Study of the Shuten-dōji Handscrolls: The 11th Seminar in 2024 Fiscal Year Held by the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems

The Seminar

The Flyer of the Exhibition

　A study meeting on the Shuten-dōji Scroll was held on February 25, 2025. This research has been carried out since 2022 as a project for Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) centering on the Shuten-dōji Scroll (6 volumes, collection of the Grassi Ethnological Museum in Leipzig, hereinafter, “the Leipzig Scroll”) by Sumiyoshi Hiroyuki, and two previous meetings had been held and reported on this theme1. This time, in the final year of the research funded by the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research, the following presentations were made:

EMURA Tomoko, “The Mysterious Charm of Shuten-dōji”

NAMIKI Seishi (Specially Appointed Professor at Kyoto Institute of Technology), “The Kano School and Shuten-dōji Scroll”

KOBAYASHI Kenji (Professor Emeritus at the National Institute of Japanese Literature), “Resonating Noh and Scrolls”

　After the three presentations, UENO Tomoe (Deputy Director of Curatorial Department of the Suntory Museum of Art) spoke as a commentator, and then a Q&A session was held with the audience and online participants. This research project is also cooperating with an exhibition called the “Shuten-dōji Begins: Tales of the Demon Slayer Throughout the Ages,” which will be held at the Suntory Museum of Art from April 29 to June 15 this year. The Leipzig Scroll was specially created as a wedding furnishing for Tanehime, who was adopted by the 10th shogun, TOKUGAWAI Ieharu, and married the 10th Lord of the Kishu clan, TOKUGAWA Harutomi, and this exhibition will be the first time the Leipzig Scroll has been showcased in Japan. We hope that many people will come to see it at the exhibition venue.

For more information about the exhibition, please click here.

Deciphering the “Light Snow on a Fishing Village” Scroll ― The 12th Seminar Held by the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems

Caption: Scenes from the seminar

　The Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems hosts study groups, inviting researchers from Japan and abroad as a platform for academic exchange. This year, the department welcomed Dr. Wan Muchun, a professor at the China Academy of Art and vice president of the Advanced School of Arts and Humanities, who gave a research presentation titled “Wang Shen’s ‘Light Snow on a Fishing Village‘ Scroll.”

　Based on source materials, the presentation explored Wang Shen’s legacy of paintings, closely analyzing the key elements of Light Snow on a Fishing Village—the waterside, snowy scenery, and a fishing village—to examine how they contribute to the spatial composition of the work as a whole. Attempts were also made to decipher the painter’s visual approach, with a focus on depictions of nature and on atmospheric expression in particular. Looking beyond Light Snow on a Fishing Village, the presentation also compared multiple examples, conducting a detailed examination of different approaches to visual expression.

　The question-and-answer session elicited active discussions and insightful questions from researchers and graduate students, to which Dr. Wan provided clear and insightful responses. This lecture by an international researcher offered Japanese scholars a valuable opportunity to gain new perspectives.

　Moving forward, the department aims to invite more international researchers and regularly host study groups as a platform for knowledge exchange.

Review of the Evaluation and System of Korean Calligraphy and Painting – The 10th Seminar Held by the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems

　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.

Cattail Craftwork in Hiruzen, Okayama

Using a komogeta stand and tsuchinoko weights to weave cattails with a yamakage rope

Cattail waist baskets: that on the right was made more than 50 years ago.

　On February 22, 2025, a survey was conducted in Hiruzen, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, on techniques for making cattail craft using himegama (Typha domingensis).
Prior to the period of rapid economic growth, cattails were used throughout Japan as materials for a variety of daily utensils, such as backpack baskets, storage containers, traditional gaiters, snowshoes, and rugs. As an aquatic plant, cattails have a hollow structure, and are characterized by their light weight, excellent heat retention, and waterproof properties, as well as their extremely beautiful luster. Because of their durability, in some regions, cattails were used to make more “formal” baskets or gaiters, which are thought to be of a higher quality grade than straw crafts.

