Outline of Exhibition

The Museum that Never Was: Paper - Exhibits from the Museum of Japanese Business History Collection
Period Jan 16 (Wed) - Feb 11 (Mon, a Holiday), 2008
Venue Special Exhibition Galleries 2, National Museum of Japanese History
Admissions Adults ¥420 (¥350)
Senior high school & college students: ¥250 (¥200)
Elementary & junior high school students: ¥110 (¥90)
* Fees in parentheses apply to groups of 20 or more
* Admission to permanent collection included
Hours 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(no entrance after 4:00 p.m.)
Closed Jan 21 (Mon), 28 (Mon), Feb 4 (Mon)
Sponsor National Museum of Japanese History

Colorful Japanese chiyogami paper made by Isetatsu

Colorful Japanese chiyogami paper made by Isetatsu

Keizo Shibusawa (1896-1963) was a successful banker and financier who also made major contributions to the study of folklore. Before WWII, he collected historical materials that traced the development of the economy from the latter part of the Edo period to the Meiji period with the intention of establishing a museum of modern economic history. After the war, these plans were continued in the form of the Museum of Japanese Business History, but in the end his vision was never fulfilled. Before Shibusawa died, the historical materials that he had collected for the "Museum that Never Was" were donated to the Ministry of Education Historical Archives (now the Department of Historical Documents, National Institute of Japanese Literature).

This exhibit re-examines exactly what kind of system was used by the people planning the Museum of Japanese Business History in their preparations for collecting historical materials and takes a close look at the group in charge of researching paper manufacturing.

Note: Please note that items in the exhibition are subject to change.