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 June 21, the Council for Cultural Affairs submitted a report on the following places to be designated as Special Historic Site, Places of Scenic Beauty or Historic Sites to SHIBAYAMA Masahiko, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The list includes three sites such as Mannōike pond (Mannō Town, Kagawa Prefecture), one of the largest reservoirs in Japan, where Kūkai was involved in the restoration project, to be designated as Places of Scenic Beauty; eight sites such as ruins of Iwabitsu Castle (Higashiagatsuma Town, Gunma Prefecture), associated with the Sanada clan of feudal lord during the Sengoku period, to be designated as Historic Sites; three sites such as Hirata Family Garden (Nakatsu City, Ōita Prefecture), which makes use of the landscape of Yabakei Gorge, to be registered as Registered Monuments; and ‘Nakijin Village Imadomari Fukugi Yashiki Forest and Village Landscape’ (Nakijin Village, Okinawa Prefecture), characterized by its green living environment created by windbreak forests, to be selected as an Important Cultural Landscape. (Japanese)
On June 8, the selection process for the Teijiro Nakahara Prize (sponsored by Asahikawa City, Hokkaido, and Asahikawa City Board of Education), established to contribute to the development of the Japanese sculpture world, took place. The 41st prize was awarded to MISAWA Atsuhiko’s ‘Animal 2018 – 01’. (Japanese)
On June 5, the Iwate Prefectural Museum (Morioka City) announced that a senior curator (terminated in March 2020) at the museum had, without the owners’ permission, repeatedly taken samples from metal objects excavated from archaeological sites in and outside the prefecture, which the museum was requested by local authorities for conservation treatment, and had analyzed them, for which the museum apologized. On December 16, the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education announced that samples were taken from two important cultural properties (‘kasha’ (incense burner) and ‘kebyō’ (flower vase) excavated from the Yanagi no gosho and Hiraizumi ruins in Hiraizumi Town, Iwate Prefecture) without the owners’ permission. The final report in 2022 reported a total of 103 cultural properties had been damaged. (Japanese)
On May 23, ‘the Citi exhibition Manga’ opened at the British Museum in the United Kingdom (until August 26). This exhibition introduced the history of Japanese manga up to the present day and its relationship with society, including KATSUSHIKA Hokusai’s manga, KAWANABE Kyōsai’s stage curtain for the Shintomi Theater and topical manga in the Meiji period. It was the largest-ever exhibition of manga outside Japan. It attracted 180,000 visitors, including many young people. (Japanese)
On May 17, the Council for Cultural Affairs submitted a report on seven structures to be designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties to SHIBAYAMA Masahiko, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The list includes the former Kaichi School Building (Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture), built in the Meiji period, to be designated as a National Treasure; and six structures such Eiheiji temple (Eiheiji Town, Fukui Prefecture), the head of the Sōtō Buddhist sect, and Higashi Honganji Temple (Kyoto City), to be designated as Important Cultural Properties. (Japanese)
The winners of the 13th Yomiuri Aoniyoshi Prize (sponsored by the Yomiuri Shimbun with special support from the Japan Society for the Conservation of Cultural Property), which publicly honors individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements in the fields of conservation science and restoration, were announced. The Aoniyoshi Prize was given to KITAGAMAE Yasuo (Nemuro city, Hokkaido), who has been engaged in research on Okhotsk culture and the conservation of its archaeological materials. The Encouragement Prize was given to the NPO Tanada Lover’s (Chair: NAGASUGA Yūichi, Ichikawa Town, Hyōgo Prefecture), which promotes the restoration of terraced rice paddies and the training of successors. The Special Prize went to Rekishi Shiryō Network (Representative committee member: OKUMURA Hiroshi, Nada Ward, Kōbe City), which rescues and preserves old written materials damaged in disasters. (Japanese)
