Tokyo Famous Places: Ueno Park Domestic Industrial Exhibition No.2, Art Museum

With the motto of “Fukoku Kyohei” (enrich the country, strengthen the armed forces) the Meiji Government pursued a policy of active modernization, with the National Industrial Exhibition held as part of an initiative to promote industry. Many tens of thousands of different wares from throughout Japan would be showcased together at the National Industrial Exhibition, with outstanding items receiving commendations. At the second exhibition which was held in Ueno Park in 1881, part of the newly-constructed museum designed by British architect Josiah Conder was used. This ran for a period of 122 days, reaching 820,000 visitors, with the gaslights in particular proving popular.