Is Tokyo’s Expensive Projection Mapping Tourist Draw Worth It?
Godzilla and others take center stage in a projection mapping exhibit in Tokyo that some say isn’t worth its hefty price tag.
By Himari Semans
Tokyo is pouring a lot of taxpayer money into a nighttime light show screening Godzilla and other artworks on a scale that won a Guinness World Record. The project’s expense is drawing negative attention at a time when incumbent governor Koike Yuriko can least afford it.
Tokyo spends big bucks on a big light show
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building displays the largest architectural projection-mapped display recognized by the Guinness World Records. Since late April, a 100-meter Godzilla has illuminated the capital’s landmark.
The 70-year-old franchise won its first Oscar for best visual effects in March with Takashi Yamazaki’s “Godzilla Minus One.” This is the seventh projection-mapping artwork since the government launched “Tokyo Night & Light” in February.