Traditional wooden houses are disappearing one after another from the Tokyo landscape. I realized this more than 30 years ago when I moved to Yanaka, one of the old areas of Tokyo known as Shitamachi. A native of Tokyo, I had long witnessed the city changing through its policy of “modernization.” A sense of impending crisis came to me, however, when I realized that some changes were not simply visual but actually destroying the Japanese sense of community.

This prompted me to sketch and paint the distinctive housing, the streets, and the lives of people living throughout the whole of Tokyo. The aim was not merely to record, but to show how rich and beautiful the lifestyle of these areas is and was. I want others to realize that such a connected lifestyle is especially important in today’s modern world. 　

Over the years, my pictures and essays have been featured in many books and magazines. Sadly, the majority of what I have depicted has been converted into isolated city blocks. Modernization doesn’t necessarily produce good things. There are cases when tradition is destroyed, relationships between neighbors are lost, and even communities themselves totally disappear.

The forty-seven pen drawings shown in this exhibition were selected from works I have kept together as a collection. They were all drawn entirely on site right up to their last strokes, requiring me to visit the same places over and over again. Each drawing reminds me of precious memories; the people I met and their stories. I still drop by sometimes to say hello to those who remain.

My experiences and the people I met during this time remain with me as irreplaceable treasures. Only a fraction of my Tokyo project can be shown here. But I believe even those who see my works for the first time will understand that this gigantic city Tokyo is full of variety, beauty, and is endlessly attractive.

Toriizaka Art

"Nostalgic Tokyo"

Kiritani Itsuo

ANA InterContinental Tokyo

Email info@toriizakaart.com

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