【🗾Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny】Is this 18,000㎡ mysterious art facility in Gifu worth visiting?

[#348, approx. 3,900 characters, approx. 70 photos]
I visited Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny (Gifu Prefecture) for the first time. I will write my impressions and review here.

▶︎ Conclusion

At the Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny, although I was able to experience valuable art, I felt it was not for everyone. The good points were: 1) being able to move my body within the vast 18,000㎡ grounds in the clear air, and 2) being able to experience the super-large-scale work by Shusaku Arakawa + Madeline Gins which also has an Instagrammable feel. On the other hand, the challenges were: 1) my understanding could not keep up with the concept, and 2) the access is not great. Also, since the "Children's Land" with its well-equipped playground is adjacent, it is recommended for those with children!

Note: Sneakers are essential!

▶︎ Reason for visiting

I had heard about the existence of the Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny from a friend who is knowledgeable about art. I thought that even children who don't usually want to actively go to art museums could enjoy it, so I visited while also taking a trip to Gifu.

▶︎ Access

The Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny is about a 10-minute walk from Yoro Station. I headed there in the order of Nagoya Station → Ogaki Station → Yoro Station. When transferring from Ogaki Station, you cannot use an IC card and must buy a ticket.

▶︎ What is the Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny?

Various pavilions are scattered throughout the park. Also, because there is no level ground, a sense of discomfort arises in your perspective and sense of balance. It is said that this is themed around reconfirming the human senses (though I don't really get it...).

The admission fee is 850 yen for adults (surprisingly expensive). It is very large, so one way or another, I ended up spending about two hours there.

✔️ Who are Shusaku Arakawa + Madeline Gins?

The "Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny" is a theme park by Shusaku Arakawa, who had been active as an artist since the 1960s, and Madeline Gins, who worked in the world of language as a poet.

Since he was a child, Shusaku Arakawa had been troubled by the question, "Why must humans die?" He went to New York in search of an answer. There, he met Madeline Gins, and they hit it off. They married in the same year they met (1962).

As they deepened their dialogue, they arrived at the slogan "Reversible Destiny," a philosophy that "humans do not die" (= reversing the human destiny of heading toward death), and "by changing houses and environments, we can continue to stimulate human physical abilities and consciousness, overcoming aging and death."

...Even writing down the results of my research, it is truly incomprehensible (bitter laugh). You can understand terms like "Fauvism," "Impressionism," "readymades," and "Superflat" if you hear an explanation. On the other hand, "Reversible Destiny" seems impossible to grasp unless you study it systematically by reading books and the like.

More than 30 years after the two met, the Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny was built in Yoro, Gifu Prefecture, as a place to re-perceive the body.

In addition to the Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny, their works include the Site of Reversible Destiny - Nagi's Ryoanji - Architectural Body in Okayama Prefecture, and the Mitaka Loafer's Bench House (In Memory of Helen Keller) in Tokyo. I especially want to visit the Nagi Museum of Contemporary Art someday 🙋

▼ Note post regarding Nagi Museum of Contemporary Art

✔️ Why is such edgy, large-scale art in Gifu?

A question I had was, "Why is such an edgy facility in Gifu, and in Yoro of all places?" It seems the catalyst was when the then-governor of Gifu met Arakawa and others in New York.

The then-governor of Gifu Prefecture, Taku Kajiwara, advocated for "making Gifu Prefecture a hub for information and culture (Information Culture Prefecture Concept = Gifu-ism)." As part of that, when he visited New York, he was introduced to Shusaku Arakawa, a Japanese artist active locally. He was moved by Shusaku Arakawa's presentation and reportedly decided to collaborate immediately.

Also, the "Yoro Falls" originally has a legend that "a filial son scooped up water and it turned into sake, and his elderly father who drank it became young again." That was exactly perfect for Shusaku Arakawa's "Reversible Destiny".

