Dentsu Inc., which participates as one of the organizers in the “Osaka Castle Project Executive Committee Commemorating the 160th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Italy,” held a media-only lighting ceremony for the projection mapping work “SINFONIA” at Osaka Castle’s Honmaru on Wednesday, October 14.The lighting ceremony was attended by Mario Andrea Vattani, Italian Ambassador to Japan; Hideyuki Yokoyama, Mayor of Osaka; Dennis Coan, President of Bulgari Japan (a sponsoring company); and Ren Meguro, Bulgari Ambassador.
The exhibition will be open to the public for 11 days, from Thursday, October 15, through Sunday, October 25. Every night, the approximately 6-minute show will be projected onto the south face of Osaka Castle’s main keep. Visitors can view this story—spanning 160 years of cultural exchange since the first encounter between Japan and Italy and extending into the future—free of charge and without the need for advance registration.
Scenes from the lighting ceremony: Following remarks by Italian Ambassador to Japan Vattani and Osaka Mayor Yokoyama, Ren Meguro took the stage. As the countdown concluded, he pressed the lighting button, and the Osaka Castle Main Tower lit up as the artwork was projected. After the screening, the venue erupted in thunderous applause.
.jpg)
Scenes from the lighting ceremony: Following remarks by Italian Ambassador to Japan Vattani and Osaka Mayor Yokoyama, Ren Meguro took the stage. As the countdown concluded, he pressed the lighting button, and the Osaka Castle Main Tower lit up as the artwork was projected. After the screening, the venue erupted in thunderous applause.“I am truly delighted to celebrate the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Japan here at this magnificent Osaka Castle. One year ago, the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo was a resounding success right here in Osaka. And today, we celebrate the friendship between Italy and Japan through light and art. The projection mapping was magnificent, beautifully expressing history, art, innovation, and the future.I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Osaka Mayor Yokoyama and the people of Osaka. I would also like to thank Bulgari, a traditional brand that represents Italy.”
.jpg)
“The cities of Osaka and Milan are sister cities, and this year marks the 45th anniversary of that partnership. It is also the 160th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Italy. I am truly delighted that this magnificent projection mapping was made possible through Bulgari’s cooperation. I sincerely hope that through this event, we can further strengthen the bonds between Osaka and Milan, as well as between Japan and Italy.”
.jpg)
“SINFONIA” is a musical form that originated as the prototype of the symphony and was nurtured within Italy’s opera and theater culture. In this event, light and video are added to this music, which resonates with the stage, architecture, and space. Through the interplay of Osaka Castle’s architecture, music, light, and video, an artistic space is created where the history and architectural beauty etched into the castle, along with the cultures and aesthetic sensibilities of both nations, are vividly brought to life.
The projection mapping work is directed and produced by NAKED—known for projects such as “NAKED meets Nijo Castle” and “NAKED meets Gaudí”—under a plan devised by Dentsu Inc., a member of the organizing committee.
The year 2026 marks the convergence of two significant anniversaries: the 160th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Italy, and the 45th anniversary of the sister-city partnership between Osaka and Milan. Taking the 16th century—when the construction of Osaka Castle coincided with the first encounters between the two nations—as its starting point, this work depicts a narrative that spans the exchanges following the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1866 and extends into the future beyond the 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo.
Title: SINFONIA—Commemorative Project for the 160th Anniversary of Japan-Italy Diplomatic Relations
Dates: October 15 (Thu) – October 25 (Sun), 2026
Screening Times: Scheduled for multiple showings between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM (approx. 6 minutes per showing)
Projection Location: South Face of Osaka Castle’s Main Keep
Viewing Area: Osaka Castle Honmaru, 1-1 Osaka-jo, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Admission: Free / No advance registration required / Open to the public (standing room only; no chairs provided)
Organizer: Executive Committee for the Osaka Castle Project Commemorating the 160th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Italy
Supported by: Osaka City; Japan International Exposition 2025 Association (Public Interest Incorporated Association)
In cooperation with: Consulate General of Italy in Osaka
Sponsored by: Bulgari
Official Website:https://www.asahi.com/ads/sinfonia