An art festival in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward is showcasing pictures drawn by kids living in disaster-stricken areas of the Tohoku region, and the organizers have arranged a colorful way for festival-goers to communicate with the young artists.
An art festival in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward is showcasing pictures drawn by kids living in disaster-stricken areas of the Tohoku region, and the organizers have arranged a colorful way for festival-goers to communicate with the young artists.
Running through Sept. 2, the Shinjuku Creators Festa features various art events, including a display of about 60 pictures drawn by children from Soma, Fukushima Prefecture, using art supplies that came as relief material.
The pictures can be seen at the "Hygia" Tokyo Metropolitan Health Plaza.
Artists who have been interacting with children affected by last year's Great East Japan Earthquake have also set up nine colorful postal-like boxes along Shinjuku Dori where people can drop off messages to the children of Tohoku.
The wooden and clay posts attract walkers' attention with their snazzy artistic designs.
Participating artists, led by printmaker Anzu Kanie, want to connect visiting children with their counterparts in Tohoku via artwork, she said. Kanie plans to directly deliver the messages to children in Soma.
"We want visitors to write messages or draw pictures after seeing the Soma children's pictures," Kanie, 34, said.