ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Masahiro Okafuji, President & CEO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) opened ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE in the CI Plaza, a commercial facility situated next to ITOCHU’s Tokyo Head Office, in October 2012. The gallery was part of ITOCHU’s social contribution activities, with the aim of developing the future generation through art, contributing to the local community, and promoting both local and international art and culture. Various exhibitions have since been held in the space.

ITOCHU announced today that two new exhibitions will be held with the aim of encouraging cultural exchange between Japan and Mongolia.
Part 1, on the theme of sumo: Hakuho Photo Exhibition to Commemorate All-time Winning Makuuchi Wrestler
Part 2, on the theme of calligraphy: Japanese-Mongolian Calligraphy Exhibition “Ties between the Empire of the Blue Sky and the Empire of the Sun”

In August 2014, the Japanese-Mongolian Calligraphy Exhibition was held in Mongolia to mark 40 years since the conclusion of a cultural exchange arrangement1 between Japan and Mongolia. Responding to calls for the exhibition to come to Japan, the exhibition will be held at ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE, bringing together the calligraphy of politicians from Japan and Mongolia who are committed to promoting exchange between the two countries as well as the works of calligraphers. Moreover, as March 11 will be the 4th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, some of the exhibited pieces will be auctioned for charity, with the proceeds to be donated to volunteer groups to support the recovery of the area affected by the disaster.

Also, last month’s historical solo record win for the 33rd time at a January grand sumo tournament by Hakuho, who is originally from Mongolia, was a splendid opportunity to feel the strong ties that bind the two countries through the culture of sumo. A commemorative photography exhibition will be held at ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE prior to the calligraphy exhibition.

The success at a grand sumo tournament of a sumo wrestler hailing from Mongolia has brought Mongolian sumo to wide public attention in Japan. However, the existence of calligraphic art using the Mongolian script (the so-called tate-moji vertical script) of Mongolia, which has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, is less well known. As such, it is believed that these two exhibitions will make a significant contribution to encouraging bilateral understanding and cultural exchange.

We cordially invite the public to come and view the works on display at both exhibitions.

1. Cultural exchange arrangement：Exchange of notes that determined how cultural exchange projects between Japan and Mongolia would be promoted, beginning in 1974, when people-to-people exchange between the two countries was limited.

Outline of Hakuho Photo Exhibition to Commemorate All-time Winning Makuuchi Wrestler

Outline of Japanese-Mongolian Calligraphy Exhibition “Ties between the Empire of the Blue Sky and the Empire of the Sun”