February 28, 2020
Bureau of Citizens and Cultural Affairs
Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture

Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL Special 13 “World Performing Arts Festival 2020” event information and call for spectators

Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture are hosting the “World Performing Arts Festival 2020” as part of Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL.

This project is one of 13 proposals chosen from 2,436 entries as part of the “Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL Special 13,” following a call for ideas for new projects heading into 2020. It will assemble various invaluable performing arts designated as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO together in Tokyo.

Please find information about the event and details of the call for spectators below.

１Time and date

Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th April 2020
※ The event will proceed in the case of light rain but will be cancelled if there is severe weather.

2 Venue

Hibiya Park: Open-Air Concert Hall, Small Concert Hall, Grass Field (Kusachi Hiroba), and Fountain Field

3 Visitor information

Attendance is free. Spectators at the open-air concert halls must apply before the event.
※ Please see below for application information.

4 Event information

Influenced by the natural environment and lifestyles in various places around the world, folk performing arts are pieces of intangible cultural heritage that each hold precious characteristics that have been passed down over the years. Groups from 6 countries (Indonesia, Estonia, Ethiopia, Tonga, Bhutan and Honduras) across five continents will perform throughout Hibiya Park, demonstrating some performing arts for the first time ever in Japan. A further four groups from Tokyo and the Tohoku region will also perform.

Program overview (venues and details)

Yaon stage

Venue: Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall

• Saturday 18 April from 18:00 to 20:00 (venue opens at 17:20)
• Sunday 19 April from 14:00 to 17:00 (venue opens at 13:20)

The aforementioned ten groups will gather and perform their precious songs and dances that have been passed down in their region. ※ Japanese sign language and English subtitles available.

Interactive stage

Venue: Small Concert Hall

• Saturday 18 April from 11:00 to 12:20 (venue opens at 10:30)
• Sunday 19 April from 11:00 to 12:20 (venue opens at 10:30)

A stage where you can interact up-close with the various folk performing arts in a relaxed way.

“Ethiocolor” Live Performance Stage

Venue: Hibiya Park Grass Field

• Saturday 18 April from 11:00 to 12:00
• Sunday 19 April from 11:00 to 12:00

A live stage with songs and dances by Ethiopian music and folklore group “Ethiocolor”.

World Performing Arts Parade

Venue: Hibiya Park Fountain Field, by the second Flower Garden

• Saturday 18 April from 12:30 to 13:20
• Sunday 19 April from 12:30 to 13:20

The six groups from around the world and three from the Tohoku region will hold a parade at the fountain field.

Attachment: List of invited performers (PDF:1,037KB)

5 Organizers

Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Arts Council Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture

6 Planning and production

Japan Folk Performing Arts Association

7 Support (tentative)

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, the Embassy of the Republic of Estonia, the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Tonga, the Honorary Consulate General of the Kingdom of Bhutan in Tokyo, the Embassy of the Republic of Honduras, Iwate Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture

8 Cooperation

Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten Co., Ltd.

Application process for the Yaon stage

(1) Online application

Please apply using the official website (External link) for the event. Available in Japanese and English.
(From Saturday 1 February to 23:59, Monday 16 March)

(2) Postal application

Write your name, address with postcode, phone number and/or email address, preferred day (only one permitted), and preferred number of attendees on a postcard. Send the completed application to the World Performing Arts Festival 2020 Office.
(The postcard must arrive between Saturday 1 February and Monday 16 March)

※If the number of applications exceeds the number of available tickets, successful applicants will be selected by lottery.

• Application results will be released by the end of March.
• There will be 2300 seats (free seating).
• Please specify if you are a wheelchair user.
• On the day tickets (standing) will also be available. Applications are not necessary for standing tickets. Details will be made available at a later date via the official website (External link) (available in Japanese and English).

For applications and enquiries

World Performing Arts Festival 2020 Office
4-3-6 206 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032
Phone: 03-6804-2660
Fax: 03-6434-9435

About “Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL”

Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL is an initiative that will see a variety of cultural programs unfold in 2020 when the Olympics and Paralympic Games will take place in Tokyo, promoting Tokyo’s appeal as a city of arts and culture.

• Please see the official website (External link) for details about Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAl.

About the “Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL Special 13”

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Arts Council Tokyo sought a wide range of creative and innovative ideas from the public for projects that would become the core of the cultural programs for the Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL. From a total of 2,436 project proposals submitted from within Japan and overseas, 13 were selected for implementation. The 13 projects are collectively named “Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL Special 13” and are being implemented in sequence towards 2020, when the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be held.

• The official website (External link) for Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL Special 13

※Attachment: Flyer (PDF:1,286KB)

This project is part of the “Action Plan for 2020.”
Smart City: The promotion of arts and culture

This project is part of the Host City Tokyo project (Japanese).
Project name: Expanding Tokyo’s cultural programs.

Inquiries

Bureau of Citizens and Cultural Affairs Planning and Coordination Section, Culture Promotion Division Phone: 03-5320-7736 Arts Council Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture Phone: 03-6256-8432