January 14 – February 17, 2021

 

Presented in this exhibition are engi-mono, the good luck charms, that were fostered by traditional culture of Shitamachi, the shopping, entertainment and residential districts of Edo (Today’s Tokyo).

Engi is the term that means all things are connected via en, destiny or fate. Typical engi-mono include the items used to pray for Gokoku Hojou (huge harvest of five grains), Tairyo Tsuifuku (good catch and safety), Shoubai Hanjou (business prosperity), Kanai Anzen (safety of the family) and other blessings as well as the ones that are related to ritual and festive practices.

These engi-mono, rooted deep in the culture of the common people of Edo era and often contain word plays, allow us to sense the sentiments of Edo people and their wish for lasting happiness.

In this exhibition, we present a collection of engi-mono selected by “Sukeroku,” an old-established store specialized in small Edo-style toys. The store is located on historical Nakamise Street in Asakusa district. This exhibition is supervised by Mr. Yoshitaka Kimura (The 5th generation master of “Sukeroku”) and curated by Ms. Shoko Hayashi.

 

 

Virtual Opening Reception and Virtual Seniors New Year Party

 

After introducing a small toy one by one in a talk to Yoshitaka Kimura, the 5th generation master of "Sukeroku", you will enjoy a Rakugo （traditional Japanese comic storytelling）by the second generation Master Kikuzo Hayashiya.

Yoshitaka Kimura
Born in 1937 and raised in Tokyo’s Asakusa district, Yoshitaka Kimura is a graduate of Keio University Faculty of Economics. In 1979, after working several years for a company, he inherited “Sukeroku,” a family-owned shop specialized in toys of Edo, from his father and became its fifth owner. Combining his profound knowledge of customs and cultures of Edo with a witty speech style, Kimura is a great storyteller, and regularly receives lecture requests.
In 1979, after working several years for a company, he inherited “Sukeroku,” a family-owned shop specialized in toys of Edo, from his father and became its fifth owner. Combining his profound knowledge of customs and cultures of Edo with a witty speech style, Kimura is a great storyteller, and regularly receives lecture requests.

Kikuzo Hayashiya
Hirotoshi Toyoda was born in Tokyo in September, 1975. After graduating from Tamagawa University College of Arts, he became a disciple of the first Kikuzo Hayashiya, his father and a master rakugo-ka (a traditional Japanese comic storyteller). In September 2007, he became a shin-uchi, the headliner, and succeeded the name, Kikuzo Hayashiya, from his father who took on a new name, Kikuou. In recent years, he has expanded the scope of his activities beyond rakugo (traditional comic storytelling) by appearing on TV and giving lectures throughout Japan. He is also an author, penning several books including “Easy Going Parenting,” which he co-wrote with his father.

Contact：gallery@nipponclub.org