“Scroll Painting of Traditional Festival: The Style and Culture of Edo” 3331 Arts Chiyoda Special Exhibition

In May of this year, the "Kanda Festival" will be held for the first time in 4 years. Kanda Festival, which is one of Japan's three biggest festivals and also known as the Edo Tenka Festival, underwent dramatic changes after the Edo and Meiji periods, yet continues to be a splendid event today, involving a great many people as an irreplaceable festival of the Kanda community. As an art center located in the Kanda area, 3331 will hold an exhibition of the Kanda Festival which have been handed down through the Edo and Meiji periods into the present, touching on its history, traditions, the wishes, customs, and fashions of community members.

Possessions of the Kanda Myoujin shrine which are designated as tangible cultural properties by Chiyoda Ward, such as "dashi ningyo" (dolls decorating the floats), as well as a complete scroll depicting the Kanda Myoujin Festival (50m in length) will be on display alongside miniature shrines and "hanten" (short coats worn by festival participants) in a rare exhibition of important festival artifacts. Many events such as a storyteller's theater, workshops, and talks by specialists in art history and cultural assets will also be held in order to further encourage enjoyment and knowledge of festivals.