What Are the 2020 Tokyo Olympics? Exploring the Historical Significance of the Two Tokyo Olympics―②

Following on from the previous discussion, the 1964 Tokyo Olympics brought about Japan's postwar recovery and a dramatic improvement in social infrastructure, signaling its entry into the ranks of advanced nations.
This discussion features Mr. Mitsuhiro Yoshimoto, who is deeply involved in the cultural program for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and Professor Toshiya Yoshimi, whose research focuses on urban theory and cultural sociology (cultural studies).
Reflecting on history, they presented the cultural direction needed for the Tokyo Olympics five years later—now facing new challenges in its mature phase.

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Rediscovering Historical Value

Yoshimi: Tokyo's large-scale sports facilities are deeply connected to military installations. During the Meiji Restoration, the Satsuma and Choshu clans attacked from the south, occupying Edo. They concentrated military facilities in the area stretching from the south to the west of Tokyo, where samurai residences were clustered. Later, areas like Roppongi, Azabu, Aoyama, and Akasaka became districts for the Japanese military. After the war, they temporarily became districts for the U.S. military, and after their return, large-scale athletic facilities were built. In other words, the 1964 Tokyo Olympics can be said to have played a role in promoting the shift of Tokyo's center to the south and west. What was forgotten in this process were the areas north and east of the city center—the merchant districts like Taito Ward, Bunkyo Ward, and Chuo Ward—where Meiji-era literati concentrated.

Modern Japan underwent a process of becoming an empire without being colonized, despite facing pressure from Western civilization and the Western powers. No other country in the world wrestled so intensely with Western modernity. Intellectuals like Ogai and Soseki, along with painters and filmmakers, resided in the very core cultural districts born of Edo: Kanda, Ueno, Hongo, Ochanomizu, and Jinbocho. Yet postwar history turned its back on Tokyo's development from the Bakumatsu period through modern times, following a trajectory from U.S. military bases to the Olympics, achieving high economic growth. However, I feel the essence of Tokyo lies elsewhere, distinct from the process of its cultural center shifting south and west. Particularly as society enters a period of population decline, we need to rediscover Tokyo's true richness in a different form. And in this process of rediscovering the cultural assets of modern Japanese cities, isn't the possibility emerging to connect regional urban culture with the Olympics?

Yoshimoto: You mean the area you refer to as the cultural resource district, Professor?

Yoshimi: When considering how to connect the Cultural Olympiad, I think the northern areas are important, rather than the southern city center or the bay area. After the war, there was a period when Eiko Ishikawa drew up plans for postwar reconstruction and attempted to create green belts and promenades in Tokyo. Although this plan was ultimately abandoned, Shigeru Nanbara, then president of the University of Tokyo, along with Kenzo Tange and Eika Takayama, attempted to create an Oxford in Tokyo by connecting the Hongo, Ueno, and Koishikawa areas. This was because cultural and academic resources were concentrated in these areas. This trend of focusing on culture for postwar reconstruction lasted from the late 1940s to the early 1950s. However, with the Tokyo Olympics in the late 1950s and the onset of rapid economic growth, Japan's development came to be seen as dependent solely on the economy.

Incidentally, Yushima was a crucial area in Mr. Nanbara's plan. Ueno was envisioned as an artistic space, Hongo as academic, Koishikawa as entertainment, and Yushima, being central to these, was to become an international cultural exchange district with conference facilities and lodging.

Even today, the living culture of Yanaka, Nezu, and Sendagi remains popular with overseas tourists, and Akihabara is world-famous. I believe this concept of connecting such areas could also be applied to awaken regional cultures in the provinces.

Yoshimoto: When considering future cultural programs, Tokyo's historical character is crucial. Japan wrestled with Western-style modernization and achieved rapid economic growth, but in the process, we lost sight of certain cultural resources. We should use the Olympics as an opportunity to rediscover, redefine, and reuse these resources. I strongly support shining a spotlight on the cultural resource zones mentioned earlier.

Yoshimi: Tokyo's rivers were covered over by expressways. Beneath these covers lie rich waterways.

Yoshimoto: I feel the consciousness and values of Tokyo's residents have also unknowingly become Westernized. But this isn't about reverting to the past; rather, we need programs that reinterpret that history and assign new value to it.

Yoshimi: Earlier, we discussed the Olympics being a festival of humanity. I believe this also carries the meaning of human revival. While there was a period during the high economic growth era when development was necessary in certain aspects, I feel the emphasis often became too focused on making the economy, cities, public works, or development itself the end goal.

What we can do is use the 2020 Olympics as an opportunity to revisit the past and bring valuable elements back to the surface. I call this "recycling." If we position the Olympics as a process to revive cultural resources buried beneath concrete, much like extracting rare metals or shale gas, it could connect Tokyo with Tohoku and allow us to rediscover Japan's cultural richness.

A Perspective on Chaos and Diversity

Yoshimoto: In terms of culture and art, Tokyo stands out globally. It simultaneously hosts Japan's traditional arts like kabuki and Noh, cutting-edge high-tech creations, anime, world-class orchestras, and major international art exhibitions. Probably no other city possesses such diverse arts and culture coexisting in one place.

Yoshimi: What's particularly fascinating about Tokyo is that while it may not have the Louvre or the British Museum, it possesses an immense concentration of cultural diversity within the city itself. This applies to food as well—it might even surpass Paris, London, or New York. The crucial question is how to network these countless diverse points and develop them into a cohesive whole.

