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Professor Satoshi Tanaka Appointed Director of ARC
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| Professor Satoshi Tanaka (College of Information Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University) assumed the position of Director of ARC on April 1, 2026. >> Profile |
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| He also recently delivered an invited lecture at Poznan University of Technology in Poland on High-Resolution Visual Analysis of 3D Scanned Big Data of Cultural Heritage. >> Read more. |
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| We are pleased to announce a special session of the International ARC Seminar Series, featuring a lecture by Professor Graeme Earl, Dean of the College of Humanities at SOAS University of London, entitled Archaeology, AI, and Hallucinations. |
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Date & Time: Tuesday, May 26, 2026, from 18:30 (JST)
Presenter: Professor Graeme Earl (Dean of the College of Humanities, SOAS University of London, United Kingdom)
Topic: Archaeology, AI, and Hallucinations
Abstract: AI is everywhere, including increasingly across a whole swathe of heritage and archaeology research and practice. This talk will provide an overview of the state of the art in archaeological and heritage applications of AI, and consider the implications of AI, and of its biases, for analysis, interpretation, and presentation of the past.
Format: Online | Zoom Webinar | YouTube Livestream
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Opening of the College of Arts and Design and Graduate School of Science in Arts and Design
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| On April 1, Ritsumeikan University launched the College of Arts and Design and the Graduate School of Science in Arts and Design, marking the establishment of its 17th faculty. |
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A total of 198 students were admitted--179 to the College and 19 to the Graduate School.
Professor Ryo Akama, founding member and Deputy Director of the ARC, has assumed the position of Dean of the new College and Graduate School, which is also expected to draw on the extensive resources and research of the ARC. |
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UC San Francisco Digital Archiving Project Featured in U.S. Media
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| Recent digitization efforts at UC San Francisco (UCSF), undertaken as part of ARC's large-scale digital archiving project in collaboration with UCLA's Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities, were prominently featured in the San Francisco Chronicle and on the U.S. television news station ABC 7 News. |
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Under this collaborative project, Japanese collections held across the University of California system are being digitized, including the UCSF collection, which contains particularly rich holdings in medical and scientific texts and represents a valuable resource for research on the history of science and medicine in Japan.
The media coverage highlights both the importance of preserving these materials and the project's growing international visibility.
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The 2nd Kinugasa Art Village Festival will take place on Sunday, May 31, at Ritsumeikan University's Kinugasa Campus.
Join us for a full day of programs--from traditional performing arts to hands-on activities--celebrating Kyoto and art through all five senses. >> Official Website.Additionally, from May 31 to June 12, the ARC will host the Special Exhibition Kabuki and Media--In the Context of the Film Kokuhō (歌舞伎とメディア ―映画「国宝」を背景に―), showcasing representative works from our Kabuki collection that highlight the enduring appeal of Kabuki and the media through which it has been documented. >> Read more.
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Database News! Digital Archive of Pre-war Performance Materials from the Osaka Shochiku-za is now available online
On April 10, data for approximately 700 pre-war materials related to performances at the Osaka Shochiku-za, held by the Shochiku Otani Library, was released through the Shochiku Otani Library Modern Book Search and Viewing System.
The Shochiku Otani Library Modern Book Search and Viewing System digital archive was developed and made publicly available by the ARC, based on an agreement between the Shochiku Otani Library and the Center.
 
The Shochiku-za opened in 1923 as a movie theatre. Since 1997, it has been the chief professional Kabuki theatre in Osaka associated with the Shochiku theatre company. It will close indefinitely at the end of May 2026, though Kabuki performances will continue to be held elsewhere in the city.
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Upcoming EventsMay 26 (Tues), 2026, 18:30 JSTInternational ARC Seminar: Special SessionPresenter: Graeme Earl (Professor and Dean of the College of Humanities, SOAS University of London)Topic: Archaeology, AI, and HallucinationsZoom Webinar | YouTube Livestream
May 27 (Wed), 2026, 18:30 JST
College of Arts and Design, Graduate School of Science in Arts and Design
Commemorative International ARC Seminar
Presenter: Masato Nakayama (Professor, College of Arts and Design, Ritsumeikan University | Specialization: Physical/Cyber Space Design, Audio Information Processing)
Topic: Understanding, Reproducing, and Designing Sound Spaces Based on Audio Information Processing-- Applications to Design and Art-- Zoom Webinar | YouTube LivestreamMay 31 (Sun), 2026, 10:00-17:00 JST
KINUGASA ART VILLAGE FESTIVAL
Venue: Kinugasa Campus, Ritsumeikan University
Free entry | →Details
May 31 (Sun) - June 12 (Fri), 2026, 10:00-17:00 JST
Special Exhibition: Kabuki and Media--In the Context of the Film Kokuhō (歌舞伎とメディア ―映画「国宝」を背景に―)Venue: Art Research Center (ARC), Kinugasa Campus, Ritsumeikan UniversityFree entry | →Details
June 17 (Wed), 2026, 18:30 JST
College of Arts and Design, Graduate School of Science in Arts and Design
Commemorative International ARC Seminar
Presenter: Hirotaka Sato (Associate Professor, College of Arts and Design, Ritsumeikan University | Specialization: Urban History and Geography, Historical and Cultural Resources, Kyoto Studies)
Topic: Festival Culture as Seen Through GIS DataZoom Webinar | YouTube Livestream
June 27 (Sat), 2026
Joint Symposium of the Art Research Center (ARC), Ritsumeikan University & Center for Japanese Studies (CJS), University of California, Berkeley
Venue: Kinugasa Campus, Ritsumeikan University
<Details to be announced in due course>
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