“Sakura” (Bloom of Smile 咲笑) –
Art Exhibition for Recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake
A series of art exhibitions have been planned for the purpose of supporting, by means of art, the recovery from the tragic disaster that occurred in Japan on March 11, 2011.
The Art Exhibition for Recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake was first held in February 2012 under the title of HISHO （飛翔） in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and the second exhibition was held at the reception hall of Nikko Tosho-gu shrine.
Tosho-gu is famous both in and outside Japan as one of the most miraculous shrines which enshrines Seii-taishogun (literally, ” the great general who subdued the barbarians”) Ieyasu TOKUGAWA and prays for the world peace. The Edo period established by the TOKUGAWA Shogunate family is known as a peaceful period, lasting for as long as more than 260 years.
The art exhibition took place to share a permanent peace of the present world.
The number of the art works exhibited by Japanese artists amounted to 195 pieces and children’s works mainly from Tochigi Prefecture but also from other regions totaled 36 pieces, which means that many art works came from all over Japan.
We, the organizers of this exhibition, gave artistic support to the affected area and collected donations, and desire to be of help for the affected people’s quick recovery.
Events during the Exhibition
Day 1
Saturday, April 13, 2013, at 11:00
Opening Ceremony (at lobby on the 1st floor of the Reception Hall)
Opening remarks : Mr. Nobutoshi Akao, Senior Advisor of the World Art and Culture Exchange (hereinafter referred to as “WAC”)
Congratulatory address : M.R. Somlabh Kitiyakara, Chairman of WAC
Mr. Yuzawa, Deputy Mayor on behalf of Mayor of Nikko
Mr. Tsuruya, Manager of Utsunomiya branch of the Sankei Shimbun
Mr. Inaba, Guji (Chief Priest) of Nikko Tosho-gu
Guests : 2 officers from Thai Zonta International Club
Other participants concerned : Mr. Anuwat Boonithee, Executive Director of WAC
Mr. Katsumoto Munakata, Advisor of WAC on Oriental Art
Mr. Fumitaka Ishikawa, Representative Director of WAC
51 exhibiting artists (174 exhibitors in total, including 5 special exhibitors)
A plate of art and culture
dedicators with the names of 186 exhibitors
was handed by Representative Director of WAC to Mr. Yuzawa, Sakan.
At the second floor of the reception hall of Nikko Tosho-gu, 195 pieces of art works were displayed and at the lobby of it’s first floor, together with the writing of the calligrapher Shoshu, 42 pieces of art by the children from various art schools in Tochigi prefecture were displayed.
During the exhibition period, many visitors to Nikko Tosho-gu also visited the Exhibition and, upon knowing that the Exhibition was to pray for he recovery from the disaster, many of them were seen making donation in the donation box placed at the reception.
Following the writing for dedication to Shikinen Sengu (transfer of a deity to a new shrine building once in a prescribed number of years) at Ise Jingu last year, Calligrapher Shoshu dedicated the writing of “Sakura” to pray for the recovery to Nikko Tosho-gu with due solemnity this year.
After writing, Calligrapher Shoshu explained about the writing, out of breath but trying to take a breath each time he forms his words, that to write at Nikko Tosho-gu thinking of those affected by the disaster was almost to stake his own life.
Prayer – Ceremonial banquet for the dedication of art works
(at “Shogun Chakuza-no-ma” of the main shrine of Nikko Tosho-gu)
Prayer for the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake
(*Media which came for the event: the Yomiuri Shimbun Nikko branch, the Mainichi Shimbun Nikko communication office, the Sankei Shimbun Utsunomiya branch, Shimotsuke Shimbun and Tochigi TV)
Day 2
Sunday, April 14, 2013 at 11:00, Collaboration of art work by the artists and children
“Fureai Art Session for Children” (at the plaza in front of the Reception Hall)
Day 3
“Visit to Nikko Elementary School” with M.R. Somlabh
Visitors : M.R. Somlabh Kitiyakara, Chairman of WAC
Mr. Nobutoshi Akao, Senior Advisor of WAC
Mr. Anuwat Boonithee, Executive Director of WAC
12 other people including Mr. Fumitaka Ishikawa, Managing Director of WAC
*Visitors visited Nikko Elementary School to see the promotion of art and culture and the scene
of children’s education.
11:00 Welcome ceremony by the whole school (253 students) at the gymnasium
Welcome speech by a student representative, followed by response speech by M.R. Somlabh Kitiyakara,
Chairman of WAC, and then a chorus by the whole school
11:20 Visit to calligraphy class of 4th graders Group II
11:40 Visit to music class of 4th graders Group I
Chorus performance – drums and ohayashi (musical accompaniment) of a local folk song “Nikko Waraku”
12:00 Lunch (visitors and students)
Period
13th-17th April 2013
Venue
The reception hall of Nikko Tosho-gu shrine