Event at a Japanese Garden: Tokyo Prime Night 2018
On December 17th 2018, JTB Communication Design (JCD) organized the second Tokyo Prime Night at a unique venue. Where last year a beautiful traditional garden was the venue of choice (see our report about 2017`s prime night here), this year JCD delighted its attendees by organizing the event at the stylish Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.
2018 was a special year and the event coincided with the 150th anniversary of Tokyo. 150 years had passed since the capital of Japan was changed from Kyoto to Edo in 1868, which was then renamed Tokyo. Next to celebrating this occasion, the event was also an initiative to promote meetings and events in Tokyo, and to boost nocturnal sightseeing activities.
With “old meets new” as theme, JCD transformed the popular art museum into a visual sight that gathered many onlookers. The entrance and museum were lit up with state of the art illumination and created a magical and colorful atmosphere in the cold winter`s night. The guests were received in the grand lobby by the JCD staff and guided to the opening of the program in the presentation hall.
The evening included a banquet with a great variety of food specialties. The guests could enjoy their dinner while watching performances by various artists. Information about projects and sightseeing in Tokyo could be gathered in the lounge area under drinks and conversation.
Old Japanese silent films were shown with musicians providing live music for the imagery on the screen. A narrator gave a voice to the silent actors, providing a complete experience for the attendees as they traveled back through time to the old days of the city.
Comments from JCD Staff in charge
"Following the first prime event in 2017 (at the Hama-rikyu Gardens), this year`s edition was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.
During the event, 300 clients of JCD (from public sectors, local governments, embassies, and private firms) were invited as special guests. At the event the following special features were present:
- Content presentation across the entire venue utilizing the facility’s characteristics.
- Illumination around the venue, supervised by illumination designer Motoko Ishii.
- A special exhibition of the Munch gallery.
Featuring the above, an exclusive atmosphere was designed to create a completely different setting from regular parties. The attendees enjoyed their time while experiencing the usage of a unique venue in Tokyo.
The opening ceremony and cinema show were held in the lecture hall, looking back on 150 years of history in Tokyo. Catering service also featured a restaurant with a long history reviving a menu from 140 years ago, entertaining not only the attendees but also staff members.
Difficulties
"The Prime Night was successfully held after one year of preparation.
Compared to regular events, a large part of the project was spent on coordination and constant checks as this year`s venue expanded to 2 different locations: The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and also the surrounding Ueno Park. JCD had to be careful with approvals and licenses as the parts are regulated by different authorities. Reserving a museum in its entirety as well as accommodating 300 people in this unique venue was also a first for us."
"Aside from the ordinary reception, the event also featured the Munch exhibition, a 150th anniversary cinema session, and an introductory booth to JCD, utilizing every space of the museum while making sure the participants could move around smoothly. Holding an event at unique venues requires a reasonable amount of time and effort. In terms of the infrastructural aspect with the illumination, the key to success depended on how many additional electrical works we could install without overloading the network."
"There are many fantastic places scattered throughout Tokyo, and the rest of Japan as well, and we will use this uniqueness to appeal to visitors and foreign-affiliated companies aiming for the years to come.”
