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

On 17 June, it was confirmed through interviews with the Kyōto City Cultural Properties Protection Division that structural remains of a building have been unearthed at the site of the early Fushimi Castle (伏見城), also known as Shigetsu Castle (指月城), located in Fushimi Ward, Kyōto. While stone walls and moats had previously been confirmed at the Shigetsu Castle site, this marks the first time that actual architectural remains have been discovered on the site.



Among the finds were large foundation stones used to support columns and fragments of roof tiles adorned with gold leaf. Based on these, the Cultural Properties Protection Division has suggested that the structure may have been one of the castle's main facilities—possibly a tall watchtower (望楼) designed to provide sweeping views of the surrounding area. Construction of Shigetsu Castle began in 1592 as the retirement residence of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉, 1537-1598), later developing into a full-fledged castle complete with a central keep (天守 tenshu). However, it collapsed during the Keichō Earthquake of 1596, and a new Fushimi Castle was subsequently rebuilt nearby on Mount Kohata (木幡山). Owing to the scarcity of historical records, many details of the original structure remain unknown, and there was even a period when its very existence was called into question.

The excavation was conducted between December of last year and January this year on a residential plot of approximately 90 square metres near JR Momoyama Station. Researchers uncovered two subterranean foundation stones (地下式礎石), each embedded approximately one metre deep into the ground to stabilise wooden columns, along with one additional pit whose location and shape strongly suggest it had also once held a similar foundation stone.

The foundation stones are square, each measuring roughly one metre per side. The dimensions of the columns inferred from these stones indicate timber posts about 30 centimetres thick, comparable in scale to those used in the central keeps of castles from the Edo period. The discovery of gold-leaf roof tile fragments further supports the identification of the remains as part of Shigetsu Castle.

The area where the castle once stood was regarded during Hideyoshi's time as a celebrated spot for moon viewing. A senior official from the Cultural Properties Protection Division remarked that the structure could have been a kind of turret (櫓 yagura) intended for enjoying the moon.

Translated from here:

This is highly interesting and unvetted by the IHA:

A gold-plated iron knife and fragments of armour, thought to have been crafted using sophisticated techniques from the 5th century, have been identified as originating from Japan's largest ancient keyhole-shaped burial mound, according to an announcement made by a university on Thursday. The burial site in question, the Daisen Kofun (大仙古墳), located in Osaka Prefecture, is administered by the Imperial Household Agency as the official mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku (仁徳天皇), traditionally believed to have ruled during the 4th century. However, scholars remain divided over the true identity of the individual interred there.

The artefacts, which had been wrapped in paper bearing the inscription "Emperor Nintoku's tomb," were recently obtained by Kokugakuin University in Tōkyō from an art dealer. Before that, they had been held in the possession of a private collector who had taken part in a survey of the tomb conducted in 1872.

During Expo 2025 in Osaka, approximately 260 Japanese National Treasures were showcased in special exhibitions in Osaka, Nara, and Kyōto, accounting for over 30% of the country's national treasures. All the exhibitions ended on June 15. Here's what you missed:

Osaka:

A record 135 items, designated as National Treasures, were showcased at the "National Treasures of Japan" exhibition held at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts. The display featured iconic works frequently cited in school textbooks and central to the history of Japanese art, such as the "Deep Vessel with Flame-Style Pottery" from the Jomon period, unearthed in Tokamachi, Niigata Prefecture, and the seated statue of Ganjin Wajo, the revered monk enshrined at Toshodaiji temple in Nara.

Also featured were Kano Eitoku's ink-wash paintings of birds and flowers on fusuma sliding doors, originally from Jukoin temple in Kyōto. These panels depict a dynamic, ancient plum tree rendered in expressive ink lines, forming a vivid spring landscape across four partitions. Eitoku was a leading painter of the Azuchi–Momoyama period (late 16th century). The exhibition included a diverse range of items, writings, sculptures, swords, and more, many of which were restored with support from the Tsumugu Project, a cultural preservation initiative led by the Cultural Affairs Agency, the Imperial Household Agency, and The Yomiuri Shimbun. Notable among them were the illustrated "Bound Fan Papers with the 'Lotus Sutra '" from Shitennoji Temple in Osaka, which portrays scenes from aristocratic and commoner life, and the revered "Fugen Bosatsu (Samantabhadra)" painting from the Tokyo National Museum, considered one of the finest examples of Buddhist art.

The museum reopened in March following a major renovation aimed at improving the visitor experience, including lowered display cases and reduced glass reflections. "We made a special effort to ensure the artworks are easier to view," said museum director Sakae Naito.
Rather than following a fixed theme, the exhibition aimed to let visitors appreciate the breadth and richness of Japanese artistic heritage in an enhanced setting. Highlights also included Eitoku's renowned "Chinese Lions" from the Museum of the Imperial Collections, the "Jomon Venus" dogū figurine from Nagano Prefecture, and Ogata Kōrin's celebrated "Irises" from the Nezu Museum in Tokyo.

Nara:

The Nara National Museum (奈良国立博物館), a leading institution specialising in Buddhist art and situated in Nara, marked its 130th anniversary with a major commemorative exhibition titled "Oh! Kokuho: Resplendent Treasures of Devotion and Heritage." The exhibition focused on religious art, encompassing both Buddhist and Shinto traditions, and featured around 140 exceptional works, including 112 designated as national treasures. This made the exhibition one of the most comprehensive displays of sacred Japanese art in recent years.

