Hokusai Connect: Beyond the Sumida River” is an art project that connects people and the town
The “Hokusai Connect: Beyond the Sumida River” art project will take place within Sumida City from October 2019!
This year is the 170th anniversary of the death of Katsushika Hokusai, Japan’s world-renowned ukiyoe artist. It will be marked by three projects, on the themes of “festival”, “play”, and “dress”, centered on Sumida, the district which was home to Hokusai and the cradle of Edo culture.
Hirosaki and Sumida, Linked by Hokusai — Hokusai Festival Plus. Hokusai-style pictures in a contest between the traditional Hirosaki Neputa and original Neputa by a modern artist
Original Neputa illustration by Kotobuki Shiriagari
The Hirosaki Neputa floats from Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture are invited to Sumida in fall every year, to make a procession along Hokusai Street (between Kinshicho and Ryogoku) in the Hokusai Festival. In this project, the traditional Hirosaki Neputa floats are joined by “original Neputa” first proposed by Kotobuki Shiriagari, a manga artist with deep love and respect for Hokusai. The float bearers of Hirosaki and Sumida combine their strength in the procession.
Event date and time: October 19, 2019 (Saturday), 16:30–18:00 (*Rain or shine)
Event location: Hokusai Street (from in front of Ryogoku Station on the Toei Asakusa Line to Oyokogawa Shinsui Park)
*The original Neputa by Kotobuki Shiriagari will be exhibited in the YKK 60 Building Atrium (Kamezawa 3-22-1, Sumida City) after the end of the Hokusai Festival (scheduled for October 20 to November 3).
Open to all! “Fastening Show @ Sakurabashi Bridge” by Fashion Town Sumida: A Fastening (Connection) Show in collaboration with local fabric businesses etc., in which people of all ages and ability levels can participate
Photo: Yukinori Nishimoto
The artist Yoshinari Nishio, who works on the themes of “dress” and “communication”, uses Sakurabashi Bridge, a bridge across the Sumida River, as the runway for a Fastening (Connection) Show that brings out all kinds of communication. On the theme of “Gyo-Show”, it incorporates layers of imagery of the Edo-era peddlers (“Gyo-sho-nin”) depicted by Hokusai, while also finding the appeal of Fashion Town Sumida.
Event time: Scheduled for October 26 (Saturday), 15:00–17:00
Location: Sakurabashi Bridge (near the Sumida River / Taito Riverside Sports Center)
*In the event of bad weather, it will take place in Koume Elementary School (Mukojima 2-4-10, Sumida City).
KOSUGE1-16 “Neighbor Land”, where people can mix and play: Creating a place for play that crosses age and language boundaries, with attractions such as a giant soccer game and a human-powered merry-go-round.
Welcome to “Neighbor Land”, where people can form teams with people who happen to be around them, or compete within groups of their peers, while many people freely participate and interact. They come together over art works that people can feel free to touch and play on, like a life-sized soccer board game and a Hokusai-themed human-powered merry-go-round. Events such as workshops about artwork creation and mixers with local futsal teams are planned.
1st venue: Next to Hojo Komuten (Higashi Mukojima 3-22-10, Sumida City)
Event period: October 26 (Saturday) to November 10 (Sunday), 10:00–18:00
2nd venue: 1F gallery, Sumida Lifelong Learning Center (Yutoriya), (Higashi Mukojima 2-38-7, Sumida City)
Event period: November 1 (Friday) to 5 (Tuesday), 10:00–18:00 (to 16:00 on the last day)