| ■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 |
|
Visiting Nagoya Castle
Observing paper samples during a lecture on paper basics
The International Course on Conservation of Japanese Paper (JPC) 2024 took place from August 26 to September 13, 2024, co-organized by ICCROM and the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), continuing a tradition we have upheld since 1992. Through this three-week course, participants engaged in a comprehensive study on the methods that have been used to preserve paper cultural properties in Japan. The primary goal of the JPC course is to encourage participants to incorporate Japanese conservation techniques into their conservation efforts worldwide, while understanding the techniques in Japanese contexts. This year, we invited ten specialists from Armenia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Malta, Mexico, The Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, and the US, selected from 165 applicants across 60 countries.
This JPC course consisted of lectures, practical workshops, and a study tour. During the lectures, the participants explored the protection systems for cultural properties in Japan, the characteristics of Japanese paper, and the traditional tools and materials used in conservation, such as wheat starch paste and Japanese brushes.
For the practical sessions, technical masters from a group, whose techniques called “Restoration Techniques for Mounts” were officially selected as the Selected Conservation Techniques (National), join as lecturers. The participants gained hands-on experience in restoration processes by creating a kansu (handscroll).
The second week featured a study tour to the Chubu (central) and Kinki (southern-central) regions of Japan. Highlights included observing the use of byōbu (folding screens) and fusuma (sliding doors), in a traditional setting at Nagoya Castle. The tour also took the participants to Mino, where they witnessed the papermaking processes of Honminoshi, a technique designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan. Additionally, the participants visited a traditional restoration studio in Kyoto that has been operating since the Edo period (1603-1867).
In the final week, the focus shifted back to practical work on the structure and handling of kakejiku (hanging scrolls), folding screens, and handscrolls.
In the post-course questionnaires, many participants expressed that they had gained a deeper understanding of the use of Japanese paper for conservation purposes. We hope that the techniques and knowledge acquired through this JPC course will be disseminated and adapted in the conservation and restoration of cultural properties overseas, and thereby contribute to their enhanced protection.
Displayed poster material
Panel set up at the venue
Mr. KATAKURA Shumpei had the opportunity to attend Digital Humanities 2024 (DH2024), held from August 6 to August 9, 2024, at George Mason University in the United States. DH2024 was the largest annual international conference in the field of Digital Humanities, a discipline that aims to achieve new discoveries by integrating computing and the humanities.
Since the 2022 fiscal year, Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) has been involved in “The Investigation of Tools and Materials Used for the Preservation and Restoration of Fine Arts and Crafts” as part of the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ “TAKUMI Project,” and the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems is in charge of the “Archiving of Cultural Property Restoration Records” initiative. This project is of great importance, as it focuses on preserving crucial information about the restoration records of cultural properties in an appropriate form for future generations. Given the international significance of this endeavor, it is essential to communicate our presence and progress on a global stage.
In this context, Mr. KATAKURA, a guest researcher attended DH2024 and presented a poster titled “Constructing a Database of Cultural Property Restoration Records,” sharing the progress made in the archiving process up to the previous fiscal year. The content of his presentation was based on work by Mr. TARASHIMA Satoshi and Mr. KATAKURA Shumpei, “Creating a Database of Arts and Crafts Restoration Records” (Gekkan Bunkazai, Issue No. 722, 2023), which he encourages us to refer to for more details.
The audience was particularly interested in the types of records that have been kept during the restoration of cultural properties in Japan and how these records have been accumulated and preserved over time. Many expressed a strong desire to see the database currently under development. Although the database is not yet publicly available, Mr. KATAKURA assured them that it will be released in the future and encouraged them to stay tuned.
This project is entering a critical phase, and we will continue our efforts to disseminate information internationally. Mr. KATAKURA hopes you will continue to follow our progress with interest.
Installing displays in an exhibition room
Research meeting at TOBUNKEN
The year 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of KURODA Seiki (1866-1924), a painter who bequeathed funds for the establishment of the Art Institute, the predecessor of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN). To commemorate this, we held a special exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum. The exhibition consisted of KURODA’s works and modern paintings from the Tokyo National Museum’s collection, and introduced the process of “YŌGA: Western-style painting” gaining the status of “art” as “adventure.”
First of all, with KURODA Seiki’s masterpiece “Wisdom, Feeling, Emotion” (1899, Meiji 32), we introduced an attempt that originated from Western allegorical painting to depict abstract ideas using the human nude. In Japan, where the human nude was not depicted or viewed as an aesthetic object, nude painting was criticized as immoral, but KURODA questioned these concepts about nude paintings using human Japanese models in this painting. “Wisdom, Feeling, and Feeling” was introduced at the Paris World’s Fair in 1900 (Meiji 33) as “Etude de Femme” (Study of a Woman). It can be seen as an attempt to have a dual nature: to show the Japanese audience a method of expressing ideals through nudity, and to Western audiences the existence of nude paintings depicting Japanese people.