A highlight of the exhibition was the celebrated "Standing Kannon Bosatsu" (観音菩薩立像), commonly known as the Kudara Kannon (百済観音), a masterpiece housed at Hōryūji temple in Nara Prefecture. This statue, believed to have been created during the Asuka period (592–710), is one of Japan's oldest surviving wooden sculptures, representing early continental influence from the Korean Peninsula, particularly the ancient kingdom of Baekje. Its slender form and serene expression continue to be revered as a high point in early Japanese religious sculpture.

Another prominent piece on display was the "Seated Dainichi Nyorai" (大日如来坐像), a work by the renowned sculptor Unkei (運慶, c. 1150–1223), who was active during the early Kamakura period. The statue is currently owned by Enjōji temple in Nara and exemplifies the realism and dignified presence that characterise Unkei's mature style. His contributions, along with those of his father Kōkei (康慶, d. 1196), marked a turning point in Japanese Buddhist sculpture, transitioning from the idealised forms of the Heian period to a more human, grounded expression of divinity.

Also exhibited was the "Seated Bosatsu with One Leg Pendant" (片足を垂れた菩薩坐像), a finely detailed figure from Hōbodai-in Gantokuji (法宝大院願徳寺) in Kyōto. This sculpture, with its subtle tension in posture and refined facial expression, captured the introspective and meditative aspects of bodhisattva imagery, contributing to the solemn atmosphere of the gallery.

Among the most striking artefacts on display from outside the Buddhist tradition was the "Seven-Pronged Sword" (七支刀) of Isonokami Jingū (石上神宮) in Nara Prefecture. This iron weapon, dating from the Kofun period (古墳時代, c. 250–538), features a central blade flanked by six radiating, branch-like prongs and is associated with early continental diplomatic exchanges, particularly between the Yamato court and Baekje. The sword's historical significance lies not only in its unique form but also in the partially legible gold-inlaid inscription that alludes to ancient statecraft and ritual.

The exhibition also included a selection of Buddhist paintings, ink calligraphy (墨絵 sumi-e), and religious manuscripts, tracing the intertwined development of Shinto and Buddhist devotional practices in Japan. These works illustrated how religious beliefs were gradually absorbed and adapted into Japanese society, forming a syncretic spiritual culture.

Another example of such devotional art on display was the "Seated Bodhisattva with One Leg Pendant" (片足を垂れた菩薩坐像) from Chūgūji temple (中宮寺) in Nara Prefecture, an image known for its graceful femininity and compassionate expression. Together, these works offered a profound narrative of how religious iconography evolved and was embraced across regions and periods.

Kyōto:

A special exhibition at the Kyōto National Museum titled "Japan, an Artistic Melting Pot" explored the history of cross-cultural exchange seen through the lens of Japanese art. The exhibition features approximately 200 works, including 19 national treasures and 53 important cultural properties, and highlights how interactions with other cultures have influenced Japan's artistic identity.

One of the central exhibits was Tawaraya Sōtatsu's (俵屋 宗達, c.1570–c.1643) celebrated "Wind God and Thunder God Screens" (風神雷神図屏風), a national treasure owned by Kenninji (建仁寺), the oldest Zen temple in Kyōto. The bold composition and gold-leaf background exemplify the Rinpa school's distinctive style, which itself developed from various domestic and foreign influences during the early Edo period.

The exhibition also examined how international exhibitions served as vehicles for cultural exchange. Notably, the Meiji government's efforts to present Japan's cultural sophistication to the West during the 1900 Paris Expo were addressed. In preparation for the exposition, officials compiled the first Western-style survey of Japanese art, choosing works that represented the nation's artistic achievements. Several of these featured in the exhibition, such as a dotaku (銅鐸), a bell-shaped bronze artefact from the Yayoi period, designated as an Important Cultural Property and unearthed in Yasu, Shiga Prefecture.

Also on display was "Under the Wave off Kanagawa" by Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾北斎, 1760–1849), from his renowned woodblock print series "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji". This particular print has become an international symbol of ukiyo-e and Japanese aesthetics, especially in the West, where it played a pivotal role in the Japonisme movement of the 19th century.

The exhibition further included Buddhist statues, landscape drawings, floral and avian paintings, and ceramics, all of which illustrate the influence of cultural exchange, particularly with East Asia. These works demonstrated how Japan absorbed and adapted elements from continental Asia, especially from China and Korea, to create a unique visual culture.

A Japanese research team has concluded that a sea crossing from Taiwan to Yonaguni, Japan's westernmost island, would have been feasible around 30,000 years ago using a dugout canoe. According to the team, the journey, made without sails, could have been accomplished if all rowers possessed advanced paddling skills and carefully navigated with the strong Kuroshio (黒潮) current in mind.



This conclusion stems from a project led by Japan's National Museum of Nature and Science, which aimed to reconstruct how early human populations may have migrated from mainland China, then connected to Taiwan by land, before making a maritime journey to Yonaguni, situated just east of Taiwan. The research findings were published in two papers in the U.S. journal Science Advances on Wednesday.

Team leader Kaifu Yosuke, a professor at the University of Tokyo, explained that while Yonaguni is visible from specific high points in Taiwan, it cannot be reached simply by drifting. "This was not an accidental landing," he said. "We believe our ancestors chose a departure date based on seasonal patterns in wind and ocean conditions and intentionally rowed out to sea as a mixed group of men and women to establish a permanent settlement."

