Events

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TOKYO “Suki” Festival 2017

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Art is the key that opens up the world.

The TOKYO “Suki” Festival, held at Ueno Park, communicates Japanese culture to the world through art. Last year’s festival had a turnout of over 320,000 visitors over the course of the three-day event. This year, in which we welcome a new festival director, art will fly out of the park and make a home for itself throughout the area. What’s more, the festival period has been extended to ten days.
To develop Tokyo’s future as a hub for the world’s foremost culture and arts, we will rediscover the value that Ueno has created through the power of art, further the evolution of the park as a public space, connect the area with the world, and continue creating new values born of diversity.

Art installation

Katsuhiko Hibino, Yosuke Kaifu & Jin Ishikawa – “Ueno Shipyard” Shinobazu Pond Ashibune (reed boat) Project

A workshop and installation recalling the voyages of 30,000 years ago
Venues: Boating Pond, Shinobazu Pond; Benten-do temple plaza, others
“Ueno Shipyard” was created in Ueno Park from the differing approaches of three people: artist Katsuhiko Hibino; Yosuke Kaifu of the the National Museum of Nature and Science, an anthropologist and representative of the “Holistic Reenactment Project of the Voyage 30,000 Years Ago”; and explorer Jin Ishikawa, who carries out voyages in ashibune (reed boats). Through exhibits and workshops related to “Voyages of 30,000 years ago,” visitors will ride a wave of imagination and take off on a special journey, experiencing firsthand the spirit of curiosity and adventure that has continued ceaselessly since ancient times. During the festival, Ishikawa will lead a workshop in making a reed boat at the event space on the banks of the pond, and Hibino and Kaifu will hold a talk event on November 10. On the final day, the completed boat will be launched in Shinobazu Pond, with event personnel on board.

Reed Boat-Building Workshop with Jin Ishikawa” – Call for participants
Make a reed boat (ashibune) with explorer Jin Ishikawa. On the final day, the boat will be launched in the boating area of Shinobazu Pond.
Friday, November 10 – Sunday, November 19, 11:00-17:00
Venues: Boating Pond, Shinobazu Pond; Benten-do temple plaza
Capacity: 10 (first-come-first-served)
Admission: Free of charge
Eligibility: 18 years and over (no previous experience necessary)
Conditions: Must be able to attend on at least 2 days (priority will be given to those who can attend on all days)
Other: Please wear comfortable clothing. (Outdoor work required.)
How to apply: Advance booking system – please apply through the official website starting in mid-September.

“Water Mirror” / Taro Suzuki – Spatial Effects Lab

[An art piece in which the appearance of Shinobazu Pond is transformed by rays of reflected light playing over the water’s surface.]
Venue: Boating Pond, Shinobazu Pond *Limited-time display: Friday, November 17 – Sunday, November 19
In this installation, Shinobazu Pond is the canvas and reflected light is the medium. Visitors will be delighted by the play of light on the water’s surface as it changes over time with the changing wind. Over the entirety of the Shinobazu Boating Pond, floating objects will be enveloped in pale, soft light. The boundary between the real world and the world reflected on the water’s surface disappears and the two become one. Experience a wondrous world in the clear air and night sky of autumn.

Kazuyuki Hashimoto – “ITO EN Tea Taster Forest”

[From the Tea Tasters of Ito En tea company, spatial art that points to a new “way of tea”]
Venue: Fountain Plaza, Ueno Park
Would you like to enjoy a cup of tea while looking at lovely scenery? Do you dream of living in a beautiful place? A mobile teahouse created to make these wishes come true will be presented in various locations. We will reexamine lifestyles and living spaces that come to the fore through the contrast with buildings from the past, and ask the question “What is luxury?”
The event space is an updated version of the structure created by Kazuyuki Hashimoto for last year’s TOKYO “Suki” Festival. Here, Ito En tea specialists, called “Tea Tasters,” will prepare and serve a variety of teas and explain the appeal of Japanese tea and how to enjoy it. The event will also feature a mobile teahouse with tea serving demonstrations.

