June 17, 2021
Bureau of Citizens and Cultural Affairs
Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture

Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL Special 13
Announcement of “TOKYO SENTO Festival 2020”
Conveying Japan's unique "sento culture" to the world

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture will hold the "TOKYO SENTO Festival 2020" as part of the Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL. In this art project, you are able to enjoy the paintings depicting Tokyo in 2021 drawn by artists of various genres, including the manga artist Mari Yamazaki, at four public bathhouses in Tokyo. A stamp rally will also be held at about 500 public bathhouses that are members of the Tokyo Sento Association.
After being forced to postpone a year due to the effects of COVID-19, we are pleased to announce that it has started from May 26, 2021 (Wed) .

Original painting for Hachiman-yu by Mari Yamazaki

Overview

Period

May 26, 2021 (Wed) - September 5, 2021 (Sun)

Location

All public bathhouses that are members of the Tokyo Public Sento Association

Public Bathhouse Venues

Benten-yu (JR Kichijoji Station), Hachiman-yu (Odakyu Yoyogi-Hachiman Station), Hidamari-no-Izumi / Hagi-no-yu (JR Uguisudani Station), Konparu-yu (JR Shimbashi Station)

Organizers

Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture

Project Management

TOKYO SENTO Festival 2020 Executive Committee

 

Official Website (Japanese / English)( External link )

※ Program contents may be subject to change due to the effects of COVID-19.

Project Descriptions

1. Sento Art Project

Japanese artists come together and make four sentos their stage, showing off their genres of comics (manga), children’s programs, Art Brut, and contemporary art. Each artist will create their artwork with the theme of Tokyo 2021.

	Project Names / Event Locations	Participating Artists	Description
1	“Mi-i-tsuketa! Bath” Benten-yu (JR Kichijoji Station)	Ichio Otsuka	Ichio Otsuka, the art director of NHK Educational channel infant program named "Mi-i-tsuketa!", will produce the sento with "OFUROSKI" and other popular characters from the program.
2	“Ancient Balaneion Bath” Hachiman-yu (Odakyu Yoyogi-Hachiman Station)	Mari Yamazaki	Mari Yamazaki, creator of “Thermae Romae” and “Olympia Kyklos”, will depict the scenery and fun of a day in ancient Greece.
3	“Art Yurut” Hidamari-no-Izumi / Hagi-no-yu (JR Uguisudani Station)	Takeru Aoki Kiyomi Hoshi	“Art Brut” is an art based on original methods and ideas that are not confined to existing expression methods. Takeru Aoki and Kiyomi Hoshi will portray how “abundance comes from human connections”.
4	“Yuransen” Konparu-yu (JR Shimbashi Station)	Daijiro Ohara	A fusion of sento-style painting and contemporary art. A modern painting will be made boldly using projection mapping.

※ For #1, #2, and #4, the painting will be supervised by sento painter Mizuki Tanaka.
※ To see the artwork in each bathhouse, a fee is required to enter the bathing area except on free viewing days.
※ Please check the official website for details, including the date and time of free viewing days.

2. Noren Art

Original noren and other items designed by Mari Yamazaki, a participant in the Sento Art Project, will create a festive atmosphere by decorating the front of approximately 500 sentos in Tokyo.

※ The color, etc. may differ from the actual product.

3. Stamp Rally

Collect the necessary amount of stamps at any of the 500 sentos during the event period and you will receive a wonderful TOKYO SENTO Festival 2020 tenugui towel Tenugui are thin cotton towels that can be very handy, even at the sento (Event ends when all prizes have been distributed.)

• 1st Rally
  Original Mari Yamazaki Design
  Exchange Period: July 23, 2021 (Fri) - August 8, 2021 (Sun)
• 2nd Rally
  Original Art Brut Design
  Exchange Period: August 24, 2021 (Tue) - September 5, 2021 (Sun)

Original Mari Yamazaki Design

Original Art Brut Design

About TOKYO SENTO Festival 2020

Artists representing a diverse Tokyo in fields such as manga and typography will gather at TOKYO SENTO Festival 2020.
Artworks depicting Tokyo in 2021 by artists such as Mari Yamazaki, creator of the manga "Thermae Romae," Daijiro Ohara, a graphic designer who has gained attention for his wide-ranging creative works that have even been used for Tokyo 2020 official art posters, Ichio Otsuka, art director of NHK Educational channel program "Mi-i-tsuketa!”, and the duo Takashi Aoki & Kiyomi Hoshi, who will represent the Art Brut genre, are exhibited at four different sentos.
In addition, about 500 public bathhouses in Tokyo will welcome customers with original noren and happi coats.

About Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL

The Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL is an initiative that will see a variety of cultural programs unfold and promote Tokyo’s appeal as a city of arts and culture in order to liven up the host city of the Olympic and Paralympic Games from a cultural perspective.

• The official website (External link) for details about Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAl.

About Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL Special 13

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture) sought a wide range of innovative and creative ideas, as well as ideas in which as many people as possible can participate, that would become the core of the Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL.
The 13 projects from a total of 2,436 submitted from within Japan and overseas will be collectively implemented under the name “Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL Special 13”.

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

This project is a part of the "Host City Tokyo Project".
Category: Appeal communication Project Name: Expansion and promotion of Tokyo cultural programs

*This press release is also available in other languages. (日本語／中文／한국어)

Inquiries

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