　Since many of these cattail crafts were made for private uses, the production techniques have been lost in most parts of the country due to changing lifestyles and the rise of chemical products. However, craftsmen in Hiruzen succeeded in revitalizing cattail craft as a local industry during the period of rapid economic growth, and the technique has been passed down to the present day. In 1982, Hiruzen Cattail Craft was designated as a local traditional craft by the prefecture, and today, the Hiruzen Cattail Craft Production Promotion Association (8 members) is working to carry on the craft.

　Cattail crafts are made by peeling off the bark of first-year cattail harvested by hand around October and weaving them with a strong rope made from the inner bark of the Japanese linden tree (Yamakage in local name). The rope is made by cutting down a 20-year-old yamakage tree during the end of June to July (before the end of the rainy season), soaking the peeled inner bark in a pond or swamp for about four months to let them rot, washing and drying them, then thinly pealing them layer by layer and twisting them into a thin, thread-like rope. The rope used for old cattail baskets in the Hiruzen Folk Museum collection is more loosely woven than the current version, which suggests that a thinner, more beautiful rope was pursued in the process of refining it as a fine craft.

　Hiruzen is about 500 to 600 meters above sea level, and is a region with heavy snowfall, said to be “under snow for a hundred days” from December to March. In the past, good quality himegama could be gathered in abundance in the wetlands of the plateau, but due to climate change and animal damage, the natural good material has no longer been growing in recent years, and now the producers have switched to cultivation in fallow fields to secure the material. However, cultivated cattails have problems such as being too soft or having uneven color or staining. Since it is difficult to secure high quality material as in the past, the craftsmen of Hiruzen are continuing their trial-and-error efforts to improve the situation.

　The inability to sustainably and stably secure the raw materials used for traditional techniques has become a major challenge throughout the country. The Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage will continue to survey the current situation in each region regarding the techniques for using materials rooted in the local environment and the issues involved.

Recording Live Performances of Heike: the Seventh Session

Mr. TANAKA Naoichi

Mr. HIYOSHI Shogo

　The Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage has been recording live performances of Heike (or Heike Biwa). Heike faces the crisis of not being inherited by the next generation because of the recent absence of sufficient successors. This series of recordings has been conducted with the cooperation of the Heike Narrative Research Society, led by Prof. KOMODA Haruko, Musashino Academia Musicae, and other members of the society, including Mr. KIKUO Yuji, Mr. TANAKA Naoichi, and Mr. HIYOSHI Shogo since 2018. The seventh recording session of “The Visit to Chikubushima” (the entire piece) and “the Uji River” (the first half of the piece) was held in the Tokyo Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) Performing Arts Studio on January 31, 2025.

　In “The Visit of Chikubushima,” an episode of a fortunate omen is narrated. Taira no Tsunemasa, adjutant general of the Taira clan and also an excellent poet and singer, visited the Chikubushima (the island of Chikubu) by a small boat on his way heading north along Lake Biwa. In Chikubushima, when he played secret music on the biwa instrument that was handed to him, a white dragon appeared above his sleeve. As Benzaiten (Goddess Saraswati), who is also a deity of performing arts, is enshrined in Chikubushima, this story implies harmony with the biwa instrument. “Uji River” features the fight for the vanguard between Kajiwara Genta Kagesue and Sasaki Shiro Takatsuna of the army of Minamoto no Yoritomo on the way to chase Kiso no Yoshinaka. In the first half, the following two highlights were well expressed: Kagesue and Takatsuna escalated their competitive spirits, triggered by the event in which an excellent horse called Ikezuki was given to Takatsuna, though Kagesue had asked for it. This led to a rising of tensions in the Minamoto army and the Kiso no Yoshinaka army facing each other across the raging Uji River.

　We recorded the live performances in which Mr. Kikuo and Mr. Tanaka played “The Visit of Chikubusima” (the entire piece) and Mr. Hiyoshi played “the Uji River” (the first half of the piece).
　
　The Department will continue to archive the traditional and reconstructed pieces of “Heike” live performances by the Heike Narrative Research Society.

Report on the Forum, “Considering the Conservation of the Museum Collections After the Suspension of the Major Fumigation Gas Sales”

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.

Newly Introduced/Updated Instruments at the Center for Conservation Science in FY2024

　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.

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.

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.

3-Dimensional Measurements of Historical Islamic Tombstones in Bahrain (Third season)

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.