Historical Records
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Volume 4 of The Museum's Illustrations of Fish (detail), Compiled by the Museum Bureau, illustrated by Kurimoto Tanshū and others, Edo period–Meiji era, 19th century
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 15
February 14, 2024 (Wed) - April 7, 2024 (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 | Samples of "Tatami" Mat Borders in the Women's Chambers of Edo Castle | Edo period, 19th century | Gift of Mr. Iami Sonosuke, QA-3753 | ||||
| Volume 3 of "The Museum's Illustrations of Fish" | Compiled by the Museum Bureau; illustrated by Kurimoto Tanshū (1756–1834) and others | Edo period–Meiji era, 19th century | QA-863-3 | ||||
| Volume 4 of "The Museum's Illustrations of Fish" | Compiled by the Museum Bureau, illustrated by Kurimoto Tanshū (1756–1834) and others | Edo period–Meiji era, 19th century | QA-863-4 | ||||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | "Isawa: Kunitama Shrine, Sakaori Shrine, Zenkōji Temple, Shibamiya; Kōfu: Kofuchū, Sekisuiji Village, Sumiyoshi, Mount Kojō" from "Maps of the Kōshūdō Road" | Compiled by the Office of Transportation, Tokugawa Shogunate, Previously owned by the Asakusa Bunko Library | Edo period, 1806 | P-582-64 |