| ■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 |
|
On Wednesday, June 11, 2025. a delegation of researchers from the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH), Korea, visited our Institute. The NRICH is an agency under the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea, dedicated to the research and investigation of various aspects of Korean cultural heritage. The institution traces its origins to the Cultural Heritage Research Office of the Cultural Heritage Management Bureau, established in 1969. Currently, it operates with an organizational structure comprising two divisions, six departments, and one team—namely, the Division of Administrative Operations, the Division of Research Planning, the Department of Archaeological Research, the Department of Art and Cultural Heritage Research, the Department of Architectural Cultural Heritage Research, the Department of Conservation Science Research, the Department of Restoration Technology Research, the Department of Safety and Disaster Prevention Research, and the Digital Cultural Heritage Research Information Team, respectively. In addition, the NRICH maintains seven regional research centers (located in Gyeongju, Buyeo, Gaya, Naju, Jungwon, Seoul, and Wanju), as well as a Cultural Heritage Conservation Science Center.
Since 2023, the NRICH has been contributing information on Korean artists to the Union List of Artist Names (ULAN, https://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/ulan/), a database managed by the Getty Research Institute (GRI) in the United States. Prior to this, our Institute had already begun collaborating with the Getty Research Institute in 2016, supplying digital data and bibliographic information on our library holdings to the Getty Research Portal (GRP, https://portal.getty.edu/)—a digital collection of art-related literature from institutions around the world. This prior collaboration served as a model case and facilitated the current exchange.
The delegation, consisting of five researchers led by Ms. Kim Eun-young, Director of the Department of Art and Cultural Heritage Research, was welcomed by Mr. KIKKAWA Hideki (Head, Modern and Contemporary Art Section, Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems) and Mr. TASHIRO Yuichiro (Researcher, The Archives Section, Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems). After a presentation on our Institute’s initiatives, both parties engaged in a productive discussion. Although based in different countries, both institutions share commonalities in the cultural context of East Asia. The discussion addressed ways to effectively disseminate information on East Asian art and culture to Western audiences, and explored avenues for future collaboration.
Our Institute is currently the only institution in Japan engaged in joint projects with the Getty Research Institute. Building on this priority status, we hope to further expand our international network and fulfill our role as a central “hub” for scholarly exchange between Japan and the world, thereby contributing more comprehensively to academic research in Japan.
(Materials from Our Institute’s Collection Registered in the GRP)
・Japanese Art Exhibition Catalogs（951 records）
・Complete series of Japanese Art of Meiji period（64 records）
・Compilation of Artist’s Seals（85 records）
・Ranking List of Japanese Artist（61 records）
・Oda Kazuma Collection （135 records）
・Maeda Seison Collection（269 records）
・Rare Books （335 records）
・Japanese Wood Print Books（210 records）
etc.
Director Kim Daljin (Kim Daljin Art Research & Consulting) introducing a digital terminal for viewing archival materials
Researcher Ms. Im Jeong-eun (Leeum Museum of Art) explaining the preservation status of the Lee Gu-yeol Collection
Researcher Ms. Lee Ji-hee (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea) outlining the current state of art archive
As part of a research initiative of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, “Comprehensive Research on the Sharing of Research Findings and Scholarly Information on Cultural Properties” (Project Code: SH01), we have been conducting collaborative research with domestic and international institutions to organize and disseminate the outcomes and data of investigations on cultural properties conducted by our Institute in alignment with international standards.
In fiscal year 2025, to examine the current state of art archives in the Republic of Korea—where recent developments in both IT infrastructure and cultural initiatives have attracted growing attention—Mr. KIKKAWA Hideki (Head, Modern and Contemporary Art Section) and Mr. TASHIRO Yuichiro (Researcher, The Archives Section) conducted a field study in South Korea from Monday, June 23 to Thursday, June 26.
Their visit began at Kim Daljin Art Research & Consulting, one of South Korea’s pioneering institutions in the field of art archives. There, they met with Director Kim Daljin and Chief Archivist An Hyo-re. Although a privately operated archive, Kim Daljin Art Research & Consulting shares many points in common with our Institute, particularly in the collection of archival materials related to contemporary artists, such as through the acquisition of materials donated by Mr. SASAKI Shigeo. This visit allowed for a fruitful exchange of views concerning the preservation and utilization of archival resources.
