Lo hyaku monogatari kaidankai – the “gathering of a hundred supernatural tales”-is a practice crystallized in the Edo period (1603-1867) and was originally regarded by samurai as a test of courage. Surrounded by darkness, one at a time, participants tell one hundred stories of macabre encounters with the supernatural, which is supposed to eventually lead to the appearance of a ghost. Considered to be a kind of beacon for spirits, the practice became enormously popular over time, and the stories told in the gatherings flowed into a literary genre called precisely hyaku monogatari, that is, the “hundred tales.” During the lecture, the fortunes of the hyaku monogatari in the Japanese literary landscape with special reference to the modern and contemporary world.

Embark on a style hunt through the corridors of the Yokai exhibit. Learn to ‘steal’ the shapes, textures and eternal colors of the wonderful works on display. Take inspiration from the great Japanese masters and design your own Yokai under the crazy guidance of Benedetta and Gloria.

In this short but intensive workshop, you will learn how to observe and capture the details that strike you most about the Japanese woodcuts on display, to create something completely your own. You will take home with you not only a fun experience, but a new way of experiencing ‘the museum’ in general and designing images.

What you need: Sketchbook or sketchbook, your favorite drawing tools (colored pencils, markers, brushpens, whatever you want), pen for taking notes, smartphone or ipad for taking pictures of the details of the works that most impress you.