Myth of Tomorrow, Mural in Shibuya Station, Japan
Myth of Tomorrow is a mural by Tarō Okamoto located in Shibuya Station, Tokyo. The composition stretches 30 meters wide and 5.5 meters tall, showing human figures and creatures rendered in large-scale, expressive brushwork.
Okamoto created the work in 1969 as a commission for a hotel in Mexico City that never opened. The painting disappeared for decades until its rediscovery in 2003 in a Mexico City suburb and its return to Japan in 2008.
The work takes its name from Okamoto's intention to show hope that persists even after great destruction. Visitors today see a powerful statement about human resilience, painted in vivid reds, yellows, and blacks that echo traditional Mexican mural art.
The mural hangs in the upper floor of the station, near the Mark City entrance, where commuters pass daily. Travelers can view it while switching train lines or pause briefly to study its details.
During restoration, experts discovered a small panel Okamoto had added later, showing a submarine and a missile. This addition now hangs in a corner near the main work, referencing the Daigo Fukuryū Maru nuclear incident.
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