In this exhibition, we also exhibited works that show the boundaries of “art” at the time of their creation. ODA/OTA Tōu’s “The Village of Koropokkur” (1907, Meiji 40) was based on the theory of anthropologist TSUBOI Shōgorō that the “Koropokkur,” which appears in Ainu folklore as “people who live under the butterbur leaves,” are the indigenous people of Japan’s Stone Age. ODA/OTA wanted to exhibit this work as an artwork at the Tokyo Industrial Exposition in 1907 (Meiji 40). On the contrary, the judges of the art department were puzzled by the unprecedented expression and refused to judge the work, and in the end the work was exhibited as material for “education and curatorship.” At that time, the concept of “art” was still in its infancy, and it can be said that the treatment of “The Village of Koropokkur” revealed the differences in perception between the creator and the judges. Regarding this work, an interdisciplinary study meeting was held at TOBUNKEN on September 6, which included consideration from a cultural-historical perspective and an examination from the perspectives of archaeology and cultural anthropology.
At the end, the materials from the collection of TOBUNKEN were exhibited. Bijutsu Kenkyujo, the predecessor of TOBUNKEN, was founded in 1930 (Showa 5) by the legacy of KURODA Seiki. KURODA left a will in which a portion of his inheritance was to be used to promote art projects, but it was the art historian YASHIRO Yukio who embodied the contents. YASHIRO, who studied Renaissance art while studying in England and Italy, published the book “Sandro Botticelli” (Medici Society) in 1925 (Taisho 14), which was highly acclaimed as a presentation of fresh perspective. In particular, the viewpoint of recognizing the unique aesthetics of partial drawings brought a new perspective to the history of Western art at that time. The policy of collecting art photographs, which was emphasized by YASHIRO, has been continued in the current collection of materials of TOBUNKEN. In this exhibition, some materials, including “Sandro Botticelli” and a diary by KURODA Seiki, were exhibited from TOBUNKEN, and the significance of the institute as a base for art research was introduced.
A demonstration at the Symposium
Exhibitions
On August 9, 2024, a symposium entitled “‘Wisdom and Techniques’ Nurtured with Forests: For the Future of Intangible Cultural Heritage” was held at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN).
The recent difficulty in obtaining raw materials to support intangible arts and techniques for repairing tangible cultural properties has become a major problem. There are various reasons for this: the mountains are no longer cared for and thus suitable timber is no longer available, timber producers have withdrawn due to decreased demand, the distribution system has collapsed, etc. All of these factors are due to the fact that the relationship between people and Nature has changed.
The purpose of this symposium was to make the current situation widely known and to build a network for thinking together about how to solve these problems. In the first part of the symposium, five people were invited to demonstrate various techniques using natural materials. Ms. ARAI Eriko demonstrated making a “Ohara basket” from Itaya maple and Mountain maple, Ms. NOBUHARA Yuki wove a “Omogishi-mi (winnowing basket)” from the bark of Bakkoyanagi (Salix caprea) and the core of Sarunashi (Actinidia arguta), Ms. NAKAMURA Hitomi made “Hichiriki reeds” from Yoshi (reed), Mr. KOJIMA Shusuke made a “Kiri box” of Paulownia, and Mr. SEKITA Tetsuya carved a “Kezurikake,” a ritual tool, from wood from the Satoyama landscape; and all of these presenters freely interacted with the participants while providing information and explanations. The second part of the event was followed by a lecture by Dr. MAKITA Akifumi, Vice President of Akita Prefectural University, on “Nature as a Foundation of Culture,” and reports provided by three staff members of TOBUNKEN.
As mentioned earlier, a major factor behind the shortage of raw materials is the changing relationship between people and Nature. This is directly linked to changes in society as a whole, and it is not a problem that can be solved overnight. However, this is precisely why it is important to make society at large aware of this current situation, and to encourage people from various regions and standpoints to think about this issue and take action. The Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage will continue to conduct related research and networking activities to contribute to the resolution of this issue.
A full report on the symposium will be published soon, and a PDF version will be available on the website of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
West entrance of the Central Tower before and after restoration (3D model created by Photogrammetry)
Stone conservation
Located in the northeastern area of the Angkor Monuments, one of the World Heritage Sites in Cambodia, Ta Nei is a Buddhist temple thought to have been built in the late 12th to early 13th century. Its Central Tower, about 15 meters high, is partly collapsed, but still has pediments with carved Buddhist motifs on all sides and a pedestal inside on which the main Buddha image is thought to have been placed.
