| ■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.
A prototype database of Bibliograhic Records from Yearbook of Japanese Art (Nihon bijutsu nenkan)
Nihon bijutsu nenkan (Year Book of Japanese Art, hereinafter called “NENKAN” https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/japanese/publication/nenkan/nenkan.html) is a data book that compiles trends in the art world in Japan over the course of a year. It was first published in 1936, and been published annually since, by the Art Research Institute of the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts, the predecessor of Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN). Starting with the 2022 edition, published in January 2025, a major revision was made by removing a “References Published in Periodicals” section that had long been included in the NENKAN, and instead making them available only on the database.
As an associate fellow of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, I conducted a presentation titled “Current Status and Issues of Nihon bijutsu nenkan” on June 5, 2025. I reported on the recent revision of NENKAN and also discussed future issues for NENKAN. The exhibition information published in the NENKAN, which is based on media available in Tokyo, is naturally biased toward the Kanto region. As one solution to this problem, I proposed a new means of information gathering through collaboration with other institutions. In the discussion following the presentation, opinions were exchanged on the significance of the institute continuing to publish NENKAN and compiling a chronological historical record, as well as anticipated issues in collaboration with other institutions.
In the future, we aim to further improve the “References in Exhibition Catalogues” section, a unique section of NENKAN, and to build a database that reflects the classification system we have developed to date for describing and understanding the art world, and to introduce a system for instantly publishing “References in Periodicals” information entered within the institute. Not only will we continue the publication of NENKAN, which has a long history, but we will also strive to provide information that is more accessible to many people, based on modern methods of providing information.
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.
Visual investigation of damage made by termites that intruded through cracks in the floor and observation of living termites
Observation of lacquered door panels with pest damage and confirmation of sampling points
Visual investigation of decorations made by colored lacquer maki-e technique
Wat Ratchapradit, located in Bangkok, Thailand, is a first-grade Royal temple founded by King Rama IV in 1864. Since the temple’s foundation, the double-door openings of the windows and entrances of the ordination hall have been adorned with many lacquered panels made in Japan. Mother-of-pearl inlay with underpainting and colored lacquer maki-e were used to apply motifs such as flowers and birds, as well as Chinese legends, on these panels, which are highly decorative. Over time, deterioration has been detected on the panels, and therefore the Fine Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture of Thailand has been restoring them. TOBUNKEN has provided technical assistance for the restoration and conducted studies on the panels.
To maintain the solemn atmosphere of the ordination hall as a place of worship, the lacquered door panels will be returned to their original positions. However, some panels were damaged, presumably by insects. The same problems may recur if the panels are returned to their original positions without protective measures. For that reason, a research project for on-site conservation of the lacquered door panels was launched as a funded study by Wat Ratchapradit, and we conducted an on-site investigation on June 9-11, 2025.
We observed the general condition of the ordination hall, as well as the presence of wood-boring pests such as termites. We also visually inspected the lacquered door panels that were damaged by insects. Initially, we thought the panels had not been damaged recently and that insect activity had ceased. However, through our investigation, we discovered that termites currently enter the ordination hall through small cracks in the floor and that the panels may still be further damaged by termites. We will propose protective measures to the Thai side to maintain the condition of the lacquered door panels in their original positions.
In addition, we examined the lacquered door panels. Some uncertainties remain regarding the materials and techniques used for the panels, and therefore we are conducting visual investigations and scientific analyses of the fragmented materials. Based on the results of the study, we will make suggestions for the restoration and replication of the lacquered door panels.
Peeling bark from a tree using a customized spoon
Peeling off the outer parts and extracting the inner parts
Children focusing on washi-making with Mr. Fukunishi
People engaged in noriutsugi supplies intently listened to the explanation by Mr. Fukunishi
“Neri,” a substance extracted from noriutsugi trees, is essential for making Uda washi (Japanese traditional paper) that is used for cultural property restoration. Under the strong sunshine in early summer, people in Shibetsu Town, Hokkaido, carefully remove bark from noriutsugi and peel off its outer parts by hand to extract the inner parts. Furthermore, to reduce reliance on the wild species, they have begun to grow noriutsugi trees in nurseries.
Four members of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), Mr. NISHIDA Noriyoshi, Head of Analytical Science Section, Center for Conservation Science, Ms. ICHIMIYA Yae, Associate Fellow of the same Center, Ms. MAEHARA Megumi, Head of Intangible Cultural Properties Section, the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Mr. ODAWARA Naoya, Associate Fellow of the same Department, visited Shibetsu Town from June 24 to 27, 2025. They inspected the process of barking noriutsugi and peeling off its outer parts, and video-recorded the way to grow nursery trees with talks provided by the related parties. They also participated in and video recorded dissemination activities, including a workshop by Mr. FUKUNISHI Masayuki, a holder of selected conservation techniques for handmade washi essential for mounting (Uda washi paper) held at the Shibetsu Town Culture Hall, targeting elementary school students and the wider public. These videos are planned for use in research, education, and dissemination related to the succession of cultural properties after editing.
