| ■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 |
|
The general discussion
Research introduction by organizations related to Museum IPM
On February 21, 2025, the Center for Conservation Science (CCS) hosted a forum titled “Considering the Conservation of the Museum Collections After the Suspension of Major Fumigation Gas Sales.” This event was co-hosted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Japan Society for the Conservation of Cultural Properties, and the Japan Society for Scientific Studies on Cultural Properties.
In cases of extensive insect and mold damage, gas fumigation is used to mitigate the damage. Alternatively, gas fumigation may be utilized to prevent insects and molds from infesting incoming collections. This method has also been applied to museum collections that have suffered fungal damage due to disasters. Gas fumigation is a crucial technology for preventing biological deterioration in the conservation of museum collections in Japan. However, the sale of one of the primary fumigation gases was scheduled to cease at the end of March 2025. This decision stems from the growing awareness of the negative impact of fumigation gases on human health and the global environment.
At the forum, experts and organizations in this field were invited to discuss alternative methods for conserving museum collections without the use of gas fumigation, in response to the contemporary societal demand for sustainable practices.
In the keynote speeches, Mr. YONEMURA Sachio (Agency for Cultural Affairs) and Ms. KIGAWA Rika (Kyushu National Museum) spoke about the future of conservation in museum collections, focusing on Integrated Pest Management in museums (Museum IPM). Additionally, during the lunch break, Mr. WATANABE Hiroki (Kyushu National Museum) and Mr. SHIMADA Megumi (Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties) reported on international research topics related to Museum IPM. This was followed by lectures from Mr. HIDAKA Shingo (National Museum of Ethnology), Mr. IWATA Yasuyuki (Japan Institute of Insect and Fungal Damage to Cultural Properties), and Mr. MABUCHI Hajime (The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties) on the practical applications of Museum IPM, the qualifications associated with it, and the theory and practice of mold control.
The general discussion was moderated by Mr. TATEISHI Toru (The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan. Each speaker, including Mr. KODANI Ryusuke (Cultural Heritage Disaster Risk Management Center), Mr. WADA Hiroshi (Tokyo National Museum), Ms. FURIHATA Junko (Kyoto National Museum), Mr. WAKIYA Soichiro (Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties), and Mr. TAKAHATA Makoto (Imperial Household Agency) took to the stage to discuss methods for conserving museum collections without relying on gas fumigation.
The venues were the seminar room and conference room (satellite venue) on the basement floor, and in the foyer, organizations related to Museum IPM showcased booths highlighting their recent research. Approximately 170 individuals attended in person, while around 750 accounts were registered for a simultaneous online broadcast, resulting in a substantial audience. The CCS hopes that this forum provided an opportunity to foster more dynamic discussions and enable those concerned to take meaningful steps toward addressing these issues.
In FY2024, the Conservation Science Center newly installed a Raman spectrometer, a 3D fluorescence spectrophotometer, and a high-performance liquid chromatography system, and updated the existing pyrolysis GC/MS and ion chromatograph. These instruments are introduced below. (Figure 1)
Raman spectrometer
When a material is irradiated with laser light, the wavelength of Raman scattered light changes depending on the molecular structure of the material at the point of irradiation. Using this principle, it is possible to analyze the structure of a sample in a non-contact and non-destructive manner. For this purpose, we have introduced three types of instruments: a stationary Raman microspectroscope that can also be used for mapping, a portable Raman microspectroscope that can be carried around, and a hand-held Raman spectroscope that is compact and easy to carry around. Raman spectroscopy can be used to analyze any sample other than pure metals, whether inorganic or organic. It can be used for various applications such as identification of dyes and pigments, elucidation of the causes of corrosion, and analysis of adhering materials on cultural properties. (Figure 2)
Three-dimensional spectrofluorometer
Since the wavelength and intensity of fluorescence emitted from a sample varies depending on its structure, fluorescence analysis can be used to estimate the structure of materials constituting cultural properties. It is a non-contact, non-destructive measurement method and can be used to analyze any sample that emits fluorescence. There are a surprisingly large number of samples that emit fluorescence (for example, fluorescence can be detected in cloth, paper, and wood in many cases), and many cultural properties can be analyzed using this method, but it is a particularly powerful analysis tool for dyes. (Figure 3)
High-performance liquid chromatography system
Used for the determination of aldehydes in the air and dyes in textiles, this system is equipped with a PDA detector, which is more powerful than a typical UV detector for identifying unknown substances. Since extraction is required, this is basically a destructive analysis method.
Pyrolysis GC/MS (updated)
This instrument is capable of analyzing in detail the structure of samples consisting of polymers, such as paper, fabric, lacquer, and wood. Although it is a destructive method, it is possible to analyze even a very small amount of sample (1 mg). Qualitative quantification of atmospheric odors and residual solvents is also possible.
Ion chromatograph (updated)
This is used for the quantitative determination of ammonia and organic acids in the air, and chloride and nitrate ions in water. It employs a suppressor method and is extremely sensitive.
