On July 23, many people kindly joined Tomoko Konoike’s talk event at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion of Expo. We sincerely thank you for attending. After the Expo closes on October 13, these works will be loaned out free of charge across Japan as part of the Medicine Infrastructure Project. We hope you will continue to follow and support this initiative.

Created by artist Tomoko Konoike for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, the Wolf Bench is a sculptural bench designed not just for sitting, but for being gently embraced by art. Ten of these benches were made as part of the project, and after the Expo concludes, each one will travel to different parts of the world. They will be lent free of charge to places that welcome them—places in need of joy, hope, and human connection.

This initiative is part of the Sakuya Wolf Project, which reimagines the relationship between people and art. Instead of visiting a museum to view art, this project brings the artwork directly to the people. It seeks to spark happiness and vitality wherever the benches travel, and in turn, those who have spent time with the bench will pass it on like a baton to others needing art’s healing energy.

The Wolf Bench gently wraps around you. Please sit, touch, and fully experience the warmth and presence it offers.

▶ Learn more:
Project Page – Sakuya-hime Official Website
Artist: Tomoko Konoike
Organized by: Expo Sakuya-hime Conference (General Incorporated Association)
In cooperation with: Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry