This database is a comprehensive collection of articles from Nihon bijutsu nenkan (Year Book of
Japanese Art), published by the Tokyo National Institute for Cultural Properties (Tobunken).
On December 11, the Council for Cultural Affairs (Commissioner: NISHIHARA Suzuko) submitted a report on 135 structures across 21 prefectures to be designated as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties to KAWABATA Tatsuo, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The list included the Sugashima Lighthouse (Toba City, Mie Prefecture), the oldest surviving brick lighthouse, and the Tsurunoyu Onsen Honjin building (Semboku City, Akita Prefecture). This brought the total of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties to 7,865. In addition to the list, the Council also suggested four sites such as the ‘Cultural Landscape in Kanazawa – Tradition and Culture in the Castle Town’ (Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture) to be selected as Important Cultural Landscapes. (Japanese)
On November 27, the Japan Art Academy (Director: MIURA Shumon) announced that seven new members had been elected to join their ranks for their distinguished artistic achievements. In relation to art, nihonga artist TSUCHIYA Reiichi (63), FUKUDA Senkei (63), and yōga artist YABUNO Ken (66) were elected. It was officially announced by KAWABATA Tatsuo, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, on December 15. (Japanese)
On November 20, the Council for Cultural Affairs (Commissioner: NISHIHARA Suzuko) submitted a report on eleven sites, including Tōzenji temple (Minato Ward, Tokyo) and the Tatsumi Canal (Kanazawa City), to be designated as Historic Sites; two sites such as the Kotonoura Onzansō Garden (Kainan City, Wakayama Prefecture) to be designated as Places of Scenic Beauty; the Great Camphor of Shibushi (Shibushi City, Kagoshima Prefecture) to be designated as a Natural Monument; and six sites including the Saizenin Garden (Kōya Town, Wakayama Prefecture) to be registered as Registered Monuments, to KAWABATA Tatsuo, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. As a result, the total number of Historic Sites stood at 1,661, Places of Scenic Beauty at 357, and Registered Monuments at 52. (Japanese)
The recipients of the 21st Ringa Art Encouragement Award (organized by the Ringa Art Encouragement Fund), which publicly honors outstanding individuals for their exceptional achievements in the field of art criticism and art history research, were announced. TSUNODA Takurō (for his curation of the exhibition titled ‘Goseda no subete’ , held at the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History, and his contribution of his essay to its catalog) and HAYAMI Yutaka (for his monograph titled ‘Shururearisumu kaiga to nihon’, published by NHS Publishing, 2009). (Japanese)
On October 6, the 31st Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities (sponsored by the Suntory Foundation) announced that, in relation to art, FUJIWARA Sadao was awarded the prize for his monograph titled ‘Orientarisuto no yūutsu’ (Mekong Publishing, 2008). (Japanese)
On October 27, the Japanese government announced seven recipients of the Order of Culture and seventeen recipients of the Person of Cultural Merit for the fiscal year 2009. In relation to art, nihonga artist IWASAWA Shigeo (81, for presenting numerous outstanding works at the Nitten and serving as a Nitten committee, thereby contributing to the development of the art world) and contemporary artist KUSAMA Yayoi (80, for creating original and outstanding works and achieving international recognition) were selected as recipients of the Person of Cultural Merit. (Japanese)
On October 27, the exhibition titled ‘Noro Kaiseki: Kishū no yutakana sansui o egaku’ opened at the Wakayama Prefectural Museum (until December 6). The exhibition chronologically traced the artistic career of NORO Kaiseki, who studied under IKE Taiga and was active as an outstanding literati painter in his hometown of Kishū from the late eighteenth to the early nineteenth centuries. Featuring a total of 187 works, including works by his teacher Kakutei, Taiga and their pupils, it highlighted how the flourishing of literati painting extended to the provinces. (Japanese)
The recipients of the 4th Western Art Foundation for Promotion Award, which publicly honors individuals and institutions involved in curating exhibitions that have contributed to the understanding of Western art and academic research in the field of Western art, were announced. The Academic Award for Individuals was awarded to SHINBATA Yasuhide (for his curation of the exhibition titled ‘Homage to Cézanne: His Influence on the Development of Twentieth Century Painting’, held at the Yokohama Museum of Art) and TSUCHIDA Ruriko (for her curation of the exhibition titled ‘Gallé and Japonisme’, held at the Suntory Museum of Art). The Cultural Promotion Award for Institutions was given to the Miyake Issey Foundation (for their exhibition titled ‘U-Tsu-Wa’, held at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT). (Japanese)
