Sumida Gosai Art Festival Executive Committee The Sumida Gosai Art Festival, the first comprehensive art festival hosted by the ward in the 23 wards, will be held in 2026.

【Sumida Gosai Art Festival Executive Committee】 The first
comprehensive art festival hosted by the ward in the 23 wards, the Sumida Gosai Art Festival, will be held in 2026. ​ Sumida Gosai Art Festival Executive Committee Press Release: October 2, 2025 To Members of the Media The Sumida Gosai Art Festival, the first comprehensive art festival hosted by the ward among the 23 wards, will be held in 2026. The concept, directors, and logo have been announced. Programs leading up to the art festival, including pre-events and open-entry projects, have begun. The Sumida Gosai Art Festival Executive Committee will hold the Sumida Gosai Art Festival, the first of its kind in the 23 wards*, from Friday, September 4, 2026, to Sunday, December 20, 2026, at various locations throughout Sumida Ward. *This is the first comprehensive art festival hosted by a local government and spanning several months in the 23 wards. As of September 2025, according to Sumida Ward research.
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About the Theme “Five Colors of Sumida” The character “Sumida” (literally “ink”) contains the character “ink.” In ink painting, the combination of ink, brushstrokes, and white space to express a diverse world is said to be “five colors in ink.” The Sumida Gosai Art Festival will use the theme of “Sumida’s Five Colors” to express this colorful world through art, allowing people to rediscover the charm of the region and its people, as well as the joy of living in Sumida. About the Concept “Hakkiyoyo” The concept is “Hakkiyoyo.” With these words, which are said to be the origin of the sumo call “Hakkiyoi,” in mind, visitors can walk around looking at the artworks, become part of interactive works, and use the artworks as a starting point for discussion. Through these daily activities, friends are formed, and Sumida becomes an irreplaceable place. This concept is imbued with the desire to create a community where everyone can live at their own pace, with art as its starting point. Background to the Sumida Gosai Art Festival Sumida Ward is home to the Sumida Triphony Hall and the Sumida Hokusai Museum, both of which are actively involved in various activities. Furthermore, for the past 10 years, we have been developing the “Sumida River: All Things in the Universe – Dreams in Ink” (Sumiyume), a project centered on publicly-submitted projects. Sumiyume has also featured a variety of initiatives, such as a Bon Odori dance with live music and giant paper sumo wrestling. The intergenerational exchange that has taken place here is truly made possible by the presence of art. We hope to further strengthen the power of the community by multiplying the power of art with the power of the community, and so we are launching a new comprehensive art festival, the first of its kind to be hosted by one of the 23 wards, called the “Sumida Five-Color Art Festival.”
Event Overview Name: Sumida Gosai Art Festival Theme: Sumida’s Five Colors Concept: Exuberant Spirit Dates: Friday, September 4, 2026 – Sunday, December 20, 2026 Main Venues: UDC Sumida, Utoria Sumida Lifelong Learning Center, Sumida Triphony Hall, Sumida Park Theater Kura, Hikifune Cultural Center Others WEB: https://sumida-artfest.jp SNS : X | @sumida_artfest Instagram | @sumida_artfest Facebook | Facebook Organized by: “Sumida Five-Color Art Festival” Executive Committee, Sumida Ward Co-organized by: “Sumida River: All Things, Ink Dreams” Executive Committee (Open Call Project)
Executive Director Shingo Jinno A message from Executive Director Shingo Jinno can be viewed on the festival’s official website. (https://sumida-artfest.jp/outline/#outline__executivedirector)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-f891fd6b29a39e479b5876ad5754f3e3-2063×2700.jpg Profile Graduated from the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts (Contemporary Art Theory). After working as a curator at the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art, he joined the Faculty of Education at Chiba University in 2006. He is engaged in theoretical and practical research on the social value of art. He is also the chairman of the Chiba City Cultural Arts Promotion Council and representative of the Chiba Art Network Project (WiCAN). Directors (in alphabetical order) Profiles of each director can be viewed on the festival’s official website.
