Rhythm in the Heart of Ginza
Ginza has no shortage of flagship buildings by the most prominent international brands.
Left, right and centre, you’ll find many of the most incredible buildings in Tokyo showcasing sleek, modern designs that reflect the district’s status as a luxury shopping hub; Sony stands next to the iconic Hermès building covered in glass tiles, and Tokyu Plaza Ginza sprawls across the street with its fragmented glass facade.
When I passed by in the summer of 2024, the Ginza Sony Park was mostly completed but still closed to the public, and I wondered what this brutalist giant on the corner of the crossing would look like. Fast forward several months, and the park debuted to much anticipation in January 2025. I caught the last legs of its inaugural programme and had an absolute blast enjoying what Sony does best: immersive sensory entertainment.
Architecture
The history of Ginza Sony Park is rooted in the legacy of the original Sony Building, which opened in 1966 under the visionary leadership of Akio Morita. The building was designed as a public space, known as the "Garden of Ginza," where visitors could interact with the urban environment in a welcoming and scenic manner.
In 2018, the Ginza Sony Park Project was initiated to reconstruct the Sony Building while preserving its commitment to public access. This unique two-phase approach began with transforming the site into a park during demolition, allowing it to serve as a temporary gathering space. Completed in August 2024, the new Ginza Sony Park features a modern architectural design that respects the area's historical context while introducing innovative elements.
The park was deliberately designed to be half the height that Ginza regulations permit, its low profile creating a sense of openness in the dense urban landscape that seamlessly connects subway access and nearby streets. The vertical promenade design, characterised by staggered floors, enhances the flow of movement and encourages exploration throughout the space.
Sony Park Exhibition 2025
The Sony Park Exhibition 2025 unfolds in two distinct parts. The first segment runs from January 26 until March 30, 2025, followed by a second phase from April 20 to June 22, 2025. Each part showcases a unique exploration inspired by Sony’s industries: finance, semiconductors, music, gaming, entertainment and cinema.
Visitors traversing the floors embark on a sensory journey through immersive installations by some of the hottest Japanese artists. A complete amateur to J-Pop? No problem. Music is only a medium for exploring the intersection of emotion and technology, emphasising how art can transform everyday human experiences. I went to the exhibition only knowing YOASOBI but left with a hoard of new songs on my Spotify playlist.
On a practical note, you need to reserve an online ticket in advance to enter the exhibition. As is customary in Japan, booked time slots are strictly observed, and you can only enter each floor once for each reservation. Some floors run at intervals, so there may be some waiting time between them, but the entire experience should take no more than one to two hours.
Part One Artists (January 26 – March 30, 2025)
羊文学 Hitsujibungaku: floating words
Hitsujibungaku is an alternative rock trio known for their poetic lyrics and evocative melodies. The name is literally “Sheep Literature”, a nod to the band Sleeping Rag Sheep and their focus on lyrical content.
Their installation features a tranquil water basin in a theatre-like setting. Above it, an exclusive video production features lyrics floating and dissolving to the group’s biggest hits more than words and 光るとき (Hikaru Toki / Time of Light), while the water flutters and reverbates.
It was my first time listening to the songs, and I already understand why they became so popular. They have a delicate, soothing quality, but at the same time, an undercurrent of quiet resilience gets your blood pumping. The poetic narrative encapsulates the band’s power to convey comfort and clarity with words, drawing visitors into contemplation while evoking emotional resonance–I was utterly mesmerised by the text that morphed constantly and eventually became lost at sea like a drop of water. Before leaving, visitors can experience Sony’s haptics technology at work, with floor projections interacting with footsteps like puddles in the rain.
YOASOBI: HEART BEAT Resonance
The sensational duo Yoasobi captivates audiences with pieces deeply rooted in storytelling, often inspired by literature and personal narratives. Their installation revolves around HEART BEAT, the theme song for NHK’s YOASOBI 18祭 created in collaboration with 1,000 18-year-olds.
In the same collaborative spirit that defines YOASOBI’s music identity, visitors create their bespoke heartbeat object based on their mood and pulse, contributing to a collective rhythm that invites them to become a part of the bigger narrative.
YOASOBI is known for its infectious hooks and melodic lines that blend electronic elements with acoustic instrumentation, creating a rich soundscape with vulnerability and depth. And they really shine through in an interactive multi-sensory installation like this.
Everyone was trying to chase down their own heartbeat object as it flew across the screens 360 degrees and even on the haptic floors. It was almost like a celebration for just being there and being you, fostering shared emotion with strangers in the same room. And I loved the subtle touch at the end where the lyrics of HEART BEAT were laid out on the wall just like a heart rate graph.
Vaundy: The Ambiguous Strata of My Soul
Vaundy, a rising star in the Japanese music scene, curated a space of 200 songs in the basement of the building. Drawing from diverse musical influences, his selection of tracks encapsulates the genre-drying style and exploratory nature of his artistic journey.
The space was referred to as a “music stratum”, and I loved how its unassuming cardboard walls were stacked in layers to reflect the theme. With professional Sony headphones in hand, visitors were encouraged to wander at their own pace and excavate new music. There’s no set route, only tracks loosely grouped by genre with a corresponding QR code you can scan to view more information about it. It’s a personal and introspective experience that allows viewers to explore the layers of sound and emotion that shaped Vaundy’s music.
I find it difficult to put into words my music taste; I gravitate towards quiet melodies first and foremost, but I also enjoy a good groove found in many vintage tracks. Vaundy’s basement felt like a treasure cave–I wish there were an easy Spotify playlist I could easily put on at home. The production team also has my respect for handpicking the memorabilia that lined the bottom of all the walls. Although seemingly straightforward with pieces like vintage records, they also featured brands and replicas of clothing that the artists wore when recording and performing tracks.
Part Two Artists (April 20 – June 22, 2025)
BABYMONSTER: Gaming gives us tales of growth
Creepy Nuts: Entertainment technology breaks the mold
Kensuke Ushio: Cinema grants knowledge
Thoughts
Wandering through the park and exhibition offers a profound sense of connection to both the space and the music. Each artist’s installation offered a unique lens through which to view the world, sparking thoughts on life, creativity, and the intersection of our everyday experiences with art. The experience was invigorating, reminding me of the importance of spaces like this in our fast-paced lives. Ginza Sony Park is not just a park; it’s a vibrant hub that celebrates the spirit of pure creativity. Even its architecture is stripped back with a clever use of space and open-air areas that blend indoors with outdoors, an experience that feels expansive and intimate amidst the hustle and bustle of Ginza.
In some ways, Ginza Sony Park’s architecture reminds me of Hong Kong: the geometric exterior brings to mind the Academy of Performing Arts, and the concrete structure, M+. But why does the Sony building feel so much more welcoming? It boils down to its purpose in the public space; Hong Kong’s marketing (or lack thereof) is lousy at best and has shaped our connotations and perceptions of paid art venues very differently. Ginza Sony Park is still in its early days, and I’d love to see how its purpose and dialogue with the community evolves over the years.
I was shocked that the park, located in one of the most expensive districts in Tokyo, does not have a single Sony retail store. How is that even possible? Then again, this is Japan, where pursuing ideals is not reprimanded or scoffed at but appreciated with beauty. At its core, Ginza Sony Park is an urban oasis that the public would actually want to spend time in. For someone from Hong Kong, that alone is already worth celebrating.
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