On September 30, the Japan Mécénat Awards 2009 (sponsored by Association for Corporate Support of the Arts), an annual awards which honors companies that have contributed to the promotion of arts and culture, were announced. In relation to art, the Tamagawa Art Line Project Committee received the Regional Network Award. (Japanese)
On October 16, the Council for Cultural Affairs (Commissioner: NISHIHARA Suzuko) submitted a report on the designation of the Former Crown Prince’s Tōgū Palace (Akasaka Palace) as a National Treasure as well as an Important Cultural Property, and nine assets including Naige daijingū shrine (Chikusai City, Ibaraki Prefecture) and the Former Tsuruoka Police Station (Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture) to be designated as Important Cultural Properties to KAWABATA Tatsuo, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. This marked the first time that modern architecture dating from the Meiji period onward was designated as a National Treasure. This brought the total number of Important Cultural Properties in the structure category to 2,359 (including 215 National Treasures). In addition to the list, Unomatchi, Uwachō, Seiyo City (Ehime Prefecture) was suggested to be selected to be an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, as well as to expand the existing preservation district in Yunotsu, Ōda City (Ōda City, Shimane Prefecture), which had already been selected as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. (Japanese)
On October 10, the exhibition titled ‘East Asia Image of Modern Ages’ opened at the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art (until December 27). The exhibition traced how modern Japanese painters and photographers have portrayed Asia from the Meiji period to the present. It consisted of eight chapters: Chapter 1 ‘Meiji ki dankai – bunjinga, rekishiga kara genjitsu e (The Meiji Period – From Literati Painting and Historical Painting to Reality)’; Chapter 2 ‘Ekizochishizumu no shosō (Various Aspects of Exoticism)’; Chapter 3 ‘Ajia no josei zō (Images of Asian Women)’; Chapter 4 ‘Higashi ajia de kaika shita “nihon bijutsu” (“Japanese Art” That Bloomed in East Asia)’; Chapter 5 ‘Kamera ai o tsūjite (Through the Camera’s Eye)’; Chapter 6 ‘Basue e no manazashi (A Gaze Toward the Outskirts)’; Chapter 7 ‘Naiteki kōya, daichi kara no genei (Inner Wildness, Illusions from the Earth)’; and Chapter 8 ‘Gendei nite (In the Contemporary Era)’. Featuring works of art by 107 artists, the exhibition provided a meaningful opportunity to illustrate the significance of East Asia for Japan from the modern era to the present. (Japanese)
On October 7, the Nezu Museum (Director: NEZU Kōichirō), which had been closed for three and a half years since 2006 for renovation, reopened under the concept of ‘passing on the beauty and traditions of East to the next generation’ and the state ‘new beginnings’. The museum building, designed by KUMA Kengo, features two above-ground floors and one basement level, with a site area of approximately 21,625 square meters and a total floor area of approximately 4,014 square meters. It was regarded as the culmination of Kuma’s career, which had focused on interior transparency, the exploration of natural materials, and the revival of Japanese traditions. Eight special exhibitions commemorating the ‘new beginnings’ were scheduled over the course of the year, and the first of which was titled ‘Shin Nezu bijutsukan ten – Kokuhō nachi no taki zu to shizen no zōkei’ (October 7 – November 8). (Japanese)
The recipients of the 21st Kokka Award, an award for remarkable research on Japanese and East Asian art, were announced. The Kokka Award was awarded to a monograph titled ‘Gayū – Chūgoku sansuiga, sono sekai’ (published in 2008 by Chūō kōron shuppan) by OGAWA Hiromitsu. The Kokka Exhibition Catalog Award was awarded to the exhibition catalog titled ‘Sūkõ naru sansui: Chūgoku, chōsen, rikakukei sansuiga no keifu (Sublime Vision: Li-Guo School Painting from China and Korea)’ (published in October 2008 by Museum Yamato Bunkakan). The Kokka Encouragement Award was given to an article titled ‘Kegonkaie shoshōju mandara ni tsuite no ichi kōsatsu: zuyō no gensen to shisō haikei o chūshin ni’ by MORIZANE Kumiko (published in Kokka No. 1362, April 2009). (Japanese)
On October 6, to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Emperor’s accession to the throne, the exhibition titled ‘Treasures of the Imperial Collections – Splendor of Japanese Art’ opened at the Tokyo National Museum. Works of art from the Imperial Household Agency’s collection, including artefacts from the Shōsōin Repository and artworks from the Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shōzōkan, were displayed in two parts: Part 1 ‘From Eitoku and Jakuchū to Taikan and Shōen’ and Part 2 ‘Shōsōin Treasures and Masterworks of the Calligraphy and Handscroll Genres’. The Part 1 was divided into two chapters: Chapter 1 ‘Kinsei kaiga no meihin (Masterpieces of Painting from Pre-Modern)’ and ‘Kindai no kyūden sōshoku to teishitsu gigeiin (Modern Palace Decorative Arts and Imperial Household Artists)’. Featuring ‘Chinese Lions’ by KANŌ Eitoku and ‘The Colorful Realm of Living Beings’ by ITŌ Jakuchū, approximately 80 works of art were on display until November 3. The Part 2 consisted of four chapters: Chapter 1 ‘Ko no bi kōkoibutsu, hōryūji kennō hōbutsu, shōsōin hōbutsu (Ancient Beauty: Archaeological Artefacts, Teasures Dedicated to Hōryūji Temple and Shōsōin Treasures)’; Chapter 2 ‘Kohitsu to emaki no kyōen (A Showcase of Ancient Calligraphy and Handscrolls)’; Chapter 3 ‘Chūsei kara kinsei no kyūteibi (Courtly Beauty from Medieval to Pre-Modern Periods)’; and Chapter 4 ‘Kōshitsu ni tsutawaru meitō (Renowned Swords Passed Down Through the Imperial Family)’. The Part 2 was on view from November 12 to 29. (Japanese)
