Historical Records
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Map of the Nakasendō Highway: Karuizawa, Kutsukake, Oiwake (detail), Compiled by the Office of Transportation, Tokugawa Shogunate, Edo period, 1806, Previously owned by Asakusa Bunko Library (Important Cultural Property)
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 15
August 22, 2023 (Tue) - October 15, 2023 (Sun)Tokyo National Museum has more than artworks and archeological artifacts. The collection also includes records, which provide valuable insights into history and the cultures of different ethnic groups. This diversity stems from the Museum’s origins as a comprehensive institution in 1872. It was even home to animal, plant, and mineral specimens, although these were moved to the National Museum of Nature and Science in 1925.
The extensive collection of historical records at Tokyo National Museum now includes maps, diagrams, texts, photographs, ink rubbings, and copies of artworks. These items, dating mainly from the 17th to 20th century, shed light on politics, society, culture, transportation, and scenery in Japan. Here we display a selection of these items under different themes throughout the year.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Photographic World Album II: The London Zoo, London World's Fair, and England | Photographer unknown; brought to Japan by Uchida Masao | 19th century | R-2283-2 | On exhibit from September 20, 2023 | ||
| Highlight | Photographic World Album XXI: China, Japan, and Other Regions | Photographer unknown; brought to Japan by Uchida Masao | 19th century | R-2283-21 | Different pages will be displayed in two rotations. | ||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Map of the Nakasendō Highway: Karuizawa, Kutsukake, Oiwake | Compiled by the Office of Transportation, Tokugawa Shogunate, Previously owned by Asakusa Bunko Library | Edo period, 1806 | P-582-17 |