Filipino-Japanese Contemporary Artist Introduces “Bananaguin” At Nafas Tokyo Exhibition and Festival 2026
NAFAS Tokyo Exhibition and Festival 2026 features “Banananguin,” a character and art project created by Filipino-Japanese contemporary artist Taichi Kondo.
The Philippine Embassy in Japan proudly supported the participation of Filipino-Japanese contemporary artist Taichi KONDO in the NAFAS Tokyo Exhibition and Festival 2026. The exhibition, which highlights the intersections of art, food and collective experience, officially opened on 04 September 2026 at the BUoY Arts Center in Adachi City, Tokyo. Mr. Kondo is one of the sixty (60) featured artists from Japan and around the world and the only Filipino artist selected by the organizers from among hundreds of submissions.
Filipino-Japanese contemporary artist Taichi KONDO proudly shows his creation, “Bananaguin” – a hybrid of a banana and a penguin which embodies both the warmth of the tropical sun of the Philippines and the coolness and northern quiet of Japan.
Mr. Kondo’s works seamlessly blend the intricate influences of his Filipino-Japanese heritage. The centerpiece of his exhibition, entitled “Banananguin,” serves as a powerful visual metaphor for his personal journey toward self-acceptance, identity, and cultural belonging.
“Taichi KONDO has highlighted the strong cultural ties between the Philippines and Japan through his artworks, especially his ‘Bananaquin’ series — a whimsical representation of Japan’s well-loved Philippine fruit and a fitting homage to this year’s celebration of 70 years of friendship between the two countries,” underscored Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene J. Garcia-Albano in a statement following the exhibition opening.
Though born in Japan and currently based in Tokyo, Mr. Kondo has maintained a strong artistic presence in the Philippines. He has been actively showcasing his work in the country since 2020, notably debuting at the prestigious Art Fair Philippines.
[L-R] First Secretary and Consul Fatima Quintin, Mr. Taichi KONDO, and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Ihna Santos at the opening of NAFAS Tokyo Exhibition and Festival 2026 on 04 September 2026 at the BUoY Arts Center in Adachi City, Tokyo.
The NAFAS Tokyo Exhibition and Festival 2026 is free to the public and will run until 26 September 2026 at the BUoY Arts Center. It is open from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
