インディアナ・ステート･フェア
日本特別展"Bridges to Japan"
2010年8月6日(金) - 8月22日(日)
概要
Abstract:
As the largest multi-day event in the state of Indiana, the Indiana State Fair attracts almost 1,000,000 visitors through a presentation of agriculture and exhibits. The Indiana State Fair is considered one of the “best” or highest quality state fairs in the country, and in 2009, the dates were extended an additional five days to accommodate programming and crowds of the ever popular event.
The Indiana State Fair Commission, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and the Japan-America Society of Indiana are partnering to develop a 9,000 square foot exhibition featuring Japanese cultural activities, performing arts, and business displays for the 2010 Indiana State Fair. The primary purpose of the Japan Exhibition is to introduce and engage the Fair visitors in Japanese culture and economy so they may understand and honor Indiana’s extensive connections to Japan. The Japan Exhibition will be housed in the International Hall, which has a prominent location on Main Street of the Fairgrounds and will run for the entire 17 days of the fair from morning to night. Given that Japan will be the first country to be showcased in the Fair’s new tradition of featuring an international theme, the exhibition has an opportunity to make a substantial impact and reach thousands of average Hoosiers, especially youth. It is expected to be one of the largest-attended Japan events to take place in North America in 2010.
Project Description
The mission of the Fair is based on education, and to that end, the Indiana State Fair decided that a new theme of the Fair will be to include an international component in which a country with important ties to Indiana will be featured. Given that Japan has been and continues to be Indiana’s most important international partner, Governor Daniels directed that Japan should be the first country featured at the Fair. During his visit to Japan in September 2009, Governor Daniels announced the project and discussed it with key corporations.
The Japan-America Society of Indiana has been designated to serve as the coordinating office of the Japan Exhibition in collaboration with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the Indiana State Fair Commission, and the International Offices of the Tochigi Prefectural Government.
With more than 200 Japanese companies in Indiana including the presence of Toyota, Subaru, and Honda and their respective supplier networks, and with more than 42,000 Hoosiers employed at Japanese facilities, Japan continues to be Indiana’s most important international economic partner. While many recognize the importance of our relationship with Japan, many other average Hoosiers are still unaware of the strong connections that are present. The Japan Exhibition aims to educate those fairgoers about the many connections, both cultural and economic, that Indiana and Japan share and endeavors to help them understand why those connections are important. Through its exhibits, performances, and activities, the Japan Exhibition will arouse an interest and appreciation of Japan among all who attend. In this way, we hope to maintain and build upon the energy that Indiana already has for our relationship with Japan and take it to new heights.
There are and have been Japan Festivals throughout the country, and here in Indiana, the Japan-America Society of Indiana has assisted in the execution of several one-day festivals over the past several years, as well as a large-scale Japan Fest Matsuri 10 years ago that featured artisans and performers from Tochigi Prefecture, Indiana’s sister prefecture. This Japan Exhibition will be unique in several ways. To our knowledge, no State Fair in the United States has ever featured Japan before. The Indiana State Fair, with approximately 1,000,000 visitors over 17 days, also represents a scale that has not been seen before both in terms of number of visitors and in duration of time. Finally, no Japan event has focused on educating the public about their state’s relationship with Japan in the manner and scope of this exhibition. It will truly be a unique experience.
The Japan Exhibition at the Indiana State Fair will be housed in the International Hall (formerly called the Grand Hall), a 9,000 square foot building located on traffic-heavy Main Street within the Indiana State Fairgrounds. This prime location guarantees that nearly all of the visitors to the Fair will pass by or through the building. Inside will be several exhibits, performances, and activities that will demonstrate the daily life of Japanese families, present the many deep-rooted and active relationships between Indiana and Japan, and arouse fairgoers’ interest in Japan on a personal level. They will be able to visit different areas of the building that highlight the following themes: Daily Living, Sister Relationships, Economic Partnerships, Performances and Cultural Demonstrations, Robotics, Environmentalism, Hands-On Activities, and Food.
In two Daily Living areas, we hope to feature 500 square foot walk-through displays, one that represents a more traditional country home, and an area that includes experiences of modern Japanese living and contemporary Japan. Ideally, these displays will feature authentic appliances, tatami, furniture, utilitarian objects, toys and objects of Japanese pop culture, and architecture. Examples include a kotatsu table, a Japanese TV playing normal Japanese programming, a bath and high-tech toilet, a kitchen with typical food, utensils and appliances, and a youth room with clothes, school uniforms, homework, electronics, manga, etc… The focus of the urban space and many of the other areas throughout the exhibit will be on contemporary Japan. We aspire to include documentary-like videos playing on a loop that show the daily routines of families as well as interviews about their home, city, and daily life. The urban home will feature film from a family living in an urban setting, and the country home will feature film from a farming family from the countryside. The footage of the Japanese farming family will be especially important, as a great amount of Indiana families also rely on an agriculture-based lifestyle. We hope to also create a small Japanese garden next to the traditional countryside home.