The entrance frames on each side are made of sandstone, but the upper frames on both the east and west sides are broken and deformed, and they had been supported by wooden supports. During this visit, we carried out partial restoration work on the entrance components to structurally stabilize the east-west entrance of the Central Tower and to remove the wooden supports so that visitors can safely walk along the central axis of the temple while viewing the temple as its original appearance.
Prior to the restoration work, the restoration plan was proposed and approved at the international meeting of ICC-Angkor/Sambor Prei Kuk in March 2024 (see previous article here). Subsequently, the work began in June under the leadership of the Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap (APSARA). As part of its technical cooperation for this restoration project, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) dispatched two staff members (XVI field survey) from June 15 to July 2, 2024, and one staff member (XVII field survey) from August 7 to 11, 2024, for collaborative work with the APSARA staff. Specifically, the following procedures were followed: (1) dismantling and recording the sand stones composing the entrance and scattered stones in the surrounding area, (2) partial dismantling of the doorframes, (3) stone restoration, (4) reassembling, and (5) recording after restoration, which was successfully completed when the staff was dispatched in August.
Examination of structural members by master carpenters and staff from both Japan and Bhutan
The Lham Pelzom house
Since 2012, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) has been continuously engaged in research on vernacular houses in Bhutan, in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development (DCDD), Ministry of Home Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan. The DCDD promotes a policy of preserving and utilizing vernacular houses by integrating them into the legal protecting framework of cultural heritage, while TOBUNKEN supports the initiative from academic and technical aspects.
The Lham Pelzom house, located in Kabesa near the capital of Thimphu, is considered the oldest among about eighty vernacular houses that we have surveyed across Bhutan. This house is enclosed with rammed-earth outer walls that have few openings. Because it has very different characteristics from the current ordinary houses in Bhutan, we assume that it was built at the latest in the 18th century or earlier.
At the time of our initial survey in 2013, this house was already dilapidated. In 2017, the wooden parts, including the roof and floor of the upstairs, completely collapsed. Coping with this situation, the structural members scattered in the house were collected and stored, and a temporary roof was constructed to preserve the remaining structure of the outer walls. During the COVID-19 pandemic we could not conduct on-site activities, and the Bhutan side continued with the procedures to obtain cultural heritage status designation of this building. As a result of those efforts this house was successfully designated as a cultural heritage site in 2023, the first time for a vernacular house.
We dispatched four people, including two TOBUNKEN staff and two external experts from Japan, from August 12 to 23, 2024. The team surveyed the structural members as part of the restoration planning for this vernacular house with local staff, including DCDD officials. Dr. Alejandro Martinez, Associate Professor of Kyoto Institute of Technology, who had previously taken part in storing the members, worked to identify where each member was originally used. Mr. TOBASE Koji, master carpenter and Chairperson of the Japanese Association for the Conservation of Techniques for Traditional Architecture who experienced many restorations of traditional Japanese wooden buildings, examined each member for its reusability and discussed its restoration methodology. Nine Bhutanese master carpenters who are engaged in restoring historical buildings joined the activities. During the surveys, we were visited by H.E Mr. Tshering, Home Minister of Bhutan, and interviewed by the national TV station and a newspaper. This project attracts strong interest in Bhutan. We are continuing to carefully work on the overall restoration plan, considering the maximum conservation of its authenticity, and to support the tasks including the restoration cost calculation for securing the production budget on the DCDD side.
The surveys were conducted with the support of a JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) “Vernacular Stone Masonry Houses of Bhutan: A Study on the Architectural Characteristics and the Suitable Approach for Protection as Cultural Heritage” (Principal Researcher: TOMODA Masahiko).
The period between the 1920s and 1930s was pivotal for art exchanges between Japan and China. During this time, the study of Chinese art history began to take shape in Japan, led by figures such as OMURA Seigai (1868–1927) and NAKAMURA Fusetsu (1866–1943). Recently, historical documents such as the “China Travel Diary” by OMURA Seigai, who was a professor at the Tokyo Fine Arts School (Tokyo University of the Arts, today), have shed light on various aspects of the art exchanges between Japan and China. However, there is still a need for research that considers the social sentiments and artistic trends in both countries during that time.
At the 4th Seminar of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) held on July 23, 2024, Ms. GOTO Ryoko, a visiting researcher of TOBUNKEN, gave a presentation titled “Yu Shaosong (余紹宋) and the History of Calligraphy and Painting in Modern China.” Ms. GOTO has long been involved in the study of OMURA’s “China Travel Diary.” Through this research, she has highlighted the significance of this period in the development of Chinese art history. Her presentation focused on Yu Shaosong (1883–1949), who studied in Japan and authored the “Annotated Bibliography of Calligraphy and Painting” (published in 1931). Ms. GOTO explored Yu Shaosong’s connection with Japan and his role in shaping the history of calligraphy and painting in modern China.
