Historical Records
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Maps of the Tōkaidō Road: Mishima and Numazu (detail)
Compiled by the Office of Road Management, Previously owned by the Asakusa Bunko Library, Edo period, 1806 (Important Cultural Property)Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 5
August 25, 2026 (Tue) - October 25, 2026 (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 | Story of the Snake (Illustrated Scroll of the Shosōin Repository Treasures Exhibition at the Tokyo Imperial Household Museum) | By Noma Seiroku (1902–1966) | Shōwa era, 1940 | P-2932 | |||
| Highlight | The Museum's Album of Beasts | Compiled by the Museum Bureau | Edo period–Meiji era, 19th century | QA-956-1 | |||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Maps of the Tōkaidō Road: Mishima and Numazu | Compiled by the Office of Road Management, Previously owned by the Asakusa Bunko Library | Edo period, 1806 | P-582-3 |