On any given day, the Takenodai Plaza is bound to be bustling with parkgoers, sauntering in the shadow of the Tokyo National Museum or unwinding around the Ueno Park’s iconic Grand Fountain. Inspired by the scenery, a few such parkgoers asked: What would happen if the Grand Fountain were transformed into a fashion show runway? And what if an abandoned old train station were opened to the public as a pop-up art gallery? Join us in exploring the many extraordinary events held throughout the year in Ueno which answer such queries with the uniquely heightened sense of drama that can only truly be savored in historic architecture and exceptional spaces.
On November 9th and 10th, fashionistas flocked to Ueno Park for UENOYES 2019/FLOATING NOMAD. All eyes were on the opening night’s headline event, a riveting fashion held show by Japanese brand writtenafterwards. Directed by fashion designer Yoshikazu Yamagata, the show, titled After All, was in a sense three years in the making, as it offered a comprehensive window into the label’s three-part collection begun in 2018, exploring the “21st century witch.” No sooner had the sun dipped beyond the horizon than Ueno Park transformed into a magical, avant-garde catwalk, under the watchful gaze of the fashion world’s curatorial movers and shakers, all in the shadows of the Tokyo National Museum.
Have you noticed a small, stone building on the north-west corner of Ueno Park, right opposite to Kuroda Memorial Hall? It’s the Former Hakubutsukan-Dōbutsuen Station, once operated as one of the Keisei Line stations. Though now closed, it opened its doors to the public for a limited time in 2019 autumn as a part of “UENOYES” art project where two Spanish artists exhibited their works with the theme “Metal Silence”. The building played a unique role, providing one-of-a-kind atmosphere to exhibit and appreciate art; visitors immersed themselves in the surreal feeling while going down the stairway, hearing the roar of the train passing right below their feet.
Whether it’s for fine art, national treasures, or majestic architecture, visitors travel from far and wide to commune with all the diverse art and culture that awaits in Ueno Park. However, any discussion of Ueno would be incomplete without mentioning music, as recently evinced by Around Ueno Park with Music 2020. Launched in 2019, the annual event invites visitors on a two-day “sound tour” of six cultural institutions located throughout the park. Three musical performances, each ranging from 20 to 30 minutes, are conducted per day, for a total of six casual concerts that are all free of charge and open to the public. Join us as we explore this harmonious blend of music and art in Ueno.