The voyage was reenacted in 2019, involving four men and one woman rowing a 7.5-meter-long dugout canoe. The group left the eastern shore of Taiwan on the afternoon of July 7, 2019, and arrived at Yonaguni in Okinawa Prefecture 45 hours later despite being swept away by the ocean current at times. The oldest archaeological sites in Okinawa and the neighbouring Amami island region of Kagoshima Prefecture date back 27,500-35,000 years. As boats from that era have not survived to this day, the research team initially created a boat made from reeds and a bamboo raft. It found, however, that such boats were too slow. Although a dugout canoe would have been difficult to build using stone axes, the team concluded that this was the only option, as no other boat possible back then could reach a speed that allowed for crossing the Kuroshio current.

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Two historically significant artworks portraying the "26 Martyrs of Japan" have returned to their country of origin for the first time in 94 years and are now being shown to the public. These Japanese-style hanging scrolls, collectively known as the "26 Martyrs of Japan," had been kept for decades at the Vatican. Their return follows seven years of persistent negotiations between representatives of the Japanese Catholic Church and Vatican officials.



Two of the scrolls from this renowned series are currently on display at the Catholic Tamatsukuri Church in Chūō Ward, Osaka. The scrolls depict the 26 faithful Christians who were crucified in 1597 in present-day Nagasaki Prefecture under the orders of warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉, 1537–1598), during a period of intensifying anti-Christian persecution. Before their execution, the martyrs were paraded through various regions—what are now Kyoto and Osaka prefectures—before being marched on foot to Nagasaki, where they were put to death.

The 26 martyred, canonised Catholics were selected for the motif by Seikyo Okayama (1895-1977), a baptised Japanese-style painter hailing from Hiroshima Prefecture. Okayama, as a student of pioneering Japanese artist Takeuchi Seihō (1864-1942), was so impressed by the martyrs that he spent about 15 years perfecting the hanging scrolls showing the 26 Catholic believers in a Japanese style. The painter applied natural mineral pigments to silk, particularly in finishing the sweeping portraits, with each measuring 190 centimetres in length and 75 centimetres in width. The illustrated scrolls were then donated to the Pope in 1931. An ongoing challenge is that the artworks have been badly damaged with the pigment falling off, due, in part, to the differences in humidity and other climate conditions between Japan and the Vatican. Another cause of their deterioration lies in how they were kept: the hanging scrolls have been rolled up for storage.

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The exhibition will run through Sept. 15. It is open from 10 a.m. to noon and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Admission is free.

Last Thursday, the Nara Prefectural Kashihara Archaeological Institute (奈良県立橿原考古学研究所) announced that an excavation at the site of the former Heijō-kyō (平城京) in Nara City had uncovered a structure with roof tiles and stones laid out over a north-south stretch of 15 metres. The feature is believed to be the foundation base of a building, and traces of several other structures were found arranged around it in a surrounding pattern. The institute suggested that this may be the remains of an unknown temple complex from the Nara period, which has not been previously recorded in historical documents.


According to the institute, the excavation site is within a section known as Sakyō Hachijō Ippō Jippō (左京八条一坊十坪), located near the southern edge of Heijō-kyō. The surrounding area is believed to have once consisted of small residential lots owned by lower-ranking officials. During the dig, archaeologists identified a slightly raised section approximately 30 centimetres high. Over a width of 45 centimetres and a north-south length of 15 metres, the team discovered a densely packed layer of flat roof tiles (瓦), stones roughly the size of a clenched fist, and fragments of pottery from the Nara period.

The Nara National Museum has announced that the 77th annual exhibition of Shōsō-in treasures will take place from 25 October to 10 November. This year's event will feature 67 artefacts from the Shōsō-in repository, with six of them making their debut appearance at the exhibition. Among the highlights is the striking "Ruri no Tsuki" (瑠璃の杯), a vivid cobalt blue glass cup.

The Shōsō-in (正倉院) is the treasure house of Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara, Japan. The building is in the azekura (log-cabin) style with a raised floor.

Among the treasures is "Ruri no Tsuki" (Blue glass cup) in a vivid cobalt blue. Many of the treasures symbolize the glamorous Tenpyo culture that flourished in eighth-century Japan. "Ruri no Tsuki" is a glass vessel with small, ring-shaped decorations, and it is fitted with a silver base. The glass is believed to have been brought from the West, while the base is thought to have been crafted in East Asia. This treasure exemplifies the cultural exchange between the East and the West via the Silk Road. The exhibition will feature other treasures with notable backgrounds. Among them is the "Tenpyo Homotsu Fude" ("Tenpyo Treasure" writing brush), which is said to have been used at the consecration ceremony for the Great Buddha statue at Todaiji temple in 752. "Ojukuko," also known as "Ranjatai," is a famous piece of incense wood that has captivated many powerful people, such as the daimyo feudal lord Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582).

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The main gate of the former Nakano Prison (中野刑務所, Nakano Keimusho) in Tokyo has been relocated in its entirety without dismantling a single brick.



In early August, Nakano Ward, which owns the land once occupied by the prison, completed the intricate operation of raising and shifting the historic structure approximately 110 metres from its original site. A ward official remarked that moving a brick building intact rather than demolishing and rebuilding it is highly unusual.