Yu Shaosong was a scholar active during the 1920s and 1930s. His book, “Annotated Bibliography of Calligraphy and Painting,” is still highly regarded today as the first specialized reference book on Chinese calligraphy and painting literature. However, for many years, little was known about Yu Shaosong himself. Recently, with the publication of “The Diary of Yu Shaosong” and other materials, his role in China’s modernization has begun to attract scholarly attention. Yu Shaosong came to Japan in 1905, where he studied law at university. After returning to China, he became a government official, eventually serving as Vice Minister of Justice in 1921. Meanwhile, he studied painting under the grandson of Tang Yifen (1778–1853) and thoroughly researched art history and biographies of painters, gradually making his mark in the art world. In 1927, he retired from government service to pursue a career as a scholar, calligrapher, and artist.
Ms. GOTO traced Yu Shaosong’s life, his research on painting, and his practice of calligraphy and painting. She analyzed not only his “Annotated Bibliography of Calligraphy and Painting,” but also other works such as “Essentials of Painting Methods” (published in 1926) and the art journal “Epigraphy, Calligraphy, and Painting” (published from 1934 to 1937) to assess his place in the history of Chinese art studies. Ms. GOTO argued that Yu Shaosong, who gained Western insights through his time in Japan, critically examined traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting culture using a revivalist approach known as the Movement for Systematic Organization and Re-evaluation of National Cultural Heritage, which became one of the foundations of modern Chinese art research. External experts attended the seminar, engaging in meaningful exchanges of opinions on the development of Chinese and Oriental art history in modern China and Japan.
Lecture on scientific investigation
Lecture on air conditioning
Lecture on preservation of large volumes of documents
Tour of the laboratories
The “Training Course for Museum Curators in Charge of Conservation (Advanced Course) in 2024” was held from July 10 to 14, 2024. This training course, which has been held at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties since 1984, was reorganized into a “Basic Course” and an “Advanced Course” in 2021, with the aim of enabling curators in charge of conservation at museums to acquire a wide range of knowledge and skills necessary for their work, from basic to advanced.
The “Basic Course,” conducted by the National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties, is designed to provide curators in charge of the conservation environment in of museums with a wide range of knowledge and skills.
The “Advanced Course” covers not only the conservation environment, but also general conservation of cultural properties, and is conducted by the Center for Conservation Science. In the 2024 Advanced Course, lectures and practical training based on research results in various research fields were conducted by the Center for Conservation Science, and lectures on the conservation and restoration of various cultural properties were provided by external lecturers. This year in particular, some of the lectures covered information on cultural property rescue in relation to the Noto Peninsula earthquake. The themes of the lectures and practical training were as follows:
・Theory of restoration of cultural properties
・Scientific investigation of cultural properties
・Air quality (about air quality / effects of air pollution on cultural properties / concepts of ventilation)
・Theory and practice of storage environment (air conditioning)
・Introduction and practice of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for cultural properties
・Types and characteristics of restoration materials
・Deterioration and conservation of outdoor materials
・Protection of heritage of modernization
・Conservation and restoration of various cultural properties
・Disaster prevention in museums
・Conservation and restoration of folk artifacts
・Preservation of large volumes of documents, and countermeasures against deterioration
・Conservation and restoration of works on paper
・Preservation and management of photographs
Participants commented that the training was a great support for their future activities, that they were able to deepen their knowledge of the issues they are facing, and that by coming into contact with a wide range of content, they were able to gain perspective for comprehensive consideration of environmental management and disaster prevention at their affiliated museums. This year, an opinion exchange meeting was held after the first day. Through self-introductions, participants shared their enthusiasm for the training and the issues facing their respective museums. Through this training, participants were able to interact with curators from facilities other than those in nearby prefectures, and it appeared to be a fulfilling training experience.
Stone piece joining experiment
Site visit survey of stone sculpture conservation and restoration
The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation is working with European experts to improve the current situation regarding the conservation and restoration of stone cultural properties in Japan.
From July 1 to 6, 2024, we visited Florence, Italy, and with the Opificio delle Pietre Dure and Italian national conservators of cultural properties, we conducted experimental research on reinforcing stone surfaces and joining stone pieces using restoration materials that are not available in Japan.
We also visited the conservation and restoration site of the stone sculptures installed in the Boboli Gardens, landscaped by the Medici family in the 16th century, to observe and deepen our knowledge on how to deal with various types of damage, such as cracks, delamination, and filling in missing areas. The methods used to control biodeterioration, which tends to occur due to the outdoor environment, are particularly interesting, and the way of thinking is also linked to conservation management. This was a great learning experience, as the methods are expected to be effective in Japan as well.
