Arriving in the quiet rainy season of the Nagoshi no Harae period, the last weekend of June, the multi‑media event NU FESTIVAL 2026 marks the launch of a new cultural platform in Tokyo. The festival seems to pay tribute to experimental experiences where renewal and ambiguity meet — a space where one’s sense of wonder can gently return.
Japan‑based adventurous creative collective SDLX (SuperDeluxe) joins as a curatorial partner. With decades of exploratory, cross‑disciplinary curations, SDLX has shaped Tokyo’s underground cultural identity. Now based in Kamogawa, it continues to cultivate an open‑ended experimental ethos – serving as a humble yet essential anchor for Japan’s experimental art scene. Upon the numerous curation and collaborations, SDLX and Mike Kubeck are building their career reputations with demands from various industries. And it would be exciting to experience the Minato‑ku SDLX legendary sessions.
“We are very excited about the TATAMI stage at NU FESTIVAL and the opportunity to present a range of artists spanning genres, generations and nations in such a unique space in the heart of Tokyo, where SuperDeluxe began. Each day of the three day program presents a microcosm of un-bounded experimentation.
Friday features fun from some of our earliest experiments. A rare re-union of SuperDeluxe co-founders Namaiki presenting an organic audio/visual installation together with Keiji Ito and several of their closest collaborators.
Saturday explores subtle analog and digital trajectories from contemporary artists working with flowers, electronics, paint, acoustic phenomena, video, and more. Expect both gentle and dynamic movements appropriate for a traditional space nestled into a modern facility.
Sunday probes new perspectives by fusing both urban/local and retro/future.
Come frolic or laze on many tatami to a wonderful selection of unique yet nostalgic sounds and sights. Deep cuts culled from the edges of Japan.”
– Mike Kubeck (Superdeluxe)
The festival draws from the site’s diverse elements – station, park, art space, and live spaces – shaping a program that reflects this layered spatial landscape. Its art programme unfolds across two primary environments: the experimental space Box 300 and the 100‑tatami‑mat space curated by SDLX, developed in collaboration with Sónar+D and SuperDeluxe. Setting where sound, image, movement, and materiality intersect. Within this quiet yet dynamic environment, performances, installations, and live gestures unfold as part of an evolving experimental landscape shaped by SDLX’s long‑standing curatorial vision.
Reflecting this spatial and conceptual multiplicity, the festival‑wide lineup features Atsuhiro Ito (Optron), Maboroshi no Meiban Kaihō Dōmei, Chihei Hatakeyama, Shinichi Osawa, DJ Krush, Meitei, and welcomes internationally acclaimed artists William Basinski and Actress, alongside a diverse group of audio‑visual artists whose practices merge sound, image, and spatial perception.
Amid this diversity, everyone will find a moment that speaks to their own taste.
NU Festival also collaborates with the world‑renowned Barcelona‑based Sónar Festival, bringing an international perspective grounded in innovation and experimentation. This connection extends the festival’s cultural horizon and situates Tokyo within a wider global conversation.
The festival’s commitment to diversity with coherence gathers creators whose backgrounds and sonic identities span generations and cultures. Their contrasting expressions coexist and expand one another, forming a refined yet cutting‑edge landscape.
These sensibilities resonate with the multi‑sensory character of Takanawa Gateway – a district shaped by curated tenants, botanical architectural forms, and material tactility. This alignment between place and programming creates a natural synergy, allowing performances to unfold as part of a broader sensory ecosystem.
Across three days, NU FESTIVAL presents live performances, DJ sets, talks, and installations that invite audiences to experience a wide spectrum of artistic expression from Japan and beyond.
With a mix of free and ticketed events, NU FESTIVAL offers multiple ways to engage with its program. For details and reservations, click the image below to visit the official website.
In the historic Takanawa district now shaping its own cultural heritage, NU FESTIVAL at Takanawa Gateway aims to become a place where creativity converges – not to present finished culture, but to witness its generative.
NU FESTIVAL will be held at Takanawa Gateway, Tokyo on 26-27-28 June