Shinji Ohmaki – “To be decided”

Venue: Fountain Plaza, Fountain Pond, Ueno Park

Yanaka Art Project: Tokyo University of the Arts and the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris – The Global Art Joint Project 2017 / “The Whole and The Part”

Tokyo and Paris art students turn the town of Yanaka into an art spot
Venues: Ichida Family’s House, Denchu Hirakushi House and Atelier, others
Starting from the group theme “The Whole and the Part,” 16 students from two internationally oriented art schools expand their composite perspective, and enrich and deepen their powers of expression, while taking part in fieldwork and workshops in France and Japan over a period of several months. Then they experience people’s ways of life in the Yanaka area of Tokyo and present works incorporating townscapes that have remained as they were long ago.

Geisai (Tokyo University of the Arts Festival) Mikoshi Portable Shrine – “Ueno, Global Capital of Culture Prize” – Exhibition of Prizewinning Works

Display of three outstanding mikoshi (portable shrines) made by Tokyo University of the Arts students for the university’s festival in September 2017
Venue: Fountain Plaza, Ueno Park
Huge portable shrines from Tokyo University of the Arts’ 2017 “Geisai” campus festival will make an appearance in Ueno Park.
Three outstanding works by students will be on display.

Event

Ueno Park Studies

A program for the study and transmission of Ueno Park’s history and culture
“Ueno Park Studies” examines, considers and communicates the history and culture of Ueno Park, together with people who have a long association with the park as well as experts from various fields. This new research program unearths the area’s history and culture from anthropological and other perspectives, and carries out joint projects with artists and researchers whose support will be needed for the future internationalization of art programs. A talk event kicking off the program will be held during the festival period.
(Planning: Art Bridge Institute)

Lighting Detectives Appear in Ueno Park Vol. 2

This workshop course series considers the current state and future form of illumination in Ueno.
Venue: Tokyo National Museum
The “Lighting Detectives” led by lighting designer Kaoru Mende, which was very well received last year, is coming to Ueno Park again.
Following last year’s lighting study fieldwork, this time the team will install lighting equipment in the Tokyo National Museum and carry out verification experiments. What should Ueno Park be like as an area to enjoy at night? Lighting experts and participants will think about this topic together in the workshop.
(Planning: Lighting Detectives / Cooperation: Panasonic)

“Lighting Detectives Appear in Ueno Park Vol. 2” – Call for participants
Monday, October 16, 18:00-21:00 / Monday, November 13 – 18:00 – 21:00 / Tuesday, November 14, 18:00 – 19:00
*Tokyo National Museum will be closed on October 16 and November 13, and will close at 17:00 on November 14. Thank you for your understanding.
Venue: Tokyo National Museum
Capacity: 30 (first-come-first-served)
Admission: Free of charge
Eligibility: University/vocational college students and older (no previous experience necessary)
Conditions: Must be able to attend on October 16 and November 14 (priority will be given to those who can attend on all days)
Other: Please wear comfortable clothing. (Outdoor fieldwork required.)
How to apply: Advance booking system – please apply through the official website starting in mid-September.

Other programs

Kopanda Winds Concert

This year we’re holding a special concert once again. Kopanda Winds (wind sextet) will perform on the stage of Ueno Park.

Programs to promote “UENO for everyone”

Programs on the theme of improving accessibility will be carried out in conjunction with various facilities.
In programs carried out by facilities in Ueno Park during the festival period, we will provide various services including childcare, interpretation, and wheelchair assistance.


Workshops, concerts and other events are also planned.
Event programs are subject to change. Detailed information on changes, schedules, application procedures and so on will be posted on the TOKYO “Suki” Festival 2017 official website.

Contact

TOKYO “Suki” Festival Office
Implementation Committee for New Concept “Ueno, a Global Capital of Culture”
TEL:03-5834-2396

Venues

Ueno Park (Shinobazu Pond (boating pond), Fountain Plaza etc.), Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, Yanaka area and others

Credit

Organized by
Implementation Committee for New Concept "Ueno, a Global Capital of Culture", Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture)
Supported by
Tobu District Park Office, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Construction
Sponsored by
ITO EN, Ltd., Gurunavi, Inc., NKB Inc., Japan Traffic Culture Association, Seiyoken
Assisted by
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Taito City