Press Release Vol. 1 December 26, 2018

Enjoy the town of Art, Tokyo Nihonbashi / Kyobashi

"Tokyo Art & Antiques" will be held from April 25 to 27, 2019 "Tokyo Art & Anqiques" will approach its 10th anniversary

The Organizing Committee of Tokyo Art & Antiques is pleased to announce that “2019 Tokyo Art & Antiques – Nihonbashi / Kyobashi Art Festival” will be held for three days –Thursday, April 25 to Saturday, April 27, in and around Tokyo’s Nihonbashi and Kyobashi district. The event will involve around 90 or more art dealers, introducing a wide range of art from antique to contemporary. The year 2019 will approach its 10th anniversary. (Image: The district of Kyobashi area where small antiquary shops and galleries gather.)

The “Tokyo Art & Antiques” first started as “Nihonbashi / Kyobashi Art & Antique Festival” in 1998, held once or twice every year. This will be the 9th year since the event was renamed to “Tokyo Art & Antiques” in 2010. The district of Nihonbashi / Kyobashi, in Tokyo's Chuo Ward, has been famous since the post-war era for its dealers in classical art, craft, Nihonga, modern painting, sculpture, prints and so on. Now, the district boasts around 150 such unique specialist galleries, making it second only to Ginza as Tokyo's preeminent arts zone. The objective of "Tokyo Art & Antiques" festival is to provide an opportunity for many people, regardless of their age, knowledge or origin, to experience Japanese art and antiques firsthand and thereby become acquainted with the joys of collecting in such an area. Related programs, such as gallery talks and charity auction, will be held to coincide with “Tokyo Art & Antiques” festival. Visitors will be able to enjoy participating events, get to know more about this district and the long-established galleries. Every year, more than 50 galleries hold special exhibitions to entertain visitors. Report of the last year event: https://www.tokyoartantiques.com/en/2018-tokyo-art-antiques-event-review/ [Event Details] Event name: Tokyo Art & Antiques—The Nihonbashi/Kyobashi Art Festival Dates: Thursday, April 25 to Saturday, April 27, 2019 (Open during the gallery hours) Location: The area centered on Nihonbashi / Kyobashi district in the Chuo Ward of Tokyo Number of galleries: 92 galleries, as of December 25, 2018 Organizer/Operation: The Organizing Committee of Tokyo & Antiques Official website: https://www.tokyoartantiques.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tokyo.A.A The “Tokyo Art & Antiques” is a certified project of “beyond 2020” project.

<Reference material> Download pamphlet of 2018: https://www.tokyoartantiques.com/en/downloads/ Videos of interviews with the gallery: https://www.tokyoartantiques.com/interviews/ [Upcoming Events] “Charity Auction” This event started in 2016 for beginners to enjoy bidding art works. The part of the profits will be donated to charity organizations. “Tokyo Art & Antiques” will be giving out special 10th anniversary present, for the who have made bids. (The present is scheduled to be an original “furoshiki” -- a traditional large cloth to wrap items, to 10-20 bidders. <Detail> Venue: At participating galleries (Announcement will be made in the middle of February) Bidding starts: Thursday, April 25, 2019 *Some galleries may start before April 25 End of bidding: Saturday, April 27, 2019 *Some galleries may extend to April 28 Art works for the auction will be posted on the official website from Monday, March 25, 2019 <How to bid> The bidder will have to visit the gallery and write down the amount to bid on the bidding sheet and place it into the bidding box. The highest bidder will be notified by the gallery after the event ends. Note: No bidding available from the website. Charity Auction 2018: https://www.tokyoartantiques.com/tokyo-art-antiques-2018-charity-auction/

(View of the Charity Auction in April 2018) Other images

View of gallery talk at Mayuyama & Co., ltd. in April 201 (left) Maesaka Seitendo's exhibit which has become a very popular one every year in Nihonbashi (right)

Some of the galleries in the alley are hard to find (left) Maison de Neko exhibiting young artist’s works (right)

Art Space Mayu exhibiting folk art and antique cloths (left) Information booth at the ART & CRAFT MARKET at TOKYO SQUARE GARDEN (right)

Art Space Rashinban exhibiting young artist’s works (left) Saito Shikodo exhibiting traditional tea ceremony equipments (right) [Contact Information] The Organizing Committee of Tokyo Art & Antiques Person in Charge: Onose (Studio Hart) MAIL： https://www.tokyoartantiques.com/en/contact/