Promotional Event for Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL: Taking Tokyo’s Arts and Culture to the World

On Friday, November 9, Governor Koike attended Taking Tokyo’s Arts and Culture to the World, a promotional event for the Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL, held at the Haneda Airport International Passenger Terminal.

In the opening address as the host of this event, Governor Koike said, “Haneda Airport is a crossroads for domestic and international travelers where a diversity of cultures mingle. This year marks exactly 150 years since Edo was renamed Tokyo. Tokyo is a city overflowing with many traditions carried on from that time, new technologies and diversity.” She continued, saying, “The Olympic and Paralympic Games are festivals of sport. Taking the occasion of the 2020 Games, Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL will disseminate to the world the culture of Tokyo and Japan. It will be a promotion of culture that revisits the old appeal of Edo and introduces the new. We will start its promotion with a performance from the traditional performing art of kabuki.” The governor then introduced Ichikawa Ebizo, the kabuki actor who would grace the stage. She also called out to the audience, “Let’s take this opportunity to make Tokyo an even more attractive city and tell the world about its appeal.”

Mr. Ichikawa Ebizo then performed Ennennomai from Kanjincho, one of the Kabuki Juhachiban (18 Best Plays of Kabuki).

After the kabuki performance, Governor Koike, Mr. Ichikawa, and Mr. Mitsuhiro Yoshimoto, member of the Tokyo Council for the Arts, held a discussion on topics that included Tokyo’s cultural appeal and arts and culture events to be held in the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Games. Mr. Ichikawa said, “Kabuki is original to Japan, but we stand united in our efforts to have kabuki spread its wings in a borderless world,” and Mr. Yoshimoto said, “I hope the Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL will be lively for Tokyo to become an international city of culture.”

Governor Koike said, “Tokyo’s culture gets its energy from the intermingling of tradition and innovation. I will dedicate even more efforts to disseminate Tokyo’s culture,” “We must first have pride in Tokyo’s culture and also share information so that we can introduce visitors from overseas to our culture.”