We have set a goal to continue our research to improve the current situation regarding the conservation and restoration of domestic stone cultural heritage, by continuing experimental studies and case studies, as well as deepening our links with experts in the field.
The Palatine Chapel of the Norman Palace
Stucco Decoration by Giacomo Serpotta (The Oratorio del Santa Cita)
Since 2021, The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation has been involved in a research survey on stucco decoration and clay statues being conducted as part of the research project “Technology for the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage” program. The original research plan was to begin in a Mediterranean coastal area where stucco as a building material was beginning to be used as a material for decoration and for the production of clay statues. Although the spread of coronavirus infection had forced changes to the research plan, including a switch to a domestic survey, the relaxation of waterfront measures has led to a return to the original plan and activities are now being resumed in Europe.
From July 5 to July 7, 2024, we visited Palermo, Italy, to discuss cooperation with the local Superintendent of Cultural Heritage regarding research on archaeological sites from the period during which the Greek colonial city was built. We also visited the Arab-Norman buildings, including Monreale Cathedral, which has been designated a World Heritage Site thanks to their efforts, and a church with stucco decorations by Giacomo Serpotta, a sculptor who was active mainly in the 16th and 17th centuries, and we briefly investigated the conservation and restoration efforts.
In the future, through research into stucco decoration techniques and materials for archaeological sites in Sicily, we will deepen our understanding of their structure and characteristics, and continue our research into their conservation and restoration methods and site management.
Comprehensive survey to create a list of heritage houses in Old Kirtipur
Located about 4 km southwest of the capital Kathmandu, Kirtipur is listed on the tentative list of World Heritage Sites as a medieval Newari settlement with well-preserved monuments within its core area. However, due to the rapid urbanization and the demolishing and reconstruction of historic houses after the Gorkha earthquake in 2015, the historic townscape of Kirtipur has been drastically changing. A major challenge is that, while public monuments such as Royal Palaces, Temples, and Shrines are protected under the laws in Nepal, there is no effective regulatory framework for protecting historic houses.
To tackle this issue, a joint research project between Kirtipur Municipality and Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) on the preservation and utilization of historic houses in Kirtipur was launched in October 2023.
During the dispatch of two staff members of TOBUNKEN from July 16 to July 23, 2024, an additional architectural survey was conducted on a house that had been selected as a pilot case study. In collaboration with engineers of the municipality and other Nepalese experts, a detailed measurement survey, 3D digital documentation, and survey on the traces indicating the building’s transitional history were carried out. In addition, with the cooperation of Dr. Lata Shakya, Project Researcher of Ritsumeikan University, interview surveys were carried out with house owners and a local historian, and a comprehensive survey to create a list of the privately owned historic houses in Kirtipur was also conducted under the direction of Dr. Bijaya Shrestha, an expert on the conservation of historic settlements.
These surveys gradually unveiled history of the house; the target house is assumed to have been used as an administrative office of the ancient Kirtipur Palace and retains significant importance with a well-preserved original façade among the existing historic houses that constitute the townscape of Kirtipur.
The house faces an urgent need of repairs due to termite damage and rainwater leakage. For historic houses facing difficulties regarding various practical factors such as lack of repair budget and ownership issues, clarifying the historic value and promoting wider recognition as a cultural heritage site could be an important step towards the preservation and the conservation.
Through trials and dialogues with relevant people, including house owners, administrative officers, and various experts, we would like to explore ways of safeguarding private historic houses that not only carry on the cultural richness of the town, but also present a link towards its sustainable development.
Work on the pyramid sequence worksheet
Making a puzzle of an ancient Egyptian boat
Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties has organized the Cultural Heritage Kids Workshop starting from 2023 to promote interest in cultural heritage to the next generation, especially for elementary school children. The second workshop was held on July 27, 2024, and 25 children and their families in total over 70 people attended.
The main theme, “Cultural heritage in Ancient Egypt,” was taken over from the last workshop, but for the second workshop we added new programs: a worksheet for creating a sequence of pyramids, an introduction to excavations in Egypt, and a three-dimensional puzzle of an ancient Egyptian boat. Each program had objectives of enabling the children to understand archaeological chronology, to learn the steps involved from the discovery of an archaeological site to the research and conservation work, and to study the meaning of some ancient Egyptian script and the ingenuity of boat builders. Children could learn about the fundamentals of academic studies on cultural heritage through this workshop.
Holding such workshops not only provides children with the opportunity to increase and renew their interest in mysterious aspects of cultural and historic heritage, but it is also beneficial to the generation of their parents, because we can introduce them to the research and the significance and background of cultural heritage studies. We will continue to hold workshops based on the results of our research and studies that are unique to the research institution.