On March 22, the Japan Art Academy (Director: KUROI Senji) announced the recipients of the 75th Japan Art Academy Prize. The Imperial Prize and the Japan Art Academy Prize were given to MAGAMI Kidō (for his calligraphy ‘Hekijin’, exhibited at the Forth Kaiso Shin-Nitten) in the Fine Arts category. The Japan Art Academy Prize was given to IKEGAWA Sunao (for his sculpture ‘Toki no tabibito’, exhibited at the Fifth Kaiso Shin-Nitten) and ARAKI Tsunenobu (for his craftwork ‘Tsuki izuru’, exhibited at the First Kaiso Shin-Nitten). (Japanese)
The Domon Ken Award (sponsored by the Mainichi Newspapers Co.), the award for a photographer who has made excellent achievements in the previous year, announced that the 38th winner was TAKAHASHI Satoshi for his photobook titled ‘RESISTANCE Kanbojia kussezaru hitobito no negai’. (Japanese)
On March 19, the winner of the 44th Kimura Ihei Award (Sponsored by the Asahi Shimbun Company and the Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc.), the award given to exceptional new photographers in honor of photographer KIMURA Ihei’s achievements, was announced. The award was given to IWANE Ai for her photobook ‘KIPUKA’ and exhibition ‘FUKUSHIMA ONDO’. (Japanese)
On March 18, the Council for Cultural Affairs submitted a report on seven assets to be designated as National Treasures and 41 assets to be designated as Important Cultural Properties to SHIBAYAMA Masahiko, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The seven assets to be designated as National Treasures were Kitora Tumulus Mural Paintings (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology); wooden seated statues of Five Wisdom Buddhas (Anshōji temple, Kyoto); wooden standing statue of the Medicine Buddha, wooden standing statue of Bodhisattva (attributed to Shūhō bosatsu), wooden standing statue of Boddhisattva (attributed to Shishiku bosatsu), wooden standing statue of Boddhisattva (attributed to Daijisaiō bosatsu) and wooden standing statues of Two Tennō (Tōshōdaiji temple, Nara). One of 41 assets to be designated as Important Cultural Properties was statues of Twelve Bronze Falcons (National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo). The Council for Cultural Affairs also recommended that 153 buildings, including the former Kudan-Kaikan, a modern building that conveys the spirit of the early Shōwa period; and two artworks (historical material) including educational and research materials collected at the architecture department of the former Sendai College of Engineering, be registered as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties. (Japanese)
The Northen Song dynasty painter LI Gonglin’s ‘Five Horses’ was discovered for the first time in 80 years, which was donated to the Tokyo National Museum. As a favorite of successive Chinese emperors, the work was brought to Japan in the early Shōwa period and exhibited at the Exhibition of Masterpieces from the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties held in 1928. It was purchased by businessman SUENOBU Michinari in 1930, however its whereabouts were lost after the war. The painting was discovered within Japan and donated to the Tokyo National Museum in 2017, where it was exhibited in the special exhibition titled ‘Unrivaled Calligraphy: Yan Zhenqing and His Legacy’ held from January 2019. In March of the same year, the full image of the painting was published in full size in the book titled ‘Li Gonglin’s Five Horses’ (Hatori shoten), edited by ITAKURA Masaaki. (Japanese)
On March 8, the Hasselblad Foundation in Sweden announced MORIYAMA Daidō as the winner of the Hasselblad Foundation International Award in Photography, an international photography prize given to a photographer recognized for pioneering achievements. (Japanese)
On March 6, the Agency for Cultural Affairs announced the recipients of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize for the fiscal year 2018. In the Fine Arts category, artist OZAWA Tsuyoshi for his exhibition titled ‘Imperfection: Parallel Art History’ and artist NAITŌ Rei for his exhibition titled ‘Naito Rei: on this bright Earth I see you’ shared the prize. In the Development of Art category, graphic artist SATOH Taku was awarded for his exhibitions titled ‘Design Ah! Exhibition neo’ and other exhibition. In the Criticism category, visual artist as well as critic OKAZAKI Kenjirō received the prize for his monograph titled ‘Abstract Art as Impact: The Analysis of Modern Art’. In the Media Art category, manga artist ARAKI Hikomaro received the prize for his exhibition titled ‘Hirohiko Araki JOJO Exhibition: Ripples of Adventure’. The two recipients of the Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists were architect ISHIGAMI Junya for his botanical garden art Biotop titled ‘Water Garden’ in the Fine Arts category; and SUGAWARA Mayumi, Professor at Osaka Metropolitan University, for her monograph titled ‘Life and Works of TSUKIOKA Yoshitoshi’ in the Criticism category. (Japanese)