We will continue to analyze cultural properties using these instruments.
Fig.1: Photographs of newly introduced/updated instruments
A：Raman spectrometer (stationary type micro Raman spectrometer)B：Three-dimensional spectrofluorometerC：High-performance liquid chromatography systemD：Pyrolysis GC/MSE：Ion chromatograph
Fig.2: Analysis of various colorants by Raman spectrometry
It can be seen that the spectra obtained are different depending on the material colorant. A resolution of 1 µm enables identification of the colorant material. In particular, the ability to analyze inksticks nondestructively is a major feature. In addition to pigments, a wide variety of samples can be analyzed, including dyes, minerals, metal corrosion, and fibers.
Fig.3: Three-dimensional spectrofluorescence spectra of cloth dyed with natural dyes before and after accelerated aging test
A: Before accelerated aging test B: After accelerated aging test
Accelerated aging test causes an overall decrease in fluorescence intensity. In particular, there are marked decreases in fluorescence intensity around the excitation wavelength of 280 nm and fluorescence wavelength of 420 nm. Since the fluorescence pattern changes depending on the degree of deterioration and the material itself, it is useful for evaluating the degree of deterioration and for analyzing the differences between different materials.
Research at the Tubli cemetery
Tombstones in Al-Qadem cemetery preserved by the local community
The Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties has been cooperating on excavation surveys and maintenance of historical sites in the tombs of Bahrain for many years. Although historical Islamic tombstones remain in mosques and cemeteries throughout the country, and about 150 tombstones can still be found in the country today, many are deteriorating due to salt damage.
In response to Bahrain’s request for help in protecting those tombstones, in 2023 and 2024, we conducted photogrammetric surveying using SfM-MVS (Structure-from-Motion/Multi-View-Stereo), a technology for creating 3D models from photographs. So far, we have completed 3D measurements of approximately 100 tombstones located in museums and modern cemeteries. The models created were published on Sketchfab, a platform widely accessible both domestically and internationally, and are being used as a database of tombstones.
A 3D measurement survey was conducted from February 8 to 12, 2025, covering cemeteries in the southern part of the country. Photogrammetric surveying was conducted and measurements were completed as in the past, this time for a total of 29 cemeteries: 2 in Tubri, 1 in Salamya Mosque, 12 in Hoora, 1 in Mahooz, 1 in Daih, 5 in Noaim, 2 in Al-Qadem, and 5 in Karranah. With the exception of buried and destroyed tombstones, this survey completed the measurement of all the tombstones in Bahrain.
This is the first database of 3D models of more than 100 tombstones with information on the dimensions, shape, and inscriptions of each individual monument, and it is highly expected that the results of this survey will be useful for future research on Islamic tombstones, in addition to preserving a record of their shapes.
A scene from the symposium: Presentation (by Ms. TAKAYAMA Yuri)
Discussion at the symposium
The Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) was founded in 1930 as a result of the legacy of KURODA Seiki (1866-1924), a painter known as the “father of modern Western-style painting in Japan.” The Kuroda Memorial Hall, where KURODA’s works are now displayed and exhibited as a facility of the Tokyo National Museum, was originally built as the Art Research Institute, the predecessor of TOBUNKEN. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of KURODA’s death in 2024, TOBUNKEN hosted a symposium, “KURODA Seiki, His Research and Evaluation Today: On the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary of His Death,” on January 10 in the seminar room of the Kuroda Memorial Hall where the Art Research Institute was founded.
The symposium presentation titles and respective presenters were as follows:
Keynote Speech: On the Painting Works of KURODA Seiki: From the Perspective of a Kozu Kojin (Mr. SHIOYA Jun, Special Researcher Chair, TOBUNKEN)
Presentation 1: KURODA Seiki and Raphael Collin: Some Perspectives (Ms. MITANI Rika, Joshibi University of Art and Design)
Presentation 2: After KURODA Seiki: Aspects of “Government Exhibition Academism” in the Showa Period (Ms. TAKAYAMA Yuri, Fukuoka Prefectural Museum of Art)
Presentation 3: Learning from KURODA Seiki and his Influence to Local areas: The Case of a Native of Tottori Prefecture (Ms. TOMOOKA Maho, Tottori Prefectural Museum)
The symposium was held simultaneously in-person and online and attended by 63 people. Ms. TOMOOKA was unable to come to the symposium due to heavy snowfall in the San’in region, so she had to give her presentation online at short notice, but the symposium went without a hitch, including the discussion that followed his presentation. We hope that this symposium, which reassessed KURODA Seiki’s artwork from the viewpoints of his relationship with French modern art, his influence on the Japanese modern Western-style painting scene, and the spread of his style to the provinces, based on the latest research results, will serve as a catalyst for rethinking the study of Japanese modern art. The contents of this symposium will be published in our research journal “Bijutsu Kenkyu” No. 447 (scheduled for publication in November 2025).
The Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems actively promotes academic exchange by inviting international researchers to present their research findings. At the 9th research meeting, held on January 21, Prof. Kim So-yeon from Ewha Womans University in South Korea, who was a visiting researcher at Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) from December 2024 to February 2025, delivered a presentation titled “Depicting Mount Geumgang: Changes in the Perception and Visualization of Mount Geumgang in Modern Korea.”
Mount Geumgang, renowned as one of the most famous mountains on the Korean Peninsula, has long been a subject of literature and painting. However, significant changes occurred in the modern era with the development of railway infrastructure and tourism. These transformations influenced the ways in which the mountain was represented. Prof. Kim analyzed various media that depicted Mount Geumgang and highlighted two key points: (1) Unlike in the Joseon period, when only the inland “Inner Geumgang” was depicted, the coastal “Outer Geumgang” also came to be represented; and (2) a gendered distinction emerged in these representations, with “Inner Geumgang” being associated with femininity and “Outer Geumgang” with masculinity.
Prof. Kim’s study, which incorporated materials such as photographic postcards and illustrations from travel guides, underscored the potential for constructing art history through diverse media. It also reaffirmed the relevance of art history in relation to broader issues such as tourism and gender studies.
The research meeting attracted a large number of students and scholars from both within and outside the institute. The question-and-answer session was particularly lively, fostering an active exchange of ideas.
Presentations by international researchers offer valuable opportunities to engage with different academic perspectives and methodologies, distinct from those prevalent in Japan. By serving as a “hub” for academic exchange between Japan and the international research community, TOBUNKEN aims to contribute to Japanese scholarship from a more multifaceted perspective.
Venue: Gunma Music Center, designed by architect Antonin Raymond (1961)
Keynote Speech by Dr. Patricia O’Donnell (Proposal of key issues on “heritage ecosystems”)
Group discussions among different four groups (Group C)
The Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) dispatched three staff members to attend the 10th Anniversary International Symposium of the Tomioka Silk Mill and Related Sites, held at the Gunma Music Center in Takasaki from January 10 to 11, 2025. Organized by the Gunma Prefectural Government and ICOMOS Japan, the theme of the symposium was on revisiting the concept of heritage authenticity in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the adoption of “the Nara Document,” with a focus on the need to adapt it to the increasingly complex social challenges of the 21st century. JCIC-Heritage, managed by TOBUNKEN, also organized a seminar and symposium in November last year to commemorate the 30th anniversary of “the Nara Document.” (For more details, please refer to the web link at the end of this report.)
The symposium program reflected the vision of the principal organizer, Emeritus Prof. KONO Toshiyuki at Kyushu University and former president of ICOMOS. Unlike a conventional symposium format, the program consisted of four group discussions with keynote speeches from guest experts and academics, introducing “heritage ecosystems” as a key concept for discussion. The symposium welcomed approximately 120 participants, including 14 guest experts and academics from 8 countries, and around 80 voluntary experts and academics from 19 countries. The diverse attendance contributed to a distinctly international atmosphere.
Although the concept of “heritage ecosystems” is not yet widely recognized, the symposium interpreted it as encompassing “the cyclical and organic relationships among various elements that constitute the rich cultural and natural environment of the region.” Each keynote speech aimed to reframe the significance of “Tomioka” by connecting it to the living silk industry and sericulture, such as “Preparing the Next Generation for the Silk Industry” by Mr. TSUCHIYA Masashi, Executive Director of Usui Silk Mills Ltd., and “Sericulture in Modern Japan: Silkworm as a Recombinant Protein Factory” by Prof. KUSAKABE Takahiro at Kyushu University, presenting a perspective entirely different from the conventional heritage conservation approach. Every participant actively engaged in open-ended discussions within their respective groups, with the following four key issues on “heritage ecosystems” as presented in the keynote speech by Dr. Patricia O’Donnell, former president of ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes in mind:
1. How does the work you are presenting relate to the heritage ecosystem approach?
2. What opportunities do you see that emerge from working with a system of heritage assets?
3. What benefits to communities and heritage can a heritage ecosystem approach advance?
4. How does the heritage ecosystem approach advance understanding of heritage authenticity?
As a culmination of the keynote speeches and group discussions, the “Gunma Declaration on Heritage Ecosystems” was formally adopted at the conclusion of the symposium.
Together with JCIC-Heritage, TOBUNKEN will continue its efforts to strengthen international cooperation in heritage conservation and gather information on global cultural heritage affairs through active participation in international conferences.
References
The JCIC-Heritage 35th Seminar: 30 years of the Nara Document in the Global Context of Heritage Conservation
https://www.jcic-heritage.jp/news/35seminar_report/
The JCIC-Heritage F.Y.2024 Symposium: Restoration of Notre Dame de Paris and Philosophy of Monuments Conservation
https://www.jcic-heritage.jp/news/2024syoposium_report/
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Statues kept inside the cupola
Since 2021, The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation has been involved in a research survey on stucco decoration and clay statues under the research project “Technology for the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage” program.
