Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 16
April 21, 2009 (Tue) - June 7, 2009 (Sun)
The "Travelling Japan" subseries draws upon historical travel accounts and famous or historical sites to take viewers on a journey through Japan from north to south. This installment focuses on the Koshinetsu region, which spans the present-day Yamanashi, Nagano, and Niigata prefectures.
The name "Koshinetsu" has its origins in geology rather than history, as the region is distinguished by an absence of significant unifying political or economic centres, despite a history of intra-regional exchange.
Koshinetsu was historically comprised of three separate provinces - Kai (Koshu), Shinano (Shinshu), and Echigo - which were established according to Japan's ancient ritsuryo codes set by the central government. These divisions largely correspond to the regional subdivisions seen in Koshinetsu today.
Its geographical features are multifarious, ranging from the basins of Koshin's rugged terrain to the fertile fields of Echigo. While the mountains divided individual areas and posed an obstacle to trade, the people of Koshinetsu made use of rivers and roads to enable their comings and goings throughout the region.
This exhibition examines the three provinces of Koshinetsu, including the island of Sado.
Major works in this exhibition
