Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.
How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire
29 days ago
Simplicity is key: Just a slice of bread with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is the perfect accompaniment.
The Sweet Second Life of Creole Cream Cheese
29 days ago
My rendition of frog legs, popping mushroom curry, pad prik khing with salted egg yolk, and sweet khanom thuai.
Recreating My Favorite Meal From Thailand
29 days ago
Inside London’s Gorgeously Curated ‘Art Restaurants’
29 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Japan Tokyo Azabu-Jūban Smile Monuments

Azabu-Jūban Smile Monuments

A series of smile-themed sculptures created by artists from all over the world fill this Tokyo shopping district.

Tokyo, Japan

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
“Sun Smile.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“Sun Smile.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“Package Deal.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“Smile on the Foot of the Ladder.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“The Inner and the Outer Sound.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“Mother and Child.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“Father and Son.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“Adam et Eve.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“Peace Clock.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“Luck Dong.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“The Couple.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“Youganu’s Dream.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
“Smile on the Foot of the Ladder.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Azabu-Juban’s shopping street.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Outside one of the Azabujuban station exits.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Minato City is known to be home to half of the embassies in Tokyo, particularly concentrated in the Azabu-Jūban district, arguably the most luxurious area to live in Tokyo. This is mostly due to its feudal past, when the area had a high population of daimyo lords. Following the Meiji-era abolition of samurai privileges, the daimyo mansions were converted into foreign legations.

Azabu-Jūban is also a notable shopping district, with many shops and restaurants lining the streets, some a couple centuries old. In the 1980s, it underwent a major renovation alongside the opening of a new subway line connecting the area to the rest of Tokyo. To vitalize the new Azabu-Jūban, the local committee collaborated with some of the embassies to erect a series of public sculptures, collectively referred to as "Smile Monuments."

The collection includes a number of sculptures created by Japanese and international artists. There is Smile by Pakistani artist Anjum Ayaz, which depicts a mother holding her baby. Package Deal by Australian artist Karen Genoff is a sculpted suitcase with souvenir motifs, intended to criticize the thoughtlessness of tourism. Youganu's Dream by Romanian artist Neculai Păduraru is a somewhat bizarre piece in the form of what looks like a handbag with bird heads as its strap.

Father and Son by Zimbabwean sculptor Bernard Matemera presents the titular father and son in stylized Shona style. Mother and Child by South Korean artist Lee Woon-Sik, depicts a little boy sitting on his mother's lap. Adam et Eve by French sculptor Georges Jeanclos depicts the eponymous Biblical couple in a Buddhist-inspired style.

Sun Smile by Venezuelan-American artist Jorge Blanco features a vivid yellow trio of smiling faces. The Couple by Austrian artist Josef Adam Moser is an abstract representation of what seems to be a red "M." Luck Dong by Finnish visual artist Markus Copper offers a surreal mixture of a plant seed and a bell.

The Inner and the Outer Sound by German sound installation artist Ulrich Eller takes the form of an oblong concrete block with two seashells embedded. Peace Clock by American artist Gloria Bornstein is a pop and colorful re-imagining of a Chippendale longcase clock inspired by Hiroshima's Peace Clock and the nursery rhyme "Hickory Dickory Toast." Smile on the Foot of the Ladder by Dutch sculptor Mark Brusse depicts a ladder with a frog on top of it and a pair of shoes on the lower steps.

Together, the "Smile Monuments" represent the smiles and warm hearts of people living in and visiting Azabu-Jūban, sometimes turning the heads of the passing shoppers but usually overlooked.

Related Tags

Sculptures Installations Art Outside Public Art

Know Before You Go

Nine of the monuments are located on either side of Jūban-dōri Street, between Exit 4 of Azabujuban Station and the Kurayami-zaka Slope. The street starts with Father and Son and ends with Smile on the Foot of the Ladder. To find the remaining three, turn towards the Patio Juban square at the intersection of Zōshiki Street, with The Inner and the Outer Sound located at the end of Patio Street.

Note: the centerpiece of the Monuments, Anjum Ayaz's Smile, is temporarily removed from the street and can be found in front of the former Nagai Drugstore building covered under a thick plastic sheet.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Published

November 17, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Azabu-Jūban Smile Monuments
Minato City
Tokyo, 106-0045
Japan
35.655496, 139.736613

Nearby Places

Kimi-Chan

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Roppongi Hills Street Furniture

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Mohri Garden Pond

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tokyo

Tokyo

Japan

Places 220
Stories 13

Nearby Places

Kimi-Chan

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Roppongi Hills Street Furniture

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Mohri Garden Pond

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tokyo

Tokyo

Japan

Places 220
Stories 13

Related Places

  • This scenic park on the shores of Lake Ontario is open 24/7.

    Toronto, Ontario

    Sundial Folly

    An enigmatic concrete structure in a lakeside Toronto park raises more questions than answers.

    Sponsored by Destination Toronto
  • Basel, Switzerland

    Hammering Man

    This 42-foot tribute to the workforce still reminds us to pause and recharge.

  • Wemding, Germany

    'Zeitpyramide' ('Time Pyramid')

    An abstract sculpture that will be a work in progress for the next 1,000 years.

  • Hörby, Sweden

    'Multiplera Skåne'

    Unexpectedly standing in a glade, this large group of life-sized, 3D-printed clay figures captures the essence of local young people.

  • ‘Pinecone’ in Deering Oaks Park celebrates artistry within the city and pays homage to the art community in Portland.

    Portland, Maine

    'Pinecone'

    An eight-foot-long pine cone made out of 140 recycled steel shovels is an homage to Maine's state flower.

  • Prague, Czechia

    'Lilith' by David Černý

    A colossal statue of a woman hugging a modern building.

  • Sculpture at Stavanger Domkirke (6)

    Stavanger, Norway

    'Broken Column'

    An art project designed to encourage people to explore and investigate their surroundings more closely

  • Page, Arizona

    Boiler Tube Slot Canyon

    This unique art installation used boiler tubes from a decommissioned power plant to resemble Antelope Canyon.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.