On July 12, the Monaco-based Grimaldi Forum conference center opened a new exhibit titled "Kyoto - Tokyo: From Samurais to Mangas [sic]," and the exhibit will run until September 12. The exhibit centers around Japan's cultural history, as represented by Japan's imperial capital of Kyoto from the year 794 to 1868, and its cultural present, as represented by the subsequent and current capital of Tokyo.

The exhibit includes Japanese calligraphy, martial arts demonstrations, and an exhibit of manga "hyped" by a large balloon depicting the title character from Masashi Kishimoto's manga Naruto. The exhibit features art and storyboards by Osamu Tezuka, Toei Production, Yoshitaka Amano, and other creators, and it includes works from One Piece and Grendizer (called Goldorak in French). Video games by Sega and Bandai Namco are also on display.

The exhibit's inauguration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Prince Hitachi (the younger brother of Japan's Emperor Akihito) and his wife, as well as Prince Albert of Monaco.