Sanpo Art Map Project

Within the Nihonbashi/Bakurocho and Yaesu/Kyobashi areas, this project reads the traces of everyday life from Edo to the present through the perspective of Modernology. In contrast to archaeology, Modernology (Kogengaku) is the study and research of people’s current lifestyles and culture. It was proposed by architect and folklorist Wajiro Kon (1888–1973). Kogengaku investigates and analyzes subjects through observation, writing, sketching, photography, and other methods, and also contributed to the later development of lifestyle studies, folklore studies, and sociology. It also further influenced the activities of the “Street Observation Society” led by artist Genpei Akasegawa. This project, led by Modernology researcher Izumi Kuroishi (Professor at Fukushima Gakuin University) together with the local community, produced multiple digital Modernology maps. These will reveal how observing the city’s details and people’s movements can bring out new layers of urban life.   Progress Presentation by the Bakurocho Area Team of the “Modernology Map Project,” May 2025   » “A Map Tells Stories of the Places = Sanpo Art Map” by Izumi Kuroishi