If you are going to Japan and stop in Osaka, be sure to visit Shirahama. The “Japan Walls” mural festival (formerly POW! WOW! JAPAN) has been taking place for the past three years. Check what you can see in this summer vibe town!
Table of contents
- Shirahama – what do you need yo know? How to get there?
- Is it worth to visit Shirahama?
- Shirahama murals – the artists and the map
Shirahama – what you need to know? How to get there?
Shirahama is a resort town in Wakayama Prefecture located on the Pacific Ocean. It is known for its hot springs and zoo “Adventure World” (absolutely not recommended, terrible place). The best way to go sightseeing is walking and taking buses. You don’t have to buy tickets earlier, but you will need cash (it is impossible to pay by card).
If, like me, you plan mainly to look for the murals in Shirahama, you can easily come here for a day. The town is well-commuted with Osaka. You can get to Shirahama by taking The Limited Express Kuroshio which runs several times a day. The important thing is having purchased a seat reservation for this train (regardless of whether you have the JR PASS or IC Cards – SUICA, ICOCA or PASMO).
Is it worth to visit Shirahama?
The answer is YES, because of the JAPAN WALLS mural festival. This initiative is the aftermath of the World Wide Walls project, which is connected with the organization POW! WOW! Hawaii (now known as HAWAII WALLS). This Hawaiian festival surpassed over 65 total festivals worldwide so far. Established in 2011, the project has evolved into a global network of artists, hosting gallery shows, lecture series, art and music schools, mural projects, and live art installations across the globe. The festival is expanding to cities and countries such as Taiwan, Long Beach, Israel, Singapore, Jamaica, Washington D.C., New Zealand, Germany and more.
In 2015 the event came to Japan for the first time. For eight days, the public watched the work of more than 20 artists from Japan and abroad unfold in Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward. The festival has changed its place in Japan several times and even once changed its name. Finally, JAPAN WALLS took place for the first time three years ago in Shirahama. This is the reason why we have something to look at today!
Shirahama murals – the artists and the map
Below you’ll find almost all the murals (only one was missing!) that were created as part of Japan Walls in 2021 – 2023. I also added a map for you. 🙂
THE MAP OF JAPAN WALLS SHIRAHAMA 2021 – 2023
🟠 Kevin Lyons / Jason Keam
These two murals are a little bit further than the rest, so it’s better to start from here.
🟠 TOWMEI LINE / MIMU
🟠 MIZPAM
🟠 石塚大介 (Daisuke Ishizuka)
🟠 YOSSY
🟠 ERI2WIN
🟠 GRAVITYFREE
🟠 WHOLE9
🟠 KRIS GOTO
🟠 KAC
🟠 YOSHI47
🟠 Cloak / SASU
🟠 Kensuke Takahashi
🟠 Luise Ono
🟠 松本セイジ (SEIJI MATSUMOTO)
🟠 前田豆コ (MAMEKO MAEDA)
So, if you have any questions or if something doesn’t work properly, let me know by commenting below. 🙂 Sharing experiences from trips is also always welcome!
bye, bye!
Karolajn
Part of Streets 