History Japanese history and archaeology: articles, news, and comments

All photos provided by Maebashi Municipality (via Asahi)​

So far, 334 of the coins have been examined. At least 44 types were confirmed, ranging from those made in 175 B.C. to as recent as 1265. One confirmed Ban Liang coin had a diameter of 2.3 centimetres and was 1 millimetre thick. The square hole in the middle measured 7 millimetres on each side. The characters for "Ban" and "Liang" were engraved on the surface. Because the newest coin dates to 1265, the trove is believed to have been buried during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333). However, the date of burial could change after more coins are analyzed. The site where the coins were dug up has a large number of relics, leading experts to surmise it was a central part of Kozuke province, the predecessor to Gunma Prefecture, from around the time of the Kofun (burial mounds) Period between the late third century to the late seventh century.

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Completed in 1917, the structure was built using donations from city residents to commemorate 50 years since the opening of the Port of Yokohama. With its extravagant red brick exterior featuring lines of white granite and a clock tower, the hall was a symbol of the city. It was almost destroyed in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake six years later, with only the clock tower and one wall still standing. Rebuilt in 1927, the building survived the U.S. military's intensive firebombing of the city in 1945. Following the war, the building was confiscated by U.S. forces and used to host movie screenings and other activities. While unclear due to a lack of records, part of the building may have also been used as a barbershop. Following its return to Japanese control in 1958, the building became a venue for concerts, lectures and other events. In 1989, it was designated as a national important cultural property.

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Renovation of Yokohama landmark uncovers picture from US military occupation - The Mainichi

YOKOHAMA -- Renovation work to a local historical landmark has revealed a sign and illustration thought to be from the time the building was requisiti

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One of the artifacts, a steel suit of armor from the mid-Edo Period (1603-1867), is of excellent quality, comparable to those worn by top-ranking samurai who served Daimyo feudal lords of the time, according to those in charge of restoring it. "Being entrusted with such historical treasures gives me a great sense of awe and responsibility," said Harumasa Miyashita, the president of Miyaobi, a Kyoto-based antiques dealer and repairer commissioned to restore the armor suits. "We'll do our best with all of our artisan skills and expertise," Miyashita added. The restored samurai armor suits will be on display at the expo along with armor suits of the Sovereign Order of Malta. The artifacts were gifted in 1862 by a Japanese delegation to Europe during a stopover on the strategically important island, then under British rule. The Japanese mission included Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835-1901), an influential author and educator, who later played a key role in the country's modernization.

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Photo credit: Toshiyuki Hayashi​

Institute staff began the project in 2022, which marked the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the murals in the burial mound. The replica coffin made from cedar planks measures about 2 meters by about 60 centimeters with a depth of about 50 cm. The exterior is coated in black lacquer while red pigment mixed with traces of mercury was used on the interior. Gold-copper alloy fittings have been attached to the coffin which sits on a gold-plated lacquer stand.

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Photo credit: Mainichi - Nobuya Muramoto​

The operation was conducted for the 48th time as part of the camp's training, and about 500 GSDF members took part. During the cleanup, members scaled the castle's nearly vertical stone walls and removed weeds, and also travelled by boat around the moat removing waterweeds and garbage. On the keep of the castle, commonly known as "Shirasagi-jo" or "white heron castle," GSDF rangers secured with safety lines some 50 meters above the ground used long-handled brooms to remove dust that had accumulated under the eaves.

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Japan GSDF dusts off Himeji Castle in 500-strong 'cleaning operation' - The Mainichi

HIMEJI, Hyogo -- Members of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) stationed at Camp Himeji recently scaled the keep of Himeji Castle for a

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A fundraising campaign by the city government brought the blade home after more than 700 years. The sword is commonly known as "Sanchomo," or feather of the copper pheasant, and is on show at the Bizen Osafune Sword Museum. It is regarded as the finest example of Bizen-style blades forged by the Fukuoka Ichimonji school of swordsmiths that was based in areas surrounding the city's Osafune district. The sword is believed to have been wielded by powerful warlords Uesugi Kenshin (1530-1578) and his adopted son Kagekatsu. The weapon acquired its name due to the complex elegant pattern on the blade that resembles dancing feathers or mountains and fields on fire.

