Tokyo Art & Antiques:
The Nihonbashi / Kyobashi Art Event

History

The district of Nihonbashi / Kyobashi, in Tokyo's Chuo Ward, has been famous since the post-war era for its dealers in classical art, craft, nihon-ga painting, modern painting, sculpture, prints and so on. Now, the district boasts around 150 such unique specialist galleries, making it second only to Ginza as Tokyo's preeminent arts zone. Each participating gallery will create a wonderful opportunity for visitors to spend an early-summer evening strolling through the town, visiting galleries and searching out that special must-have antique or artwork.

In order to make it easier for as many people as possible to take advantage of the event, each gallery will endeavor in its own way to provide its visitors with a unique and unforgettable experience.

During the event there also will be a wide range of related programs, including talk sessions, each designed to enhance enjoyment of the event for a range of visitors – from experts and beginner-collectors to visitors from abroad.

In recent years there has been an increased level of interest in classical art, antiques and painting across a wide spectrum of age-groups in Japan. The number of art fans and collectors is on the rise. Nevertheless, chances to actually experience such art pieces directly are rare. Some people report interest in such items, but do not know how to go about building their own collections, while others find they have to work up courage just to enter the somewhat imposing environments of some art galleries and dealers.

The objective of "Tokyo Art & Antiques" is to provide an opportunity for many people, regardless of their age, knowledge or origin, to experience Japanese art and antiques firsthand and thereby become acquainted with the joys of collecting.