"ECO EDO Nihonbashi 2014: Enjoy the Coolness of Edo with All Five Senses" is an Edo-themed summer event taking place in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, from July 11th to September 23rd.
This seventh year of the event takes inspiration from the Edo period, when electricity was not available, and offers modern interpretations of the wisdom and ingenuity of staying cool. Activities include yukata, boating, water sprinkling, a "cooling menu" featuring food and tastings, and the "Art Aquarium," allowing visitors to experience the coolness of the senses. This year, a new event will also be held: "Nihonbashi Wind Chime Tour," where wind chimes will be displayed on the eaves of approximately 170 shops and commercial facilities in the Nihonbashi area, filling the streets with the sound of wind chimes.
During the event, the annual "Art Aquarium 2014: Cooling Edo Goldfish & Night Aquarium" will be held at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall on the 5th floor of Coredo Muromachi. Additionally, from August 1st to 3rd, 8th to 10th, 22nd to 24th, and 29th to 31st, a "Long-established Workshop" will be held by a long-established washi paper specialty store founded in the Edo period. Participants can try their hand at making fans using collages of goldfish and other summer motifs. The Nihonbashi Goldfish Scooping Grand Prix will see preliminary rounds held at Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store and Nihonbashi Takashimaya from July 12th to August 3rd, with the finals taking place at Nihonbashi Takinohiroba on August 31st. Other planned events include ghost stories by Living National Treasure Ichiryusai Teisui and an Edo-period magic trick called "tezuma." Furthermore, water sprinkling will be held on Nihonbashi and elsewhere during the daytime. At night, Mitsui Main Building and Coredo Muromachi will be illuminated in a cool blue, and large noren curtains will be installed at the entrances to evoke the atmosphere of Edo. Coredo Nihonbashi also has a "Yukata Station" where services such as yukata dressing are provided. There are also sightseeing boats decorated with goldfish that you can use to cruise down the Sumida River and enjoy the cool breeze.