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The Yamatorige/Sanchōmō (山鳥毛)

Many of you who follow the “sword news” have surely heard that the city of Setouchi, Okayama Prefecture, is currently attempting to purchase the famous national treasure sword Yamatorige/Sanchōmō-I…

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Photo credit: Yokoyama Lab​

The ceiling art was blown away when a typhoon obliterated the shrine's roof in September 1966. The paintings were all recovered and reinstalled the following year. About 20 years after that, Koshiba, now 78, became head priest of the shrine. Koshiba's grandfather was the shrine's chief priest when the destructive typhoon hit. But he never told her about the original arrangement of the pictures, and no photos of it remained, either. [...] Koshiba immediately saw that some images were lined up vertically while others were arranged horizontally. In addition to this inconsistent pattern, the painting bearing the artist's signature was oddly located at the centre of the grid.

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Botanical species depicted in the illustrations represent seasons. For example, the camellia-starling painting and the "ume"-bush warbler image refer to January and February, respectively, in the old calendar. The bamboo tiger painting was deemed to symbolize the months of July and August. Another painting with a wave and plover, which showed no plants, indicated October. The pictures were reordered based on the perceived time elements. The team also placed four pictures of sacred beasts at the corners. With the image bearing the painter's signature in one corner, the researchers felt the paintings were back in their original positions.

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Photo credit: Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie de Besançon​

The masterpieces were completed in 1790 by Hakyo Kakizaki, a painter and retainer of the Matsumae domain on Japan's northernmost main island, and form a series depicting 12 chieftains who helped Japanese forces suppress Ainu uprisings during the Menashi-Kunashir rebellion in 1789. In 1933, the series, minus one painting that had gone missing, surfaced in a warehouse at the Museum of Fine Arts and Archeology of Besancon, France. The paintings were proven to be authentic in the 1980s through analyses. Kato says there are numerous theories about how the paintings got there from Japan, including that they were brought back by a French soldier who fought in the 1868-1869 Battle of Hakodate or by Kakizaki's eldest son.

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Former reporter traces how famous Ainu portraits wound up in France

Riki Kato is on a mission to find out how a collection of famous portraits depicting indigenous Ainu chieftains of present-day northern Japan ended up on the other side of the world, in eastern France.

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The Land to the North: Paintings of Ainu in the Edo Period

The history of Hokkaido is about as violent as that of the rest of Japan....

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Hokusai, Kamakura no Gongoro Kagemasa​

The "Hokusai and the Samurai World" exhibition, running at the Sumida Hokusai Museum in Tokyo's Sumida Ward until Feb. 25 features ukiyo-e woodblock prints vividly depicting the ordinary lives of samurai -- similar to salarymen in present-day Japan -- and feudal lords traveling to Edo under a system requiring them to spend every other year in residence in the capital in principle. It also portrays historical sagas in the form of eye-catching "musha-e" samurai paintings featuring the brave battles of legendary warriors from the Genpei War (1180-1185) and the Nanboku-cho era (1336-1392). [...] In collaboration with the nearby Japanese Sword Museum in the ward, cultural assets from the sword museum's collections, such as the "tachi" long-sword created by swordsmith Nobufusa, are also on display. Efforts have been made enhance the impact of the collaboration, such as by placing a sword with its blade pattern reminiscent of ocean waves next to Hokusai's "Under the Wave off Kanagawa" from the series "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji."

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Cutting-edge art: Japanese swords displayed beside Katsushika Hokusai's works in Tokyo - The Mainichi

TOKYO -- A special exhibition displaying paintings by famous ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) and his pupils along with Japanese swords i

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Photo credit: Kensaku Nishida via Asahi​

Forged in the Heian Period (794-1185), the blade is the oldest among the 100 or so that are housed at the shrine in the ancient capital's Kamigyo Ward. Legend has it that the warlord Watanabe no Tsuna used the sword to sever the arm of an "oni" ogre that tried to seize him. Onikirimaru was also owned by renowned warlords Minamoto no Yoritomo and Nitta Yoshisada before it was passed down in the Mogami family for generations, according to shrine officials. When it was relinquished by the Mogami family in the Meiji Era (1868-1912), the Shiga governor at the time suggested the blade be dedicated to the shrine. Officials said the "Touken Ranbu Online" video game that features a character inspired by Onikirimaru has helped fuel a growing sword boom and rising interest in the collection at Kitano Tenmangu shrine. The scabbard, hilt and handguard of Onikirimaru, along with other "koshirae" mountings, were lost long ago.