Yoshimoto: Looking at the annual visitor rankings for the world's museums, the Louvre tops the list with about 10 million visitors, followed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art with 6 million. Then come the British Museum, Tate Modern, and the National Gallery, each attracting around 5 million visitors. The Tokyo National Museum, with 1.5 million visitors, barely makes it into 30th place. Looking at that alone, it might seem Tokyo's cultural power still has room to grow, but when you consider the total picture, I believe it possesses considerable strength.

Yoshimi: The Cultural Olympiad is a mechanism well-suited for connecting people. Rather than building large facilities, it involves devising various mechanisms to encourage people's movement and circulation. If locations are relatively close together, people can visit many different places in a single day. Even in regional areas, events like the Niigata Tsumari Triennale, organized by Mr. Fumihiko Kikuchi, have gained worldwide recognition. In Tokyo's case too, by leveraging the unique characteristics of each district and creating an appropriate overall framework, we should be able to showcase a new image of this city.

Yoshimoto: Tokyo's defining characteristic, compared to other cities, is its chaos. Yet within that chaos lies a hidden order or rule, which I believe is precisely what makes Tokyo unique. Recently, there was a Tokyo Metropolitan Government expert meeting on "Considering City Promotion for Overseas Audiences." Foreign journalists there were particularly interested in the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, where people suddenly start moving yet cross safely without any collisions. Indeed, the vast area of Tokyo is connected by invisible, complex, and multi-layered systems, with the subway network being a prime example. New York has a single vertical axis, and even Paris or London aren't as complex as Tokyo. In other words, we routinely navigate and utilize this chaotic city with ease.

Yoshimi: Conversely, you could say that by conveniently harnessing that chaos, we've forgotten the structure of the surface.

Yoshimoto: So it's hidden from us.

Yoshimi: Normally, we cover things to hide what's underground from the surface. But I feel like we're doing the opposite—using the underground structure to hide the richness of the surface. I think we've lost or made invisible quite a lot because of that. So, getting people out of the subway and onto the surface might be important, don't you think? (laughs)

Yoshimoto: True, when moving around, we naturally think of taking the subway or train first.

Yoshimi: Essentially, Akihabara and Jimbocho are perceived as separate areas, and people don't seem to recognize their connectedness. For example, it's less than 100 meters from the University of Tokyo campus to Shinobazu Pond, but people typically think of taking the subway from stations like Hongō-Sanchōme or Todai-mae, going all the way around to get to Ueno. By relying too heavily on the convenience of our transportation systems, haven't we forgotten something important?

Cultural Programs Expected for the Olympics

Yoshimoto: That means we need to change our existing values, or rather, reset our minds.

Yoshimi: Since natural flow tends toward convenience, we need to devise mechanisms for this reset. To achieve this, I believe the urban planning needed for 2020 requires prioritizing soft infrastructure over hard infrastructure. By prioritizing soft infrastructure, we can create new flows of people, new living spaces, and new places for interaction. Infrastructure development should then follow as a mediating factor.

Yoshimoto: Actually, during the London Olympics, the World Major Cities Cultural Summit was held as part of the cultural program, initiated by the Mayor of London. Its purpose was to highlight the importance of culture when considering future urban policy. Twelve cities participated, including London, Paris, Berlin, New York, and from Asia, Shanghai and Tokyo. Each city's cultural characteristics were researched and compared beforehand.

What surprised international participants most was that Tokyo has 830,000 pianos in ordinary households. People enjoy haiku, tea ceremonies, and flower arranging. The only comparable data across other cities was amateur dance schools, and Tokyo had the highest number. This revealed a unique Japanese characteristic: art isn't just something to be appreciated; many people engage in artistic activities themselves at a level rivaling professionals. After the Meiji period, as Western cultural systems were introduced and splendid museums were built, the idea that art is something to be gratefully appreciated took precedence, and citizens' artistic activities were no longer highly valued. I wonder if we could shine the spotlight on this again and promote the Japanese lifestyle, where culture and art are deeply rooted in daily life, to the world.

Yoshimi: The potential for participatory cultural and artistic activities is significantly increasing now. Particularly, people in their 60s and 70s are incredibly energetic, so it's crucial to figure out how to channel that accumulated energy. By expanding that energy beyond just dance classes, music lessons, or karaoke, and instead creating a movement that fosters mechanisms like "Abandon your books, go out into the streets" or "Let's change the city," I feel it could generate a different kind of urban formative power than before.

Yoshimoto: Searching online for keywords like "senior citizens" and "theater troupe" brings up numerous examples. People who take up theater, music, or other passions later in life are incredibly vibrant. While Japan's transition to a super-aged society with a shrinking population often carries negative connotations, culture possesses a powerful force to turn this into a positive. My vague hope is that we could present a new model of a mature society to the world at the upcoming Olympics – one where culture and sports support Japan's aging society, through seniors singing, performing plays, participating in citizen marathons, or climbing Mount Fuji.

Yoshimi: The Senior Olympics, huh? (laughs)

Yoshimoto: In London, the Unlimited festival—an arts festival for people with disabilities linked to the Paralympics—became an important legacy. Tokyo has declared it will carry on that legacy, but I think we should include the elderly in that too.

Yoshimi: How we shape prosperity within a mature, shrinking society and connect it to the future of Tokyo and Tohoku—I feel the evaluation of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will hinge on the substance of its cultural programs.

Yoshimoto: The last Tokyo Olympics showcased how a small Asian nation achieved astonishing economic growth, inspiring many countries. This time, however, we're being asked what kind of future vision we can present while embracing super-aging and population decline. Since the Olympics are a celebration of humanity, I believe we can show the answer through cultural programs that rediscover the values, culture, traditions, and history underlying the Japanese way of life.

Yoshimi: I'd like to see more discussions on that very point. Thank you very much.

〔 End 〕

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*The full text is available on the Yoshida Hideo Memorial Foundation website.