From January 13 to January 18, 2025, we visited Florence to conduct preliminary research on a group of sculptures created by Pietro Francavilla and Giovanni Battista Caccini, Mannerist sculptors of the late Renaissance, and to discuss future research plans with the Opera del Duomo Museum, which holds the collection. These sculptures represent the principal saints of Florence and were created in 1589 to celebrate the wedding of Grand Duke Ferdinand I de’ Medici of Tuscany and Christine of Lorraine. The purpose was to decorate a temporary façade, which was installed on the front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore for the one-day celebration. For this reason, the technique of sculpture in plaster was chosen, rather than the marble that was commonly used at the time.
Currently, these sculptures are stored in a room inside the cathedral cupola, but they have deteriorated over time, and research on their structure and the materials used has not progressed sufficiently. In cooperation with the local National Restoration Institute and the Fine Arts Superintendence, we are working to deepen the investigation and promote research that will contribute to future conservation and restoration efforts.
Venue for the lecture ‘The Work of an Art Librarian’ (Photo courtesy of Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum Tokyo)
A slide from the lecture ‘The Work of an Art Librarian’
On December 6, 2024, KIKKAWA Hideki, Head of the Modern / Contemporary Art Section at the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, was invited to give a lecture titled “The Work of an Art Librarian at the ART with” series held at Sen-oku Hakukokan Museum Tokyo. The ART with series features experts from various fields related to art, offering insights into their professions for a broad audience of art enthusiasts.
In this lecture, Mr. KIKKAWA presented a wide range of specialized librarian skills based on his career not only at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) Library, but also at the Art Library of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo and the Art Library of the National Art Center, Tokyo. In particular, he discussed the enjoyment of supporting researchers and curators in their studies and creating frameworks that enhance the value of library collections through cataloging and compiling bibliographies on artists.
TOBUNKEN engages in collaborative efforts among experts from various fields to preserve cultural properties for future generations. Librarians well versed in art materials also play a crucial role in supporting these efforts, considering the future of cultural properties and continuing to safeguard them. This lecture provided an opportunity not only to introduce their work, but also for Mr. KIKKAWA to reflect once again on its significance. He has expressed that nothing would be more gratifying to him than for art enthusiasts, professionals from other fields, or students who attended the lecture to have found the role of an art librarian appealing and had deepened their interest in the preservation of cultural properties.
On December 15, 2024, a group of researchers from Korea, France, and the U.S. visited the library of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN). The group had come to Japan for a research presentation at the Korean history Forum, held at Dokkyo University from December 13 to 14, and TOBUNKEN was selected as a destination to visit during their stay in Japan. Guided by Mr. TASHIRO Yūichirō, the group took a tour of the Institute’s collection of books and rubbings, which have been collected since 1930.
Among the missions of the Archives Section of the TOBUNKEN Library* are to provide information on cultural properties to experts and students and to create an environment for the effective use of such materials. We hope that the materials of our institute, which are of high value 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 will 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 seminar
At the 8th Seminar of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems held on 18 December 2024, Ms. TSUKIMURA Kino, Researcher of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, gave a presentation entitled “Basic Research on the Nagao Museum – Towards a Clarification of its Relationship with the Art Research Institute.”
The Nagao Museum was established by NAGAO Kin’ya (1892-1980) and his wife Yone (1889-1967), the founders of Wakamoto Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., at their villa ‘Senko Sansō’ (Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture) in 1946. The museum had many masterpieces in its collection, such as Tea-Leaf Jar with a design of wisteria by NONOMURA Ninsei (now in the MOA Museum of Art, in Shizuoka prefecture), Tachi Signed Chikushūjū Sa (Named “Kōsetsu Samonji”) (now in the Fukuyama Museum of Art), and Shrike in barren tree by MIYAMOTO Musashi (now in the Kuboso Memorial Museum of Arts, Izumi). Over time, however, NAGAO Kin’ya and Yone gradually gave up these works and the museum was dissolved around 1967. More than half a century has passed since the de facto closure of the museum, and the actual operation of the museum and the status of entire collection are still unclear.
However, when purchasing and exhibiting works, Kin’ya and Yone were closely involved with staff members of the Art Research Institute (Bijutsu Kenkyūjo), the predecessor of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN). It is noteworthy that Kin’ya participated as a board member in the activities of the Bijutsu Konwa-kai and the Society of Friends of Eastern Art (Tōyō Bijutsu Kokusai Kenkyūkai), which were based at TOBUNKEN, and had the opportunity to introduce the collection to researchers.
The lecture raised the possibility that the interaction between the NAGAO couple and art historians was related to the evaluation of the Nagao Museum collection, as a result of an examination of relevant documents remaining at TOBUNKEN.
The presentation was followed by a lively exchange of views, including valuable testimony from researchers with knowledge of the situation at the time of the museum’s dissolution. The Nagao Museum is important for the history of the transmission and evaluation of works, and future research will be conducted to gain a fuller understanding of the museum.