The nine-metre-tall red-brick gate was completed in 1915 and designed by Gotō Keiji (後藤慶治, 1883–1919), an architect active in the Taishō era (大正時代, 1912–1926). Gotō, who studied Western-influenced design during a period when Japan was experimenting with European architectural idioms, drew upon the Neo-Romanesque style that had gained popularity in government, educational, and judicial buildings of the late Meiji and Taishō periods. Characterised by its round arches, solid masonry, and imposing form, the gate exemplifies the civic gravitas that brick construction conveyed at the time.

Brick as a building material was still relatively rare in Japan in the early 20th century, following its adoption after the devastating fires of the late Edo and early Meiji periods. Structures such as the Tokyo Station building (1914) and the Justice Ministry building reflected a nationwide trend toward monumental red-brick architecture that symbolised modernity, authority, and permanence. The Nakano Prison gate, though smaller in scale, belongs to this exact cultural and architectural moment. As many Taishō-era brick structures were destroyed in the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake and later in the Second World War, their survival is especially significant. As such, it is regarded as Gotō's only extant work and a significant remnant of early modern Japanese architecture.

Nakano Ward plans to open the preserved gate to the public around May 2028. The prison was later known as Toyotama Prison (豊多摩刑務所, Toyotama Keimusho), a site where political dissidents such as anarchist Ōsugi Sakae (大杉栄, 1885–1923) and writer Kobayashi Takiji (小林多喜二, 1903–1933) were once confined, underscoring the building's place at the intersection of design and political memory.

Mitsui Fudosan Group has restored a 250-year-old traditional Japanese house in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward, reopening it to the public on 19 August after reinforcing the structure to make it resistant to earthquakes. The residence, dating back to the late Edo period, is a rare surviving example of vernacular architecture in the capital. Much of its original character has been preserved, with key structural components such as pillars and beams carefully maintained, while modern seismic technology was discreetly incorporated. Special devices were placed inside the walls to absorb shock, and the heavy tiled roof was replaced with a lightweight metal version, reducing the overall weight to just one-sixteenth of its former load. Thanks to these changes, the building can now withstand tremors as strong as a lower six on Japan's seismic intensity scale.


The property itself is modest in size, reflecting the lifestyle of its original inhabitants during the Edo period, when such homes were typically built using natural materials such as timber, clay, and straw. Its traditional layout, earthen walls, and exposed wooden beams have been retained, offering visitors a glimpse into everyday life more than two centuries ago. By retaining most of the original structure rather than opting for a complete rebuild, renovation costs were kept to roughly one-third of what full reconstruction would have demanded. This marks the first instance in which Mitsui Fudosan has restored a private residence of such age, underscoring the company's interest in heritage preservation alongside modern development projects. A family with ancestral ties to the house expressed gratitude for the effort, saying that being able to return to the home gave them peace of mind, especially given the enhanced safety standards.

Company representatives emphasised the value of the initiative, pointing out that restoring and reusing long-abandoned properties could help tackle Japan's growing problem of vacant houses. They also stressed that finding practical methods to reinforce historic wooden structures not only preserves cultural heritage but also offers a model for sustainable, earthquake-resilient housing in the future.

Ehime Prefecture is seeking public support to build a new exhibition hall for a rare Imperial Japanese Navy fighter plane, thought to be the only surviving example in Japan. The aircraft, a Shiden-Kai model developed in the final stages of the Second World War, is currently on display in the Shikoku town of Ainan and was recognised as Important Aviation Heritage in July. Officials plan to replace the ageing facility that presently houses the plane and have launched a crowdfunding campaign to help cover the costs of moving the aircraft and constructing the new hall.



Japan produced around 400 Shiden-Kai fighter planes, considered the successor to the famed Zero, following the country's entry into the war against the United States in 1941. The Shiden-Kai showcased the most advanced Japanese aviation technology of its era and is widely recognised, even internationally, as one of the nation's finest fighter aircraft.

The plane on display in Ainan measures 9.34 metres in length with a wingspan of 11.99 metres. It was once operated by the 343rd Naval Air Group, stationed in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture. On 24 July 1945, just weeks before Japan's surrender, the aircraft crash-landed in Hisayoshi Bay after an aerial battle. A local diver discovered the wreck in 1978, and the following year the prefectural government salvaged it from the seabed. Since 1980, it has been exhibited atop Mount Baseyama in Ainan, alongside the Uwa Sea observation tower, as a public symbol of peace and remembrance.

The exhibition hall in Ainan housing the last surviving Shiden-Kai fighter has stood for 45 years and is now in poor condition. To preserve the aircraft, Ehime Prefecture plans to build a new facility in 2026. Initially, officials assumed the fighter could be relocated with a crane, but engineers later found that its structure was too fragile. The relocation and preparation costs were revised to about 48 million yen ($327,000). To cover expenses, the prefecture launched a crowdfunding campaign under the "hometown tax" system, which allows donors to receive tax credits and gifts. Support has been strong: the first target of 10 million yen was reached in three days, followed by 38 million yen in early August. A third goal of 57 million yen has now been set, with funds earmarked for designing exhibits that include testimonies from the families of Shiden-Kai pilots and for digitally recording the plane's shape to aid future repairs. Donors can receive gifts such as stickers, a pearl-inlaid pin shaped like the fighter, or sneakers designed by manga artist Soichi Sumoto, who created a series about Shiden-Kai pilots. While Ehime residents cannot receive these under the tax scheme, they are eligible for event invitations and other benefits.