They then visited the Leeum Museum of Art, one of Korea’s foremost private art museums. Guided by researcher Ms. Im Jeong-eun, they toured the document consultation room and viewed archival materials—including those related to the renowned modern art critic Lee Gu-yeol (1932–2020)—which had been collected in conjunction with oral history projects.
Their next destination was the Seoul Museum of Art Archives, newly established in 2023 by the Seoul Museum of Art. There, they met with curator Mr. Yu Ye-dong and records researcher Mr. Cho Eun-seong, and were introduced to cutting-edge archival preservation technologies, a comprehensive management system, and an AI-assisted art thesaurus—a systematically structured vocabulary system for art-related knowledge.
They also visited the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), South Korea’s representative institution for modern and contemporary art. Researcher Ms. Lee Ji-hee led a tour of the museum’s archival holdings. Unlike the Museum of Contemporary Art in Japan, the MMCA encompasses both contemporary and modern art dating back to the late 19th century. After visiting each of the MMCA’s branches—Gwacheon, Deoksugung, and Seoul—they held a discussion with Mr. Kim In-hye, Director of Curatorial Affairs, on the development of art archives tailored to the characteristics of the museum’s respective collections.
Since the early 2000s, the development of art archives in South Korea has advanced rapidly. Noteworthy is the active engagement of professionally trained archivists—many of whom have studied archival science at the graduate level—in overseeing and operating archival institutions. In addition, South Korea’s emphasis on the use of advanced digital technologies such as AI in both the preservation and utilization of records is particularly remarkable.
This research trip yielded significant insights into the future of art archives in Japan. It also provided an opportunity to reflect anew on the value of our Institute’s soft-content assets. At the time of the visit, the MMCA was hosting the exhibition “Surrealism and Modern Korean Painting” (April 17–July 6, Deoksugung Branch), curated by Mr. Park Hye-seong, a researcher who had previously conducted investigations at our Institute in November of the prior year into materials related to Korean students who had studied in Japan before 1945. The visit not only allowed for a meaningful reunion, but also offered a valuable opportunity to view an exhibition that had directly benefited from research conducted at our Institute.
The materials accumulated by our Institute since the 1930s include many items of great value for considering the modern history of East Asia. The long-term compilation of modern art resources, as well as the ongoing efforts to make archival holdings publicly accessible, have begun to attract the attention of researchers across East Asia. As such, it is our hope that by continuing to collaborate with various institutions, and by actively disseminating our collections, we can enhance international recognition and promote their use in research, thereby contributing to the advancement of East Asian art historical studies.
At the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, we actively promote research exchange by inviting external researchers to present their findings. At the 10th research seminar held on February 17, 2025, Professor Seo Yoon-jung from Myongji University, South Korea, delivered a presentation titled “An Gyeon and the North China School of Landscape Painting in East Asia—Attributed Works, Forgeries, and Korean Paintings within Kara-e.” Additionally, Chief Curator Kim Gwi-bun from the National Hansen’s Disease Museum presented on “The Process of Professionalization of Calligraphy in Modern Korea and Its Characteristics—Focusing on the Trends of Bureaucrat-turned-Calligraphers.” Lastly, Tashiro Yuichiro, a researcher at our institute, gave a presentation entitled “Sekino Tadashi’s (関野貞) Survey of Korean Paintings and Korean Collectors—Based on Survey Materials Preserved at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.”
Each presentation examined the evaluation and institutional framework surrounding Korean calligraphy and painting. Professor Seo Yoon-jung analyzed the process by which various works attributed to An Gyeon were historically recognized in Edo-period Japan and Joseon Korea. She also explored how An Gyeon’s paintings could be positioned within the lineage of the North China school of landscape painting in East Asia. Following this, Kim Gwi-bun investigated the process by which calligraphers, particularly those from bureaucratic backgrounds, transitioned into professionalized careers from the late Joseon period through the colonial era. Lastly, Yuichiro Tashiro examined Sekino Tadashi’s survey of Korean paintings and the role of Korean collectors, using research notes on Korean paintings preserved at our institute as primary materials.