A scene from the rehearsal (Front: Mr. FUJIMA Kiyotsugu (tachikata) / Back: Mr. FUJIMA Taichi (koken))
A scene from the rehearsal (Mr. FUJIMA Kiyotsugu (tachikata))
At the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, we are working to develop new methods for recording traditional performing arts. The “Free Viewpoint Video System” places cameras around the subject, records the subject’s movements from all directions, and allows the footage to be viewed from any angle. In theatrical genres such as classical performing arts, where a certain direction on stage is perceived as the front, the system makes it possible to analyze movements and postures at a certain point in time from various angles (for example, the side or back), which may lead to new approaches in the transmission of techniques and analytical research of performing arts.
On July 10, 2024, a performance was conducted with the cooperation of Mr. FUJIMA Kiyotsugu, a tachikata performer of the Fujima school of the Nihon-buyo, and was filmed with 16 cameras, showing a suodori dance (danced without costume or wig) of “Musume Dojoji” to focus on the body movements when using props. After filming, the footage was reviewed from various perspectives, and on December 18, 2024 and January 10, 2025, the performer Mr. FUJIMA Kiyotsugu, system developers from the Denkosha Co., Ltd., and researchers from our institute Mr. ISHIMURA Tomo, Director of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Ms. MAEHARA Megumi, Head of the Intangible Cultural Properties Section, Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Ms. KAMATA Sayumi, Researcher of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, exchanged opinions and provided feedback from their respective positions on the expected purposes of use, points to be aware of when using the system, operability, and desired functions. In addition, on January 11, 2025, the preliminary results of this research were orally presented at the second plenary meeting of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research “Materia-Mind: Constructing a New Human Historical Science of the Co-creation of Material and Mind”* under the title “Performing arts and kinesiology: Analysis of the performer’s physical movements” by Mr. ISHIMURA.
We will continue working with performers and system developers to explore approaches that can serve as new recording and research tools for traditional performing arts.
*Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Area (A) FY 2024-2028 “Materia-Mind: Constructing a New Human Historical Science of the Co-creation of Material and Mind” (Principal Investigator: MATSUMOTO Naoko / No. 24A102)
Public lecture
On Friday, December 6, 2024, the 18th Public Lecture was held at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), in the basement seminar room and lobby. From 2015 to 2018, TOBUNKEN had conducted surveys on silk manufacturing techniques of Mr. SHIMURA Akira (certified individual practitioner of “conventional silk manufacturing” a selected conservation technique) and Ms. AKIMOTO Shigeko of the Silk Textile Manufacturing Research Institute of Katsuyama Co. Ltd (hereafter, Silk Textile Manufacturing Research Institute) located in Iijima Town, Nagano Prefecture. These techniques are used for the production of textile restoration materials. Based on the surveys, we published a research report, “Manufacturing Techniques of Silk Textile Research Report on Transmission of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Traditional Craftsmanship)” and an associated DVD (TOBUNKEN Publication Repository) (hereafter “Manufacturing Techniques of Silk Textile Research Report”) in 2021. This public lecture featured those techniques and served to introduce the surveys and documentation project conducted by TOBUNKEN and to share the situation of the textile restoration techniques and restoration material manufacturing techniques with a wider audience.
At the public lecture, Ms. KIKUCHI Riyo, Senior Researcher of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, explained the purpose of this lecture event, Ms. TAHIRA Namiko, Senior Specialist of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, and Dr. BANNO Yutaka, Director of the Komagatake Silk Museum and Professor Emeritus of Kyushu University, delivered lectures respectively titled “Conservation Techniques for Cultural Properties: Conventional Silk Manufacturing” and “Conservation of Silkworm Eggs in Japan.” After the lectures, time was allocated for the audience to view a lobby exhibition, which displayed cocoons of various types of silkworms borrowed from Dr. Banno, five kimono costumes made of silk textiles manufactured at the Silk Textile Manufacturing Research Institute using different reeling techniques and woven patterns, and drawstring pouches made from the same textiles as the exhibited Kimono costumes.
After a break, a video titled “Widespread Adoption Phase Manufacturing Techniques of Silk Textile Research Report” was screened, Ms. AKIMOTO reported on “the Current Situation and Inheritance of Silk Textile Manufacturing Techniques,” and Ms. YODA Naomi from Shokakudo Co., Ltd. and Ms. AKIMOTO joined in a discussion titled “Textile Restoration and Requests for Restoration Materials through the Actual Cases.”
This public lecture gave us a good opportunity to think about the importance of inheriting the current techniques by featuring intangible techniques associated with tangible cultural properties. Our department will continue to publish the research results on intangible techniques and hold opportunities to discuss the challenge.