TOBUNKEN concluded an agreement on collaboration and cooperation on materials for cultural property restoration with Shibetsu Town on November 2, 2023. Recording and disseminating the activities to ensure sustainable supplies of noriutsugi and dissemination activities are expected to benefit this collaboration and cooperation.
Measuring the outside diameter of common reeds (at Kurita Trading Co., Ltd.)
Common reeds grown to over three meters
The Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage is investigating the common reeds (Phragmites australis) used to make the rozetsu (reed) of hichiriki (Japanese traditional flute) as a part of a project to investigate the raw materials essential for intangible cultural properties. Accompanied by Ms. NAKAMURA Hitomi, a hichiriki player who also makes rozetsu by herself, we conducted a survey of common reed fields around Watarase-yusuichi (retarding basin) on June 16, 2025. Watarase-yusuichi, a Ramsar-designated wetland since July 2012, is one of the largest common reed fields in Japan, as 2,500 ha of the area is covered by various plants, around half of which comprises the common reed fields.
We started this investigation by visiting Kurita Trading Co., Ltd. We asked them to select thick common reeds suitable for the rozetsu of hichiriki and provide them to us as sample materials. We plan to request several rozetsu creators to use the samples to make rozetsu and assess the suitability of common reeds grown in Watarase-yusuichi for rozetsu.
The Council for Conservation and Utilization of Watarase-yusuichi was organized, consisting of local governments, representatives of local community associations, and related associations of four cities and two towns: Tochigi City, Oyama City, and Nogi Town, Tochigi Prefecture; Itakura Town, Gunma Prefecture; Koga City, Ibaraki Prefecture; and Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture. With the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Environment as observers, the Council is seeking a future vision for Watarase-ryusuichi and submitting requests based on accumulated discussions on damage caused by animals and the means of water control, while conducting activities to raise awareness through the creation of a guidebook for learning about its environment.
Furthermore, as it is essential to burn common reeds every year to maintain the common reed bed in good condition, the related four cities and two towns, their related fire departments, the Joint Association of Watarase-yusuichi Utilization Unions, the Acclamation Promotion Foundation, and the River Management Office of Upper Tone River set up a Common Reed Burning Network, and conduct the burning of common reeds together.
While the demand for domestic common reeds is limited and the number of business operators utilizing common reeds and Amur silvergrass has decreased to five, the network of business operators, local governments, local community associations, and related associations, manages to maintain the common reed beds in Watarase-yusuichi, and makes continuous efforts to promote public awareness and wider understanding. We are continuing to investigate the characteristics of common reeds in Watarase-yusuichi, and to explore their usage, as some gagaku players believe that they are suitable for rozetsu of hichiriki.
Applying agricultural sheets to prevent weed growth as part of cultivating kōzo.
Mr. Fukunishi explaining about kōzo raw material.
Although a wide range of tools and raw materials are used in the preservation and restoration of cultural property, fine arts, and crafts, many are at risk of being discontinued in the future due to a lack of skilled successors and increasing difficulty in securing the necessary materials. In response to this situation, the Center for Conservation Science, Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) has been involved in the commissioned research of “Investigation of Tools and Materials Used for the Preservation and Restoration of Fine Arts and Crafts” as part of the project of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, “Support for the Management of Tools and Materials Used for the Preservation and Restoration of Fine Arts and Crafts.” This report introduces a field survey of the cultivation of kozo (paper mulberry), the raw material for washi (Japanese paper), which is essential for the restoration of cultural property. It also presents the current use of wood ash in the cooking process used to obtain kozo fibers.
We visited four kozo fields in Yoshino Town and Gojo City, Nara Prefecture, on June 9-10, 2025, and learned about the meticulous work involved in tasks called mekaki (the removal of unnecessary new shoots and buds to concentrate nutrients on the remaining ones) and weed control, as well as the various innovations and challenges involved in the cultivation process. There is no end to the challenges, such as determining the cause of “red streaks” that appear on the inner bark, which reduce the usable amount of raw material because they discolor the fibers, and dealing with insects that were not seen in the past. The number of people responsible for this type of cultivation management is decreasing year by year, which poses a significant challenge in terms of ensuring a stable supply of this raw material.
We also visited the paper-making factories of Mr. FUKUNISHI Masayuki and Mr. UEKUBO Ryoji. The raw materials and wood ash are carefully selected and the delicate process of removing inclusions one-by-one by hand is repeated, because such inclusions make the material unsuitable for the restoration of cultural property. The issue of ensuring a stable supply of wood ash in the future was also discussed. An alkaline solution obtained from wood ash is essential for extracting kozo fibers, but it is also becoming increasingly difficult to procure the ash to obtain good quality fiber.
Going forward, we will conduct scientific research into the interactions between ash derived from various plant species and various raw materials and woods, with the aim of addressing specific challenges. In parallel, we will focus on strengthening our role as a network hub, connecting experts and knowledge across related fields, while continuing our ongoing efforts to document production techniques and processes.