I feel a sense of decisiveness in Taku Kajiwara, who invested about 1.4 billion yen of Gifu Prefecture's tax money into a facility that drifts with a sense of incomprehensibility. Because it is a large-scale facility, it seems that in addition to construction costs, a certain amount of expense will be required for repairs and maintenance.

▶︎ Pavilion Introduction

Below, I will introduce the main pavilions at the Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny, focusing on photos.

I like large-scale art that utilizes nature. Although I enjoyed moving my body with my children inside the park, there was almost no explanation about the facility on-site, so the impression of it being a "mysterious facility..." was strong.

▼ Great nature-style art facilities

✔️ Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny Memorial Hall

At the Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny, this is the best photo spot. Both the exterior and interior use 24 colors. The inside is a mysterious space, just like a maze.

Inside the building, there are 24 mysterious partitions. Since there is no specific explanation for them, everyone, including the children, just played around.

This building was designed by Arakawa and Madeline Gins. Inside, works such as sketches and CG were also on display.

✔️ Gate of Destiny Reversal

As the name suggests, it is a "gate for not dying." Is it meant to act as an entrance for reversing one's destiny...?

✔️ Insect Mountain Range

Uneven rocks have pumps installed at their peaks. Climbing these rock surfaces requires the use of hands and feet, which is why it is named "Insect." Through those movements, it is said to "awaken the instinctive vitality of life."

The children (including me) were enjoying it using their whole bodies. Through that, was my potential destiny reversal being aligned...? (Who knows, though)

✔️ Critical Resemblance House

The main pavilion, characterized by a roof shaped like Gifu Prefecture. The brochure lists the following "usage instructions" (I don't really get it...)

The inside of the pavilion was very intricate. It wasn't a well-organized maze; some parts were very narrow, and for some reason, stoves, toilets, telephones, sofas, and beds were installed (some even embedded in the walls).

When I looked up at the ceiling, it had a design that was the ground simply inverted.

✔️ The Elliptical Field

The Yoro Site of Reversible Destiny brochure contained the following "usage instructions".

I have absolutely no idea what that means, but the ground here was marked with various paths from all over the world.

✔️ Elliptical Field

Finally, there is the 'Elliptical Field,' which looks like avery large crater. The 'instructions for use' are as follows (I don't understand them).

Here, there are pavilions that divide the 'Critical Resemblance House' into nine parts, 148 paths, and five hidden Japanese archipelagos. Because the artwork is fused with the great outdoors, you canenjoy experiencing art while moving your body.

Because this facility aims for you to enjoy the instability and danger of your senses with your whole body, there aremany bumps and dips. Your feet will get very tired, sosneakers are essential.

Furthermore, although this facility can be recognized as art,there is almost zero explanation, so it was generally incomprehensible. I think it's not really worth it for art lovers totravel all the way to Yoro in Gifu just for this.

The children ran off without being told anything and enjoyed it in their own way. I wonder if they successfully achieved 'Reversible Destiny'... (lol).

▶︎ Children's World

The 'Children's World' is adjacent to the Site of Reversible Destiny - Yoro.

Unlike the Site of Reversible Destiny, Kodomo no Kuni has free admission. It is quite rare to find a park equipped with such fun playground equipment! For children in Gifu Prefecture, it must be the best playground.

▶︎ Summary

What did you think? I had a valuable experience because I could enjoy a massive-scale art installation by Shusaku Arakawa + Madeline Gins while moving my body. However, the concept of the Site of Reversible Destiny was beyond my understanding, so my honest impression was that it was "incomprehensible..." Since it is in a remote area, I recommend going with a group, such as family, to enjoy it rather than going alone as an art lover.

▶︎ Next Preview

Next time, I plan to post my impressions of "Mako Idemitsu: Women's Works" and the "Sony World Photography Awards 2026" currently being held at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum.

▶︎ Today's Reversible Destiny Meal

▶︎ Recommended for you

▼ Recommended art museums in Gifu Prefecture

▼ Facilities that turned vast spaces into art

▼ Link collection of note posts (348 items)