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Ueno Tourism Association OFFICAIL
You can get a glimpse into the historical background and people's thoughts leading up to the erection of the statue of Dr. Baudouin, the creator of the park.
Ueno Park 100th Anniversary
1. The creator of the park
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Dr. Baudouin, a Dutch military surgeon first class, was the true "father of parks" who not only created Ueno Park but also parks in Japan.
Nowadays, parks are considered so important that there is no need to explain their significance, but 100 years ago, at this time in the early Meiji period, when everything was being rebuilt and remodeled in the wake of the wave of civilization and enlightenment, it was taught that preserving open space, or green belts, was what was appropriate for a future international city.
It was Dr. Baudouin's insight that moved the Meiji government and led to the creation of parks in Japan. Of course, the Dajokan (Grand Council of State) was also admirable for accepting the doctor's proposal and changing the already-decided site for the hospital on the University's East Campus. On January 15, 1873, Dajokan Notice No. 16 called on each prefecture to "submit sites for parks." Tokyo Prefecture submitted its application for land on Kan'ei-ji Temple and other properties as early as the following day, the 16th. What an astonishingly fast administrative move!
2. Project to commemorate Dr. Baudouin
If the University of Tokyo East Hospital had been built on Ueno Hill as planned, it would have ended up looking just like the University of Tokyo in Hongo and its surrounding area, and there would have been no Ueno Park, let alone Ueno Station, which was located on the site of the former Kan'ei-ji temple's lower temple at the time. Ueno's current development would have been impossible. We will now present a collection of photographs from the 100 years in order, but these events would not have been possible. Dr. Baudouin was indeed the creator of the park, and also the savior of the town of Ueno.
In 1963, when the Ueno Tourism Association was compiling the history of Ueno's prosperity, they recognized Dr. Baudouin's achievements and decided that he should be honored before anyone else.
On September 18, 1972, the Ueno Tourist Association petitioned Taito Ward and the Taito Ward Assembly to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of Ueno Park, and although there were some twists and turns, the petition was unanimously adopted. At the same time, a petition was also filed with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which readily agreed, and cooperation was requested from the Dutch Embassy. Thanks to the efforts of Mr. van der Sloot, First Secretary to His Excellency Theodor Paul Bergsma, the Dutch Ambassador to Japan, the Dutch government was finally persuaded to commission a bust of the doctor. The bust was created by Mari Andriessen, a leading Dutch sculptor.
The monument will be erected on the west side of Ueno Park's Central Fountain Square, and work is underway with the goal of unveiling it on October 5, 1973. Cherry blossoms, a symbol of Japan, and copper beeches, a symbol of the Netherlands, will be planted on the back of the monument, while flowers of the four seasons will bloom on the front, and in April, tulips imported directly from the Netherlands will compete for splendor.
Statue of the first doctor, erected in 1973
The current (2010) image of a doctor
The mystery of the Dr. Baudouin statue?
The statue on the right is the current one. It was rebuilt in October 2006. There is a secret hidden in the statue of the doctor. The original statue was not of the doctor himself, but of his younger brother. Apparently, the photo provided when the statue was being built was incorrect. Incidentally, the younger brother was the Dutch consul in Japan. (Added in 2010)
3. Ueno Forest restoration and tree planting campaign
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of Ueno Park, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has launched a tree-planting campaign to "Restore Ueno Forest," and as a first step, the parking lot in front of the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan will be relocated to the observation deck, with the aim of turning the entire area into a green belt, which is currently being developed. As part of the Dr. Baudouin Memorial Project, the Ueno Tourism Federation is also cooperating with this tree-planting campaign to "Restore Ueno Forest," and plans to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Baudouin, who preached the importance of greenery 100 years ago.
Artist's rendering of the completed Dr. Baudouin Memorial Park (illustration by Ishikawa Iwao, Park Construction Division, Parks and Green Spaces Department, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Construction)
First step in the "Restoring Ueno Forest" tree-planting campaign to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Ueno Park (articulation of the completed site in front of Tokyo Bunka Kaikan)