Main venue, Bharat Mandapam
The Japanese delegation observes deliberation on the Sado Island Gold Mines
The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee was held in New Delhi, India from July 21 to 31, 2024, in which we four members of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) participated as observers, three from the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation and one from the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems.
The Committee brings together representatives of the State Parties to the World Heritage Convention and advisory bodies to deliberate on new nominations, state of conservation etc., of World Heritage sites. Twenty-four new sites were added to the World Heritage List this time, bringing the total number to 1,223. Regarding the “Sado Island Gold Mines,” widely reported in Japan, ICOMOS had recommended reconsideration of the contents and boundaries of the property and requested additional information from the State Party to facilitate the boundary revision. Subsequently, the handling of correspondence by the Japanese government led this site to an inscription on the List, decided unanimously by the Committee. In the deliberations on the state of conservation, inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger was avoided the for all four properties previously recommended, including Stonehenge in the UK, due to a planning of highway construction at its boundary. On the other hand, the St. Hilarion Monastery in Palestine, currently at risk of destruction from war, was newly nominated and simultaneously inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
At side events held during the session, the latest trends related to World Heritage Sites were introduced by various State Parties and organizations. Outside of the plenary session, a series of forums was organized for site managers and young professionals, who held lively discussions on pressing issues such as sustainable heritage management.
Participating in a World Heritage Committee session on-site is a very rare opportunity to learn about the latest international trends, hardly obtainable online. TOBUNKEN will continue to disseminate information, including the content of this event, through such measures as hosting a World Heritage Seminar this November.
Presentation of the Declaration to the 46th World Heritage Committee (Photo by Archaeological Survey of India)
Site visit to the World Heritage site, Taj Mahal (Photo by Archaeological Survey of India)
From July 14 to 23, 2024, Mr. KANEKO Yutaro, Research Fellow of the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation (Secretariat of the Japan Consortium for International Cooperation in Cultural Heritage), participated in the “World Heritage Young Professionals Forum 2024,” held in New Delhi, India, as part of the 46th World Heritage Committee.
This forum is a key initiative of UNESCO’s World Heritage Education Program, aiming at promoting intercultural understanding and exchange through interactions among young people from around the world and experts in cultural and natural heritage, as well as exploring new roles for the youth in heritage conservation. For this year’s forum, 50 participants were selected (20 participants from India and 30 from other countries) from 31 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands out of more than 3,500 applicants. The participants discussed the issues and opportunities related to World Heritage sites from their respective national and professional perspectives. Under the main theme, “World Heritage in the 21st Century—Enhancing Capacities and Exploring Opportunities for Youth,” the program focused on four key topics: climate change, innovative technologies, communities, and sustainable tourism. The participants engaged in a rich program to learn about World Heritage from various perspectives, which included site visits to museums and World Heritage sites such as Taj Mahal, lectures by heritage experts, and discussions and presentations among the participants. At the end of the forum, a statement summarizing recommendations from young professionals regarding World Heritage was prepared and presented to the World Heritage Committee, based on the knowledge and experiences gained from the forum.
Mr. KANEKO was deeply inspired by the young professionals from African and Latin American countries who are playing leading roles at the stages of nomination, protection, and management of World Heritage sites, actively addressing various challenges faced by these sites. However, many participants from these countries pointed out that fragile protection systems due to a lack of funding and human resources are common, highlighting the need for Japan to extend further support in the field of international cooperation in cultural heritage. As one of the young professionals who will be responsible for future heritage protection, he will continue to raise awareness of these issues and strive to contribute to the protection of heritage both domestically and internationally.
UNESCO Website for the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum
https://whc.unesco.org/en/youth-forum/
Examples of the Striped House Museum of Art / Striped House Gallery Papers: Documents about the Apartheid Non! International Art Festival (1990), University of the End of the Century, Tokyo (1993-2000) (Call Number [In Japanese] : ス162, ス261 )
The Striped House Building
As part of the research project “Research and Compilation of Materials on Modern and Contemporary Art,” we are pleased to announce that a catalog of “Striped House Museum of Art / Striped House Gallery Papers” is now available on our website.
The Striped House Museum of Art was established by the photographer Mr. TSUKAHARA Takuya (born 1937) in May 1981 in Roppongi 5-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo, as a private art museum that held many retrospectives of deceased artists, mainly of contemporary art, as well as solo exhibitions of young artists. The museum also had a reputation for discovering artists, and was known not only for its art exhibitions, but also for regularly organizing mini live performances, one-man shows, Rakugo events, and recitation readings. Although the museum closed in 2000, a gallery has been operating on the third floor of the Striped House Building since December 2001. The Striped House Gallery Papers were donated by the gallery through an arrangement by SASAKI Shigeo (1931-2024) around 2010, and were organized in about 300 envelopes containing materials related to individual events and artists. These envelopes also included documentary photographs, press releases, and other materials, which may provide important facts that were not available in the media such as newspapers and magazines of the time.
