Exploring “Regional Art Studies” Through the Chubu Nippon Art Exhibition and Prefectural Exhibitions — Seminar Held by the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems

　On June 25, 2026, a seminar was held at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) by the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems. Aiming to clarify the role and actual state of local open-call exhibitions in the postwar period, this seminar invited Mr. ISHIZAKI Takashi, Senior Curator at the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, was invited to this seminar and he delivered a presentation titled “The Chubu Nippon Art Exhibition and Research on Prefectural Exhibitions.”

　In his presentation, Mr. ISHIZAKI first reported on the historical role played by the Chubu Nippon Art Exhibition (Chubi-ten), an open-call exhibition held in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, from 1947 to 1956. Initiated with the goals of showcasing postwar reconstruction and establishing a unique regional culture in the Chubu region, Chubi-ten left an important footprint in regional art history; alongside a parallel campaign for museum construction, it led to the birth of the Aichi Cultural Center Art Museum, the predecessor of the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art. Meanwhile, recognizing that the lack of primary sources—including exhibition catalogues—had been a major barrier to research, Mr. ISHIZAKI shared the progress of the archival survey he had been conducting. Furthermore, he emphasized the significance of re-examining local open-call exhibitions and prefectural exhibitions (kenten)—which have often been viewed merely as “imitations” or “mini-salons” of central art organization exhibitions—from the perspective of providing specific details. He presented a highly suggestive proposition: such empirical, bottom-up approaches can unravel the Tokyo-centric narrative of art history, leading to the “decentralization of art history” and bringing the autonomy of regional art to light.

　This seminar was also attended by 14 participants from outside the Department (both in person and online), including specialists in modern and contemporary art and curators from the Kanto and Chubu regions. In the second half, during the discussion and information exchange session moderated by Mr. KIKKAWA Hideki, participants engaged in a multifaceted discussion. Topics included how to re-examine prefectural exhibitions with their diverse origins and operational models, methods for developing primary sources and insights gained from surveys into a foundation for art history research, and the unique difficulties of studying ongoing prefectural exhibitions. Triggered by this seminar, discussions toward collaborative research have already begun among participating researchers, marking a steady step toward sustainable research cooperation in the future.

Guidance Session for the TOBUNKEN Library – for Graduate Students of Meiji Gakuin University

Explanation of stack room organization and material usage

　On June 17th, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) introduced guidance for the TOBUNKEN Library to two graduate students of Meiji Gakuin University (led by SHIOYA Jun, Senior Researcher at TOBUNKEN / part-time lecturer at Meiji Gakuin University Graduate School). At the beginning of this guidance session, KIKKAWA Hideki explained how to use the library and described how the collection was developed in the conference room on the second floor of TOBUNKEN. The group then moved to the library and its stack rooms, where our staff introduced materials related to modern and contemporary art, including investigational photographs of cultural properties, exhibition catalogues, auction catalogues, and materials from the Akihiko Takami Collection. The participants handled the presented materials, listened to the explanations, and actively asked questions from the viewpoint of how they could use the materials in their own research.

　The Cultural Property Archives Section of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems, under the research project “Expansion of Specialized Archives and Comprehensive Reference Services,” has a mission to collect, organize, and conserve materials concerning cultural property studies and prepare an easily accessible and effectively usable environment for experts and students. As a part of this effort, we will continue to actively hold guidance sessions. If you would like to participate in a session, please submit a request with reference to “Guidance Session” (Target: undergraduate/graduate students, museum staff, etc. https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/japanese/library/application/application_guidance.html).

Exploring the Literary Practices of an Early Modern Japanese Painter— The Second Seminar Held by the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems

Scene from the seminar

　On June 5, 2026, the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems held its second research seminar for FY2026. Prof. MATSUSHIMA Jin of the Mt. Fuji World Heritage Centre, Shizuoka, was invited to serve as commentator, and Ms. ONO Mayumi, Head of the Japanese and East Asian Art History Section, gave a presentation entitled “Kanō Tsunenobu as a Waka Poet: Waka Practice, Connoisseurship, and Painting.”

　Kanō Tsunenobu (1636–1713), best known as an official painter to the Tokugawa shogunate, has been regarded primarily as a leading master of the Kanō school. This presentation reconsidered his artistic career from a different perspective by focusing on his activities as a waka poet and on his intellectual exchanges with court nobles and Confucian scholars.

　Based on historical sources, including records of waka gatherings and the Kokushikan Nichiroku (國史館日録), the presentation demonstrated that Tsunenobu actively participated in literary and intellectual circles from an early age. Through interactions with court nobles, scholars, and daimyō, he acquired broad knowledge of waka poetry, classical literature, and painting. The study further argued that this literary and classical learning formed an essential foundation for his activities as both a painter and a connoisseur of Chinese and Japanese paintings, enabling him to interpret painting subjects, inscriptions, and historical contexts with remarkable sophistication.

