Join the Celebration: Submit Your Flower Photos for a Unique Calendar Project at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

Contribute Your Flower Photography to a Unique Calendar!

Have you ever wanted to see your own flower photos featured on a calendar? The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is inviting submissions for a floral photography project that will culminate in a special calendar for 2027, commemorating the museum's 100th anniversary in 2026.

Since its opening in 1926, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum has served as Japan's first public art museum, offering a space for artists to showcase their works and for the public to encounter both global and Japanese masterpieces. As part of the centenary celebration, the museum is launching various initiatives, including the upcoming exhibition titled "The Landscape of This Place (tentative title)" scheduled from July 23 to October 7, 2026.

As part of this exhibition, the museum is asking the community to submit photographs of flowers along with the stories tied to those images. Flowers that you nurtured from seeds, received as gifts, discovered on walks, or placed as tributes — all are welcome. This is a perfect opportunity to reflect on those cherished memories captured in your smartphones or photo albums.

Submissions will be used for the creation of the day-by-day floral calendar titled Flower Calendar 1926-2027, which is set to be released in 2027. Participants whose photos are selected will receive a copy of the finished product as a token of appreciation.

The Flower Calendar 1926-2027

This project seeks to explore the connections we have with flowers and the personal memories they evoke. By collecting private records and recollections related to flowers, the calendar will be crafted using imagery that resonates with our collective memory. An exciting aspect of this project is that the year 2027 shares the same calendar layout as 1926, making the observance of 100 years feel particularly poignant. The calendar will also highlight the oil painting Garden of Zinnias by the artist Tetsutaro Fujioka, the museum's first acquired artwork, as part of a research project.

About AHA!

The research project surrounding Garden of Zinnias aims to delve into the history of the painting and its enigmatic artist, Tetsutaro Fujioka. Launched in 2005 in Osaka, the project focuses on the records of everyday people and their connection to art. Officially known as the Archive for Human Activities, AHA! has been involved in various media initiatives, including the publication of Hanako's Landscapes (2017) and exhibitions like “I Remember” (2021).

Submission Guidelines

We encourage you to submit your very own flower photographs along with a short description:
1. The name of the flower
2. A memory associated with the photo (up to 80 characters)

Submission Example 1:
Flower Name: Dutch Mouse-ear
Memory: It unexpectedly sprouted in a neglected pot. Its resilient beauty made me reflect on my own shortcomings.

Submission Example 2:
Flower Name: Water Lily
Memory: I keep medaka fish in a pond. I bought this lily to enhance my biotope. Spotting newly hatched fry was a joyous surprise!

Intended Uses for Submitted Photos

1. For the Landscape of This Place (tentative title) exhibition and the accompanying Flower Calendar 1926-2027.
2. For promotional materials related to the exhibition and other centenary events.

Acknowledgment for Submissions

- All contributors will receive an invitation to the Landscape of This Place exhibition.
- Selected contributors will each receive one calendar as a thank-you.

Note: Contributors will be contacted by the end of May 2026 if their submissions are selected. Additional details will be provided as they are finalized.