The research project “Research and Compilation of Materials on Modern and Contemporary Art” is intended to enable the conduction of research on modern and contemporary Japanese art works and materials, to promote research exchange based on this research, and to establish an efficient collection and publication framework for materials related to contemporary art. We hope that you will make use of these documents, which are now available in the library, as evidence for solving problems encountered in research on cultural properties, including contemporary art, and as an opportunity to conduct new research in various fields.
• Library Visitor’s Guide
https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/english/library/library_e.html
Archives (documents) information can be found at the bottom of this page. The Striped House Gallery Papers are accessible in our library.
• Striped House Museum of Art / Striped House Gallery Papers
https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/japanese/library/pdf/archives_StripedHouseMuseumofArt.pdf
Meeting at the Nevşehir Conservation and Restoration Regional Laboratory
Courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor of Nevşehir Province
The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation, in cooperation with local specialized institutions and universities in Turkey, are conducting a joint research project on the conservation and restoration of mural paintings on the interior walls of St. Michael’s Church (Keşlik Monastery) in Cappadocia, Turkey. Last year, a research plan was prepared based on field surveys, and after deliberations held by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey and an expert committee, the project was officially approved for implementation.
Survey for the development of a conservation and restoration research plan at St. Michael’s Church (Keşlik Monastery) :: 東文研アーカイブデータベース (tobunken.go.jp)
In response, we visited the site from June 25 to 29, 2024, to discuss environmental arrangements that will be important for conducting research activities safely in the future. The discussions were conducted with the cooperation of Mr. Hatice Temur YILDIZ, Director of the Nevşehir Conservation and Restoration Regional Laboratory, and Mr. Levent Ak, a member of the Urgup City Council and Director of the Cappadocia Tourism and Regional Infrastructure Services Association. The discussions were very fruitful, as we had the opportunity to exchange views with the Deputy Governor of Nevşehir and the Mayor of Ürgüp. As a result, we were able to establish a cooperative framework with public organizations in the Cappadocia region, as they agreed to cooperate with us on the construction of scaffolding and installation of facilities for water and electricity in the church.
We will continue our research activities to meet the expectations of the local people and to contribute widely to the conservation and restoration of cultural properties in the Republic of Turkey.
Students and professors, observing a rubbing
On May 11, 2024, a group from the Asian History Department of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Waseda University, visited the TOBUNKEN Library of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. The students, led by Mr. YANAGISAWA Akira (Professor, specialist in the history of the Qing Dynasty), Mr. KAKINUMA Yōhei (Professor, specialist in the history of ancient China), Mr. UEDA Kihei-narichika (Lecturer, specialist in the history of ancient Korea) took a tour, guided by Mr. TASHIRO Yūichirō, of the Institute’s collection of books and rubbings, which have been collected since 1930.
One of the missions of the Archives Section of the TOBUNKEN Library* is to provide information on cultural properties to experts and students, as well as to create an environment for the effective use of such materials. We hope that the valuable materials of our institute, which are of high value even by international standards, will be widely utilized not only in art history research, but also in Asian history research and historical research in general, and contribute to the development of research on cultural properties that are the common heritage of all humankind.
*The Archives Section provides usage guidance for undergraduate students, graduate students, museum staff, etc. If you are interested, please apply after reading the guidance
(https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/japanese/library/application/application_guidance.html (Japanese only)).
The presentation
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in Washington, D.C., USA, is the nation’s record keeper, preserving and managing historically valuable government records. Established in 1934, NARA holds the “Charters of Freedom” – the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights – as well as diplomatic documents, war-related documents, immigration records, veteran’s service records, and others that form the nation’s “memory.” The holdings are vast and diverse, including 13.5 billion pieces of paper, more than 137 million meters (450 million feet) of film, 41 million photographs, 40 million aerial images, 10 million maps, charts, and architectural drawings, and 837 terabytes of electronic records (as of October 2023).
NARA has been accepting transfers of audiovisual records (such as films and videos) along with related materials documenting their production process over many years. At the 2nd seminar held on May 14, 2024, Ms. YAMANAGA Naomi, an Associate Fellow of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, presented a report titled “Audiovisual Records and Related Materials Created by Government Agencies.” The report detailed the findings of an on-site survey of these related materials conducted in August 2022.
