It's like an art space. What is the true identity of "SHIP'S CAT," the gigantic cat statue standing at nearly 3 meters in height at WeBase?
One of the things that is essential to talking about " WeBase, " a chain of lodging facilities across the country, is the giant cat statues named " SHIP'S CAT " that stand at each of the five accommodation facilities. They were created as a new form of art, public art, by Kenji Yanobe, a leading contemporary artist in Japan, with the hope of bringing happiness to travelers from around the world who visit various parts of Japan, and as a work that will take root in the local area and be loved by the people. The cat's blue eyes, dressed in a diving suit or a space suit, can see into the future, and its armor that reflects its surroundings gives courage to face difficulties, inviting you on a journey of new challenges and hope.
The model for SHIP'S CAT is the sailor cat that boarded ships from ancient Egypt and traveled around the world during the Age of Discovery.
In addition to fighting off plague and protecting food supplies by eradicating rats, cats also served to provide healing and strengthen the sense of camaraderie for sailors who had left their homes. Meeting people through art, bonding among the five WeBase locations, and a spirit of hospitality for guests. We look back on the history of SHIP'S CAT , which has a deep relationship with WeBase, at each of its locations.
WeBase Hakata - The first SHIP'S CAT opens at the gateway to Kyushu's port
The first SHIP'S CAT was born in July 2017 in Hakata, the gateway to Kyushu, famous for festivals such as the Hakata Dontaku and the Hakata Gion Yamakasa. Yanobe was inspired by the image of sailors coming and going as sailors traveled around the world during the Age of Discovery, protecting important Buddhist scriptures, food, and ships from rats on missions to the Sui and Tang dynasties, and preventing epidemics. The cat's impressive appearance is that of its upper body protruding from the building and heading powerfully towards the city. Its cute back view, which can only be seen from inside the hotel, has also become popular.
Upon its creation, the children of the local Hakata Elementary School solicited a nickname for Nyapy, which was named " Nyapy " and has continued to be loved by tourists and locals alike. It won the Fukuoka City Urban Landscape Award in the advertising category (November 2018), planted flowers around Nyapy and participated in Fukuoka City's "One Flower per Person" initiative (February 2021), and thanks to the connections Nyapy has made WeBase Hakata a hotspot for numerous local art event venues and community development events. Combined with its adorable appearance, it has appeared many times as an icon in local media, such as posters for the Hakata Old Town in Fukuoka City, and the area is overflowing with people who want to meet Nyapy, not just guests.
Accommodation Features
3 minutes walk from Exit 7 of Nakasu-Kawabata subway station. Conveniently located in the center of Hakata. There are 41 rooms in total, with 7 types of rooms, from bright, clean, and casual capsule-type mixed dormitories to king rooms suitable for families. A simple breakfast is served daily for free. The friendly, international staff and homely atmosphere are also popular.
Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Hakata Ward, Tenyacho 5-9
WeBase Kyoto - SHIP'S CAT, a traditional handmade washi paper manufacturer, plays an active role in promoting French-Japanese exchange
WeBase Kyoto, which opened in October 2018, features three statues, " SHIP'S CAT (Totem) ", " SHIP'S CAT (Sleeper) " and " SHIP'S CAT (Thinker) ", as well as a wallpaper called " Picture scroll of SHIP'S CAT ". These were also exhibited at the " SHIP'S CAT Exhibition" (organized by Kyoto University of Art and Design and Raysum Co., Ltd., supported by Kyoto City) held at the Carrousel du Louvre, adjacent to the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, as part of the Japanese government-sponsored "Japonisme 2018". SHIP 'S CAT, a washi paper sculpture made using three-dimensional papermaking, was created in collaboration with Eriko Horiki, who has opened up new horizons in the world of traditional washi paper, and contemporary artist Kenji Yanobe. In Paris, the exhibition interacted with 23,000 visitors, and also played a part in the cultural exchange commemorating the 160th anniversary of Japanese-French relations.
With nearly 70 million tourists visiting Kyoto every year, WeBase Kyoto continues to attract tourists with its hospitality through multilingual global communication, as well as art experiences that combine tradition and innovation.
You can also encounter SHIP'S CAT at the Paris-based bakery Liberte Patisserie Boulangerie Kyoto branch and the Osaka Nakanoshima Museum of Art .
Accommodation Features
Conveniently located in the "Shijo Karasuma" area. Choose from 4 types of rooms to suit your needs, whether you're on business or sightseeing: mixed dorms, private rooms with bunk beds, private rooms with double beds, and private rooms. A balanced plate breakfast that changes with the seasons is also provided. There are 50 guest rooms.
Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, Shimogyo Ward, Iwatoyamacho 436-1
WeBase Kamakura - A cat of hope travelling in name and in reality on an overseas business trip to Paris, 10,000 km away
It opened as a community hostel in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture in September 2016. " SHIP'S CAT (Harbor) ", perched on top of a giant bollard, was born at WeBase Kamakura.
This " SHIP'S CAT (Harbor) " also participated in the aforementioned " SHIP'S CAT Exhibition " held at the Carrousel du Louvre, which is attached to the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, in 2018. It actually traveled all the way from WeBase Kamakura to Paris, about 10,000 km away, becoming a traveling cat of hope in both name and reality.
SHIP'S CAT also connects people in Kamakura through art. It was the venue for the Art & Design New Generation Awards (March 2019) and witnessed the birth of young artists.
Taking advantage of Kamakura's geography, which is surrounded by the sea and mountains and is a popular suburban resort area located an hour from the city center, WeBase Kamakura will be fully renovated as a resort hotel in May 2023, and the hotel's Restaurant Kou will be reborn as a restaurant based on the concept of local production and consumption. Even though the hotel has changed its appearance, SHIP'S CAT will remain enshrined at the back of the terrace and will continue to be a popular photo spot for guests and restaurant patrons.
Accommodation Features
It is a one-minute walk from the Shonan Sea and three minutes from Yuigahama Station. There is a sauna where you can do self-loyly, a restaurant where you can enjoy pairings of locally produced wines, and a space for corporate training and yoga. Freshly baked galettes and champagne are served for breakfast, and after breakfast you can enjoy a stroll along the beach or sightseeing to enjoy the resort atmosphere.
4-10-7 Yuigahama, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture
WeBase Takamatsu - The motif is a cat looking back. SHIP'S CAT will be at the Setouchi Triennale
WeBase Takamatsu opened in December 2018 in Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture, the gateway to the rich food and beautiful Seto Inland Sea. Looking back from the top of the building's entrance is " SHIP'S CAT (Returns) ". Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku is the birthplace of Kukai and the tradition of pilgrimage has been passed down from generation to generation. " SHIP'S CAT (Returns) " is based on the motif of a "looking back cat" and has the new meaning of "return" and "giving back", with the hope that people will visit again and again. SHIP 'S CAT has also woven connections with people at numerous international and local art events such as "SHIP'S CAT + Kame3 2019 Festival (2019)" and "Oidemai Festival 2022 ~ Heart-to-Heart Art in the City ~ (2022)" as part of the Setouchi Triennale's prefectural collaboration and tour projects. For a limited time, a bus decorated with a SHIP'S CAT design was used on a day trip bus tour operated by the local Kotohira Bus Company, and the appearance was well received not only by fans but also by tourists and locals. SHIP'S CAT is always watching over the space where the tranquil Setouchi city surrounded by abundant nature has become art.
Accommodation Features
It is conveniently located just a 6-minute walk from the nearest Kawaramachi Station and an 18-minute walk from Takamatsu Station. There are 233 rooms in 9 types to suit your travel style, from executive twins over 50 square meters to mixed dormitories. Breakfast is a daily changing buffet with over 50 different items. While it is the distribution and economic center of Shikoku, it is also famous for traditional crafts such as lacquerware, cultural events such as the Setouchi Triennale, and as the udon prefecture.
1-2-3 Kawaramachi, Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture
WeBase Hiroshima - A prayer for world peace connected by SHIP'S CAT (Hiroshima story)
The lounge on the first floor of WeBase Hiroshima, which opened in September 2019, is a relaxing cafe space for hotel guests and locals to enjoy local beer. All of these SHIP'S CAT artworks are being shown for the first time, with " SHIP'S CAT (Fortune), " which lets you peek out its face and tail from the ceiling of the cafe, and " SHIP'S CAT (Table), " a cat-foot table, becoming popular Instagram spots. " SHIP'S CAT (Hiroshima story) ," which is displayed on the wall, is a scroll-style depiction of a feast of cats who traveled from ancient Egypt to all over the world and visited various famous places in Hiroshima. This is also infused with the feeling that Yanobe had when he saw the large torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine in his childhood, "It's like the Dragon Palace." Visitors are instantly drawn into these fantastical art spaces.
Hiroshima is an international city that shares Japan's beautiful nature, culture, and diverse history with people from all over the world, including Itsukushima Shrine, which enshrines an island in the sea and a god, and the Atomic Bomb Dome, which will be visited by world leaders at the G7 Hiroshima Summit in 2023. SHIP'S CAT connects tourists and local people through art, with a prayer for peace.
