Art Performance in front of Seishin-Chuo Station, Kobe: Expressing a Free Tatami

　On April 12, “Interplay in Everyday Life,” an art performance by professional ballet dancers and others, was held at the newly installed “Machinaka Rest Spot” at “Plenty Plaza” (5 Kohji-dai, Nishi-ku, Kobe) in front of Seishin-chuo Station.

Art Performance “Interplay of Everyday Life” Poster

　The performance was held to commemorate the completion at the end of March of the new rest spot, which Kobe City established to “create a different Kobe, a space for more people to visit, relax, and interact”. Eri Tsugawa of the ALTEMY/Hiura joint venture, who designed and created the space under the theme “Echoing Waves: Swimming and Dancing, Activities and Encounters in Seishin-Chuo,” and others planned the event with the hope that it would “provide an opportunity to expand the ways people spend their time at this place.

　In this performance, three dancers temporarily appeared in front of the station as performers and gave an impromptu performance for about 30 minutes via a wooden bench made of Hyogo cypress. The three performers passed by the benches by chance during the performance, and the audience was impressed by the free atmosphere of the spot and envisioned their daily life in the future. During the performance, students who happened to pass by the spot cheered him on and waved their hands in response.

　Mr. Tsugawa said, “Seishin-Chuo is one of the best new towns in Kobe, with many people of child-rearing age and small children, so I made this bench so that it would fit the body scale of any person. I hope people will expand their creativity. Yoshimasa Hiura, who was in charge of woodworking, hopes that everyone will use the bench as a place to take a break.

　A total of eight performances were held from April 12 to 14.