We spoke with Tomoko Tsukihashi and Seiko Funanokawa, who work as full-time social inclusion staff, a new position created in April 2024, at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan in Ueno and the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum in Ebisu, respectively. While the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan is a venue for music and performing arts and the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum is a museum specializing in photography and video, both share a common goal of “bringing culture and arts to more people.” We asked the two about their paths to joining the foundation and what they find rewarding about their work.
*Department names and titles are as of the time of the interview
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People Inside Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture Vol. 2: Role of Social Inclusion Staff [Part 2/3]
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- 2025.01.29
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I want to make it a place where I can confidently say, “Please come visit!”—Tomoko Tsukihashi
The Tokyo Bunka Kaikan has been offering a variety of programs that allow diverse people to enjoy music, such as Music Workshop for audiences including babies less than one year old and Relaxed Performance for those with concerns about attending a concert. Since Tsukihashi joined in April 2024, the institution has launched a social inclusion project team. It consists of 10 members from each of the facility’s seven departments and meets monthly to advance accessibility initiatives. Current efforts include creating brochures in plain Japanese and tactile maps to introduce the facility, implementing devices that assist low-vision visitors by projecting images onto their retinas, and providing a remote sign language interpretation service. As the team leader, Tsukihashi coordinates across departments to drive these projects forward.
Tsukihashi, who previously worked at another concert hall, mentioned that her experience there significantly influenced her decision to apply for the social inclusion role. One particularly memorable moment was during an outreach concert at an elementary school where a teacher, with tears in their eyes, remarked, “I can’t believe this student, who usually can’t sit still, was able to sit quietly and enjoy the music until the end.” While the comment made Tsukihashi feel a sense of fulfillment, she also felt a pang of frustration, wishing she could confidently say to the student, “Please also come visit the hall.”
“Many concert halls in Japan require people to remain quiet during performances. They are not environments where diverse people can feel comfortable enjoying music together. That experience made me want to create a hall where I can say to everyone, ‘Please come visit!’”
At the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, efforts extend beyond the hall itself and involve collaboration with other organizations through Partner Program. The program promotes accessibility initiatives to those renting the venues, with a long-term vision of making accessibility a standard at cultural facilities across Japan. The Tokyo Bunka Kaikan’s social inclusion project team is also planning to create tactile models of both the Recital and Main Halls, which will be installed in each hall’s foyer once completed.
“We certainly hope that people with visual impairments will use them, but we want all kinds of people to interact with them. If someone encounters a tactile model for the first time and later tells others, ‘I found this at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan,’ it could spark further awareness.”
Tsukihashi believes it is essential for many people to learn about these initiatives. She works hard every day, aiming for a future where accessibility is implemented at cultural facilities across Japan.
I want to make it a place where I can confidently say, “Job of adding more and more options—Seiko Funanokawa
The Tokyo Photographic Art Museum has long focused on making the building barrier-free by allowing guide dogs to accompany their owners and offering a nursing room, written communication devices, wheelchair rentals, and gallery talks with sign language interpretation. Since joining the foundation in May 2024, Seiko Funanokawa has been communicating and enhancing the museum’s accessibility efforts.
Funanokawa originally worked as a freelance facilitator of viewing conversation. She valued, as a facilitator responsible for planning and conducting learning sessions, an environment where “each participant could feel safe, be themselves, and leave with a positive experience.” From 2022 to 2024, she participated as a coordinator in a project at Cinema Chupki Tabata (*), a universal theater in Tabata, Kita-ku. The experience also led her to the position she holds today.
“In the project, I worked with people who had visual or hearing impairments. Through the interaction with them, I found that the ways of conveying information became less about consideration and more of standard practice. That’s when I first became familiar with the concept of accessibility.”
*Cinema Chupki Tabata opened in 2016. It aims to be a cinema for all, offering features such as subtitles and closed captions, audio descriptions for all screenings, a soundproof viewing room, and wheelchair spaces.
https://chupki.jpn.org/
“In the project, I worked with people who had visual or hearing impairments. Through the interaction with them, I found that the ways of conveying information became less about consideration and more of standard practice. That’s when I first became familiar with the concept of accessibility.”
*Cinema Chupki Tabata opened in 2016. It aims to be a cinema for all, offering features such as subtitles and closed captions, audio descriptions for all screenings, a soundproof viewing room, and wheelchair spaces.
https://chupki.jpn.org/
Funanokawa is currently working on website improvements, creating a new page that consolidates information on accessibility at the museum. She is regularly making small adjustments as needed, such as introducing hearing and visual support devices, producing a guide brochure in plain Japanese to introduce the facility, and reconsidering signage throughout the museum.
“Museums carefully curate the best possible ways for viewers to experience the artworks, so we only display essential information. But signs may lack English translations, or the placement of certain guides may be confusing. Accessibility isn’t just about accommodating visitors with disabilities—it’s about considering all our patrons’ needs. I try to improve even seemingly minor things whenever I notice them. Sometimes, feedback and comments from visitors prompt these improvements.”
“Museums carefully curate the best possible ways for viewers to experience the artworks, so we only display essential information. But signs may lack English translations, or the placement of certain guides may be confusing. Accessibility isn’t just about accommodating visitors with disabilities—it’s about considering all our patrons’ needs. I try to improve even seemingly minor things whenever I notice them. Sometimes, feedback and comments from visitors prompt these improvements.”
There have been areas where institutions lacked the resources to address. With dedicated social inclusion staff, however, diverse voices are now being heard. That being said, there are still challenges, such as balancing the experiences of viewing while conversing and viewing in a quiet environment.
“It’s not possible to meet all needs at once. Sometimes, it’s better to divide up the time and space or use certain tools, so that people can view art at their own pace and in a way that suits them. I hope such efforts would allow everyone to share the experience of enjoying the same artworks, making the time spent in the museum even richer.”
The ideal museum “can be enjoyed by anyone at any time.” To realize this, Funanokawa believes in maximizing flexibility. Her role involves constantly imagining various scenarios and seeking out options. Through her, we saw the creative side of the profession of social inclusion.
“It’s not possible to meet all needs at once. Sometimes, it’s better to divide up the time and space or use certain tools, so that people can view art at their own pace and in a way that suits them. I hope such efforts would allow everyone to share the experience of enjoying the same artworks, making the time spent in the museum even richer.”
The ideal museum “can be enjoyed by anyone at any time.” To realize this, Funanokawa believes in maximizing flexibility. Her role involves constantly imagining various scenarios and seeking out options. Through her, we saw the creative side of the profession of social inclusion.
Interview and text: Emi Sato, photography: Osamu Kurihara
Translation: Erika Ikeda
(Continued to Part 3/3)
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