| ■Tokyo National Research
Institute for Cultural Properties |
■Center for Conservation
Science |
| ■Department of Art Research,
Archives and Information Systems |
■Japan Center for
International Cooperation in Conservation |
| ■Department of Intangible
Cultural Heritage |
|
Eight students from Gakushuin Women’s College Graduate School of International Cultural Relations and others
On August 26, eight students from Gakushuin Women’s College Graduate School visited us to learn about business at the field sites of various organizations that implement international exchange and cultural programs. Deputy Director General Nakano gave an overview of survey and research conducted by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo. Then they toured the Restoration Studio of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the third floor and the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Project General Manager of 5th Division in charge of MEXT in Budget Bureau of Ministry of Finance and another one
ON August 28, General Manager Yokoe and one other official visited us. Deputy Director General Nakano gave an overview of the survey and research work conducted by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo. The visitors then toured the chemical and biological laboratories of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the fourth floor and the glass film plate cabinet of the Department of Research Programming on the second floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Deputy Manager of Human Resources Department of China State Administration of Cultural Heritage
On July 14, Deputy Manager Huang Yuan and four other officials visited us as an exchange activity between Japanese and Chinese administrative officers conducted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. They toured the Analytical Science Section of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the fourth floor, the Center’s Restoration Studio on the third floor, and the Audio-Visual Documentation Section of the Department of Intangible Culture Heritage on the basement floor to learn about the survey and research performed by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Director of Office for Art and History Museum of Fine Arts Div. of Cultural Property Dept. in Agency for Cultural Affairs and two other officials
On July 23, Director Takahira and two other officials visited us to check on the current status of budget request items. They toured the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation and the chemical and biological laboratories of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the fourth floor, the Center’s physical laboratory on the third floor, and the server rooms on the second and third floors. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Forty two staff members of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage
From July 27 to 29, a training seminar for new staff members of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage was held at the meeting room on the basement floor, and a variety of lectures, including customer treatment and overview of the Institutes, were presented. On the 29th, Director General Suzuki gave a lecture titled “Conceptualization of Cultural Heritage Protection and our Views thereon” and Deputy Director General Nakano gave an overview of the survey and research work conducted by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo. On the 28th, the 22 new members toured the Restoration Studio of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the third floor, the Library of the Department of Research Programming on the second floor, and the Audio-Visual Documentation Section of the Department of Intangible Culture Heritage on the basement floor. On the 29th, the other 20 members made the same location tour. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
From June 15 to 20, Director General Suzuki, Deputy Director General Nakano, Mr. Takayanagi of the Department of Management and Mr. Katsuki of the Department of Research Programming visited the ruins in the Xinjiang area of China. Xinjiang is located in the northwest part of China, and most of the area is desert. In ancient times, various oasis city states flourished in this area; the many ruins we visited on this trip were built in that period. We toured Jiaohegucheng, the Bezeklik stone caves, the Astana ancient tombs, and Gaochang in Turfan; the Subash Buddhist remains, the Kumutula stone caves, and the Kyzyl stone caves in Kuqa; and the Museum of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in Urumqi. We had opportunities in each region to meet some of the people who worked on conserving cultural heritage. Although it was a short trip, it was significant in our learning about conservation of the ruins in the Xinjiang area.
A meeting of the Institute Survey and Research Division of the Evaluation Committee of an independent administrative institution, the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, and the general assembly of the committee were held on April 15 and May 11 respectively. The former is a session in which the Evaluation Committee comments on the self-evaluation of activities conducted in fiscal year 2008 by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo and Nara, and the latter is a session in which feedback is given on the overall activities, including surveys and research, and finances of the Institute. According to the self-evaluation, the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo judged that the annual plans for the said fiscal year were fully achieved for all activities and sufficient results were shown. In terms of the progress of its mid-term plans, almost all of the activities are progressing as planned.
Comments and evaluations by the Evaluation Committee on the self-evaluation of the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo are as follows. The committee recognized that considerable achievements have been made in various aspects of survey and research, including research using high-resolution digital image and studies on intangible cultural heritage. On the other hand, there was a request to further expansion on joint research conducted by different departments of the Institute, such as research for conservation and utilization of the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora Tumuli that the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo and Nara jointly performed and the workshop on environmental conditions surrounding cultural properties, which was planned and implemented by the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration. Significant achievements were recognized in the implementation of international cooperation, such as conservation and restoration of cultural properties and training of experts mainly in Asian countries. Tentative translation of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties into English and publication of other countries’ laws related to cultural properties were highly praised as well. With respect to active communication of survey and research results, creation of a brochure for children and publication of research results online were highly rated, but there was a request to announce future results in a way that is easier for the general public to understand. Various achievements were recognized in relation to advice given to and cooperation with the national government and local public authorities as well as contribution to education. We also received a great number of other feedback.
The results of the self-evaluation and opinions from the Evaluation Committee will be utilized in planning future activity and improving corporative management.
Two Members of Independent Administrative Institution Evaluation Committee of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and other organizations
On April 9, members of the Independent Administrative Institution Evaluation Committee of MEXT visited us to observe the examination and research conducted by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo. They toured the Audio-Visual Documentation Section of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage on the basement floor; the First Experimental Laboratory of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the third floor; and the Biological Science Section of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques, the International Center Archive of the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation, and the Kuroda Memorial Hall on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
22 researchers from the Urban Issues and Environmental Issues in East Asia through Analysis from a Historical Viewpoint organization
On March 16, a group from the above organization visited us to study, research, and conserve cultural properties in East Asia, and also to inspect the status of the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo. They toured the Restoration Studio of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the third floor, and the Center’s Analytical Science Section as well as the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Six students majoring in Cultural Property Science at Tokyo Gakugei University
On February 25, these students visited us to inspect analysis sites in the research organization. They toured the Restoration Studio of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the third floor and the Center’s Analytical Science Section on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Firefighting head office (Manager of head office: Mr. Suzuki, Director; Deputy manager: Mr. Nakano, Deputy Director General; Mr. Kitade, Director of the Management Department)
Stretcher exercise
Water-discharge exercise using extinguisher
Participants listening to the explanation on how to use AEDs
An integrated firefighting drill was conducted at the Institute starting at 10:30 a.m. on January 26.
