Nihonbashi Honcho Mitsui Building &forest First Permanent Display in Japan of a Large-Scale Sculpture by Contemporary Artist Yuichi Hirako
—Three New Works to Be Displayed, Including One Incorporating Timber from Mitsui Fudosan Group-Owned Forests—

September 4, 2026
Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

Key Points of this Press Release

• Three new works by contemporary artist Yuichi Hirako will be on permanent display at Nihonbashi Honcho Mitsui Building &forest, Japan’s largest and tallest timber rental office building, which features a hybrid timber-steel structure. They include an approximately 11.5 ft (approximately 3.5 m) tall sculpture, marking the first permanent installation in Japan of a large-scale sculptural work by Hirako.
• One of the artworks will incorporate timber from Mitsui Fudosan Group-owned forests. Timber from these forests is also used for the Property’s structural frame, interior and finishing materials.
• From construction-site hoardings and public presentations of the creative process to the permanent installation following completion, the project will continuously showcase the process through which art becomes part of the city.

Tokyo, Japan, September 4, 2026 - Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., a leading global real estate company headquartered in Tokyo, announced today that it will permanently display artworks by contemporary artist Yuichi Hirako in the entrance hall of Nihonbashi Honcho Mitsui Building &forest (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; hereafter, “the Property”), which is scheduled for completion on January 6, 2027.

Yuichi Hirako is an artist who presents his work through a variety of media, including paintings, sculptures, and installations. He explores the coexistence of humans with plants and nature, as well as the ambiguities and questions that arise from these relationships. His ongoing exploration of the relationship between human society and nature aligns with the philosophy behind the Property, which introduces timber as a primary structural material into the urban environment. This connection has led to the first permanent installation in Japan of a large-scale sculptural work by Hirako.

The Property will be Japan’s largest and tallest timber rental office building, featuring a hybrid timber-steel structure. It will incorporate more than 38,846 ft³ (1,100 m³) of domestically sourced timber, including timber from Mitsui Fudosan Group-owned forests, as structural material. It is also the first office building developed under the Mitsui Fudosan Group’s new timber architecture brand, &forest. One of Hirako’s new works will incorporate timber from Mitsui Fudosan Group-owned forests as well, creating a symbolic entrance space where architecture and art become one.

From displaying artworks on construction-site hoardings to introducing them through the exhibition at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya and ultimately putting them on permanent display following the building’s completion, the project will continue to share the process by which the artworks become part of the building and the city. Through a series of initiatives that document this process, Mitsui Fudosan aims to further enhance the cultural appeal of Nihonbashi.

Exterior rendering of Nihonbashi Honcho Mitsui Building &forest

Artist’s rendering of Nihonbashi Honcho Mitsui Building &forest

* This rendering is for illustrative purposes only and may not accurately depict the installation location, colors, or other details of the artwork. The actual artwork and installation may differ.

■Three New Works Created for the Property, including a Sculpture Approximately 11.5 ft (Approximately 3.5 m) Tall, to Be Permanently Installed

Three new works created specifically for the Property will be on permanent display, including a sculpture approximately 11.5 ft (approximately 3.5 m) tall. Timber will be used to create the works, and one of them will incorporate timber supplied from Mitsui Fudosan Group-owned forests, which also provide timber for the Property. In this way, the architecture and the artwork are connected through a shared material.

The works will be installed in the entrance hall, which is designed around the concept of “the entrance to the forest.” The strong presence of the large-scale works resonates with the architectural space, which conveys the warmth of wood. Together, they enhance each other’s appeal and create a space that symbolizes the Property.

Installation view of Setouchi Art Museum Collaboration Project: Yuichi Hirako Exhibition ORIGIN, Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art, 2025
© Yuichi Hirako, photo by Osamu Sakamoto

■ From Construction-Site Hoardings to the Exhibition at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya, and Ultimately to the Completed Building Entrance

Construction-site hoarding artwork for Nihonbashi Honcho Mitsui Building &forest
© Yuichi Hirako, photo by Osamu Sakamoto

Since April 2026, Hirako’s work “Ikegaki” has been displayed on the Property’s construction-site hoardings. The piece was created to share with the local community the process of the timber building taking shape and give passersby a preview of the warmth and comfort that the completed building would provide. Using the construction-site hoardings as a space for artistic expression helped build anticipation for the timber architecture and contributed to the neighborhood’s vibrancy throughout the construction period.

From Saturday, September 5, to Sunday, October 18, 2026, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya Hall will present HUMAN AND NATURE, a major exhibition by contemporary artist Yuichi Hirako. The exhibition is the first of the inaugural programs at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya Hall, a new hub for events. It will feature approximately 300 works, including paintings and sculptures, among them a new series being shown for the first time. It will explore the boundaries between nature and cities and between control and coexistence. Selected works currently in production, which will later be permanently installed at Nihonbashi Honcho Mitsui Building &forest, will also be on display, offering visitors a glimpse into the creative process.