(https://sumida-artfest.jp/outline/#outline__director) Akira Aoki
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-b98baee33cf60ae4df32733270313921-653×490.jpg Ryoichi Kiyomiya
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-8c69efd7b60150dc2402322563743ff5-3059×2039.jpg Daisuke Mita
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-453f3c26924f16ad6bd8324f418e00eb-3900×2600.jpg An art festival focused on sumi-da-ness This art festival brings together a collection of works that resonate with the profound charm of the region and the art, elevating the perspectives of both viewers and those involved. Here are some of the works. *The title of the work and project details are tentative and may be subject to change. Contemporary artists exhibit in local historic buildings Artists: Yamaguchi Ai and others Contemporary artists will exhibit their works from their unique perspectives, visiting historic buildings in Sumida Ward. Artists like Yamaguchi Ai, who blends modern elements with the Rinpa school of Japanese aesthetics to create new portraits of beautiful women on wood and shells, will bring to light the charm of Sumida’s local spaces.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-9bc263e61e622435a1f3df753c9fcdd4-1050×700.jpg Photography: Wong Jing Wei Photography exhibition focusing on the people of Sumida Photographer: Kura Masumi Kura Masumi, known for his photographs capturing the everyday lives of people in the city, will take photographs of Sumida residents and exhibit them in various areas. The content of the exhibition will also change depending on the location.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-d98fbe88a84de8ead1f024b2a881c31d-988×990.png A “Parallel World” Themed on the Seven Wonders of Honjo Artist: Hiroko Okada Contemporary artist Yuko Okada, who has expressed various themes of modern society with humor and venom, brings the Seven Wonders of Honjo, Sumida Ward, to life in the present day through her unique perspective on society. Walking through the city while listening to audio from your smartphone, you will wander between reality and fiction.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-b61d43202db9fb656f376aecebede7fa-1806×1750.jpg A touring theater production that tours the areas around Mukojima and Kanegafuchi Producer: Nazooto Kenkyujo (Mysterious Sound Laboratory) The Mysterious Sound Laboratory, led by director and lighting designer Makoto Uemura and composer and sound designer Yoshimoto Masuda, who create touring performances based on local memories and field recordings, will create a new story in the Mukojima area. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-187466a081e126f9e5c70d128cdce21d-1280×855.jpg A new dance performance inspired by Sumida’s story Choreography and direction: Yamazaki Kota A new work conceived after researching Sumida’s local resources, including “Sumida River Tales,” a theme often used in Noh and Kabuki, will be performed at the theater. In addition, dancers and Sumida residents will collaborate to create a site-specific production, including outdoor performances. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-2c0a9246d61876b5fc8bfb5b7f151da5-1280×914.jpg Photography: Ian Douglas Sumida version of Tatekawa Shinosuke’s original rakugo story “Song of Joy” Performer: Tobiraza Theater Company Tobiraza Theater Company, based at Sumida Park Studio, will present a special Sumida version of “Song of Joy,” written and directed by Kensuke Yokouchi, the theater’s leader, based on the original rakugo story by Shinsuke Tatekawa. In December, a group singing the Ninth Symphony and a women’s chorus were double-booked at the Hikifune Cultural Center, and a year-end raffle draw was a huge hit in the nearby shopping district. Local performers, including choruses, are also invited to perform.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-7ca946ced8745a0e1436a671238610e5-1024×683.jpg Logo design
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-0ed495dfe2db199e41fee43f5f500680-1909×2700.jpg Designer: Masami Takahashi
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-94d664100c7747ff7819a62444fdf15b-1602×1161.jpg During the Heian period, Ariwara no Narihira wrote “The Capital Bird” in what is now Narihira, Sumida Ward (where Tokyo Skytree now stands). We imagine that the Capital Bird has been flying over this land since the Heian period, to the present, and perhaps into the future. We saw the Miyakodori as a being that transcends time and space, connecting the past, present, and future of Sumida Ward since the Heian period. We designed it into the logo for the Sumida Gosai Art Festival as a being that connects the important things that have been passed down in this area, the experiences, thoughts, and wishes of our many ancestors, and each and every one of us, to the future. This logo will serve many purposes: discovering and communicating many things, connecting them to the future, making us aware of things we hadn’t noticed before, and showing us things we hadn’t seen before. It will become a symbol of the Sumida Gosai Art Festival, a keyword connecting eras and people, and soaring beyond the ages to create an even more enriching and beautiful future for Sumida Ward. (Concept design: Masami Takahashi) For a detailed profile of Masami Takahashi, please visit the art festival’s official website.
(https://sumida-artfest.jp/outline/#outline__logodesign) Public Relations Design Production Team Sumida Creators Club Sumida Creators Club is a group of creators from a variety of genres active in Sumida Ward, a city of manufacturing. Kimura Yoshimi (art director), Miwa Asuka (designer), Mitsui Chikako (copywriter), Mitsuhashi Miyako (producer) A detailed profile of the Sumida Creators Club can be found on the Sumida Art Festival official website.
(https://sumida-artfest.jp/outline/#outline__design) Teaser visual
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-bad30b6097d10cf747ca7e8a44ba2803-1190×1190.jpg Residents of the ward used their own imagination to create a coloring page of the oystercatcher featured in the logo design. It symbolizes the richness of the colors of this town, as expressed in the phrase “Sumida Gosai.”
Regional Collaboration The Sumida Gosai Art Festival is more than just a venue for exhibiting artwork; it aims to be created together with the local community. We will expand these connections by holding related events not only during the festival but also before the festival. In addition, a “regional coordinator” will be appointed to connect the local community with the art festival, and will work together to create an environment that is welcoming to everyone. Profiles of the regional coordinators can be viewed on the art festival’s official website.
(https://sumida-artfest.jp/outline/#outline__coordinator) Regional coordinator (in alphabetical order) Taga Kentaro
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PR/Advertisement Producer Ryuichiro Mori
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-4dcc4051d7c4162ee28409fb04af95b7-1000×1000.jpg Photography: Itaru Hirama Profile As a PR and advertising producer, Ryuichiro Mori will be in charge of PR and direction for public cultural facilities, Arts Council Tokyo, Arts Council Saitama, and other organizations. In Sumida Ward, he has been involved in projects such as the “Asahi Art Festival” and “Sumida River: All Things, Dreams in Ink.”
About the Open Project The Sumida Art Festival, to be held in the fall of 2026, will feature a variety of projects throughout the city that utilize various local resources, inspired by Sumida’s unique history and the spirit of the community. One of the pillars of this
initiative, the “Open Call Project,” aims to uncover Sumida’s unique character and appeal and support original and innovative art projects, performances, exhibitions, screenings, and other artistic and cultural activities.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-1534409b21aed4c0dd3baa43c6e25c87-1920×720.png [Recruitment target] Application acceptance period: January 12, 2026 (Monday/Holiday) – February 16, 2026 (Monday) Project implementation period: Friday, September 4, 2026 to Sunday, December 20, 2026 Implementation location: Project to be implemented in Sumida Ward and Sumida River basin Business details: ・ Artistic and cultural activities such as art projects, performances, exhibitions, and screenings that involve announcements and public presentations, and that include programs that interact with the people and community of Sumida. ・ Those that approach the theme of the art festival from an original and new perspective. ・ Things that make use of Sumida’s diverse local resources, including history, manufacturing, landscapes, topography, legends, and traditional performing arts. Application requirements: ・ Groups and individuals that engage in non-profit artistic and cultural activities. It does not matter whether the company has corporate status or not. ・ The applicant’s base of activity can be either in Japan or overseas. However, the application form will only be accepted in Japanese. Please check the art festival official website for detailed information such as recruitment information, application forms, and how to apply. Public project details page: https://sumida-artfest.jp/details/ *The contents of this project may change depending on the status of Sumida Ward’s FY2020 budget.