The seminar was conducted in a hybrid (HyFlex) format with simultaneous online streaming. It attracted not only students and researchers from Japan, but also scholars from the United States, China, and other countries. The event concluded successfully with active participation and engagement from a broad international audience.
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.
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)).
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)).
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)).
A tour, guided by Mr. KIKKAWA Hideki
On March 21, 2024, a group from the National Museum of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea (Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do) visited the TOBUNKEN Library of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.
The museum, an institution under the Cultural Heritage Administration, Korea, opened in November 2023 and mainly holds historical materials, including 75 volumes of the Odaesan Edition of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty (UNESCO’s Memory of the World) and 82 volumes of the Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty.
The group, including Mr. Daehyun Kim (administrative officer), took a tour, guided by Mr. KIKKAWA Hideki, Head, Archives Section of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems and 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. Furthermore, both institutions exchanged opinions on the current situation and issues surrounding material preservation and archive projects based on common ground regarding the preservation and utilization of materials.
One of the missions of the Archives Section 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. This is no exception for overseas experts and students. We hope that the materials of our institute, which are highly valued even by international standards, will be widely utilized and contribute to the development of research on cultural properties that are the common heritage of all humankind.
Note: 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 room on January 26.
The Archives Section at the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems currently organizes Korean painting research materials, such as prewar glass plates and mounted photographs.* In organizing the data, we exchange opinions with both Japanese and Korean researchers. As a part of the project, Dr. Mok Soohyun (Director, Institute of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, at the Association of Korean Modern & Contemporary Art History), a leading researcher on modern art history in Korea, was invited to the institute. In conjunction with a review meeting on materials, a colloquium titled, Korean Art History Colloquium was held on January 26 in the institute’s basement seminar room, where the first colloquium was held in November. The colloquium was designed as an opportunity for researchers and students in Japan to come into contact with the recent trends and current state of Korean art history. The event, titled stablishment of Museums in Korea, was hosted and translated by Mr. TASHIRO Yūichiro, a researcher at the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems. The colloquium was attended by researchers and graduate students from related fields, including Professor KIDA Emiko of Ōtani University and Professor Lee Mina of Tokyo National University of the Arts, and full and frank academic discussions were held. The Archives Section hopes that we can continue to organize the data accumulated by the institute and serve as a bridge between researchers from overseas and Japan.
*Funded by the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation. “Photographs of Korean Paintings at Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties” (September 2023 – August 2024, research representative: TASHIRO Yūichiro)
The seminar room on November 18.
The Archives Research Center, Archives Section, Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Propertiesis currently carrying out a project to organize Korean art research materials, including pre-war glass plates and albums*. Researchers not only from Japan but also from South Korea are consulted for the project. On November 17th, the institute invited Professor Chang Chin-Sung, a leading Korean art history scholar at Seoul National University, to a review meeting on materials. In conjunction with the meeting, the Korean Art History Colloquium, headed by Professor Chang, was held in the institute’s basement seminar room on November 18th (Saturday). The colloquium was designed as an opportunity for researchers and students in Japan to come into contact with the trends and current state of Korean art history research. The colloquium, organized and interpreted by researcher TASHIRO Yuichiro, covered paintings from the early Joseon period under the title “Reading Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land by Ahn Gyeon.” Researchers and graduate students from related fields, including Professor Itakura Masaaki (University of Tokyo) and Professor Kanno Chiaki (University of Tsukuba), participated in the colloquium to engange in full and frank academic discussion. The institute will continue to organize the accumulated data, and at the same time serve as a bridge between researchers in Japan and from abroad.
*Funded by the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation. “Research on Photographs of Korean Painting at Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties” (September 2023 – August 2024, research representative: TASHIRO Yuichiro)
Prof. Yi Ki Sung, viewing the collection of books at the library of TOBUNKEN.
