In ZONE 2: Read Sound, we featured exhibits and presentations including onyu which transform sounds into words seen in Japanese manga. Rich manga presentations made it possible for viewers to read a world of music that included classical, opera, and rock in images and text.

The exhibition was created based on two points. First, sounds are presented in written form using onomatopoeia or mimetic words characteristic of Japanese manga. Second, Japanese manga contain many stories treating various genres of music such as orchestral, opera, ballet, and rock as their themes, presenting many kinds of depictions of sounds and music. We also introduced works from the Edo Period to the early Meiji Period, including illustrations from Tobaeakubidome and Kabuongakuryakushi as examples of the origins of manga-like music presentations.

In the exhibition, impressive scenes were enlarged, and large-panel displays as well as manga books were placed on music stands for visitors to read. Displaying manga in an exhibition is difficult, but many people stopped by to read the sounds in Japanese manga.