"Toryu MoN" featured the next generation of cultural leaders gracing the stage.
The opening event, "MoN Festival," is a 21-day cultural celebration at MoN Takanawa, whose mission is to "connect culture to the next 100 years." Diverse cultural figures gather to celebrate all forms of culture and rejoice in the moment when culture begins. The festival features a wide range of programs, including exhibitions and stage performances.
"Toryu MoN" was held over two days SAT. April 4th and SUN., April 5th. It is a stage program in which MoN Takanawa supports and discovers people who are working in the cultural and Creative fields to sow the seeds of culture that will continue for 100 years to come.
A powerful stage performance by the creators of future culture.
Appearing on the "Toryu MoN" performance stage on SAT. the 4th were harpist Kyoko Okuda, the Runa Watanabe Trio (Saxophone Runa Watanabe, Bass Yoshihiro Kaneko, Drums Kosuke Tomino) led by saxophonist Runa Watanabe, and the string quartet Quartet Sturm.
Although it was unfortunately raining that day, the beautiful sound of the harp made Park Terrace an even more cheerful space.
Next up was a jazz session! The sophisticated and lively sound captivated everyone, from Child to adults.
They appeared as a duo in the morning session and as a quartet in the afternoon session. The beautiful, overlapping sounds resonated throughout the spacious, open-plan venue.
On SUN. 5th, shamisen player Sayo Komada, rakugo storyteller Katsura Shinosuke, and the music group Chirikara Go (Five), comprised of young Japanese traditional musicians, made an appearance.
The stage was packed with the cool charm of the shamisen as expressed through original music. The audience was in high spirits, raising their fists in excitement!
Surprise, laughter...everyone present was drawn into the world that Edanosuke had created. Some were even diligently taking notes while enjoying themselves.
The rhythm played by these musicians, who have also appeared in films such as "National Treasure" and historical dramas, seemed to excite people of all ages.
Presentation competition for "small cultures"
Furthermore, on SAT. the 4th, we also held the Toryu MoN Short Pitch, a presentation competition where diverse participants presented "small cultures they want to pass on to the next 100 years," which might one day become "culture."
Masaya Mimoji creates festival floats called "Sento Dashi" (bathhouse floats) using materials from closed-down public bathhouses. He shared with us surprising facts about bathhouses, from their history to their architectural appeal, as well as his future plans.
Erika Ohara, who works full-time but has also been a haunted house enthusiast, visiting over 100 locations in the past 10 years, shared her thoughts on the appeal of haunted houses across Japan.
102so has been searching for "old town names"—town names that have disappeared for various reasons but whose traces still remain—for about 20 years. He shared the joy of searching for not just town names, but also the various traces that quietly remain in towns.
Kaori Kimura, who collects information about convenience stores on a daily basis, based on the perspective that "even though they may seem the same, each convenience store actually has its own unique personality," introduces the uniquely evolving convenience stores in various locations from a variety of viewpoints.
Yuka Nakajima, who began taking photographs of rubber hoses after finding a blue rubber hose on the university lawn during her student days and now produces merchandise and photo books of them, spoke about the joy of finding beauty in everyday things.
Theremin player Machiko Machikado spoke about the charm of the theremin, a mysterious instrument that produces sound without being touched, and gave a live performance.
Takahiko Nakao, whose life's work is to travel to the last stop on the last train and record the atmosphere of the place, the unique character of the station, and discoveries that can only be made late at night, shared with us the appeal of traveling to the last stop on the last train, as well as some of the most memorable places he has visited so far.
The final speaker, Akio Ichijima of the "Eating Habits Society," used the example of the Shumai Bento from Kiyoken, a local Yokohama company, to discuss the fascinating aspects of eating from various angles, such as how people eat the same bento box differently, and how to balance rice and side dishes for people from overseas.
The presentations, filled with unique perspectives and the passion of the enthusiasts, served as a reminder that culture is abundant even in our everyday lives.