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A special exhibition has opened at the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park, Tokyo, featuring a collection of Buddhist statues from the Kamakura period (late 12th century–1333). The highlight is three works attributed to the renowned sculptor Unkei. Titled "Expressing Prayer, Capturing Form: Buddhist Sculptures by Unkei from the Northern Round Hall of Kohfukuji Temple," the exhibition reconstructs the atmosphere of Kohfukuji's Northern Round Hall in Nara as it would have looked in the Kamakura era. On display are seven statues, all designated national treasures. The exhibition, organised with the support of The Yomiuri Shimbun, runs until 30 November.

Unkei is one of the most important Buddhist sculptors of the Kamakura era. The three statues known to be by him at the exhibition, all masterpieces from his later years, are "Seated Miroku Nyorai (Maitreya Buddha)," "Standing Mujaku Bosatsu (Asanga Bodhisattva)" and "Standing Seshin Bosatsu (Vasubandhu Bodhisattva)." Mujaku Bosatsu and Seshin Bosatsu are positioned on either side of Miroku Nyorai. The four other statues which are thought to be by Unkei represent the Shitenno (Four Deva Kings) from the Central Golden Hall of the temple. It has been pointed out that those four statues might have originally stood inside the Northern Round Hall.

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Researchers have identified a well-preserved fragment of ancient pottery resting on the floor of Lake Biwa. Video footage taken at a depth of about 70 metres shows a stemmed bowl lying intact, with another shallow dish possibly nearby. The discovery was made on 2 July by the Biwako Trust, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to conserving Japan's largest freshwater lake, during an underwater survey led by Michio Kumagai, the trust's executive and a senior researcher at Ritsumeikan University. The objects were located some 200 to 300 metres off Tsuzuraozaki Cape in the lake's northern reaches. Sadakatsu Kunitake, chief archaeologist at the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, has identified the stemmed bowl's form as characteristic of the fifth century.

"It is astonishing that a more than 1,500-year-old clay vessel remained nearly intact, like a time capsule emerging from the deep," said Kunitake. He added that the bowl's design suggests it was used in rituals, reinforcing the connection between the site and ceremonial practices. This is the first time a ritual vessel has been identified at the site, according to Kumagai, who believes the lakebed may still be hiding many more artifacts. The Tsuzuraozaki underwater ruins were first discovered in 1924, when prehistoric pottery became entangled in fishing nets. Since then, approximately 200 artifacts--dating from around 10,000 to 1,000 years ago--have been recovered from depths of 10 to 70 meters.

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Kofukuji's Five-Story Pagoda in Nara, a designated National Treasure, recently offered the media a glimpse into its extensive restoration through a live demonstration of roof tile removal. Artisans carefully dismantled tiles by hand from the pagoda's uppermost roof, as part of a process to assess whether some of the roughly 60,000 tiles can be reused.


The 50-metre-tall structure, weighing around 200 tons in tiles alone, has suffered from cracking and misalignment over the years, making this the first complete reroofing since the Meiji era, some 125 years ago. Deputy Chief Priest Tagawa Ryoshun explained that the restoration is expected to take about ten years. Each tile will be assigned an identification number to judge its suitability for reuse, ensuring the pagoda can be preserved for generations to come.

A fragment believed to be a lotus petal from the pedestal of a seventh-century statue at Hōryūji Temple has been discovered in a private collection, providing fresh insight into one of Japan's most revered Buddhist masterpieces.



The Odawara Art Foundation announced on 3 October that the piece, known as a renben (蓮弁), had been identified among its holdings. It is believed to have once decorated the base of one of the flanking Bodhisattva figures, the Wakiji Bosatsu Ritzuzō, in the Shaka Triad. The Shaka Triad, formally known as the Shaka Sanzon-zō (釈迦三尊像), is a designated national treasure and remains enshrined in the Golden Hall of Hōryū-ji in Nara Prefecture.

The Shaka Triad was completed in 623 by sculptor Kuratsukuri-no-Tori, also known as Tori Busshi, to honour Prince Shotoku Taishi during the Asuka Period (592-710). The work features a seated Shaka Nyorai Buddha flanked by two standing Bodhisattvas. It is considered one of the most critical Buddhist statues associated with the introduction of Buddhism to Japan. The fragment was discovered in the collection of Hiroshi Sugimoto, a contemporary artist and antique collector, who founded the Odawara Art Foundation. It was previously owned by Donno Masuda, a renowned collector, and stored in a box labelled as originating from Hōryūji's Golden Hall. Upon investigation, experts believe the petal's shape and material strongly suggest a connection to the Shaka Triad, and that the piece may have belonged to the pedestal of one of the Bodhisattvas. Unlike the existing lotus petals on the statue, which are made from copper plates, the discovered fragment was cast in copper, matching the technique used for the statue itself.

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An archive museum dedicated to the planned underground Imperial headquarters has opened in Nagano City, shedding light on one of Japan's lesser-known wartime projects.



In the final months of the Pacific War, the Imperial Japanese military secretly launched a vast construction plan in Nagano Prefecture, intending to relocate the Emperor's residence and key government ministries there in preparation for a possible invasion of Tokyo. Work on the facility, known as the Matsushiro Daihonei (松代大本営), began in November 1944. Crews excavated around 10 kilometres of tunnels beneath Mount Zō (象山 Zōzan), Mount Maizuru (舞鶴山), and Mount Minakami (皆神山) in the Matsushiro district. The labour force, estimated at 10,000 people, included both Japanese workers and conscripted Koreans.

