Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Ueno Station "Ueno Konjaku Monogatari (The Flower City of Ueno through the Time Tube)"

Stained Glass

Chairman, Metro Cultural Foundation (Public interest incorporated foundation)
UMAZAKI Hisashi
I would like to congratulate you on this occasion, with the presentation of a wonderful public art along with the completion of renewal of Ueno station.
Also, thank you very much to Tokyo Metro, who gave us the offer, and Mr. MIYATA Ryohei and NKB CREARE Atami-Yugawara Studio, who produced and installed the art.
Metro Cultural Foundation (Public interest incorporated foundation) was established in 1956 and conducts projects that contribute to promotion of art and development of transportation culture, such as holding Metro concerts and Metro culture exhibitions besides operating Tokyo Metro Museum.
Installing public arts is a part of those and we have installed ones at the 3 subway stations of Fukutoshin Line Nishiwaseda station, Kitasando station and Yurakucho Line Toyosu station so far, and Ginza Line Ueno station at this time is the 4th station for us.
This public art "Ueno Konjaku Monogatari (The Flower City of Ueno through the Time Tube)" is a wonderful work in which a strong feeling to Ueno by Mr. MIYATA Ryohei, who was the former president of Tokyo University of the Arts, and has been active for many years at the university in Ueno.
I am convinced that this work will bring aroma of culture and art to Tokyo Metro Ueno station space and will give moisture and relaxation to many customers using Ueno station.

Pesident of Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd
YAMAMURA Akiyoshi
This time, we installed the stained glass "Ueno Konjaku Monogatari (The Flower City of Ueno through the Time Tube)" by the original painting made by Mr. Ryohei Miyata, a Japan's leading metal craft artist at the renewed Ginza Line Ueno station concourse in cooperation with Metro Cultural Foundation (Public interest incorporated foundation).
I thank you very much for Mr. MIYATA Ryohei and all the stakeholders who worked on the production and installation of the stained glass.
At Tokyo Metro, we are pursuing various measures to renew Ginza Line, such as the introduction of new model vehicles, installation of home doors, renovation of all stations, under the concept of "Fusion of Tradition and Leading-edge".
And the renewal of 7 stations from Asakusa station to Kanda station at the downtown area has been completed this year, which marks the 90th anniversary since the opening of Asakusa Station - Ueno station as the first subway line in the Orient on December 30, 1927.
Among them, Ueno is the station in the first opening section, as well as the site of the company's headquarters as a base from the era of the former Tokyo Underground Railway Co., Ltd. to the present, is one of the most important places for our company.
I am very pleased that a wonderful work with the thought to Ueno area of Mr. MIYATA Ryohei, who came from Tokyo University of the Arts, which is in Ueno and the base of Japan's art and culture, and is a pofessor emeritus now, was installed at Ueno station reborn by renewal with the concept of "Town with art museums".
I hope this work will be loved forever by many of you as a symbol of Ueno station and this Ueno area.

Director General of JPTCA
TAKI Hisao
Congratulations on the 90th anniversary of the opening of the subway. In 1927, the first subway was born in Asia between Asakusa and Ueno, and 90 years have passed since then. At this memorable time, I am very pleased to have installed the public art work "Ueno Konjaku Monogatari (The Flower City of Ueno through the Time Tube)" at Ginza Line Ueno Station by Mr. MIYATA Ryohei, a professor emeritus at Tokyo University of the Arts and a metal craft artist.
At Japan Traffic Culture Association, we have been actively engaged in promoting art and culture since our foundation in 1948. The main pillars of the projects are the exhibition project represented by "Traffic Culture Exhibition", the scholarship projects represented by "Takifuji Foundation"and "International Takifuji Art Award", and the promotion of public art.
There is a word expressing the thought that is the basis of those projects. The next sentence Herbert Read left in his book "The Meaning of Art".
"Now what we are missing is not an artist, but masses. Not art-conscious masses, but unconsciously artistic masses"
We continue our projects with the hope that arts installed in public spaces will help the realization of the social environment in which everyone unconsciously touches art.
We deeply appreciate Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd. who planned the installation of this work and everyone who cooperated, and we ask for your continued understanding and cooperation in our efforts.