Promotion of Culture

Every year Toshiba invites distinguished conductors and orchestras from around the world to Japan in order to perform with outstanding soloists at the Toshiba Grand Concert. The 2011 event was the 30th Toshiba Grand Concert.

• Toshiba Grand Concert (Official site) (In Japanese)

As part of Toshiba's efforts to establish an amicable relationship with the Republic of Kazakhstan, in 2009 Mr. Shiro Kawashita, Executive Officer, Corporate Vice President of Toshiba, General Manager, Toshiba Kansai Branch Office, was appointed Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and an Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Osaka was opened at the Kansai Branch Office.
From 2009 to 2010, Toshiba donated approximately 220 cherry trees to Astana and Almaty, which were planted in the garden of the presidential palace and in city parks. The donation of the trees celebrated the 2008 visit to Japan by Kazakhstan's President, Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev, during which he visited Toshiba's Fuchu Complex, and the 10th anniversary of the transfer of the capital to Astana.

• Mr. Shiro Kawashita, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Osaka

The Thailand Toshiba Group holds a painting competition for young people ranging from kindergarten children to university students in order to contribute to the fostering of young artists. Having been held since 1989, the competition has a history of more than 20 years, and has become one of Thailand's most important art competitions.
From more than 3,000 artworks created with Toshiba Thailand's slogan, "Brings Good Things to Life," as the concept, a rigorous review process selects approximately 100 to be awarded prizes and exhibited. The Thai royal princess attends the opening ceremony of the exhibition every year.
In 2008, the competition's 20th year, the Toshiba International Foundation provided funding to enable five prizewinning entrants and one member of the judging panel to visit the Sapporo Snow Festival.

The Toshiba Gallery, a space for the exhibition of Japanese arts and crafts, was opened in London's Victoria and Albert Museum in 1986.
The gallery exhibits a large number of outstanding art objects, including suits of armor, Japanese swords, tea ceremony utensils, formal kimono, screens, calligraphy and paintings.

Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture, a World Cultural Heritage site, is undergoing extensive renovations over a three-year period which commenced in March 2010. To ensure that visitors would not be prevented from entering the castle for an extended period, Toshiba donated two elevators to Himeji City. The elevators enable visitors to reach the top of the castle, and have also contributed to making the site barrier-free.

Aomori Nebuta Festival
Toshiba supports the Aomori Nebuta Festival, one of the largest festivals in the Tohoku region, and one that has been officially designated a Significant Intangible Folk Cultural Asset. Toshiba is involved in entering a nebuta (a giant lantern float) in the festival as part of "Nigumi-Toshiba." Employees from Toshiba Group companies throughout Japan come to participate in the event as haneto (dancers), joining with local people to increase the excitement of the festival held from August 2 to 7 every year.

Asahikawa Winter Festival
Eight Toshiba Group companies have joined together to become the main sponsors of this festival. In 2010, we enlivened the festival through the creation of the "Toryumon," the world's largest snow sculpture, and the provision of a snow stage.