Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum “Edo-Haku Culture”

Event Reports

No.014

The lecture hall is filled with about 160 enthusiastic attendees.

2017.01.14

The Museum’s Ever Popular Specialty Workshops

“Edo-Haku Culture,” one of the Edo-Tokyo Museum attractions, is a program that offers a series of classes comprising workshops and lectures on the everyday life, culture, and art of Edo and Tokyo, giving attention to areas such as archeology, architecture, literature, and performance art. Remarkably, the museum’s program features over 90 classes throughout the year in two categories. The first category of classes is solely focused on the temporary or special exhibitions being held at the museum. The remainder of the classes is dedicated to the “Learning about Edo and Tokyo” series, which includes but is not limited to the contents of the exhibitions.

One of the most popular classes in the “Learning about Edo and Tokyo” series are the Biographies of Ukiyo-e Artists (Ukiyo-e-shi Retsuden) classes taught by Hiromu Ozawa, an honorary researcher at the museum. In his “Selection of One Hundred Ukiyo-e Masterpieces” (Ukiyo-e Meihin Hyaku-sen)” class held in spring 2017, Ozawa, in his lighthearted, humorous and narrative style, introduced many famous ukiyo-e masterpieces. We were able to talk with him at the end of the class.

Goals of the Lectures

“Many of the pieces introduced in the “Selection of Hundred Ukiyo-e Masterpieces” class are part of the collection of the Edo-Tokyo Museum. After taking the class, the students most assuredly see the collection in a whole new light. Learning about Edo culture opens one to urban life in that period. The museum is conveniently situated in the Ryogoku neighborhood, which allows for exploration and new discoveries about Edo.”

Ozawa has been involved in the museum’s development since the planning stages, and has been a particularly strong advocate for the importance of educational programs.

“I get the impression that people who attend the “Edo-Haku Culture” lectures have an acute intellectual curiosity and are quite enthusiastic.”

The “Edo-Haku Culture” series, including Ozawa’s Biographies of Ukiyo-e Artists classes, has proven to be a successful program that has capitalized on the museum’s ability to provide opportunities for people to experience artwork up close.

Numerous Ukiyo-e masterpieces are introduced in succession as Ozawa discusses each one.

Katsushika Hokusai
Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji (Fugaku Sanjūrokkei), 1832-34, Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum.
Image credit: Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum

Utagawa Hiroshige
View from Masaki of Suijin Grove, the Uchikawa River, and Sekiya Village from the vicinity of Masaki (Masaki atari yori Suijin no mori Uchigawa Sekiya no sato o miru zu) from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo Hyakkei), 1857, Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum.
Image credit: Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum

Suzuki Harunobu
Ofuji, the Toothpick Seller (Youjiya Ofuji), around the end of the Meiwa era (1764-1772), Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum.
Image credit: Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum

Original text: Takashi Shinkawa
Photo: Shu Nakagawa

Hiromu Ozawa

Honorary researcher at the Edo-Tokyo Museum and visiting professor at the College of Humanities of Shukutoku University.
Born 1947. Held posts as professor at Den-en Chofu University, Junior College, and professor and chief of the Urban History Laboratory at the Edo-Tokyo Museum. Area of specialty is the art and cultural history of Japan. Currently is executive director of the International UKIYO-E Society.

INFORMATION

“Edo-Haku Culture”

Workshops and lectures (mainly taught by staff members of Edo-Tokyo Museum) focus on the history and lifestyles of Edo and Tokyo, and give attention to subject matters such as culture, archeology, and architecture. A remarkable aspect of this program is the large number of classes offered (over 90 per year).