Outline

Explore the Digital World of Historical Materials!
Period Tuesday,March 14 –Sunday, May 7, 2017
Venue Special Exhibition Galleries A&B, National Museum of Japanese History
Admissions

Adults: ¥830 (¥560)
Senior high school & college students: ¥450 (¥250)
* Fees in parentheses apply to groups of 20 or more
* Admission to permanent exhibitions included
* Free admission for elementary & junior high school students
* Free admission for senior high school students every Saturday

Hours 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (entrance closed at 4:30 p.m.)
* Open hours and days are subject to change.
Closed Mondays (When Monday is a national holiday, the Museum is closed the following Tuesday.)
Organizer National Museum of Japanese History

Features of this Exhibition

This exhibition will showcase the most renowned collections owned by the National Museum of Japanese History, including a number of important cultural properties.Digital technologies will be used to enable visitors to easily understand and enjoy a variety of historical materials.

  • Digital technologies will be used to enable visitors to enhance their understanding of historical materials and further enjoy history.
  • Digital technologies can bring the best out of historical materials beyond what is possible with the physical objects alone: magnifying, brightening, making them more viewable and easier to compare.
  • “What if” scenarios: the challenge of recovering lost pictures and scenes is taken up using digital technology.
  • Look, hear, and enjoy: digital technologies can pluck museum collections from the past and bring them into the present.
  • Even if you don’t understand digital technology, you can enjoy the most renowned collections of historical materials owned by the National Museum of Japanese History. The exhibition will display the Folding Screens of the Scenery of Edo during the spring vacation and the Folding Screens of Scenes In and Around Kyoto (Rekihaku A Version) during the Golden Week holidays. They are genuine articles! If you’re a fan of the samurai, you cannot miss the complete collection of picture scrolls depicting the Zenkunen War, the Yūki War, and Taiheiki (Records of Great Peace), respectively. The exhibits will also include Shōsōin Documents (reproduced), kosode-style kimonos from the Nomura Collection, gagaku musical instruments handed down in the Kishū-Tokugawa Family, and gold-lacquered fountain pens. Don’t miss any of these fabulous exhibits.

Concept of the Exhibition

This exhibition will use digital technologies, such as computer and smartphone, to enable visitors to enjoy historical materials in various ways. The diverse historical materials owned by the National Museum of Japanese History (also known as Rekihaku) should be carefully preserved for future generations. At the same time, they are common assets that should be put to use for the current generation. Since its founding in 1983, the National Museum of Japanese History has tried one way after another to deal with these two seemingly mutually exclusive demands. These efforts include the active use of digital technologies – for example, opening the Database Rekihaku to the public and displaying various kinds of information through permanent and special exhibitions. The digital technologies that generally help our museum staff behind the scenes with their research, exhibition, and education activities will be brought into the spotlight with this exhibition. Another concept of the exhibition is to entertain people of all ages. Although our special exhibitions are usually organized for those familiar with history, this one is designed mainly for upper primary and lower secondary school students.

 

Right-hand Screen of Folding Scenes In and Around Kyoto: Rekihaku A Version (Reproduced)
Originally produced in 16th century (Muromachi period)
 
Folding Screen of the Scenery of Edo
17th century (early Edo period)
Folding Screen of the Scenery of Edo
17th century (early Edo period)
Picture Scroll depicting Zenkunen War (designated as Important Cultural Property)
14th century (late Kamakura period)
Picture Scroll depicting Yūki War (designated as Important Cultural Property)
15th century (Muromachi period)
Picture Scroll depicting Taiheiki (Records of Great Peace)
17th century (early Edo period)
Shōsōin Documents reproduced by National Museum of Japanese History (Original documents in the possession of the Shōsōin Office of the Imperial Household Agency)
8th century (Nara period)
Cropped Image of Annunciation from the Fifteen Mysteries of the Virgin Mary (originally in the possession of Urakami Cathedral)
(Printed from glass plate negative taken around 1940)
 
Kosode-style kimono in white silk crêpe with Yūzen-printed patterns depicting noted places in Kyoto from the Nomura Shōjirō Collection of Clothing and Accessories
18th century (Edo period)
Folding Screen of kosode-style kimono in bicolor nume silk satin with tie-dye patterns of plum blossoms and snowflake circles from the Nomura Shōjirō Collection of Clothing and Accessories
18th century (Edo period)
Biwa (Japanese lute used in gagaku music) inscribed as “Mino’o” from the Collection of Musical Instruments handed down in the Kishū-Tokugawa Family
17th century (Edo period)
 
Kakko (small drum used in gagaku music) from the Collection of Musical Instruments handed down in the Kishū-Tokugawa Family
17th century (Edo period)
Gold-lacquered fountain pen (Pilot)
Gold-lacquered fountain pen (Platinum)
 
Momi-chan the 3D character of Rekihaku

N.B. All items are owned by the National Museum of Japanese History.