Florentijn Hofman’s Rubber Duck has been a frequent visitor of Osaka’s canals, where it made an appearance last month for Suminoe Art Beat 2021. Now, the enormous bathtub companion has returned as part of Osaka’s Hikari Kyoen illumination festival. The festival includes glittering light displays around Osaka, along with some outside the city, but the duck is staying put in Osaka's Nakanoshima district.
The Dutch artist’s Rubber Duck was first unveiled in 2007 and has since toured cities all over the world including Sydney, Hong Kong, Seoul and Toronto. Hofman is widely known for his fun, cheerful and oversized urban installations such as the Hippopo Thames in London and the 'selfie panda' in China.
You'll find the duck bobbing on the Dojima River in front of the Dojima River Forum until December 25. The Hikari Kyoen illuminations will begin every night from 5pm and end at 9pm, so go after dark if you want to see the buoyant yellow sculpture against the backdrop of Osaka’s nighttime skyline.
Aside from the Rubber Duck in Nakanoshima, other spots that are featured in the illumination festival include Osaka City Hall, the Umeda Sky Building and the Osaka Bay Tower in Bentencho. The Nakanoshima light displays run until December 25, while the Bentencho lights will be on until January 31 2022.
For more information on the winter illuminations in and around Osaka, visit the event’s official website.
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