　The presentation also suggested that the success of the Kobikichō Kanō lineage was not achieved solely through institutional advancement within the shogunate but was supported by the intellectual networks and cultural practices cultivated by Tsunenobu himself. By reexamining him not merely as a painter but also as a cultural figure whose expertise encompassed waka, classical learning, and connoisseurship, the study offered a new perspective on cultural production in the Edo period.

　The seminar concluded with an active discussion, during which participants posed thought-provoking questions and offered valuable comments. Their insights provided important directions for future research, and the Japanese and East Asian Art History Section will continue to investigate the Kanō school and the broader cultural networks of early modern Japan.

Study Visit on Aircraft Preservation Initiatives in the Republic of Korea

A former presidential aircraft at the National Aviation Museum of Korea

Aircraft repainting work at the War Memorial of Korea

Magpie No. 2 at the Boramae Safety Experience Center

　The Center for Conservation Science at the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties conducts research on the preservation of aircraft as cultural heritage. As part of this work, in June 2026, representatives of the Center visited South Korea to learn about aircraft preservation initiatives and exchange views with Korean specialists.

　In South Korea, efforts are underway to preserve and make use of historically significant aircraft. These include the designation of several aircraft as National Registered Cultural Heritage, such as *Buhwal* (“Rebirth”), the first aircraft manufactured in Korea, and the opening of the National Aviation Museum of Korea in 2020. The War Memorial of Korea also preserves and displays numerous original and reconstructed aircraft, particularly those related to the Korean War.

　During the visit, Dr. Kang Hyun-Sam of the War Memorial of Korea kindly accompanied us to the National Aviation Museum of Korea, the War Memorial of Korea, the Boramae Safety Experience Center, and other facilities.

　At the National Aviation Museum of Korea, we learned about indoor exhibition conditions, routine aircraft maintenance, and plans for the future preservation of a former presidential aircraft that was newly placed on outdoor display in 2026. At the War Memorial of Korea, Dr. Kang described their past efforts to conserve the many aircraft displayed both indoors and outdoors, as well as details of an ongoing project to renew the paintwork on several aircraft. At the Boramae Safety Experience Center, we learned about the conservation of the helicopter Magpie No. 2, which is designated as National Registered Cultural Heritage. At each facility, staff explained both the practical measures being taken and the challenges they face.

　Each aircraft has a different history and is preserved under different conditions. The visit provided us with many valuable insights that will help inform future approaches to the preservation and display of aircraft in Japan.

　We plan to invite Korean researchers to Japan to introduce aircraft preservation initiatives here and to continue exchanging ideas on how both countries can further improve their approaches.

*Further information on major aircraft designated as National Registered Cultural Heritage in the Republic of Korea is available in the list below (in Korean).
https://researchmap.jp/tsuyoshi_chiba/presentations/47770144

Field Activities for the Conservation and Sustainable Development of Ta Nei Temple in Angkor, Cambodia (Part XXⅡ) – Archaeological Investigation and Practical Workshop for Conservation and Restoration of Cruciform Terrace in front of the Central Complex

Geotechnical workshop for the restoration of the Cruciform Terrace

Excavated trench on inner side of the Terrace

　Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) and the Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap (APSARA National Authority) in Cambodia are continuing the conduction of a preliminary survey for the restoration of the Cruciform Terrace in front of the Central Complex of Ta Nei Temple as part of a cooperative project.

　This Cruciform Terrace of Ta Nei Temple comprises a sandstone exterior wall with laterite substrate and sandstone paving, inside of which is filled with compacted soil layers. Much remains unknown regarding the function and structural characteristics of these inner soil layers, and various approaches for their stabilisation have been explored in the conservation of other monument structures at Angkor.

　Therefore, archaeological and geotechnical surveys were conducted to clarify the configuration of the inner structure of the Cruciform Terrace and its construction process, as well as to examine the appropriate restoration methods of the Terrace during the mission from 20 May to 21 June 2026.

　An archaeological excavation survey conducted at four trenches confirmed that the inner soil layers were constructed using different types of soils, and the stone masonry technique applied to this Terrace differs from the manner commonly used for other Khmer temple architecture. It was also clarified that intrusion of tree roots caused deformation of the side walls. Furthermore, several new clues were obtained regarding the construction process in relation to the adjacent rectangular terrace.

　The geotechnical survey was carried out as the second session of “the practical workshop for the Cruciform Terrace restoration,” under the guidance of Professor KUWANO Reiko from the University of Tokyo. Three staff members from the APSARA National Authority participated, conducting dynamic cone penetration tests on-site targeting the soil layers of the Terrace, as well as laboratory tests on the collected soil samples, including dry density, particle size distribution, and compaction test. In addition, we visited the Institute of Technology of Cambodia in Phnom Penh to discuss the implementation of triaxial compression and permeability tests for those soil samples.

　The survey results will be used in a structural assessment of the Terrace, followed by a discussion with the APSARA National Authority on appropriate restoration methods for the Terrace.