Koji Ogawa was born in Minatomachi, Chuo-ku (currently Minato) in 1948 (1948). From 1976 (1976), he began sketching in Chuo-ku with the desire to keep the old cityscape. Ogawa's gaze is not only famous buildings, but also in casual alleys and street corners.
― I was born and raised in Minato, a gunshot in Chuo-ku, Tokyo. The birthplace was a "Shimotaya" with a lattice bay window. "Ogawa's neighborhood has a lot of interesting houses." When I was told by a classmate at Geidai, I realized that it was a unique and harmonious cityscape with a copper-covered store, a pushshibushi tenement shop, a girder shop, a relief and colorful tiled house. I reconfirmed that, but I was born and raised in that, thought it was natural. (Same as below from the special exhibition booklet)― 
― In 1976, with the rebuilding of my old home, I went from the neighboring houses to Nihonbashi and Ginza, and started drawing a city of memories. Occasionally, land prices have risen in Tokyo, and the streets that grew up with my grandfather, father and me for three generations have been raised one after another under redevelopment, and the familiar scenery and moist daily life since childhood have disappeared. I have done it. At that time, I began to feel a strong sense of crisis and a sense of mission.―
― The bustle of Ginza, the fish shore of Tsukiji, modern downtown, alley planting, and long-established Nihonbashi. The historical city has its own taste. When I heard about the rebuilding of Theatre Tokyo, Niski, Tokyo Stock Exchange, etc., I went there early and started sketching.―
― The three major changes in the city of Tokyo were the Great Kanto Earthquake, World War II, and the rising whirlwind. The city of Tokyo is too wide and has a lot of problems and is very interesting.― 
Koji Ogawa's words included in the booklet of "Ginza, Tsukuda, Nihonbashi at the end of the 20th century special exhibition Koji Ogawa's Tokyo painting" held in October 2007 at Time Dome Akashi, Chuo Ward Local Tenmonkan. At the end of the 20th century, from Showa to Heisei, it was a time when Tokyo changed drastically. And in the 21st century, Tokyo continues to carve a new time.
Ogawa's work can be seen in the free space at the entrance on the first floor of the building of Rainbow House Akashi. It is printed directly on a stone wall and tells us about the good old streets. (I took a picture of the work here.)
Chuo-ku Tourism correspondent Minatokko-chan
No. 10 May 19, 2018
