板室温泉 大黒屋

Ephemera
Itamuro Onsen Daikokuya will present the exhibition “Ephemera” from March 7 to March 30, 2026.
Ephemera refers to printed materials produced for temporary use, such as exhibition invitations, brochures, posters, and other printed matter. The word derives from the Greek ephemeros, meaning “lasting only a day” or “short-lived.”
Although these printed pieces were originally created for a specific moment—often to announce an exhibition—they frequently contain traces of the atmosphere, aesthetics, design sensibilities, and people involved at that time. Rather than the artworks themselves, ephemera quietly preserves the memory of the events, places, and contexts that surrounded them.
This exhibition presents a selection of ephemera collected over many years by Atsushi Hamanaka, founder of the art book distribution company twelvebooks, together with materials introduced in collaboration with Takaya Suzuki of ens. The exhibition will include both display and sales. We hope this exhibition offers an opportunity to encounter and learn about the cultural significance of ephemera.

Atsushi Hamanaka | twelvebooks
Atsushi Hamanaka founded the art book distribution company twelvebooks in 2010. Guided by the idea of “bringing art books into wider circulation,” twelvebooks introduces and distributes publications from independent international publishers in Japan. Hamanaka has also been involved in the organization of TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR.
Based in Tokyo, twelvebooks connects art and publishing culture through various initiatives and projects centered around books. In 2024, the space SKWAT / twelvebooks opened in Kameari, Tokyo.

Takaya Suzuki | ens
Takaya Suzuki runs ens, a project focused on printed materials and ephemera. The project collects and recontextualizes printed matter—such as flyers, posters, and brochures—originally produced as temporary materials, presenting them as traces of contemporary visual culture and circulation.
In recent years, Suzuki has expanded his activities through exhibition projects and archival practices, proposing new ways of understanding printed culture.

Itamuro Onsen Daikokuya
Itamuro Onsen Daikokuya is a traditional hot spring inn located in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. For many years it has continued cultural initiatives under the concept of “an inn for rest and art,” including a monthly exhibition program that provides opportunities to encounter contemporary art and craft.
Within the natural environment of the hot spring, art and everyday life gently intersect. The site also houses and operates the Kishio Suga Warehouse Museum, dedicated to the work of artist Kishio Suga.