[Kenelephant Co., Ltd.] Solo exhibition by stuffed animal artist SIO, “The TOMODACHI!” Solo Exhibition LIFE SIDE #01” starts from September 18th (Thursday)
Kenelephant Co., Ltd. Press release: September 4, 2025 To Members of the Press “The TOMODACHI!” solo exhibition by stuffed animal artist SIO Solo Exhibition LIFE SIDE #01 starts on Thursday, September 18th “The TOMODACHI!” soft vinyl figure is now available for sale for the first time Kenelephant Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kenzo Ishiyama) is hosting an exhibition titled “The TOMODACHI!” at “VINYL,” located inside the ticket gates of JR Tokyo Station in Gransta Tokyo. The exhibition brings together works from The TOMODACHI!, an art toy production project by popular stuffed toy artist SIO. The solo exhibition “LIFE SIDE #01” will be held from Thursday, September 18th to Wednesday, October 1st, 2025. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/166988/2/166988-2-7653ebfff63e1a40a175c6462197dd24-2000×1083.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/166988/2/166988-2-b21c7231fc8a041b08bcc770810e7b9c-3900×3900.jpg The first soft vinyl figure! The TOMODACHI! “Solo Exhibition LIFE SIDE #01” is a joint project between SIO, a popular stuffed animal artist with 48,000 Instagram followers, and VINYL GALLERY, run by
Kenelephant, and is a series that secretly observes and records the everyday lives of “The TOMODACHI!”, who could be found anywhere. “The TOMODACHI!” is an art toy project based on the concept of “furry figures.” Taking a street-snap perspective, the project captures everyday scenes and the presence of people in plush toys. Through exhibitions and collaborations both in Japan and abroad, the project continues to expand the possibilities of plush toy expression. And now, the first soft vinyl figures (3 types in total) in the The TOMODACHI! series will be released. This product’s facial features have built-in magnets, making them easy to replace. What’s more, if you purchase at our directly managed VINYL or KENELE STORE, you’ll receive a free glow-in-the-dark facial feature as a bonus. (※1) The TOMODACHI! project will offer a special experience capturing a glimpse of everyday life at JR Tokyo Station, one of Japan’s largest terminals. In addition, during the exhibition period, we will be holding an online lottery sale for exhibited works (soft vinyl figures will also be available in-store in limited quantities). Please note that numbered tickets may be distributed on Thursday, September 18th, the first day of the exhibition, to reduce congestion and ensure safety. Further details regarding this exhibition will be posted on the official VINYL Instagram account
(https://www.instagram.com/vinylgallery_tokyo/) as they become available. *1: Sales are limited. Please note that in-store stock will end once it is gone. [The TOMODACHI! Solo Exhibition LIFE SIDE #01″ Event Overview ■Title: “The TOMODACHI! Solo Exhibition LIFE SIDE #01 ■Dates: Thursday, September 18, 2025 – Wednesday, October 1, 2025 ■Venue: VINYL GALLERY (1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0005, JR East Tokyo Station, 1st Floor, Gransta Tokyo) ■Artist: SIO The TOMODACHI! is an art toy production project by stuffed animal artist SIO. Based on the concept of “furry figures,” SIO captures everyday scenes and the presence of people through a street-snap perspective, incorporating them into the medium of stuffed animals. Through exhibitions and collaborations both in Japan and overseas, he continues to expand the new possibilities of stuffed animal
expression. ・Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_tomodachi_/ ■About “LIFE SIDE #01” In my head, someone’s day was beginning again. A slightly wrinkled T-shirt, a strangely spunky hairstyle, breakfast left half-eaten. With a vague outline, someone’s presence still shines quietly in the corner of town today. The exhibition “LIFE SIDE” is a series of secretly observed and recorded images of these nameless residents. Perhaps you are the one on the other side of the lens. ■Business hours: Weekdays and Saturdays 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM / Sundays and holidays on the last day of a long weekend 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM *If the following day is a holiday, we will be open until 10:00 PM. ※Free admission ※Open daily during the exhibition ※The gallery space will close at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, October 1st, the final day of the exhibition. ■Notes regarding this exhibition [Visiting the store on the first day of the exhibition] Numbered tickets may be distributed on Thursday, September 18th, the opening day of the exhibition, to reduce congestion and ensure safety. Further details regarding this exhibition will be posted on the official VINYL Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/vinylgallery_tokyo/) as they become available. [About the Exhibition and Sales] – During the exhibition, works on display (soft vinyl figures only will be available in-store in limited quantities) will be sold by lottery online. ・For inquiries regarding this exhibition, please contact info@vinyl-store.jp. *Please note that we are unable to provide information in-store or over the phone. 【About VINYL】 Vinyl is a shop that displays art that “you can’t quite put your finger on, but you just can’t help but be drawn to.” Taking full advantage of its location inside a train station, we aim to be the most interesting gallery in the world, open year-round!
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/166988/2/166988-2-4884c16f6edcc79ed1c24bb6653f4996-2000×1234.jpg [The TOMODACHI! Soft Vinyl Product Overview】
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/166988/2/166988-2-3a02103304396e6d400fa2a38ddca6af-3900×3900.jpg ■Product #1 A soft vinyl friend wearing a sweatshirt! (Center photo: Center) #2 A soft vinyl friend wearing a sweatshirt! (Center photo: right) #3 A soft vinyl friend wearing a sweatshirt! (Center photo: left) ■Scale / Size Soft vinyl figure: H255×W245×D100mm Package: H270×W245×D105mm ■Scheduled release date Thursday, September 18, 2025 *Sales are limited. Please note that in-store stock will end once it is gone. ■Sales price 19,800 yen (tax included) ■Seller/Manufacturer Material: PVC (soft vinyl) Planning and production supervision: Hollow Workshop Country of manufacture: China About Kenelephant Co., Ltd.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/166988/2/166988-2-978f97c9fba6a17b8ab6e9725bbcd6d1-1080×1080.jpg ・Location: 4F A&X Building, 2-1-14 Kanda Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0064 ・Representative Director and President: Kenzo Ishiyama ・Established: February 9, 2000 – Business Activities: Planning, manufacturing, and sales of capsule toys and miniature products, operation of art shops, workshops, and publishing businesses, etc. – Official Website: https://www.kenelephant.co.jp ・X (old Twitter): https://twitter.com/kenelestaff ・Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kenelephant2000/