Is Popular Patronage of the Arts a Luxury of a Rich Populace?
Roppongi, one of metropolitan Tokyo's most cosmopolitan neighborhoods, host an all-night arts event every year. Museums open through the night, performance artists strut their stuff, and temporary exhibitions pop up all over the plazas and the streets. Thousands upon thousands crowd into the buildings and alleys, gathering for concerts, little musicals, and displays in otherwise inaccessible hours. They bring their down jackets to the unusual chilliness of 4am, huddling to witness relatively unknown artists trying to get their five minutes of fame one after the other, battling their sleepiness and fatigue.