According to information from the Textual Records Series Register (1990) provided by the archivists, their new building (Archives II) handling special media holds approximately 300 series of related materials, and digitization has been progressing in recent years. This presentation described the wide-ranging contents of related materials, including production files, scripts, correspondence, index cards, and interview transcripts, accompanied by photographs. In the subsequent question-and-answer session, various opinions were exchanged regarding the necessity of preserving and managing records that are created in the course of production activities and ensure their context. Based on this discussion, the presenter will continue to explore ways to contribute to the preservation of such related materials.
SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi teaching how to make silkscreens. (2011)
A portion of the materials related to SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi. (2024)
We have made a list of the ‘Materials Related to SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi’ held in the library collection of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) available on our website, and the original materials are now available for viewing in the TOBUNKEN Library*. The materials related to the Sōzō Biiku Kyōkai (SŌBI: ‘Society for Creative Art Education’), which were kept by art educator SHIMAZAKI (1923-2015), were donated to TOBUNKEN in March 2023 at the bereavement of his family.
SŌBI is a civilian art education organization founded in 1952. SHIMAZAKI was the head office secretary of SŌBI from 1957 to 1972. Even after retiring, he continued to monitor the activities of the association and worked hard to preserve it for future generations, preserving archives from the early days of SŌBI to the 2000s. As a reference to this, SHIMAZAKI’s personal document (SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi Papers A-531), a booklet containing the words of several early SŌBI members, including Mr. ASABE Hiroshi, states: ‘Fewer and fewer people know about the founding of SŌBI, and if we do not record it now, we will not be able to pass it on to future generations’ and the booklet was handed out to those who were interested in it. More than anyone else, SHIMAZAKI hoped that the activities of SŌBI will be passed on to future generations.
After receiving the donation, preparations were made to open the materials to the public with the advice of Mr. KIKKAWA Hideki, Head, Modern/Contemporary Art Section of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems and Ms. TAMURA Ayako (former Research Assistant staff of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems), with Ms. KAMADA Karin and Ms. KAMIO Hinaki (Assistants of the same department), Ms. TAGUCHI Kotono (former Assistant of the same department) working to organize the materials. The materials are categorized into A, ‘Sōzō Biiku Kyōkai-related materials,’ B, ‘Letters,’ and C, ‘SHIMAZAKI’s schedule books and Diaries,’ and are stored in a total of 19 archival document cases.
We would like to thank his bereaved family and all those involved for their efforts in this way. It is our sincere hope that the materials preserved with SHIMAZAKI’s passion will be seen by as many people as possible, and that research on art education and other subjects will flourish both in Japan and abroad.
*Application for advance reservation is required.
◆TOBUNKEN Library Visitor’s Guide
(https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/english/library/library_e.html)
◆‘SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi Papers’
(https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/japanese/library/pdf/archives_Shimazaki_Kiyomi.pdf）
Reporting at the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Japan (Photo by SEKIHIRO Naoyo )
On May 19, 2024, the general meeting and public symposium of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Japan was held at the National Museum of Ethnology. At this general meeting, Mr. ISHIMURA Tomo, Director of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, gave a report titled “Safeguarding Cultural Heritage Amid Armed Conflict in Sudan” (co-authored with Mr. SHIMIZU Nobuhiro and Ms. SEKIHIRO Naoyo). The authors had been collecting information on the current state of cultural heritage in Sudan under armed conflict as part of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, “Heritage studies for realization of cultural diversity and peacebuilding in post-conflict countries,” and presented the results of the research.
In Sudan, the armed conflict between the Sudanese National Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that began in April 2023 continues to this day, and the country’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage has been severely affected. We have been in contact with Sudanese cultural heritage experts both in and outside Sudan, as well as international experts in the UK and elsewhere, to collect information on the current situation. At this meeting, we reported on the results of our efforts and called for the need for international support for Sudan through the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is one of the organizations that make up the Blue Shield International. The Blue Shield International was established in 1996 as an international framework that works to protect cultural heritage that is facing threats to survival due to armed conflicts and disasters, based on the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (commonly known as the Hague Convention), adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1954. Japan ratified the Hague Convention in 2007, becoming the 117th state party, but Japan is not yet a member of the Blue Shield International.
Japan has been fortunate in not being involved in any major armed conflicts since the end of the war in 1945. However, much cultural heritage has been damaged by armed conflicts around the world since then. Japan has been involved in international cooperation for post-conflict cultural heritage protection in Cambodia and Afghanistan, and has received high praise from the international community for this work.
However, looking at the current situation, armed conflicts continue not only in Sudan but also in various other parts of the world, such as Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, and much cultural heritage is at risk. What can we do to safeguard this cultural heritage? We hoped that our report at this meeting of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Japan would serve as an opportunity to discuss this issue.