The Sister Relationships area will introduce visitors to Indiana’s 10-year sister state/prefecture relationship with Tochigi Prefecture. Representatives from Tochigi will teach fairgoers about their prefecture and the types of exchanges in which Indiana and Tochigi participate. This section will also feature the approximately 15 sister city relationships between Indiana cities and Japan, some of which are newer, and some of which date back nearly 50 years. The Japanese sister cities will be invited to send performers, cultural demonstrations and artisans. Several of the most active sister relationships may be showcased in booths dedicated to introducing the kinds of exchange and study programs, park dedications, government visits, and other activities that these cities are involved in (which in the case of certain fairgoers will include their own cities). This part of the exhibition seeks to increase the energy and participation at the local level for these existing relationships as well as to inspire the creation of new relationships between cities from Indiana and Japan.
The Economic Partnerships area will demonstrate the importance of Japan to Indiana’s economy. Indiana ranks third among all states in the volume of capital investment from Japan, and it is the only state to boast the presence of three automotive assembly plants, which are fondly called “Indiana’s Own Big Three”: Toyota, Honda and Subaru. With over 200 Japanese companies in the state employing more than 42,000 Hoosiers, Japan is by far Indiana’s most important economic partner. Displays and informational booths will highlight the variety of products made by Japanese companies in Indiana. There will also be a large-scale map of Indiana that will impress visitors with the number of Japanese companies located in all corners of the state.
A medium-sized Demo Stage inside the International Hall will be dedicated to interactive cultural demonstrations. There will also be an Outdoor Stage that will provide an ideal location for larger, highlight performances. Throughout the 17 days of the Fair there will be several showcase performances on the outside stage with ongoing smaller performances and cultural demonstrations taking place daily on the two stages. Some of the larger performances targeted are large and exciting Taiko drumming Groups, a Yosakoi Dance Group, a Minyo Dance Group, a Pop Shamisen Group, or a Koto Ensemble. (We are hopeful of featuring performers from Japan as well).
The indoor Demo Stage will feature contemporary Japanese fashion shows, kendo, kyudo, shamisen, buyo, kamishibai, ikebana flower-arranging, tea ceremony, rakugo, and solo performances.
Interactive cultural kiosks interspersed throughout the exhibition will provide the backdrop for Japanese volunteers to facilitate a myriad of hands-on cultural activities.
These will include a calligraphy area to both practice calligraphy and have one’s name written in Japanese with simple displays on the Japanese writing system and language, Japanese greetings and business card exchange, opportunities to try on a kimono and take pictures, lessons teaching how to use chopsticks, a taiko arcade game that allows players to play the taiko drum, an origami workshop, face-painting in a Kabuki-style, go/shogi game demonstrations teaching how to play, and kendama challenges to allow fairgoers to have a shot at successfully using the traditional Japanese ball-stick toy.
Ideally, many demonstrations and performances will be coordinated through Indiana’s sister relationships and featuring individuals or groups from Tochigi Prefecture or some of the sister cities, and if possible, a club from a Japanese high school will be invited to travel to the fair to put on a performance. In the past, Tochigi has sent bamboo makers, a textile painter (designated as a living national treasure), and a paper maker to Indiana to demonstrate traditional Japanese crafts.
The Japan Exhibition will seek to show off cutting-edge Japanese robots. We hope to feature demonstrations with some of Japan’s top human-like performance robots. Talks are also in progress with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) requesting their support in getting “Paro” the therapeutic robotic seal for the Exhibition. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture has also offered their aid in showing agricultural robots used in Japan. (The Indiana State Fair Commission and the Japan-America Society of Indiana are still discussing how to most effectively take advantage of the Ministry’s offer). If successful, this exhibition will mark the first time that these advanced robots will be shown in Indiana.
The Environmentalism area will emphasize Japan’s commitment to environmentalism and recycling. A display of various Japanese recycling containers may be included to further demonstrate the various systems in place for garbage separation. Fairgoers will marvel at the sophisticated recycling system in place in Japan and also understand that with effort and time, Indiana could develop an equally impressive system. We also hope to feature information on the environmental practices of some prominent Japanese companies.
In collaboration with local Japanese restaurants, the exhibition will feature traditional Japanese foods either for consumption or for educational demonstrations, such as okonomiyaki, yakisoba, gyoza, soba, macha ice cream, and sushi-rolling workshops.
JASI looks forward to hearing your input and suggestions. Any ideas for ways that companies or individuals can help bring unique cultural resources and materials to the project are also most welcome. Thank you very much for your consideration in supporting the Japan Exhibition at the Indiana State Fair!