By displaying artworks on construction-site hoardings, introducing them through an exhibition, and permanently installing them after completion, Mitsui Fudosan will continue to showcase the process by which artworks become part of the building and the city.

■ Artist Profile

< Comment >
“What is nature to you?” This work is a device that sets thinking in motion, beginning with that very question. Rather than serving merely as decoration, it acts as an accent that expands the possibilities for a new form of coexistence between cities and nature over the next 100 years. By featuring motifs larger than the human body, the piece symbolizes the strength and vitality of nature. The towering sculptures, which visitors look up at, create a pleasant sense of tension within the space by contrasting with the ceiling’s timber truss structure. Just as plants gradually grow into a lush forest, I hope that the culture and businesses that emerge here will become seeds that carry memories and the future forward to the next generation. With this wish, these works welcome every visitor.

■ Mitsui Fudosan’s Art Initiatives in Nihonbashi

Click map to enlarge

During the Edo period, Nihonbashi served as the starting point for the Five Highways, where people, goods, and ideas from across Japan came and went. Through this exchange, it became an innovative district that gave rise to new cultures and industries. Building on Nihonbashi’s historical significance and based on the Nihonbashi Revitalization Plan (*1), Mitsui Fudosan is working to create a community in which Nihonbashi will continue to serve as a starting point for sharing new, forward-looking values with the world. We believe that the power of culture and the arts to foster urban creativity is an important foundation for realizing this vision. Accordingly, we implement a variety of art programs unique to Nihonbashi, including the installation of public art. Through these artistic initiatives, we aim to contribute to the sustainability of society, create inspiring experiences for people who work in, live in, enjoy, and visit Nihonbashi, and enhance the long-term value of the Nihonbashi area.

The permanent installation of works by Hirako at the Property is also part of these urban development initiatives. Through these works, we will create opportunities for people who work in and visit Nihonbashi to experience culture and the arts in their everyday lives, thereby further enhancing the appeal of the district.
(*1) “Nihonbashi Revitalization Plan” press release:

https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/corporate/news/2019/0829_02/

■ About the Timber Rental Office Building Nihonbashi Honcho Mitsui Building &forest

Scheduled for completion in January 2027, Nihonbashi Honcho Mitsui Building &forest will be Japan’s largest and tallest timber rental office building. Rising 18 stories to approximately 276 ft (approximately 84 m), the building will have a total floor area of approximately 301,389 ft² (28,000 m²). The building will have a hybrid timber-steel structure and use approximately 38,846 ft³ (approximately 1,100 m³) of domestically sourced timber as structural material, including approximately 3,531 ft³ (approximately 100 m³) from Mitsui Fudosan Group-owned forests. Compared with a conventional steel office building, construction of its structural frame is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 30%. Timber is also incorporated extensively into the interior and finishing materials to create a space where people can experience the tranquility and warmth of wood through all five senses, with the aim of creating “an office people will want to go to”—an environment made possible by a timber office building.
Reference: https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/corporate/news/2024/0111_01/

■ Sustainability in the Mitsui Fudosan Group

Based on the meaning of its “& mark,” “to generate new value with society through cooperation, coexistence and co-creation, we forge ahead, innovating,” the Mitsui Fudosan Group views the “creation of social value” and the “creation of economic value” as two wheels of a cart. Accordingly, we believe that the creation of social value leads to the creation of economic value, and that this economic value then creates even greater social value.

Moreover, we identified six Group Materiality priority issues when formulating our new management philosophy in April 2024. These Group Materiality priority issues are (1) Contribute to industrial competitiveness, (2) Coexist with the environment, (3) Health and Vitality, (4) Safety and security, (5) Diversity and inclusion, and (6) Compliance and governance. The Mitsui Fudosan Group will work to address each of the materialities through its core business activities and contribute to the promotion of sustainability.

(References)
・ Group Management Philosophy and Long-Term Vision
https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/corporate/innovation2030/
・ Group Materiality
https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/esg_csr/approach/materiality/
・ & EARTH for Nature
https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/business/development/earth/for-nature/

Furthermore, in April 2025, the Mitsui Fudosan Group formulated “& EARTH for Nature,” its declaration of coexistence with the environment in neighborhood creation. Seeing the environment as a “Holistic Environment” blending nature, people, and community into a cohesive whole, the Group is promoting neighborhood creation that expands prosperous “Holistic Environments” and passes them on to future generations. In the Declaration, five key issues to address have been established: Preserve and nurture greenery, Harness the allure of water, Enrich the ecosystem, Connect the aspirations of the community, and Promote the circulation of natural resources. The initiatives described in this news release contribute to 3 of the key issues to address in “& EARTH for Nature.”