The terraces in front of the Central Complex (Cruciform Terrace is highlighted in red)
Excavation at the Cruciform Terrace
Conservation of the Central Tower's original stone members
Ta Nei Temple is a Bundist temple estimated to have been built during the period from the end of the 12th to early 13th century. A large rectangular terrace and a Cruciform Terrace are aligned at the eastern side of the Central Complex, which is the front side of the Temple. While a large terrace is often set in front of the building complex in the other temples of the same period, the style connecting a cruciform terrace in front of a rectangular terrace is unique. Therefore, these are considered important remains, when we think about the characteristics of Ta Nei Temple. However, as tree roots had grown on the terraces and the soil infill layer inside the terraces had unevenly subsided, the terraces had largely collapsed, especially the Cruciform Terrace.
Therefore, the Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation dispatched four staff members from the end of November to late December 2024 and started an excavation of the Cruciform Terrace as a preliminary investigation for future discussion on the conservation and restoration methods, working with the archeological staff of the Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap (APSARA) of the Cambodian government. At the same time, surveys on internal structures, damage, and remaining status of fallen stone materials were conducted and fundamental discussions related to the direction of future restoration were held.
As a result of the excavation, many scattered stone materials that could be considered to have formed the Cruciform Terrace were detected under the accumulated soil around the Terrace. Furthermore, some parts of the foundation work layer and the internal structure of the Terrace were revealed. When we investigated the current level of the Terrace foundation, some subsidence was observed toward the ends of southern and northern wings, but the foundation itself remained in relatively good condition. On the contrary, it was confirmed that the side walls and floor materials were lost in many areas and that, as a result, an inner infill mainly consisting of sand had flowed out at the southern and northern sides of the eastern wing and around the southern wing of the Terrace. Almost no materials that can be estimated to have been used for the middle layer of the side walls of the Terrace were found, which could suggest that these stone materials were taken away intentionally during some past era(s). Based on these observations, we discussed the restoration methods of the Cruciform Terrace with APSARA staffs and mostly agreed on a basic direction and future plan for the restoration.
Simultaneously, we conducted some additional conservation work of stone materials at the eastern and western entrances of the Central Tower. Partial restoration of these areas had been ongoing until August 2024 (Field Activities Parts XVI to XVII). In addition, during the mission, meetings of the International Coordinating Committee (ICC-Angkor/Sambor Prei Kuk) were held in Siem Reap City from December 11 to 13. We reported on the completion of restoration of the entranceway of the Central Tower and the investigation on the Cruciform Terrace in front of the Central Complex.
Landscape of the Al-Khokha area
The treatment of mural painting fragments
The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Cultural Heritage is conducting a joint research project on the conservation and restoration of mural paintings in a rock-cut tomb located in the Al-Khokha area on the west bank of Luxor. This project is being carried out in cooperation with the Waseda University Institute of Egyptology and the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. The wall paintings under study were discovered in 2013 by Professor Emeritus Jiro Kondo in the tomb of Khonsuemheb and are estimated to date back to around 1200 BCE, during the New Kingdom period.
This mural painting is painted on a wall made of mud plaster applied to the surface of limestone. Previous research had focused on developing methods for cleaning surface dirt and identifying suitable restoration materials and techniques for areas where the plaster has detached or fallen off. In our field research conducted from November 20 to December 5, 2024, we examined methods for reattaching wall painting fragments discovered during excavation to their original positions. As a result, we achieved positive outcomes regarding the reinforcement of the wall substrate and protection of the painting’s surface. Furthermore, we were able to confirm certain successes in the reinstallation process, using materials similar to the original ones, such as mud and clay, to return the fragments to their original locations. Moving forward, we will continue to monitor the effectiveness and stability of the treatments applied and observe their long-term outcomes.
This research has been carefully advanced through a process that involved foundational studies, a series of experiments, and the development of treatment methods with practical considerations in mind. The results are unprecedented in Luxor and have been highly praised by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and local experts. Moving forward, we will continue to promote research that contributes to the conservation and restoration of the numerous wall paintings created during the New Kingdom period, aiming for further achievements in this field.
Workshop “Conservation of Historic Settlement in Kirtipur”
Historic house in Khokana settlement totally collapsed due to damage brought by heavy rain the previous summer
Aiming for the conservation of a historic house that faces the historic square in Old Kirtipur, a joint survey between Kirtipur Municipality and Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) has been underway since 2023. During the dispatch of one staff member from TOBUNKEN from December 20 to 27, 2024, a workshop titled “Conservation of Historic Settlement in Kirtipur” was co-organized by the municipality and TOBUNKEN and held on December 26 to promote a common understanding for the preservation and utilization of the target house.
The workshop consisted of two sessions. In the morning session, a lecture regarding the “good practices of the preservation and utilization of a historic house in Nepal” was presented by staff from Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT), and the results of a survey of the target house were reported by the TOBUNKEN staff member and Nepalese experts of the research team. More than 50 participants attended the workshop, including the Kirtipur mayor, deputy mayor, ward chairperson, and the house owners and their family members. Both, local government and house owners’ sides expressed positive opinions towards the preservation and utilization of the house. In the afternoon session, 16 members from the owners’ family joined a brainstorming session to discuss various topics regarding their house, such as memories, emotions, the future surrounding the building, where they have spent long periods of their lifetimes over many generations, past and presents.
