Sumifa - Sumida Factory tour -

Monozukuri Event: SumiFa

November 8, 9, and 10, 2013

Date

Factories in Sumida City and around JR Ryogoku Station

Place

About

In the SumiFa program, participants can visit factories and galleries around the area to see how products are really made, listen to talks and presentations by manufacturers, and—because “crafts” don’t always need to be things you appreciate just with your eyes—drop in on a variety of partnering restaurants and cafes.

The “SumiFa (Sumida Factory Tour),” an event drawing attention to the charm of “Sumida, the Monozukuri Town,” was held in November 2012. About forty factories and stores/restaurants participated, bringing out some 3,000 visitors.

SumiFa Talk

A passionate talk session among Tokyo’s three representative manufacturing cities, Sumida, Taito and Ota. From Sumida, Kume Nobuyuki of Kume Textile Industries and Mita Daisuke of the Haizai (revaluing wastes) Project, from Taito, Kimoto Seiichi of Monomachi (ArtiTown), and from Ota, Tanaka Hiroto of the Ota Open Factory took part. Roughly 100 people gathered at Sumida Park Gallery Sasaya.

Sumifa Tour

People wanting to take part in manufacturing work in Sumida, to make contact with the real work of artisans, gathered from various corners. Tours including a “designers only tour,” “foreigners and Japanese tour,” and “empty buildings for artisan work tour” were all filled to capacity.

Sumifa Open Factories

A chance to view factories usually not open to public, such as those producing plastics, metals, fibers and

soaps. Exciting plans such as workshops with artisans teaching their trades and sales on location at factories were included, and both children and adults taking part were thrilled.

SumiFa Gourmet Circuit

Famous Sumida cafés and restaurants also took part. Just saying “I’m here for SumiFa” meant special treatment, and conversation about SumiFa flourished with visiting customers.