ashikaga

The main building of Ashikaga Gakkō

The main entrance to the Ashikaga Gakkō in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture

The main building of Ashikaga Gakkō and the surrounding gardens

The main building of the Ashikaga Gakkō

Some of the wooden annex buildings that were recently renovated.

Inside the Ashikaga Gakkō

Inside the Ashikaga Gakkō

The current building housing the famous Ashikaga Library. It dates back to the Meiji Period.

Imari sometsuke yamayuri zu ohzara, Genroku Era (1688-1703)

Imari iroe komainu rituzou dai kohro; incense burner, Genroku Era (1688-1703)

Imari Iroe Goban Shima-hata-moyou chaki, imari tea-pot, Genroku Era (1688-1703)

Nabeshima iroe bara zu sara; saucer, Genroku Era (1688-1703)

Nabeshima Iroe Murasaki kaki Tsubaki zu sara; saucer, Genroku Era (1688-1703)

Nabeshima Iroe Wahon zu Sara, Kyoho Era (1716-1735)

Imari iroe ranjin ransen-zu hyokei daitokuri, Genroku Era (1688-1703); jar depicting members of the Dutch East India Company.

Imari iroe ranjin ransen-zu hyokei daitokuri, Genroku Era (1688-1703)

Kurita Hideo (1912-1996), the founder and former curator of the museum, hailed from a wealthy Ashikaga family. Rumour has it that he had been involved in racketeering after World War II. He also served as a member of the House of Representatives (the Japanese Lower House) in 1947-49 and again in...

The main building of the Kurita Museum

Jukoin's Buddhist stone images

Uphill kiln (登り窯 noborigama) displayed at the Kurita Museum. It is a chambered climbing kiln also built on a slope, and each succeeding chamber is situated higher than the one before it. The chambers in a noborigama are pierced at intervals with stoking ports. Such climbing kilns have been used...