Photos by @jfparquedasnacoes
The Toban, the Japanese panel installed in Parque das Nações, has been reborn as a result of an exemplary gesture of cooperation between Lisbon City Council (CML) and the Parque das Nações Parish Council (JFPN), marking a new page in cultural and urban development.
After several years with visible signs of vandalization, the dedication to its restoration was completed after three years of work, and it has now been returned to the city as the heritage icon it always was, just in time to pay homage to Expo2025 in Osaka.
A collaborative effort
The intervention on the Toban was led by CML’s Culture services, and was only possible thanks to the persistence of the JFPN, which preserved and delivered original parts that had been stored over the years.
These pieces, which had been damaged for some time, were faithfully reproduced, and the unrecoverable elements were brought to life in concrete, demonstrating technical versatility without compromising the authentic character of the work.
In tune with Expo2025 in Osaka
The complete rehabilitation and cleaning of the entire Toban takes place at the same time as Expo2025 in Osaka, creating a link between two exhibitions which, although separated by 27 years, unite Lisbon and Japan in a transversal cultural dialog.
This temporal crossover reinforces the panel’s international relevance, making it not only a local point of interest, but also a symbol of global openness and cooperation.
After years of vandalism, both the Lisbon City Council and the Parish Council are calling for vigilance and collective respect for this piece of art, in order to keep the Japanese panel preserved for many years to come.
This area of the city is very rich in urban art pieces, as you can see in our guide.
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