Wednesday, July 29, 2009

TOUR DE TSUMARI 2009

I went to "Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial 2009" last weekend.
It made a deep impression on me.
http://www.echigo-tsumari.jp/2009en/







I extract the part of the summary from an official site.
The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial (ETAT) is an art festival held once every three years in the landscape of Echigo-Tsumari, a region distressed with the problems of depopulation and aging. ETAT began ten years ago by uncovering the many aspects of value inherent in the region through the medium of art in an attempt to lay down a path for the revitalization of the region through raising its attractiveness and ability to transmit to the world.
The approximately 350 artworks, deployed in communities, rice fields, vacant houses and closed schools, are the fruit born from the collaboration and exchanges between rural locality and city, artist and satoyama, and young and old. With the hundreds of artworks recalling the labors of our ancestors who interacted with the Earth through agriculture, allow your senses to be liberated by the radiant smiles of the elderly men and women of Echigo-Tsumari and deeply imbibe the wonder of life in a new journey.



Nature and local people mix with art.
I wish the art festival of such a style is held all over the world. and I want to cooperate so that a art festival continues.

Here are some photos of the scenery I took while attending the festival.







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A mountain village of Echigo-Tsumaari is deep green and is beautiful.

There is a cycling event called "TOUR DE TSUMARI" in this art festival. "TOUR DE TSUMARI" is not a race. "TOUR DE TSUMARI" ride in the mountain village of Echigo-Tsumari by bicycle for enjoying scenery and art. It seems to be a rule to wear a yellow jersey and helmet. and this cycling tour becomes the art work of Yoshiaki Ito.

It is hard for me to ride a bicycle with the appearance of racing, but I think it is a happy cycling tour. Unfortunately I cannot participate in "TOUR DE TSUMARI", but I would like to ride a bicycle sometime in this mountain village.


http://homepage.mac.com/itopen/tdt09/top.html
http://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/tour-de-tsumari/

4 comments:

  1. this is so cool! i wish i could go see it.

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  2. yes! Echigo-Tsumari has a lot of ONSEN!!!

    There are a lot of show spaces, but they are spread far apart.
    my trip was only one night two days. I thought that time was too short...

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  3. I like the green in the mountains, is really pretty, and I have seen it only in Japan pictures, I call it the "Japan green" hehe I wish I could go see it too!!

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  4. Thanks for the comment!
    The green is very vivid and the vegetables were delicious. In the Winter, there is deep snow in the village!!!

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