Historical Records
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Drafts of Wall Paintings for the Main Palace of Edo Castle (detail)
By Kanō Seisen’in Osanobu (1796–1846), Edo period, 19th centuryJapanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 15
June 24, 2025 (Tue) - August 24, 2025 (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 | Important Cultural Property | Map of Kyūshū (Large Scale), No. 3: Ōita | By Inō Tadataka (1745–1818) | Edo period, 19th century | P-584-3 | ||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Map of Kyūshū (Large Scale), No. 4: Usuki | By Inō Tadataka (1745–1818) | Edo period, 19th century | P-584-4 | ||
| Highlight | Drafts of Wall Paintings for the Main Palace of Edo Castle | By Kanō Seisen’in Osanobu (1796–1846) | Edo period, 19th century | P-2362-110 | |||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Map of the Nikkō Road: Ishibashi, Suzumenomiya, Utsunomiya, Utsunomiya Shrine | Compiled by the Office of Transportation, Tokugawa Shogunate, Previously owned by Asakusa Bunko | Edo period, 1806 | P-582-41 |