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The discovery involves the remnants of 21 pit dwellings dating to the Yayoi Pottery Culture Period (1000 B.C.-A.D.250), of three pit houses from the Jomon Pottery Culture Period (c.14500 B.C.-1000 B.C.) and of four pit dwellings of an unknown date. In addition to earthenware, wooden gutters for drinking water, a well and basement have also been dug up. All these have been found by October after the excavation began in June at a plot measuring 7,700 square meters, part of the land where Mitsubishi Estate Residence Co. plans to erect an upscale apartment building. The location, close to the Imperial Palace, commands a superb view of cherry blossoms along the Chidorigafuchi moat, a renowned cherry blossom viewing spot, making it one of the most coveted areas in Tokyo. The excavation is expected to continue through March, raising the possibility that more remains may be unearthed.

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A "state" known as Manchukuo existed at one time in the northeastern area in China. While it proclaimed lofty ideals such as "Odo Rakudo" (A Utopian State under Benevolent Rule) and "Gozoku Kyowa" (Five Races Under One Union), Manchukuo was, in fact, a puppet state set up by Japan. An artificial state under the thumb of Japanese military officials, the foundation of the military and bureaucratic structure was supported by a cancer that still resonates in contemporary society. Based on recent research results and interviews with experts, this special feature will describe what actually lay within a dark side of history. This is a collaboration between The Asahi Shimbun and the popular manga series "Manshu Ahen Squad". Some of the photos of that time now in the archives of the Asahi Shimbun will be introduced after colorization using state-of-the-art technology and historical authenticity provided by experts.

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Manchuria: a “utopia” created by opium [Premium A special] : The Asahi Shimbun

This is the dark history of Manchukuo based on fact. In Manchukuo, which was a puppet state of Japan, opium was rampant, and the sales of opium supported the national finances and were used as funding for the activities of the Japanese military. Some black and white photographs have been...

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Matsuo estimated that the letter was sent to the hatamoto, or high-ranking samurai, Tsumaki Yoritoshi, in 1635. The document, in modern Japanese translation, reads, "On the morning of March 16, Hosokawa Tadatoshi (who was also a daimyo) will visit (Date Masamune's residence in Edo). Would you like to join if you don't have any prior engagements?" Professor Matsuo explained, "Tsumaki was not a daimyo but a hatamoto with a fiefdom of just 7,500 koku of rice, while Masamune was a daimyo with a fiefdom of 620,000 koku. Considering that Hosokawa was also the first lord of Kumamoto Domain with a fiefdom of 540,000 koku in Higo province, this historical source indicates that Masamune had built relationships with them regardless of the difference their social standings based on their family names."

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Centuries-old letter by Japanese samurai Date Masamune found in west Japan - The Mainichi

YAMAGATA -- A document written by 16th century warlord Date Masamune, the first head of the Sendai Domain, was newly discovered at a museum in Himeji,

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The wooden seated statue sculpture is the temple's principal object of worship. Located in the Kusadocho district, the temple belongs to the Shingon sect of Buddhism. The statue is venerated at a five-storied pagoda erected in 1348 during the period known as the Northern and Southern Dynasties with national treasure status. Temple officials believe the seated statue was created around that time and delivered to Myooin to celebrate its completion. The sheets of paper were uncovered this past summer as the statue was being dismantled for repair work. The fragile sheets of paper were removed to prevent further deterioration so the images could be examined more closely. This led to expectations the discovery would shed light on the circumstances behind the construction of the wooden pagoda 676 years ago.