Although there is still long way to go before concluding the decisions on the actual implementation of the preservation, the workshop brought an opportunity to share the value of the historic house through dialogue, and seemed to push the related stakeholders to move one step forward to its preservation.
Additionally, a quick survey on the historic settlement of Khokana, which is on the World heritage tentative list, was also made during this mission. While most of the historic houses in the settlement were rebuilt after the Gorkha earthquake in 2015, a few historic houses remained in the central area that are said to have been built in 19th century. We had been consulted by locals regarding their preservation; however, unfortunately, one of the historic houses had collapsed during the previous September due to damage brought by heavy rain. Although it was a consolation that no-one was injured in the collapse, it is regrettable that such a valuable building, which had watched over Khokana for more than 100 years, was lost forever, and necessary support was not able to reach them when they were in need.
The Presentation
The Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems organizes research seminars to be conducted not only by staff from the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, but also external researchers for presentations and research exchange. At the seminar in November, Mr. EGAITSU Michihiko, Deputy Director of the Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Art, gave a presentation titled “Study of HASEGAWA Tōtetsu.”
Regarding HASEGAWA Tōtetsu, records of the IWASA Family Genealogy show that the younger brother of IWASA Matabei’s eldest son, Katsushige, was adopted by HASEGAWA Tōhaku, called himself HASEGAWA Tōtetsu Setsuō, and painted sliding doors in the azalea room of Edo Castle. It had previously been thought that he was the same person as “Tōtetsu Sakyō Setsuzan” in the HASEGAWA Family Genealogy and that “HASEGAWA Tōtetsu,” who was described in Ryūjō Hikan as the painter of the azalea room of Edo Castle.
Although Tōtetsu’s work “White Plum Blossoms Screen” (owned by the Minneapolis Institute of Art) is well known, there are few other existing examples and documents, and he was a painter whose work is largely unknown. In this presentation, Mr. EGAITSU presented many works that are considered to be by Tōetsu, such as “Willow and Camellia Screen” which bears the signature “by HASEGAWA Totetsu,” or based on the latest research findings, and presented new documentary information, such as the fact that HASEGAWA Tōtetsu’s name appears as one of the “accompanying members” of Shōjūraikōji temple in the temple historical document “Raikōji Yōsho,” and that his name is also recorded as a poetic immortal artist in the “On miya Zōei-ki” (Record of the Construction of the Shrine) of Usa Hachiman Shrine in Bizen Province, and discussed HASEGAWA Tōtetsu’s artistic career. In the question and answer session following the presentations, many researchers participated, including commentators Mr. TODA Hiroyuki (Imperial Palace Museum of the Imperial Collections) and Mr. HIROMI Nobuhiko (Idemitsu Museum of Arts), as well as Mr. MIYAJIMA Shinichi, who has made numerous contributions related to our understanding of HASEGAWA Tōhaku, and a lively research discussion was held.
Research on a hand scroll at the Kuboso Memorial Museum of Art, Izumi
Research on The Yamazaki Bridge
The Kuboso Memorial Museum of Arts, Izumi, located in Osaka Prefecture, is owned by the Izumi Municipal Government and opened in 1982. It has a collection of Japanese and Oriental antique art, and is engaged in various cultural promotion activities, including exhibitions. In January 2024, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties signed a memorandum of understanding for joint research with the Kuboso Memorial Museum of Arts, Izumi, and is conducting research on the museum’s collection of artworks.
In March 2024, an optical survey was conducted on the Kamakura period hand scrolls “The Tale of Ise” and “Komakurabe Gyoko Emaki” (both designated as Important Cultural Properties). In November 2024, optical research was also conducted on hanging scrolls such as “Yamazaki Bridge” and “Shrike in barren tree” (both Important Cultural Properties). In particular, this survey, we investigated whether we could record images that would make the inscription at the bottom of “Yamazaki Bridge” easier to distinguish, and also photographed the materials and techniques used to express “Shrike in barren tree,” a well-known excellent ink painting by MIYAMOTO Musashi. Based on the results of this research, we will carry out joint research and will continue to make the results known through exhibitions and educational outreach activities at Kuboso Memorial Museum of Arts, Izumi.
Students, viewing the collection of books at the library of TOBUNKEN.
On Nov 26, 2024, a group from the Tokyo University of the Arts visited the TOBUNKEN Library of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN).
The students, led by Prof. KATAYAMA Mabi, took a tour guided by Mr. TASHIRO Yūichirō, Researcher of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems of the Institute’s collection of books, which have been collected since 1930. This tour focused particularly on the “URITATE (Japanese-style auction) catalog” collection, which holds significant value for research on the history of crafts. Mr. TASHIRO provided explanations, incorporating insights from his own research, to help deepen the understanding of the URITATE (Japanese-style auction) catalog as a resource.
Our Archives Section* is responsible for providing information about materials related to cultural heritage and creating an environment that enables their effective utilization. A distinctive feature of our institute is the parallel progression of these efforts with the daily investigative research conducted by our researchers, forming two integral pillars of our activities.