On September 1, 2023, a group of researchers and graduate students from Korea, including Professor Yi Ki Sung from the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, Department of Archaeology, visited the library of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN). The group came to Japan for a research presentation at the Korea-Japan Cultural Properties Forum, held at Waseda University on August 31, and TOBUNKEN was selected as a destination to visit during their stay in Japan.
The library tour was followed by an explanation of the history of TOBUNKEN and the structure of its library collection provided by the staff. The institute’s collection of books, accumulated since 1930, contains valuable materials on Korean art history and archaeology, which attracted the group’s full attention.
One of the tasks of the Archives Section* is to provide information on cultural properties to professionals and students and to create an environment in which materials can be effectively used, including visitors from overseas. We hope that the priceless materials of our institute, which are highly valued worldwide, will be widely utilized and contribute to the research and development of our cultural assets, a common heritage of humankind.
*The Archives Section provides guidance sessions as occasion demands for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as museum staff. If you would like to participate in a session, please submit a request with reference to “TOBUNKEN Library Guidance for undergraduate/graduate students and museum staff.” : https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/japanese/library/application/application_guidance.html (Japanese only)
Fan-paper album of Hoke-kyo Sutra in Kokka Vols. 419
Cabinets
Kokka is an art magazine that was first published in 1889, and its publication has continued to the present day. It is known as a significant academic publication in the field of Japanese and Asian art history. Since its first issue, Kokka has introduced outstanding works of art with gorgeous illustrations, each of which has become an important basic resource for art historical research. Over the past 130 years, researchers publishing in Kokka have painstakingly accumulated and provided an enormous amount of fundamental data.
In 2014, Kokkasha, the publisher of Kokka, donated camera-ready copy (kamiyaki) illustrations of the artworks published in Kokka to the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) Library. These camera-ready copy illustrations were pasted on mounts, amounting to 45 cardboard boxes in volume. While organizing the materials, we previously released the illustrations from Kokka Vols 800 [1958] to 1200 [1996], and now we are releasing additional illustrations from Vols. 400 [1924] onward. These are valuable documents from the Taishō era (1912–1926) to the beginning of the Shōwa era (1926–1989).
These illustrations are arranged in the TOBUNKEN Library cabinets in order of volume number, along with the illustrations previously released. As the staff have rearranged all the illustrations in Kokka, we believe it will now be easier to view the materials than before. Visitors to the TOBUNKEN Library can browse the collection freely. We hope you will make use of these valuable materials.
Q&A Session
On May 30, 2023, TASHIRO Yuichiro (Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems) gave a presentation titled A Study on the Formation of Korean Art History: Focusing on the Japanese Settlers in Colonial Korea.
Among the Japanese living in Korea during the colonial period (1910-45), many were involved in the administration, research, education, collection, and production (manufacturing) of arts and crafts. However, many of them died on the Korean peninsula or ceased their activities after repatriation to Japan, and among them some have been forgotten in Japan since the end of World War II.
The presenter, with a personal history as a “Japanese in Korea,” having stayed in the Republic of Korea while studying the history of ceramics, has been interested in the Japanese who had spent time in the Korean Peninsula as he did. At the same time, he has felt that their influence on the current understanding of art history has been significant.
With this in mind, the presenter has decided to undertake research on the Japanese in Korea as a long-term research project separate from his work on the history of ceramics. Specifically, the presenter plans to focus on Japanese in Korea who were active in art history and relevant fields by analyzing (1) the framework (historical view and value evaluation) they formed and (2) their human networks, to clarify how they played a crucial role in our understanding of art history in Korea after 1945.
In the presentation, the presenter introduced his previous research on the reception history of Joseon white porcelain, a catalyst for his interest in the Japanese living in Korea (TASHIRO Yuichiro, The Concept of Akikusade: A Reflection on Modern Japanese Perception of Joseon White Porcelain, Korean Journal of Art History, No. 294, Korean Art History Association, 2017). He also presented the results from his material research, conducted in parallel with his academic pursuit of ceramic history, followed by the prospectus of this project. As the word “conjecture” in the Japanese title suggests, this presentation is the first step of an ongoing research project. The presenter hopes to continue his study on clarifying the role of Japanese residents in Korea in the formation of Korean art history.