The massive project was abandoned before completion when Japan surrendered in August 1945, and the underground headquarters was never used. Today, only the tunnels beneath Mount Zō remain accessible to the public, attracting roughly 46,000 visitors last year.

The museum, a two-story facility, has on display a diorama showing the entire structure of the former military headquarters, tips of drilling machines used by the labourers and other exhibits. The project cost about ¥45 million, which was financed by crowdfunding and other donations. The facility also has a pair of notebooks donated by the great-grandchild of a man who lived near the bunker in those years. They contain an illustration of the entrance to one of the bunkers that is currently closed, as well as the names of residents who were forced to relocate their family graves due to soil that was discharged during the drilling work.

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The museum will be open to the public free of charge on Sunday and start regular operation on Monday, 13 October 2025, charging admission of ¥500 for adults.

Kakamigahara city authorities have discovered a bronze weight from the Nara period (710–794) at the Manakoshi archaeological site in Gifu. The artefact, identified as a ken (銙), was used for weighing goods during tax collection, indicating the existence of an official government outpost in the area.




The Kakamigahara Board of Education explained that the weight would have been hung from a horizontal rod and moved to measure balance. It was likely employed to weigh silk, thread, and other materials offered as tax payments under the ritsuryō (律令) system, the centralised bureaucratic structure that governed Japan at the time.

The weight was found in July alongside Nara-period Sue pottery in the remains of a pit dwelling. It measures 3.5 centimeters in width, 3.4 cm in height, and weighs about 100 grams. It resembles flower petals arranged in a caplike shape, and is well-preserved, with part of the chain remaining at the top. Due to its delicate shape, the weight is thought to be a "tameshi," a sample distributed from central to local government offices. It is presumed that it was used as a standard for reproducing earthen weights and other items. Bronze weights from the Nara period have been found at sites such as the Yoshinogari ruins in Saga Prefecture and the Yamamawari ruins in Shizuoka Prefecture, which are assumed to have been regional hubs. Such discoveries are rare, with only a few examples nationwide, and this is the first in Gifu Prefecture.

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In November, two exhibitions of rare ancient Buddhist statuary will open: one in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture, and the other in Tōkyō.

Moriyama:

Tōkyō:

Archaeologists in Gose, Nara Prefecture, said they had uncovered additional burial remains that, when considered alongside earlier finds nearby, point to the largest communal cemetery yet identified in the prefecture.


The latest discoveries were made at the Deyashiki-Kita Jūsanzuka site, where researchers uncovered 52 rectangular moated graves from the Yayoi period. When these are added to graves previously excavated in the surrounding area, the total now stands at 135, giving the site the distinction of being the most significant collective burial ground so far known in Nara. They also noted that a separate part of the site appears to have served as a residential area, suggesting that people lived near the cemetery during that period.

Maeda Toshio, a senior research fellow at the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, said the clear spatial division offers important clues about the values of the community at the time, noting that "although land was available on the settlement side of the river, they never built graves there" and adding that he felt "a strong intention to clearly separate the world of the living from the world of the dead." The findings are considered significant in deepening understanding of how land was managed and used during the period, shedding new light on social customs and spatial organisation among Yayoi communities.

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Staying on the topic of graves: across Japan, more and more families are deciding to close ancestral graves, and the question of who will look after them in the long run has become a common concern. The issue has now reached even one of the country's most prominent former ruling houses.

A recent segment on the programme "It!" spoke with Miki Yamagishi, the great-great-granddaughter of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the fifth head of the line established around him in the early Meiji years. She explained that her branch of the family is also facing the prospect of its grave eventually being closed. Yoshinobu, remembered as the last shogun of the Edo bakufu, handed political power back to the imperial court in 1867 in the taisei hōkan (大政奉還) before stepping down as the fifteenth shogun. When he was later made a duke—the highest rank in the new peerage system—a separate household was established around him, distinct from the Tokugawa main line.


The programme noted that the family's previous head, Yoshitomo, died eight years ago, and that his niece, Miki Yamagishi, succeeded him after caring for him during his illness. She brought the crew to the grave of the Tokugawa Yoshinobu family, pointing out that Yoshinobu and his wife, Mikako, rest there, with a concubine buried farther inside. The gate still carries the Tokugawa crest, and although the site is usually locked and closed to visitors, it was opened on this occasion.

Yamagishi now lives in Nagoya but is still responsible for the grave in Tokyo, which spans about 300 tsubo—nearly a thousand square metres. She said that looking after a site of that size from a distance has become increasingly complex. The carving of Yoshinobu's name has worn down, and part of the surrounding wall has fallen apart; repairing the wall alone, she explained, would cost about 30 million yen.

Confronted with the burden, Yamagishi decided that her generation will close the grave. She noted that while many families possess ancestral plots, they can become "negative inheritances" when maintenance demands exceed what descendants can reasonably manage. She said that transferring ownership to the proper institution would allow future generations to be freed from responsibility. According to Yamagishi, Yoshitomo had also consulted experts before his death, saying he hoped the difficulties would end with his generation. But the inheritance Yamagishi received includes far more than the grave. About 6,000 historical materials remain in the family's possession, including calligraphy and oil paintings written or painted by Yoshinobu himself. Yamagishi described her role as "turning family history into Japan's history." While the grave remains deeply personal to her, she noted that Yoshinobu's status as the last shogun gives the site an additional public dimension. Visitors continue to come, and she sees it as her responsibility to ensure that what belongs to history transitions from the private sphere into public stewardship.

