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“THE GIFT OF TIME,” a short film from Seiko, explores Japan’s unique connection with time through the eyes of its cultural icons. The film weaves together conversations with architect Kengo Kuma, contemporary artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, composer and Commissioner of Agency for Cultural Affairs Shunichi Tokura, and singer and newly appointed Seiko Group Ambassador MISIA.
THE GIFT OF TIME － 時と生きる － Short film
THE GIFT OF TIME － 時と生きる － Film trailer
THE GIFT OF TIME
- 時と生きる -
Short film
THE GIFT OF TIME
- 時と生きる -
Film trailer

News

2024.10.23
“THE GIFT OF TIME”: short film released.
2024.07.18
“THE GIFT OF TIME”: official trailer released.

THE GIFT OF TIME

Exploring the Japanese cultural appreciation of time
Time is our most precious resource. Once a moment passes, it can never be recaptured. That’s why life’s greatest luxury is spending time in nature or surrounded by friends and family, sharing generously with your community or pursuing the work and art you love most.
In this film, Seiko invites a selection of Japan’s most influential cultural figures to share how time shapes their philosophies, processes, and art. Each explores the meaning and essence of time as it is perceived in Japanese culture. Shot in significant locations throughout Japan, the film invites viewers to embrace the beauty of the present moment, the four seasons, and the passing years.

Featuring

Shinji Hattori

Navigator

Chairman & CEO, CCO
Seiko Group Corporation

Kengo Kuma

Architect

MISIA

Singer

Hiroshi Sugimoto

Contemporary Artist

Shunichi Tokura

Composer, Commissioner of Agency for Cultural Affairs

Credit

Produced by Godfrey Dadich Partners (GDP)
Directed by Paula Chowles

Key filming locations

Daitoku-ji Temple
Zuiho-in Monastery

Murin-an Garden

Todai-ji Temple

Enoura Observatory

THE SEIKO
MUSEUM GINZA

Zuisho-ji Temple

Gallery

Experience

Settings for embracing “THE GIFT OF TIME”

SEIKO HOUSE

Grand Seiko Studio Shizukuishi

THE SEIKO MUSEUM GINZA

The history of Seiko

Learn more about how Seiko has contributed to Japan’s culture of time over the years
Kintaro Hattori establishes the K. Hattori (watch and clock retail and repair store).Earning the trust of foreign trading companies, the business expands greatly.
Building on the success of the retail business, Seikosha is established and commences manufacturing of wall clocks.
The company moves to the corner of Ginza 4-chome and builds a store with a clock tower.
1881
1892
1894
Kintaro Hattori establishes the K. Hattori (watch and clock retail and repair store).Earning the trust of foreign trading companies, the business expands greatly.
1881
Building on the success of the retail business, Seikosha is established and commences manufacturing of wall clocks.
1892
The company moves to the corner of Ginza 4-chome and builds a store with a clock tower.
1894
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View details

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© 2024 SEIKO WATCH OF AMERICA LLC

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Credit

Produced by Godfrey Dadich Partners (GDP)
Directed by Paula Chowles

Credit

Produced by Godfrey Dadich Partners (GDP)
Directed by Paula Chowles

Shinji Hattori

Navigator

Chairman & CEO, CCO
Seiko Group Corporation

The era we’re in now is one defined by speed.
Building on the legacy of renowned brands including Grand Seiko and Wako, Seiko has been a pillar of Japan’s luxury culture for decades. Now we’re sharing a short film, “THE GIFT OF TIME,” which explores Japan’s unique relationship to time, the beauty of its natural environment, and the rhythms of its four seasons. I hope that this film reinforces Seiko Group’s enduring commitment to cultural heritage and sets the tone for our future contributions.

Kengo Kuma

Architect

It’s important to be in harmony with time.
At Zuisho-ji Temple in Tokyo, Minato-ku, renowned architect Kengo Kuma reflects on the intrinsic nature of his most treasured building material, wood, and explores the connection between architecture, nature’s tranquility, and time.

Profile

He is currently a University Professor and Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo following teaching assignments at both Keio University and the U. of Tokyo. KKA projects are currently underway in more than 50 countries. Kengo Kuma envisions architecture that opens up new relationships between Nature, technology, and human beings.