We hope that the invaluable materials of our institute, which are of significant value on a global scale, will be utilized by students who will shape the future, contributing to a deeper understanding of cultural heritage and the advancement of research with a long-term perspective.
*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)).
Lecture by Ms. OSAKA Yukiko
Lecture by Mr. KAWASHIMA Tadashi
The Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) plans a “Public Lecture” to be held every fall, inviting a wide audience from the public to hear researchers present their research results. The 58th Public Lecture, “Look at Form, Read Form” was held in the TOBUNKEN seminar room on November 1 and 2, 2024.
On the first day, lectures were presented titled “The Relationship between Search and Keywords in Databases” by Mr. OYAMADA Tomohiro (Chief Researcher of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems) and “Digital Archives in the Age of AI: Toward Preservation, Inheritance, and Utilization of Culture” by Ms. OSAKA Yukiko (Research Fellow of the Center for Global Communications (GLOCOM)), showing the future possibilities of digital archiving of cultural properties.
On the second day, the lectures were “History of Appreciation of Korean Ceramics: The Formation of Collections in Korea,” presented by Mr. TASHIRO Yūichirō (Researcher of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems) and “History of Appreciation of Chinese Ceramics: Acceptance and Transition of Chinese Ceramics in Japan in Modern Times,” presented by Mr. KAWASHIMA Tadashi (President of Mayuyama & Co. Ltd. and Director of the Tokyo Art Dealer Association). These lectures introduced the changing values of Korean and Chinese ceramics.
There were 139 participants from the public attending on both days, and we received a positive reaction from the audience: about 90% of the feedback questionnaire responses were “very satisfied” or “relatively satisfied.”
A scene from the gallery talk (October 26)
A scene from the symposium (November 10)
A photo exhibition entitled “Practices of Daily Life as Living Heritage in Sudan” ran from October 5 to November 17 at the Tobacco and Salt Museum (Sumida Ward, Tokyo). The exhibition was co-organized by the Tobacco and Salt Museum and the KAKENHI project “Heritage studies for realization of cultural diversity and peacebuilding in post-conflict countries” (Principal Investigator: Mr. ISHIMURA Tomo, Director of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage), supported by the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in Japan.
The exhibition featured twelve photographs, including those provided by Mr. IMANAKA Ko (Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC) Sudan Office), Mr. KANAMORI Kensuke (Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies (ASAFAS), Kyoto University), Mr. HORI Jun (journalist, Representative of 8bitNews) and Prof. Mohamed Adams Sulaiman (Sudan University of Science and Technology), as well as photographs from the collections of the British Museum, Tokyo National Museum, and the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in Tokyo. Among them, the photographs provided by Prof. Mohamed Adams Sulaiman are particularly valuable, capturing the daily life of Sudan in the midst of armed conflict. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to him.
A gallery talk was held on October 26, during which Mr. ISHIMURA provided information on the exhibited works, and Mr. KUMAGAI Kentaro (cyanotype blueprint artist) (note 1) gave a talk on the relationship between gum arabic and Sudan, since gum arabic is an essential ingredient for blueprints.
A related symposium was held on November 10. The first half was a panel discussion, where Mr. AOKI Zen (Tobacco and Salt Museum), Mr. KANAMORI, Mr. HORI, Ms. SEKIHIRO Naoyo (Kyoto City Archaeological Research Institute), and Mr. SHIMIZU Nobuhiro (Hokkai Gakuen University) gave talks on site, Mr. IMANAKA and Mr. SAKANE Koji (Global Peacebuilding Association of Japan, former Chief Representative of JICA Sudan Office) gave a talk online, Mr. Ali Mohamed Ahmed Osman Mohamed (Chargé d’affaires, Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in Japan) gave a video message, and Mr. ISHIMURA acted as a moderator. In addition, a young Sudanese man living in Japan contributed with a comment for the panel discussion.
In the second half of the event, there was a performance by a Sudanese dance group led by REIKA, including Reika, Miyuki, Yoko, Reiko Miho, Akiko, and Yoko (stage names). During the final song, the audience also joined in dancing the Sudanese dances. The event was a great success, with eighty participants.
A book written by the panelists of this symposium, “Aspiring to Sudan’s Future – eyewitnesses of revolution, coup and conflicts” (edited by SEKIHIRO Naoyo and ISHIMURA Tomo, published by Akashi Shoten, 2024) was available at the museum shop during the exhibition.
Finally, we would like to thank Dr. Julie Anderson (British Museum), Mr. Mohammed Nasreldein (University of Tübingen), and Mr. Ali Mohamed Ahmed Osman Mohamed for their cooperation in making this exhibit possible.
Note 1: Cyanotype blueprinting is a photographic method invented in the 19th century that produces a monochrome, blue-colored print. The prints were often used to copy mechanical and architectural drawings. Although they are rarely used for practical purposes today, they are often considered as artworks for their unique expression.