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The Shiga prefectural authorities said they had identified what appears to be an almost intact piece of earthenware on the floor of Lake Biwa, and that it most likely dates back more than ten millennia. Specialists believe it dates to the very early Jomon period, roughly between 11,000 and 10,500 years ago, and is probably the oldest pottery yet found at the Tsuzuraozaki underwater site in Japan's largest lake.


The find came after a survey carried out in October as part of a Cultural Affairs Agency project. The team deployed an unmanned vehicle fitted with four cameras, which recorded photographs and video at a depth of about sixty-four metres. Using this material, the prefectural government produced a three-dimensional reconstruction of the lakebed, mapping both the terrain and the positions of artefacts. It was through studying this model that researchers noticed a 25-centimetre object shaped somewhat like an artillery shell, which on closer inspection proved to be the newly identified pottery fragment.

The prefectural government believes that this piece of earthenware was used for boiling, as it was likely an oshigata-mon doki (押形文土器), a type of pottery distinguished by repeated impressions on its surface. Six Haji pottery jars (土師器) from the mid-Kofun period of the 5th century, along with one additional fragment from an unidentified period, were discovered in the same area. Three of the six jars were found lying in a straight line, leading researchers to think they may have formed part of a ship's cargo that slipped into the water. The Shiga government plans to leave the artefacts in situ. "It is extremely rare to come across earthenware more than 10,000 years old in a condition so close to its original state," said Takahiko Fukunishi of the prefectural government's cultural assets division. He added that it may have survived intact precisely because it remained underwater and was never exposed to air.

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Lake Biwa is home to 78 underwater archaeological sites. The Tsuzuraozaki site was discovered in 1924 when ancient pottery was caught in a fisherman's net. About 200 pieces of earthenware from the early Jomon period to the late Heian period have been found at the site so far.


Similar findings were reported here.

Recently, a document sent by the young Toyotomi Hideyoshi—then known as Hashiba Hideyoshi—had surfaced on an online auction site and appeared to have been written just before he learned of the death of his lord, Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582). Murai Yuki, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo's Historiographical Institute and a specialist in medieval Japanese history, explained on 20 November that he had identified the piece as a kishōmon (起請文), or "oath document," bearing Hideyoshi's hand. Murai stressed that it offered a rare glimpse of the commander's movements and assumptions on the eve of what would become one of the decisive turning points of the Sengoku age.


The larger event, known later as the Honnōji Incident, had taken place on 2 June 1582, when Nobunaga was forced to take his own life during Akechi Mitsuhide's sudden rebellion in Kyōto. Hideyoshi, who at that moment was pressing the campaign against the Mōri clan in the Chūgoku region, sent the kishōmon a day later to a prominent Mōri-affiliated officer who had recently defected. The promise was bold: the man would receive a province in return for his loyalty. A shift of this kind mattered greatly in the closing stages of the Chūgoku campaign, for defeat or defection among Mōri retainers could tilt the balance of power in the west.

The document itself measures roughly 33 centimetres in height and 45 centimetres in width. Its language suggests that it was addressed to Uehara Motosuke, a samurai from Bingo province—present-day eastern Hiroshima Prefecture—whose family ties linked him with the wider Mōri network. The date given is 3 June, Tenshō 10 (1582), placing it within hours of Nobunaga's death, though Hideyoshi clearly had not yet received the news. In the text, he assured the recipient that, since the latter had pledged himself to Nobunaga, he, Hideyoshi, would obtain a shuinjō, a vermilion-sealed charter, from Nobunaga, granting him rights to Bingo. A shuinjō carried great authority in the late sixteenth century, serving as a formal recognition of domainal rights under the seal of a major warlord.

At the time the document was written, Hideyoshi's forces were surrounding Shimizu Muneharu, a senior Mōri commander, who was barricaded inside Bitchū Takamatsu Castle. The Uehara clan, posted at nearby Hibata Castle, had switched sides. Their defection was considered a severe blow to Muneharu. That Hideyoshi was willing to promise control of Bingo—a province he had not yet brought under firm control—was taken by scholars as a sign of the bold political instincts that would later help him claim national leadership in the aftermath of the Honnōji upheaval. It is believed that Hideyoshi learned of Nobunaga's death later that same night or early the next morning, prompting the rapid march east that culminated in the Battle of Yamazaki.

Murai remarked that this newly uncovered kishōmon was effectively the last document Hideyoshi issued while still assuming that Nobunaga remained alive and in command. The item is scheduled to go on display from 7 February next year at the Ibaraki Prefectural Archives and History Museum in Mito, where it will be shown as part of a special exhibition on the political world of the late Sengoku period.

Tucked away behind the Great Buddha at Kōtoku-in in Kamakura, a far smaller structure stands, whose story attracts attention of its own. That building, the modest Kangetsudō shrine, located on the temple grounds, will likely soon be returned to South Korea after more than a hundred years. The structure is believed to date back to the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), and Takao Sato, the chief monk of Kōtoku-in, initiated its repatriation.