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Photo credit: Yuhei Nakahodo​

Hitoshi Nakai, professor emeritus of the history of Japanese castles at the University of Shiga Prefecture, said, "It is miracle that a stone wall of this size was unearthed." [...] The examination unearthed the stone wall, measuring 1 meter in height and 30 meters in length. The wall was stacked using natural stones unshaped by tools. It is said to have originally been about 1.5 meters in height. The discovered moat was confirmed to be roughly 8 meters in width. The remnants were found about 300 meters west from the lakeshore of the estimated location of the main building.

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Okayama Castle during a visit in 2014​

The direct economic effects of the roughly 1.8 billion JPY (some USD 11.96 million) renovation alone, including visitors' transportation, food and beverage expenses, were 7.023 billion yen (approx. $46.67 million). "The outcome was better than expected. It's brought a major economic benefit to Okayama," the city's Mayor Masao Omori said at a Feb. 9 regular press conference. The castle in Okayama's Kita Ward was built in 1597 by Ukita Hideie, an essential vassal of 16th-century Japanese leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Its keep was destroyed by fire in an air raid in 1945 but was rebuilt in 1966. Since the castle was feared to collapse in an earthquake measuring upper six or stronger on Japan's 7-level seismic intensity scale, it underwent significant renovations starting in June 2021.

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Japan's Okayama Castle renovations a success with 1st-year $75.5M economic boon - The Mainichi

OKAYAMA -- Large-scale renovations at this western Japan city's Okayama Castle had an economic ripple effect more than six times their cost, with bene

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Until this discovery, the only colored scroll by Jakuchu that existed was the one housed at a museum in Tochigi Prefecture. The piece was designated as a national important cultural property. Hideyuki Okada of Fukuda Art Museum said he was surprised to find that a work not even familiar to researchers was discovered outside of Japan and yet kept in an extremely good condition. He said, "The work feels so fresh that it's hard to believe it was produced 200 years ago." Tsuji Nobuo, a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo who has studied Jakuchu for many years, said the work makes people feel Jakuchu's affection for plants and gives an impression that he produced the work freely. He added that the piece will help researchers understand how the painter was working in his later years.

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Japanese painter Ito Jakuchu's colored scroll discovered in Europe | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

A colored scroll by Ito Jakuchu, a renowned Japanese painter from the 18th century, has been discovered in Europe and is now housed at a Kyoto museum.

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若冲の絵巻物、新たに発見　京都・福田美術館で10月公開 (時事通信) - Yahoo!ニュース

初公開された伊藤若冲の「果蔬図巻（かそずかん）」＝５日午後、京都市の福田美術館 - Yahoo!ニュース(時事通信)

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伊藤若冲の絵巻、新たに見つかる　全長2.8mの大作　福田美術館 | 毎日新聞

京都市右京区の福田美術館は5日、江戸時代中期に京都で活躍した絵師、伊藤若冲（じゃくちゅう）（1716～1800年）が晩年に描いた未知の絵巻が見つかったと発表した。さまざまな野菜や果物に、にじみを生かした淡い色彩を施した絹本着色絵巻（長さ約280センチ、幅約30センチ）で、同館が「果蔬図巻（かそずか

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Ito Jakuchu

Itō Jakuchū (伊藤若冲, 1716-1800) was a painter known for his almost surrealist, detailed depictions of exotic birds and fowl. He painted traditional Japanese motifs, experimenting with perspectives and other modern stylistic elements. He was the...

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Unlike Katsushika Hokusai and other ukiyo-e artists of his generation, Kawahara (1786-1860s?) learned the fundamentals of Western painting techniques from a Dutch painter and mixed them with traditional Japanese methods. His unique realist style was fostered in Nagasaki, which was the only window to the West during the Edo period (1603-1867). Kawahara studied under painter Ishizaki Yushi, a master of the Nagasaki painting style. In a time that preceded the development of photography, Kawahara's paintings were more realistic than his contemporaries, providing snapshots into the lives and times of the era.

