In the atrium where the grand staircase is located, making it the most symbolic area of One Fukuoka Hotel, a large painting is showcased. Utilizing the space designed by the architect Hiroshi Nakamura, the installation of this artwork has become the highlight of this project. The motifs of clouds and the lightning in the “Descending Painting” series are symbolic icons that are used frequently in Tatehana’s works as metaphors for the boundaries between “heaven and earth” and “life and death”. These motifs were inspired by the Buddhist painting “Raigo-zu”.

In this particular work of “Descending Painting” series, Karahana pattern which was recreated from the design of kinkarakawashi  produced during the Meiji Period was used.  Just as “Rethink”, Tatehana’s creative philosophy, Karahana pattern which was created in Japan inspired by the Western ornamental patterns, is a product of interaction with foreign cultures. Tatehana who took notice of such connection depicted lightning as a metaphor for gods and Buddha, and added Karahana pattern as a proxy for the lightning.

The motif of Thunder Painting is lightning, which is a metaphor for the boundary. It was inspired by shide, the zigzag shaped paper streamers seen at the shrines, used in Shinto rituals for purification or to demarcate holy spaces. The form of this work harmonizes with the design of the long curved corridor and is displayed in a way that invites the guests to the hotel’s main lobby.

During the planning stages of their collaboration, the words “Tenjin, lightning, and shide” frequently came up in conversations between Tatehana and Hiroshi Nakamura, the architect who designed One Fukuoka Hotel. The view from One Fukuoka Hotel which is located on the highest floor ever in Fukuoka, offers the blessing of nature, not only the landscape but of the sky as well. This proves that the concept which originated from the cultural background of the area led to the completion of this hotel. Hidden in various places of the hotel, are designs based on the motif of shide or paper streamers. Exploring the culture that lives and breathes in Tenjin through art and design may be a fun part of your stay.

This is a collaborative project between Noritaka Tatehana and Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten, which was founded in 1861, the manufacturer of Japanese drums and portable shrines at its workshop in Asakusa, Tokyo. This work depicts the thunder drums or raiko held by Raijin, the god of thunder, which he plays to create the sound of thunder representing the coming of gods. Raiko consists of small connected drums called the toy drums, with a striking surface of 4.5 sun, roughly 14 cm in diameter. Drums created by the craftsmen of Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten were linked in a circle then painted at Tatehana’s studio. The drums used in this piece date back to the mid-1970s, and were pieces which were unsuitable for use as actual drums due to the wood warping or splitting during the drying process, before a leather drum head could be attached but were reused and given new value as a work of art. On the right side of the work, is stamped a traditional branding mark used by Unosuke.

Several works from this series are held in the public collections of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.

The One Fukuoka Hotel lounge offers a spectacular view that can only be enjoyed from the top floor. Particularly at sunset, the sunlight reflecting off the large water basin modeled after a water mirror shines into the hotel, creating a mysterious beauty. This work was created to resonate with the sunlight and harmonize with this environment.

Subtitled “The Sun Breaking through Clouds”, this painting is an extension of Noritaka Tatehana's most famous series of works, “Descending Painting”. In addition to the motif of “thunderclouds,” which Tatehana has painted frequently in the past, the other motif of this work is the crepuscular rays (god rays) . In the history of Western painting, crepuscular rays have been repeatedly portrayed as the subject matter of “Jacob's Ladder” and “Angel's Ladder,” and have been treated as a metaphor to describe divine revelation.

The motifs of clouds and the lightning in the “Descending Painting” series are symbolic icons that are used frequently in Tatehana’s works as metaphors for the boundaries between “heaven and earth” and “life and death”. These motifs were inspired by the Buddhist painting “Raigo-zu”.

What makes the all-day dining with an open kitchen surrounded by seating extremely attractive is its lively ambiance which reminds us of the famous food stall (yatai) in the Tenjin area. This artwork placed in this particular venue is characterized by its circular form, also depicting the connection between people eating around a single table.

To commemorate the opening of One Fukuoka Bldg, One Fukuoka Hotel and Tabio, a Japanese manufacturer and retailer of socks, stockings and tights, and Noritaka Tatehana are selling collaborative socks. The image of this work has been chosen as the design for the socks. 

For more information about sales, please visit the Tabio official online store.

Thunderclouds which is the motif of this work of art, have often been seen at shrines and temples in Japan, as well as in traditional paintings as a metaphor for protection against evil. By painting the silhouette of thunderclouds which normally have no fixed shape, this visually modeled work expresses the ancient Japanese perceptive on nature, the ancient people who have lived their lives worshipping nature.

Original mug featuring images from “Thundercloud Painting” are now on sale at One Fukuoka Hotel. For more information about the sales, please contact One Fukuoka Hotel.

This work which is displayed in the elevator hall of One Fukuoka Hotel is a painting on a transparent acrylic support 20mm thick. In the Descending Painting series, the image of thunderclouds are expressed in layers, creating a visual effect that gives the impression of depth. This kind of effect is known as the parallax effect. Noritaka Tatehana was inspired by this technique which is often used in hand-drawn animation backgrounds.

This work is an art collaboration between Noritaka Tatehana and Uno Hake and Brush Manufacturing Co. which was established in Mukoujima, Tokyo in 1917 and still adheres to producing hand-planted brushes. To add a finishing touch to his artwork using “sakan brush” or hake, traditionally used by plasterer in Japan, a new type of painting technique was created. This technique was tested with the aim of utilizing the stripe-like traces created by drawing the plastering brush off the surface of the painting. These engraved brush strokes are called “hitchi”. The plastering brushes used for this work were made of elastic hair of a horse’s tail and the longest brush which was specially made is 60cm wide.

In addition to a letterpress print of “Thundercloud”, an iconic motif of Noritaka Tatehana’s representative painting series, “Descending Painting”, “One Fukuoka Bldg.” and “Karahana” were also made into prints. Three types of art prints are on display in the guest rooms at One Fukuoka Hotel. These works can be purchased at the hotel.  For more information, please contact One Fukuoka Hotel.

Born in Tokyo in 1985, Noritaka Tatehana graduated from the Department of Crafts, Faculty of Fine Arts at Tokyo University of Arts, where he majored in dyeing and weaving. Adhering to his concept of creative activities “Rethink”, he has utilized Japanese traditional culture and the traditional craft techniques to create many works of art presenting his perspectives on modern values. In addition, his masterpiece, “Heel-less Shoes”, inspired by ‘takageta’— tall wooden clogs worn by traditional Japanese Oirans or the highest courtesans, have come to be renowned worldwide for being favored by the American singer, Lady Gaga. His works are in the permanent collections at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.

@Noritaka_Tatehana  @TatehanaStudio

©NORITAKA TATEHANA STUDIO, Photo by GION