Name: Circle of Life — Water Wall Performance Planten un Blomen 2026
Start: 2026-05-30T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-05-30T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Wasserwand am Parksee, Planten un Blomen

Circle of Life Water Wall

About Circle of Life Water Wall

A unique evening in May: At the water wall by the park lake in Planten un Blomen, classical Japanese calligraphy meets contemporary audiovisual media art. The Hamburg artist duo cc2 and Japanese calligraphy master Koho Kurihara project live onto the water curtain — characters that flow, dissolve, and re-emerge. On May 30, 2026, 9:30 PM. Free admission.

Dates 30 May — 30 May 2026

Venue Hamburg (02000)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Circle of Life Water Wall — edition 2026

On May 30, 2026, at 9:30 PM, the Hamburg artist duo cc2, along with Japanese calligraphy master Koho Kurihara, will present the live performance "Circle of Life" on the water wall at the park lake in Planten un Blomen. Tradition meets media art — characters that flow, dissolve, and re-emerge. Supporting event of the Hamburg Kirschblütenfest. Free admission.

The premiere of Circle of Life is announced as a one-time performance. The venue is the water wall by the park lake in Planten un Blomen — a 15-meter-wide water backdrop, rarely used as a projection surface in this form.

The live calligraphy is performed by Japanese master Koho Kurihara, and the Hamburg duo cc2 is responsible for the audiovisual processing and projection. The organizer is the Hamburg-Mitte District Office as part of the Japanese Kirschblütenfest, which has celebrated German-Japanese friendship in Hamburg since 1968.

Highlights Circle of Life Water Wall 2026

The fusion of traditional Japanese calligraphy with modern audiovisual media art; the setting on the water wall at the park lake in Planten un Blomen; the Kirschblütenfest as the cultural framework.

Programme Circle of Life Water Wall 2026

Saturday, May 30, 2026, 9:30 PM — Water Wall at the Park Lake, Planten un Blomen

Live Calligraphy: Koho Kurihara writes in real-time on paper; the characters are filmed and projected onto the water curtain
Audiovisual Staging: Artist duo cc2 (Hamburg) processes the projection in real-time
Musical Accompaniment (in coordination with the program)
Performance duration approx. 60 minutes
Free admission, free access to the park

As part of the Hamburg Kirschblütenfest; further program elements (fireworks over the Alster on May 29, Japanese garden, etc.): hamburg-tourism.de.

Prices Circle of Life Water Wall 2026

Free admission. Free access to the park.

Practical information

Practical information — Circle of Life Water Wall

Getting There

S-Bahn lines S11/S21/S31 to Dammtor or Sternschanze. U-Bahn line U1 to Stephansplatz. A 5-minute walk from Dammtor to the Planten un Blomen entrance.

Start Time

9:30 PM — intentionally late so the projection on the water has its full effect in the twilight. Arrive 15–30 minutes early to find a good spot by the park lake.

Tip

Bring a blanket or a small folding chair — the performance lasts about an hour. In case of rain, the event will be relocated or postponed — check the websites of the district office and the Hamburg Kirschblütenfest for current information.

Planten un Blomen — Hamburg's Most Beautiful City Park

Right in the heart of Hamburg, between Dammtor station and the exhibition center, lies Planten un Blomen — the park with the Low German name ("Plants and Flowers"). With its Botanical Garden, water light concerts, Japanese garden, and tropical house, Planten un Blomen is one of Germany's most diverse parks. As part of the annual Kirschblütenfest (Cherry Blossom Festival), a special performance will be presented here in 2026.

Circle of Life — The Water Wall Performance

The centerpiece is the water wall by the park lake: a 15-meter-wide water curtain serving as a projection surface. During the Circle of Life performance, calligraphy is projected in real-time onto this water wall — written by Japanese master Koho Kurihara, visually processed by the Hamburg artist duo cc2.

Tradition Meets Media Art

The combination is extraordinary. Koho Kurihara works in the centuries-old tradition of Japanese calligraphy (Shodō) — characters created with brush and ink on paper or silk. The duo cc2 brings this tradition into the digital world: Kurihara's brushstrokes are filmed, processed in real-time, and projected onto the water curtain. The water moves the characters, deforms them, makes them appear and disappear again — hence the title Circle of Life.

As Part of the Kirschblütenfest

The performance is a supporting event of the Japanese Kirschblütenfest, celebrated in Hamburg since 1968 to commemorate German-Japanese friendship. The festival itself culminates on May 29, 2026, with a fireworks display over the Outer Alster — the water wall performance the following evening, May 30 at 9:30 PM, adds a quieter, artistically focused accent.

District Mitte / Neustadt Neighborhood

Planten un Blomen administratively belongs to the Neustadt neighborhood in the Hamburg-Mitte district. The water wall and the park lake are located in the southern part of the park, between the tropical house and Stephansplatz. On warm spring evenings, audiences regularly gather here for the water light concerts — the natural setting for a performance like Circle of Life.

Admission and Background

Like many events in Planten un Blomen, this performance is free to attend. The City of Hamburg consciously promotes public art — parks and bodies of water become stages without the need for tickets.