Sato, who comes from a family long associated with the temple, grew up hearing that Kangetsudō—its name meaning "hall for viewing the moon"—had originated on the Korean Peninsula. Over the years, this understanding shaped his conviction that the one-storey wooden building belonged in its place of origin and should ultimately be returned to Korea.

According to Kōtoku-in, Kangetsudō, known as Gwanwoldang in Korean, was offered to a local bank by the former Korean royal family as loan collateral during Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of Korea. The bank granted ownership of the building to Kisei Sugino, president of what would later become Yamaichi Securities Co., in 1924 in return for his firm's assistance during the bank's financial difficulties. The structure was transported to Japan, and it is believed that Sugino donated it to the temple next to his villa in the 1930s. Kangetsudo--about seven meters by about five meters--is presumed to have been built to pay respects to ancestors of the Joseon Dynasty in the 18th and 19th centuries. It features roof tiles with dragon and spider motifs as well as engraved components, a style often found in royal architecture from that period. Tucked away at the back of the Kōtoku-in grounds, the structure served as a prayer hall enshrining a statue of the Kannon deity, or Avalokiteśvara.

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The donjon of Matsue Castle will undergo major repairs as of 2027 due to visible deterioration, including damaged roof tiles, weakened wall sections, and water leaks. Repairs are expected to take three years and to cost about ¥1.45 billion.


It will be the first large-scale restoration since work carried out in the early 1950s. The keep was completed in 1611 and has been maintained through periodic renovations as it has aged. Exterior fixes were carried out in 1894, while the Showa-era works between 1950 and 1955 involved dismantling and rebuilding the structure over several years. The upcoming repairs will stop short of that, focusing only on the exterior to stabilise what has visibly declined. A complete dismantling is already pencilled in for around 60 years from now, with another round of maintenance expected roughly 30 years after the Reiwa work is finished.

Starting July 2026, the admission fee will be raised from the current 800 yen (approximately $5.13) to 1,200 yen (about $7.70) for adults living outside the city, and from 400 yen (roughly $2.57) to 600 yen (some $3.85) for residents. While admission for elementary and junior high school students is currently set at 400 yen (200 yen for locals), both will be free after the revision.

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Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a large building at the site of Nagaoka-kyō (長岡京, 784–794) in Mukō, raising the possibility that it was a palace or government facility used by the emperor. The Kyōto Prefectural Archaeological Research Centre announced the find on 8 January.




The building is about 55.6 metres long from north to south and 7.6 metres wide from east to west, making it the largest structure so far found within the Nagaoka Palace complex. It sits on higher ground near the western edge of the palace area and looks down toward the Daigokuden, where Emperor Kanmu carried out state business. Specialists say the location and scale suggest it may have been a palace building or an administrative office used by the emperor.

The remains indicate post-in-ground construction, with pillars set directly into square postholes measuring 1.3 to 1.8 metres on a side. These are comparable in size to those of the main hall of the imperial residence, but the postholes are deeper, at roughly 1.25 to 1.9 metres, implying a taller structure. Until now, the most prominent building identified at Nagaoka Palace measured about 35 metres from east to west.

Elsewhere, long north–south buildings have been found at the former capital of Heijō-kyō, including an 86-metre-long structure at the West Pond Palace site, though that building was constructed on foundation stones rather than with buried pillars. At Heijō-kyō, a horse-breeding facility about 40 metres long has also been identified, but the postholes there are smaller than those discovered at Nagaoka.

Buildings known as wakiden, which were often constructed in symmetrical east–west pairs, are also usually elongated from north to south. Masato Uehara, professor emeritus of archaeology at Kyōto University, noted that if a matching structure is found, the likelihood that the complex functioned as an imperial villa would increase. He added that the discovery is valuable for understanding the distinctive layout of Nagaoka Palace, which incorporated hilly terrain and offered commanding views over the ceremonial centre.

A public viewing of the vividly coloured National Treasure murals from the Takamatsuzuka Tomb (高松塚古墳) opened on 17 January at a temporary conservation facility in Asuka, Nara Prefecture. The tomb dates from the late seventh to early eighth century and is designated a Special Historic Site (特別史跡).



Visitors can view the murals through glass, including the well-known "Asuka Beauties" (飛鳥美人) on the west wall and an astronomical chart depicting Chinese constellations. Painted on stone ceiling slabs inside the burial chamber, the chart shows more than 100 stars rendered in gold leaf, which are visible to the naked eye when illuminated. The viewing runs until 23 January.

On the same day, a separate exhibition opened in Asuka for murals from the nearby Kitora Tomb (キトラ古墳) at the Kitora Tumulus Mural Experiential Museum Shijin-no-yakata (キトラ古墳壁画体験館 四神の館). The display features Byakko (白虎, White Tiger) and Seiryū (青龍, Azure Dragon), divine beasts of the Shijin associated with directions and seasons in ancient Chinese cosmology and believed to have originally been painted as part of a complete set. The Kitora murals will remain on display until 15 February. The facility will be closed on 28 January and 9 February.

Repairs to the Takamatsuzuka murals to correct mould-related deterioration have been completed. However, officials have decided not to return them to the original tomb. Instead, they will be preserved in a new, permanent facility scheduled to open by fiscal 2029 at the Asuka Historical National Government Park. With construction projects set to begin this spring, this may be the last regular public viewing held at the current repair facility. Admission for both exhibitions is free. Advance reservations are required, but on-site admission is available if there is space.

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