The simulated fire started in the hot-water service room on the third floor of the Institute. Training included the early extinguishing, reporting the fire, evacuation guidance, and first-aid, centering on the in-house firefighting team comprised of Institute members. In addition, many staff members who were at the Institute on that day participated in the drill.
At 10:30 a.m., the fire alarms went off, and the message “A fire has broken out. Evacuate!” was broadcast. The in-house firefighting team and the person who detected the fire used fire extinguishers to simulate fast extinguishing, and simulated a call to 119. The staff was guided, and evacuated the premises.
At the same time, we set up a firefighting head office and a first-aid station, and the in-house firefighting team evacuated one trapped member who became sick inhaling smoke on a stretcher, and carried out important cultural properties (simulation).
After the drill, Director Suzuki expressed his thanks for the response to the training and talked about this time, a turning point of the 55th Fire Prevention Day for Cultural Properties: We must always take care because we can never know when or where a fire will break out. Mr. Suzuki discussed the unknown cause of the destruction by fire of the Mural Painting of Horyuji Golden Hall, which was the event that inspired the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties. His comments boosted fire prevention awareness among all participants.
After a lecture on types of and the proper way to use fire extinguishers, training using practice extinguishers were carried out with a voice of “Fire!”.
Also in this training, a demonstration was held on how to use the automated external defibrillators (AEDs) installed in the Institute: Participants listened carefully to this demonstration, showing high interest in the importance of life-saving measures.
The Institute has a yearly fire drill as an event associated with “Fire Prevention Day for Cultural Properties” on January 26.
Six students from Tohoku University of Art and Design
On December 4, the students came to study restoration of cultural properties. They toured the Library of the Department of Research Programming on the second floor and the Training Section of the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
23 students from Shimane Prefectural Masuda High School
On December 19, the students toured the Conservation Science Section and Restoration Studio of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the third floor and the Center’s Analytical Science Experimental Laboratory on the fourth floor as part of “Exploratory Practical Learning (Tokyo Training) in Cooperation with the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation”, the main event of the Super Science High School (SSH) project that Masuda High School promotes. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Five researchers from the Hunan Province Cultural Heritage Bureau and Museum in China
On November 11, the researchers came to study the repair, maintenance and conservation of old buildings, and toured the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation on the fourth floor. The person in charge of the facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Director of Culture and Fine Arts Bureau of Ministry of Education, Culture and Science in Mongolia, along with four researchers
On November 13, the group visited us and toured the Audio-Visual Documentation Section of the Department of Intangible Culture Heritage on the basement floor, the Library of the Department of Research Programming on the second floor, the Restoration Studio and the Analytical Science Section of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the third and fourth floors, and the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
25 Cultural Property Volunteers from Kawasaki City’s Tama Citizen Hall
On November 18, the group visited us to see our organizations and facilities for conserving cultural properties, as part of fostering volunteers to focus on using local cultural properties. They toured the Audio-Visual Documentation Section of the Department of Intangible Culture Heritage on the basement floor, the Conservation Science Section and the Restoration Studio of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the third floor, and the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Six Researchers from the National Palace Museum in Taiwan
On November 25, the researchers visited us to inspect scientific research on conservation technology and traditional techniques concerning ancient Japanese roof tiles. They toured the basement X-Ray Photographing Room, the Conservation Science Section and the Restoration Studio of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques and the Fumigation Chamber on the third floor, and the Analytical Science Experimental Laboratory of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques on the fourth floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
An offer for donation was made by the Tokyo Arts Dealers’ Association to subsidize projects for the publication of the results of investigation and studies related to cultural properties conducted by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo. Another offer was also made, this one by the Tokyo Bijutsu Club, to subsidize the Institute’s research projects.
The Tokyo Arts Dealers’ Association has donated 1 million yen each spring and autumn since the autumn of 2001; this was their 14th donation. The Tokyo Bijutsu Club has also donated 1 million yen in spring and autumn since the autumn of 2006, making this donation its fourth.
On November 28, we received bank transfers of donations from the Tokyo Arts Dealers’ Association (Director Shimojo Keiichi) and the Tokyo Bijutsu Club (President Asaki Masakatsu).
Although we did not have an opportunity to meet either Director Shimojo Keiichi of the Tokyo Arts Dealers’ Association or President Asaki Masakatsu of the Tokyo Bijutsu Club because they were busy, we are most grateful for their understanding of the Institute’s work and their donations. We would like to use these donations for valuable projects conducted by the Institute.
One student from Kaichi Senior High School
On October 10, the student visited us as part of the educational activity, “Metropolitan District Fieldwork”, a Kaichi High School research activity. The student toured the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation, focusing on World Heritage as the subject of study “World Heritage”. The person in charge of the facility provided explanations and answered questions.
Six students from Taito City’s Okachimachitaito Junior High School
On September 18, the students visited us as part of their “comprehensive learning time” class. They toured the Audio-Visual Documentation Section of the Department of Intangible Culture Heritage on the basement floor, the Restoration Studio (lacquer, paper, metal), the Analytical Science section of the Center for Conservation Science and Restoration Techniques, and the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation on the third floor. Those in charge of each facility provided explanations and answered questions.
