Canon MJ Canon Gallery 50th Anniversary Special Exhibition: Museum of Fantastic Folklore “Matsurito” held

Aso Shrine Oda Festival (Kumamoto Prefecture) Photo: Takaiwa Futa [Image 3
Yasuda’s Sinugu (Okinawa Prefecture) Photo: Masakazu Kuroiwa Venue/Duration
Canon Gallery S (Shinagawa) Saturday, January 20, 2024 – Monday, March 4, 2024 Canon Gallery Ginza/Osaka Tuesday, February 20, 2024 – Saturday, March 2, 2024
Exhibition content
This exhibition is a special exhibition organized by “Matsuritto,” a Japanese festival exploration project launched by Canon MJ with the aim of passing down traditional festivals from all over the country. As the 6th installment of the “Canon Gallery 50th Anniversary Exhibition” to commemorate Canon Gallery’s 50th anniversary in February 2023, three locations: Canon Gallery S (Shinagawa), Canon Gallery Ginza, and Osaka will be held. will be held sequentially. Each location will have a different theme, with Shinagawa exhibiting works on the theme of “Gods in the Universe,” Ginza on “Prayers, Dances, and Celebrating People,” and Osaka on “Mysterious Festivals in Small Villages.” . Each of these works focuses on over 150 festivals across the country that the members of the “Matsurito” project have actually visited, and is an attempt to discover new value in the modern world of traditional Japanese festivals. Please enjoy the exhibition, which resembles a folklore museum, and is constructed based on the “mysteries” and “surprises” found at festival sites. Canon Gallery S, with the theme of “Gods residing in the universe,” has photographed various gods and demons from all over Japan, as well as rituals performed to communicate with the gods, as well as mikoshi and floats, which are the vehicles of the gods. I will exhibit my works. Furthermore, from the Canon Photo Collection collection, we will be displaying the work “Japanese Folklore” by Japan’s leading folk photographer Hideo Haga, as well as the actual Dosojin doll from Akita Prefecture. With the theme of “Prayers, Dances, and People Celebrating,” Ginza will feature various forms of prayer, Kagura, Bon dances, and lion dances rooted in history, as well as the images and emotions of people celebrating the festival with joy, laughter, and enthusiasm. We will exhibit works taken from. With the theme of “Mysterious Festivals in Small Villages,” Osaka will focus on the mysterious festivals that have been passed down in mountain villages and remote islands. We will exhibit works that capture the diversity and richness of culture that remains in areas far from the region. Outline of each gallery
〇Opening hours: Shinagawa 10:00-17:30 Ginza 10:30-18:30 Osaka 10:00-18:00 ○Closed Museum Days: Shinagawa Sundays and holidays Ginza/Osaka Sunday/Monday/ Holidays 〇Address/Access: Shinagawa Canon S Tower 1F, 2-16-6 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo Approximately 8 minutes walk from the Konan exit of JR Shinagawa Station, approximately 10 minutes walk from Keikyu Shinagawa Station Ginza Tokyo 3-9 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo -7
　　 3-2-4 Nakanoshima Festival Tower West 1, Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka Directly connected to Higobashi Subway Station/Watanabebashi Station, walk from Yodoyabashi Station 5 minutes walk from JR Kitashinchi Station 8 minutes walk from JR Osaka Station ○Admission fee: Free
What is the Japanese festival exploration project “Matsurito”? Due to concerns that traditional festivals will become obsolete due to the declining birthrate, aging population, and the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, Canon Marketing Japan aims to convey the appeal of festivals to a wide range of people by utilizing video and digital technology. This is a project launched in the spring of 2022. Based on the concept of “Exploring Japan’s festivals,” we work with
professionals from various genres, including photographers, video creators, web creators, artists, and researchers, to disseminate the appeal of festivals from a multifaceted perspective. The website won the Grand Prix at the 11th Web Grand Prix.　https://matsurito.jp/ Message from “Matsurito”
Among the wide variety of festivals nurtured by the climate and history of the sea, mountains, rivers, remote islands, and cities, you can find many sources of Japanese culture and art. Rather than being nostalgic, these are new impressions and a treasure trove of learning that can be used today. In what I learned, I felt that there was something in common with Canon’s corporate philosophy of “Kyosei”*1. I chose the title “Fantasy Folklore Museum Matsurito” to reflect my dream of having a folklore museum like this. We would be happy if you could come and discover something new and take it home with you. *1． Based on the philosophy of “kyosei,” the Canon Group aims to create a society where all humankind can live together forever, work together, and live happily, regardless of differences in culture, customs, language, or ethnicity.
General inquiries: Canon Gallery S 03-6719-9021
Canon Gallery homepage: https://canon.jp/personal/experience/gallery