This program offers professionals of all backgrounds, from artists to curators, collectors, and academics, the opportunity to stay, create, and present in the unique site of a Chiyoda City designated cultural property – "Ebiharashoten" – with a rich local history rooted in the Meiji and Showa Eras. What further distinguishes Ebiharashoten is its location just steps beside JR Akihabara Station of central Tokyo. Here, residents can directly experience the historical layers underlying an ultramodern Tokyo. Furthermore, they may hold events that go beyond the white cube space of a gallery in the non-typical setting of classic Japanese architecture and interiors. Within the depth of its history and culture, work produced and presented at Ebiharashoten will come to hold new meaning.
Established in 1890 as a second-hand clothing store, "Ebiharashoten" continued to operate while dealing with products tailored to the times, such as ready-made clothes and fabrics. The current Ebihara store building was built in 1928. The design of the facade (front of the building) that adopted signboard architecture was created by the repeated trial and error of the joined forces of shop owner Ebihara Yasuzo and his painter friend.
The Ebihara store is a building whose elements represent typical signboard architecture, such as the design of facades and glass that incorporate both Japanese and Western styles, the well-balanced layout of the store and living space, and the design of taking in light from the skylight through the atrium. In addition, design drawings and sales records from that time, as well as valuable materials for academic research remain preserved to this day. In 2003, it was designated as a Chiyoda City Important Property of Town-Building.
Please send an e-mail to [residence(at)3331(dot)jp] and write 「EBIHARA_(Your full name) 」in the subject line of the email with the following materials:
(1) Artist statement & project proposal (max. 500 words each)
(2) Preferred residency period (1 week) (Ex: 11/3/2020-11/9/2020)
(3) Recent CV
(4) Portfolio (at least 5 images, video, audio, essay or web links as relevant)
(5) Supporting materials to describe your residency project, as applicable (ex: sample schedules, images/videos, web links, etc.)
*The maximum total file size for the above data is 2MB.
*When emailing, please change (at) to (@) and (dot) to (.)
*Mac Pages format not accepted.
As an important cultural property, Ebiharashoten sits remarkably at the center of the urban electronics district surrounding Akihabara Station. One may pass through eras just by stepping out the front door.
What's more, discover the network of 3331 spaces and creators, from the Iwamotocho Residence just across the main Showa-dori street, to the hub of 3331 Arts Chiyoda – a renovated junior high school that has served since 2010 as Tokyo's alternative art space open to everyone. For a pleasant walk, venture out further to local treasures deeply rooted in the Edo Era including Kanda Myojin Shrine and Yushima Seido. With its rare positioning as a heritage site in the middle of the city, Ebiharashoten is an ideal base for encountering the rich histories of Tokyo.
4 minutes on foot from JR Akihabara Station (Showa-dori Exit)
2 minutes on foot from Toei Shinjuku Line Iwamotocho Station (Exit A3)
4 minutes on foot from AIR 3331 Iwamotocho Studio
15 minutes on foot from 3331 Arts Chiyoda