On October 1, the Yamatane Museum of Art (Director: YAMAZAKI Taeko), renowned for its outstanding collection of nihonga paintings, opened its doors after its relocation from Chiyoda Ward to Hiroo in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo. The museum occupies the first floor and basement level of a building comprising six above-ground floor and one basement level. The museum held the commemorative exhibition titled ‘Hayami Goshū: Eternal Challenges to Nihonga’ to mark the opening. The museum aims to carry forward the vision of its founder YAMAZAKI Taneji, to ‘contribute to society through art’. (Japanese)
The recipient of the 30th Society for the Study of Japonisme Award (organised by the Society for the Study of Japonisme), an annual award that recognizes outstanding research on Japonisme, was announced. The award was given to TSUCHIDA Ruriko (Suntory Museum of Art), who curated the exhibition titled ‘Gallé and Japonisme’. (Japanese)
On September 25, the Council for Cultural Affairs (Commissioner: NISHIHARA Suzuko) submitted a report on 129 structures across 19 prefectures to be designated as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties to KAWABATA Tatsuo, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The list included the Nihon Gakuen Building No. 1 (Setagaya Ward, Tokyo) and the Five-storied Pagoda of Zentsūji temple. This brought the total number of Registered Tangible Cultural Properties to 7,747. (Japanese)
On September 24, the laureates of the 21st Praemium Imperiale in Honor of Prince Takamatsu (organized by the Japan Art Association), which publicly honors individual world artists, were announced. In relation to art, SUGIMOTO Hiroshi (61) in the Painting category, Richard Long (64, United Kingdom) in the Sculpture category, and Zaha Hadid (58, United Kingdom) in the Architecture category. (Japanese)
On September 1, the exhibition titled ‘Jakuchū Wonderland’ opened at the Miho Museum (until December 13). Featuring a total of 128 works of art, including those by his contemporaries such as YOSA Buson and SOGA Shōhaku, the exhibition showcased the artistic world of ITŌ Jakuchū, who was active in Kyoto during the eighteenth century. It consisted of eight chapters: Chapter 1 ‘Profīru (Biography)’; Chapter 2 ‘Hanga (Prints)’; Chapter 3 ‘Dōshoku sai-e e no michi (The Path to Colorful Realms of Living Beings)’; Chapter 4 ‘Jakuchū wandārand (Jakuchū Wonderland)’; Chapter 5 ‘Jakuchū o meguru hitobito (People Associated with Jakuchū)’; Chapter 6 ‘Zō to kujirazu byōbu (The Elephant and Whale Screens)’; Chapter 7 ‘Wandārand no kyojūsha tachi (The Other Residents of Wonderland)’; and Chapter 8 ‘Omosiroki monozuki (Eccentrics and Curiosities)’. The exhibition also featured the newly discovered folding screens, ‘The Elephant and Whale Screens’, resulting in a rich and comprehensive display that highlighted Jakuchū’s unique and unexpected artistic style. (Japanese)
On July 18, the exhibition titled ‘Sacred Ningbo: Gateway of 1300 Years of Japanese Buddhism’ opened at the Nara National Museum (until August 30). Focusing on the port city of Ningbo, which served as a gateway for cultural artefacts from mainland China to be sent to Japan from the era of the Japanese missions to Tang China onwards, the exhibition illustrated how the Buddhist culture of Ningbo was adopted in Japan, featuring a total of 175 artefacts. It consisted of eight chapters: Chapter 1 ‘Seichi o ikikau hito, mono (People and Goods Travelling Between Sacred Sites)’; Chapter 2 ‘Ashōka dera – Busshari e no sūkei (Temple of King Ashoka – Veneration of the Buddha’s Relics)’; Chapter 3 ‘Enkeiji – Tendai jōdokyō no ryūsei (Yanqing Temple – The Rise of the Tendai Buddhism)’; Chapter 4 ‘Fudasan – Kannon no sumu shima (Mount Putuo – The Island where Bodhisattva Kannon Resides)’; Chapter 5 ‘Tendaisan no gohyaku rakan (The Five Hundred Arhats on Mount Tendai)’; Chapter 6 ‘Tōsenko – Shinbutsu ga kōrin suru seichi (Dongqian Lake – A Sacred Site Where Gods and Buddhas Descend)’; Chapter 7 ‘Umi o wataru zenritsu bunka (Culture of Zen and Vinaya Schools Crossing the Seas)’; and Chapter 8 ‘Kenminshi ga otozureta machi (The Towns Where Japanese Missions to Ming China Visited)’. This large-scale exhibition traced the history of how new Buddhist culture was brought to Japan through trade between Japan and the Song and Ming dynasties, beginning with monks such as Saichō and Ganjin, in a region that had long been revered as a sacred site of Chinese Buddhism. (Japanese)
