Osaka: Murals on Corporate Structures Enliven Communities; Banks, Companies Use Art to Spur Local Development

By Eriko Inoue / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

15:30 JST, November 17, 2024

OSAKA — A growing number of companies are having their stores and office buildings decorated with murals — highly artistic ones created using spray cans and paint.

The trend is expected to contribute to communities by cultivating artists and providing residents with opportunities to experience artwork, as well as creating a more energetic atmosphere in the towns where they are located.

In early August, a large mural was unveiled at the Harinakano branch of Resona Group member Kansai Mirai Bank in Higashi-Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka. The mural, 8 meters tall and 20 meters wide, covers an entire exterior wall of the building.

The mural was painted by Osaka-based artist LANP, with the theme of “Community and Future.” It vividly depicts a future creature holding a flower and walking across a verdant natural scene.

Looking at the mural, which defies the stiff image one might have of a bank, a 75-year-old local woman said, “At first I was surprised to see such an unusual painting, but I now like it because it makes our city more colorful.”

Unlike graffiti, murals are painted with the permission of the wall administrator or owner. These artworks have already become an established tool of urban development in some countries.

“If local communities don’t develop, our bank can’t sustain itself,” said Kansai Mirai Bank President Kazuhiro Nishiyama. “Even if it’s outside the scope of our main business, we want to continue contributing to making local communities more vibrant in various ways.”

The creation of the Kansai Mirai Bank mural was managed by Osaka-based startup Wall Share. The company has been involved in creating about 160 murals since its founding in 2020.

For example, in April 2022, the company worked on a mural for Kura Sushi, Inc., a major conveyor belt sushi restaurant chain. The mural, depicting sushi along with elements from ukiyo-e art, was painted on the exterior front wall in the popular Shinsekai tourist area in Naniwa Ward, Osaka. The wall of its Shinsekai Tsutenkaku restaurant building, 11.7 meters tall and 8.4 meters wide, is seen as a draw for foreign tourists, who enjoy taking pictures of the storefront.

Since 2022, Yanmar Holdings Co. has also been working on a project to promote art culture through murals. About three times a year, a new mural by a different artist is presented on a wall, 3.55 meters tall and 16.2 meters wide, at the northwest entrance to the Yodoko Sakura Stadium in Higashi-Sumiyoshi Ward, home of the J.League soccer team Cerezo Osaka, which the company sponsors.

“Our mural project is being featured on Instagram and other social media more and more,” said a spokesperson at the company. “We plan to make the wall a ‘sacred spot for murals’ in the future.”