About pre-event [Koichiro Yamamoto “Sumida Rumor Project”] Date: Friday, October 24th, Saturday, October 25th, 2025 Meeting place: Sumida Park Breeze Plaza (1-3 Mukojima, Sumida-ku, Tokyo) 料 金：無料 W E B : https://sumida-artfest.jp/preevent/#sumidanouwasa This is an art project that involves researching Sumida’s history and rumors around the town, summarizing them in a “rumor” style, and making them into balloon-shaped stickers and pasting them around the city. On the day of the event, we will be posting “rumors” about shops in Sumida Park and “rumors” about Sumida Ward.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-8917e5214fe47653bfc1a299b7b21803-2048×1365.jpg Koichiro Yamamoto Profile Born in 1969 in Nagoya. artist. Graduated from the College of Art, University of Tsukuba. Completed graduate school at Royal College of Art. In 2012, moved to Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture. Sumiyume Odori Procession Date: Friday, October 24th, Saturday, October 25th, 2025 Meeting place: Sumida Park Breeze Plaza (1-3 Mukojima, Sumida-ku, Tokyo) How to participate: No reservation required, free ［Day1：未来を生きるあなたへ］ WEB :
https://sumida-artfest.jp/preevent/#miraiwoikiru Do you know what this place we live in has been through? Sumida Park, the venue for this concert, was built for recovery from the Great Kanto Earthquake that occurred 102 years ago, and was also the temporary burial site for those who died after the Tokyo air raids on March 10, 1945. This year, 2025, also marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Pacific War. We will be holding a concert to remember that this place and region is still so peaceful after suffering severe damage from the Great Kanto Earthquake and the Great Tokyo Air Raid, as well as the turbulence that followed, and wishing for peace in the future. A space where the past, present, and future intersect, where a variety of Japan’s leading musicians and the music-loving children of Sumida perform songs that should be sung for a long time, and weave words that should be passed down. Please come and experience it for yourself. ＜出演者＞
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-94d2e34285773f3ad9b7131995406f65-1800×2700.jpg 坂本美雨
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-d25955045a25c5fe7cd7b249d417e9fa-2048×1365.jpg Sumida Boys and Girls Choir
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-f3563a1baa46685cf536521a503783dc-3543×2362.jpg Triphony Hall Junior Orchestra ensemble members Photo: K. Miura ［Day2：生演奏盆踊り「SUMIBON」］ WEB : https://sumiyume.jp/event-page/odori2025/ Let’s all create a dance circle at Sumida’s Autumn Bon Odori dance! 楽しげに踊り連なる人々を描いた北斎の「踊行列図」に倣い、思い思いに踊りを楽しむ一日。 “Sumiyume Odori Parade: SUMIBON” is an event where the dance circle created by everyone becomes a piece of work. It doesn’t have to be pretty, it doesn’t have to be lined up, it doesn’t have to be uneven. Let’s create a scene similar to your childhood classroom, where everyone is different but somehow everything works out! In addition to the familiar ondo, the program will include a variety of folk songs from all over the country, making it an easy-to-participate program. People of all ages, men and women, can enjoy it with their families or alone. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/169205/2/169205-2-1a57276176a46d88b836b6e2c262e3ba-1080×600.png 実施体制（2025年10月現在） Sumida Gosai Art Festival Executive Committee 実行委員長 山本亨（墨田区長） Executive Director Shingo Jinno Director Akira Aoki, Yasuko Ogiwara, Ryoichi Kiyomiya, Daisuke Mita (in alphabetical order) Logo design Masami Takahashi Public relations design production team Sumida Creators Club Public relations promotion producer 森隆一郎 地域コーディネーター Kentaro Taga, Yoshi Nagaka, Yu Hosoda (in alphabetical order)