Today, a lecture event was held by the Nippon Fushikaden Association in front of Shiozawa’s work “Cosmic Dragon.” The theme was “What should art and AI inherit for the future?”

We were fortunate to be welcomed by Chief Priest Nomura, who is working to revitalize the Gion Festival—still affected by the lingering impact of the epidemic—by promoting a syncretic approach that unites Shinto and Buddhism. While Buddhism is making strides in the digital age, including the development of “Buddha Pot+” that incorporates ChatGPT, Shinto faces unique challenges due to its lack of a singular founder. As society becomes increasingly cashless, questions arise about the future of traditional offering boxes. With a humor, he mused on how the age of AI might reshape the practice of faith.

The chairman of the board explained the activities of the Nippon Fushikaden Association. Mr. Seki explained the establishment of a remote worship site for Showa Jingu Shrine as an important event on July 7th.

Shiozawa reflected on a harrowing encounter with a sea snake—an experience that later became the subject of a picture book—as well as the traumatic memory of witnessing the suicide of a classmate’s family during his childhood. He explained that these profound brushes with death have deeply influenced his artistic vision, forming the foundation of his depictions of gods and Buddhas.

He also showed and explained his work Tenjin Golden Dragon and Silver Dragon, which is about 65% incomplete and will be dedicated to Showa Shrine.

Lastly, Tsuyoshi Imoto, CEO of SLA Inc., explained how the gap in AI development technology between Japan and the rest of the world arose, and spoke about how modern technology can intersect with culture and spirituality.