Historical Collection: Speaking to the Future Series - Information and Media in the Edo Period

In the Edo period, as the tumult of earlier times gave way to peace and stability, human traffic increased and the flow of information via books, text and images also gained momentum. New forms of media such as catalogues, indexes and ranking lists with commentaries emerged as a way of organizing the increasing volume of information.

As the city of Edo (present-day Tokyo) developed, publications such as the Guide to the Townships of Edo, which introduced the locations of the city's great many townships, and the Edo Shopping Guide appeared, reflecting efforts to streamline social information. In other publications such as the Directory of Prominent Persons Residing in Edo, the fields of expertise and even the addresses of scholars and literary figures were collated as information, broadening networks of interpersonal knowledge transmission.

The Ranking Chart of Hot Springs in Various Provinces, a guide to hot springs across the country, and the Sumo-Style Ranking of Ancient Inscriptions on Metal and Stone show how information related to lifestyles and scholarship were organized and disseminated throughout society, where it was eagerly absorbed.

While showcasing examples of these types of media, this exhibition also introduces the infrastructure of highway management, messengers and travellers' inns which supported the flow of information at the time.