On March 5, ISOZAKI Arata won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the annual award for outstanding architects, known as the Nobel Prize in architecture, which was announced by the Hyatt Foundation (sponsor of the prize) in the United States. ISOZAKI was recognised for his fusion of Eastern and Western cultures and his significant influence on Western architecture design. (Japanese)
On March 3, the Japanese government and the Agency of Cultural Affairs held the inauguration ceremony for the Japan Cultural Expo, the core project of the cultural program on the occasions of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics at the National Theatre of Japan in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. Under the overall theme of ‘Japanese people and nature’, the project aims to promote the beauty of Japan from the Jomon period to the present day, both within Japan and worldwide, in the field of art, cultural heritage and media arts. It will be widely developed in 2020. (Japanese)
On March 1, the Agency for Cultural Affairs announced the winning works for the 22nd Japan Media Arts Festival Awards that are given to excellent media artworks from inside and outside of Japan. The Grand Prizes were given to a sound installation titled ‘Pulses/Grains/Phase/Moiré’ by FURUDATE Ken (Japan) in the Art Division; a TV program titled ‘Chico Will Scold You!’ by the ‘Chico Will Scold You!’ Production Team (Japan) in the Entertainment Division; an animated short film titled ‘La Chute’ by Boris LABBÉ (France) in the Animation Division; and a manga titled ‘ORIGIN’ by Boichi (Korea) in the Manga Division. (Japanese)
On February 5, Miyakonojō City, Miyagi Prefecture, announced its plan to demolish the former Miyakonojō Civic Center, designed by KIKUTAKE Kiyonori, which is regarded as a masterpiece of Metabolism architecture. The building was completed in 1966 and used as a cultural promotion center of the city of Miyakonojō since. However, it was closed in 2007 due to its age. The decision to demolish the building was based on the results of a citizen’s survey as there were no prospects for its future use. Demolition work began on July 23 and would be completed in March 2020. A digital archiving project was carried out at the time of demolition to record the building’s shape in three dimensions using 3D scanning, with the aim of passing on its architectural value and establishing a new preservation method. (Japanese)
On January 16, the exhibition titled, ‘Unrivaled Calligraphy: Yan Zhenqing and His Legacy’, opened at the Tokyo National Museum (until February 24). Focusing on the Tang dynasty when the universal beauty of calligraphy was standardized, the exhibition explored the essence of calligraphy and the personality of Yan Zhenqing, who had a profound influence on future generations. It featured masterpieces such as ‘Draft of a Requiem to My Nephew’ from the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei. It also drew attention for its concept of questioning the history of calligraphy from oracle bone script to the Qing dynasty and calligraphy in Japan. (Japanese)
On January 1, the winners of the 60th Mainichi Art Award (sponsored by the Mainichi Newspapers Co.), the annual award given to outstanding individuals in art and culture, were announced. In the Art Category I (Painting / Sculpture / Crats / Graphics), contemporary artist NAITŌ Rei won for his solo exhibition titled, ‘Rei Naito: on the bright Earth I see you’. (Japanese)
With the conclusion of the Comprehensive and Advanced Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP11 Agreement), a multilateral economic partnership agreement aimed at economic liberalization by the countries of the Pacific Rim, and the amendment of the Copyright Act by the TPP Development Act, the term of protection of copyrights was extended from 50 years after the copyright holder’s death to 70 years. (Japanese)
