Japan's Art Festivals - Highlighting the History & Culture of Local Communities

Among its many attractions, Japan is famous for its colorful and boisterous festivals, which celebrate the history and culture of local communities across the country. Less well-known to overseas visitors are its regional art and music festivals featuring exhibitions and performances by local residents. Prior to COVID restrictions these regularly drew large numbers of visitors, and with Japan now emerging from the shadow of the pandemic, festival organizers are encouraging overseas tourists to experience these during a future trip to the country.

Many of Japan's art festivals highlight the diverse charms of individual communities and reflect unique aspects of their history and culture. This year will see a particularly high number of these festivals taking place, and with many of them being staged in outdoor public spaces rather than in museums, visitors will be able to explore local areas while appreciating their art. As well as showcasing local talent, some of the festivals feature works by overseas artists.

Here is a selection of art festivals awaiting future visitors to Japan.

Since 2000, the Echigo-Tsumari region of Niigata prefecture in Honshu has hosted an Art Triennal festival comprising artwork, concerts and drama performances, and this year's programme, running until 13 November, incorporates around 200 displays created by local residents. These include large outdoor sculptures, some set against backgrounds that make their own statement, such as closed-down schools and abandoned houses. The exhibits include innovative machine-generated fog sculptures and a slapstick comedy performance blending local historical fiction and classic Italian masked drama using a sake brewery as a stage.

The Reborn-Art Festival takes place every two years in Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture, an area in the north-east of Honshu that was badly hit by the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake. Its underlying theme is "Recovery and Regeneration Through Art," and its events strike both a reverent and a light-hearted tone. Around 25 artists from Japan and other countries are scheduled to participate in this summer's programme. Celebratory food offerings made from locally-sourced seasonal ingredients emphasize the importance of fishing and agriculture to the area. The festival provides an insight into the resilience and pride of local residents, and demonstrates community regeneration in action.

Separating the main Japanese islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku, the scenic Seto Inland Sea stretches for 450kms from east to west and contains more than 700 islands. The cultures of many of these were shaped by interaction with the crews of vessels that plied their waters over the centuries. The Setouchi Triennale promotes the diversity of these island communities and their individual charm. The organizers' approach acknowledges the UN's Social Development Goals; many of the exhibits are created from scrap wood, garbage, and plastic waste from the ocean.

The fortunes of some of the smallest islands, including Ogijima (population 160) and tiny Inujima (with an area of just half a square kilometer) are being boosted by carefully planned tourist activities. Others are attracting new residents seeking a more relaxed way of life; these are bringing with them skills from other areas of Japan and creating new businesses.

Many other artistic community events take place in villages and towns across Japan. The town of Ube, on the south-western coast of Honshu, hosts its UBE Biennale festival of sculpture every two years. Aichi Triennale 2022, an urban art festival taking place in Nagoya and other locations across Aichi prefecture, covers a wide range of fields, synthetically exhibiting performing art and other art forms with a contemporary art core, under the theme STILL ALIVE.

Each of these local festivals will offer future visitors to Japan an opportunity to gain new insights into this fascinating country, and help sustain the prosperity of its local communities.

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