MISIA

Singer

We perceive time not just with our bodies but also with our hearts.
Over more than 1,250 years, Todai-ji Temple in Nara Prefecture has undergone multiple reconstructions. Today, it represents an enduring legacy in Japanese cultural history and captures the essence of time’s passage. Todai-ji Temple is a special place for singer MISIA, who has performed at the temple and dedicated music in its honor.

Profile

She debuted in 1998 and has gone on to become a nationally prominent singer with many hit songs, including “Everything” and “Ainokatachi (The Shape of Love).”
She is active in charitable causes supporting children in Japan and Africa, and an ambassador at forums such as the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD).
As of October 2024, she has announced her appointment as Seiko Group Ambassador.

Hiroshi Sugimoto

Contemporary Artist

Time passes by in the blink of an eye.

Enoura Observatory in Odawara, conceived over two decades, embodies contemporary artist Hiroshi Sugimoto’s desire to create a place of beauty that will endure for thousands of years. Sugimoto designed the facility and its structural artworks to inspire visitors to reflect on what it means to be human, as well as other mysteries of life.

Profile

Sugimoto moved to the United States in 1970 and started his career with photography in New York in 1974. A multidisciplinary artist, he works in photography, sculpture, installation, performing arts, architecture, gardening and gastronomy. His art bridges Eastern and Western approaches while examining the nature of time, perception, and the origins of consciousness.

Shunichi Tokura

Composer, Commissioner of Agency for Cultural Affairs

Time is precious. Once lost, it cannot be regained.
Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto is considered the site where the traditional tea ceremony originally flourished in Japan. As Shunichi Tokura and the Chief Priest of Daitoku-ji Temple enjoy tea at the temple, they honor each other’s company with the understanding that precious moments such as these can never be repeated.

Profile

Tokura spent his elementary and high school years in Germany, where he gained a basic musical education. He debuted as a composer while attending Gakushuin University in Tokyo. His numerous honors include the Japan Record Awards Best Composer Award, the Japan Music Award, and other prestigious accolades.

Daitoku-ji Temple Zuiho-in Monastery

Zuiho-in Monastery was completed in 1535 by feudal lord Sorin Otomo to be the Otomo family temple. The guest hall and two gates remain from the original construction, and the Japanese government has designated them as important national cultural properties. The Dokuzatei garden, or “sitting alone” garden, is a dry landscape crafted in the 1960s by renowned landscape designer and historian Mirei Shigemori.

Murin-an Garden

Murin-an was the second home of Aritomo Yamagata, a prime minister and military leader during the Meiji and Taisho periods (1868–1926). Constructed in three years, from 1894–96, it is a masterpiece of traditional design that features a Japanese garden alongside three key structures: the main wing, a Western-style living area, and a tea ceremony house.

Todai-ji Temple

Todai-ji Temple, a hallmark of architecture from the Nara era (710–794 AD), is renowned for its Great Buddha, which was built as a site for visitors to pray for universal happiness. The structure housing the Great Buddha is among the world’s largest wooden buildings.

Enoura Observatory

Enoura Observatory was constructed in Odawara over a period of two decades, drawing from the vision of contemporary artist Hiroshi Sugimoto. It features a gallery, stone and optical glass stages, a tea house, landscape garden, stone gate, and a waiting room. The art facility blends art and architecture, offering a space for visitors to reflect and connect with nature.

THE SEIKO MUSEUM GINZA

Established in 1981 to commemorate Seiko’s centennial anniversary, The Seiko Museum is a dedicated space for the collection and preservation of artifacts related to time and timepieces, such as sundials and traditional Japanese clocks, or wadokei.

Zuisho-ji Temple

Located in Tokyo, this temple is the central site for the Obaku Sect of Buddhism, which was introduced to Japan from China by the monk Ingen during the Edo period (1603–1868). The temple’s Hall of Great Strength is recognized as a national cultural treasure. Recently, architect Kengo Kuma redesigned the priests’ quarters, skillfully blending traditional elements with modern architecture.