Goethe was never in Japan, yet he is in Japan. He can be found in Goethe Park and on the Goethe Trail in Tokyo, Japan, in translations, in anime and manga adaptations.
On the occasion of the 22nd Japan Day in Düsseldorf on May 24, 2025, the Goethe Museum is presenting a special exhibition on the intercultural literary relationship between Germany and Japan to get in the mood for the festival.
Goethe's successful first work “The Sorrows of Young Werther” was respected in Japan as a medium of national self-discovery. The first German bestseller represented a success story in which German literary and cultural assets rose to European and global recognition. The conflict between the pursuit of knowledge and moral responsibility thematized in “Faust” also resonated in Japan.
On display are the first Japanese translations of Goethe's literary works as well as their adaptations as manga (Japanese term for comics) and other surprising Goethe references from Japan. Illustrations from the Goethe Archive in Tokyo show the poet in a kimono, among other things. The kimono as a traditional, but also timeless piece of clothing can tell a story like a book. The artistic patterns, embroidery and hand-painted motifs reveal a deep connection with nature and a cultural self-portrait. The kimono is a symbol of the exchange between Japan and the world - just as Goethe's works are for Germany.
The opening will be attended by guests who collect and convey Japanese cultural assets in Düsseldorf.
May 18th to June 15th - Opening on May 17th at 4 pm, Goethe-Museum Düsseldorf