Accommodation Features
Located in the center of Hiroshima city, it is conveniently located within walking distance of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Hondori Shopping Street, beloved by locals. There are 108 rooms in total, with two types of rooms: private rooms with double beds and co-ed dormitories. It is popular for school trips, group trips, and business trips.
Hiroshima Prefecture, Hiroshima City, Naka Ward, Nakamachi 4-16
Artist Profile
Contemporary artist Kenji Yanobe
Washi artist Eriko Horiki
" BIG CAT BANG " by Kenji Yanobe will be on exhibit in the central atrium on the 2nd floor of GINZA SIX from Friday, April 5, 2024 to autumn 2025 (planned).
Born in Osaka in 1965.
Since the early 1990s, he has been creating functional mechanical sculptures based on the theme of "Survival in Modern Society." His humorous forms and social messages have earned him high praise both in Japan and overseas. In 2005, he created the 7.2m-long "Giant Torayan." In 2008, he opened the Ultra Factory at Kyoto University of the Arts and became its director. In 2011, after the Great East Japan Earthquake, he created the monument of hope "Sun Child," which has been exhibited both domestically and internationally. In 2017, he began creating the "SHIP'S CAT" series, a guardian deity of travel, based on the motif of a sailor cat. "SHIP'S CAT (Muse)" will be permanently installed at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka, which opens in 2022, and is attracting attention.
Born in Kyoto in 1962.
Founded SHIMUS in 1987. Founded Horiki Eriko & Associates in 2000.
Based on the theme of "Creating washi sculptures that live in architectural spaces," we produced original washi paper with a basic size of 2,700 x 2,100 mm.
We handle everything from planning and production to installation of washi interior art.
He has created washi artworks in many fields, including for numerous public facilities and commercial spaces such as the Arrival Lobby at Narita International Airport's Terminal 1 and the French Ambassador's Residence in Japan, as well as for the stage design of the YO-YO MA Cello Concert at Carnegie Hall in New York.
She has received numerous awards, including the Japan Architectural Artists and Craftsmen Association Award, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award for Interior Planning, Woman of the Year 2003, and the Japan Contemporary Art Encouragement Award.
About WeBase
It all started as a community hostel. WeBase is a hotel that continues to evolve with the times.
WeBase is a coined term to express "a place where excited people gather," and has opened in five locations: Kamakura in September 2016, Hakata in July 2017, Kyoto in October 2018, Takamatsu in December 2018, and Hiroshima in October 2019.The brand has established itself as one of Japan's largest community hostels and hotels , with a total capacity of over 1,000 people and stretching across Japan from Kanto to Kyushu.
We aim to create opportunities for promising young people to meet, promote the original culture and local charms of each region of Japan to the world, and encourage interaction between local people and many customers from around the world, while aiming to form a genuine community and contribute to regional development.
せとうちの悠久の自然と時に触れ、こころと身体が元気になる温泉宿
‟飾らない自分にかえる、晴れやかな時間”をコンセプトにしたホテル
駿河湾の「妖精の森」とつながる未来。訪れるたびに新しい発見、ワクワクの大瀬崎
Luxury accommodation facilities overlooking the sea are opening one after another
"Think globally, act locally"
About eight years have passed since the first hostel opened, and times have changed dramatically during that time. In addition to being a hostel rooted in the local community, the hostel has evolved into an operator that solves local issues. Taking advantage of its location close to Yuigahama Beach, the Kamakura hostel will become a resort hotel in May 2023, and the Takamatsu hostel will open a luxury floor in 2021, evolving into a hybrid hostel and business hostel.
The COVID-19 pandemic that has raged around the world since 2019 has accelerated digitalization, and the company has been quick to respond to new working styles known as " digital nomads " and " workation ." In addition to the WeBase brand, the company will open Etajimaso, a 32-room ocean view hotel on Nagase Beach in Etajima City, Hiroshima Prefecture, in July 2021, Hotel Colorito Goto Rettou, with the concept of "a bright and cheerful time to return to your natural self" on Fukue Island in the Goto Islands, Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture, in August 2022, and Nature Inn Osezaki, a lodging facility where you can coexist with nature, in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, in April 2024.
With the vision of " Think globally, Act locally, " we are naturally working to discover the unique charms of the local area and promote local production and consumption, as well as working to solve local issues. Through collaboration with various local companies, we are creating employment opportunities, increasing consumption of local products, attracting tourists, and employing people with disabilities. As a result, we are able to provide our guests with a unique and high-quality accommodation experience that makes the most of the characteristics of the region. WeBase continues to evolve as a professional lodging operator that is highly regarded by both local residents and guests.
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