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Renewed attention on Edo-era artist offers window into Japan's past - The Mainichi

NAGASAKI (Kyodo) -- Portraits of ordinary people crafted by Kawahara Keiga, an Edo period Japanese painter in the service of German physician and bota

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Sword mountings weren't in their original forms at the time of the excavation, but were almost completely reconstructed via microscopic observation and non-destructive scientific analysis. It was found that the hybrid blade was bent six times, and in total measured 285 centimeters with the "tsuka" handle and the "saya" scabbard attached. Its handle is approximately 38 centimeters long, and is entirely coated with black lacquer, except for the grip where the cloth and cord are wrapped. An L-shaped decoration called "kusabigata-tsukagashira," commonly seen on katana, was found protruding from its tip. It is the oldest example of an iron katana with such a creative design, and the first ever sort of the decoration found on a double-edged sword. On the other hand, the hybrid blade also has a "tsukabuchi-tokki" protruding from the part that comes in contact with the scabbard -- unique to double-edge swords.

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Giant blade found in Japan's ancient capital a single, double-edged sword 'hybrid' - The Mainichi

KASHIHARA, Nara -- Analysis of the humongous, snake-like

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Details of Japan’s Largest Iron Sword Unveiled; Shows Characteristics of Two Kinds of Swords

<p>NARA – The handle of the nation’s largest iron sword, excavated from the Tomio Maruyama Tumulus in Nara last year, has the characteristics of both katana sword and ken sword with sharpened two edges.</p>

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"This is a rare opportunity to witness the reconstruction of the building," said Hiroyoshi Aragaki, head of the government office that oversees the national park where the castle complex is located. "I hope the public viewing of this site offers insight into the heritage and spirit of the people who built the Ryukyu Kingdom." The early morning blaze on Oct. 31, 2019, destroyed seven buildings including the Seiden main hall, and damaged two more. The reconstruction of the three-story main hall started in 2022. Featuring a complex framework of 513 pillars and beams, the building will measure 29 meters in width, 21 meters in depth and 15 meters in height. The castle served as the royal palace of the Ryukyu Kingdom (1429-1879) and the headquarters of its government. Learning from its history of repeated blazes, the new building will be equipped with sprinklers, fire doors, and other fire protection measures. A team of 35 heritage building specialists is leading the reconstruction project. The team includes carpenters in their 20s, still learning the craft, and three women, who are the first female carpenters to work on the castle's reconstruction.

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Tanaka spearheaded the construction of railways and hydroelectric power plants while also engaging in landscape preservation efforts. He also built sewage systems in Ueno, now part of Iga, when he served as its mayor. The letter, penned in 1899 and addressed to the chief priest of a local Buddhist temple, apologises for inadvertently encroaching upon the temple's premises while constructing a reservoir for a new rice field development project. Written in a mixture of about 130 kanji and hiragana characters on large sheets of paper joined together, the letter humbly requests forgiveness, using phrases such as, "If you would grant me your merciful pardon, I would be overwhelmed with gratitude." It appears to have been written with a straw broom dipped in ink. The three characters "Sha-zai-jo" (apology letter) at the beginning are each over a meter long. According to a biography of Tanaka, the temple's parishioners were enraged by the encroachment on the temple's land and demanded an apology letter from Tanaka. The sheer size of the letter left the chief priest and the parishioners utterly speechless, and the matter was resolved peacefully. The Maeda Education Foundation has been restoring and preserving the letter since 1999 when it held an exhibition showcasing the letter and other items that highlight Tanaka's legacy.

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縦横9m重さ4kg…超特大の「謝罪状」　送られた相手も驚き→解決：朝日新聞

大きさは縦横9メートル、重さは4キロ。そんな超特大の手紙が11日から、三重県伊賀市大谷の前田教育会館蕉門（しょうもん）ホールで公開される。送り主は伊賀地方の近代化の礎を築いた実業家で、旧上野町（現伊…

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特大の謝罪状　２５年ぶり公開　伊賀で１１日から　旧上野町長・田中氏

【読売新聞】　９メートル四方の特大謝罪状が、２５年ぶりに伊賀市大谷の前田教育会館で１１日から公開される。実業家で伊賀市の前身、旧上野町の町長を務めた田中善助（１８５８～１９４６年）が記した。会館のホールが老朽化のため、６月末で閉鎖さ

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