The is a private art museum, located on the former Ōzone Shimoyashiki

Ōzone Shimoyashiki

The Ōzone Shimoyashiki is a former residence of the Owari branch of the Tokugawa clan, located in Ōzone in Higashi ward in Nagoya, central Japan.- History :...

compound in Nagoya, central Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. Its collection contains more than 12,000 items, including sword

Sword

A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...

s, armor, Noh

Noh

, or - derived from the Sino-Japanese word for "skill" or "talent" - is a major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Many characters are masked, with men playing male and female roles. Traditionally, a Noh "performance day" lasts all day and...

 costumes and masks, lacquer furniture, Chinese and Japanese ceramics

Ceramics (art)

In art history, ceramics and ceramic art mean art objects such as figures, tiles, and tableware made from clay and other raw materials by the process of pottery. Some ceramic products are regarded as fine art, while others are regarded as decorative, industrial or applied art objects, or as...

, calligraphy

Calligraphy

Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...

, and paintings from the Chinese Song

Song Dynasty

The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...

 and Yuan

Yuan Dynasty

The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...

 dynasties (960-1368).

History

Unlike many private museums in Japan, which are based on collections assembled in the modern era by corporations or entrepreneurs, the Tokugawa Art Museum houses the hereditary collection of the Owari branch of the Tokugawa clan

Tokugawa clan

The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...

, which ruled the Owari Domain

Owari Domain

The was a feudal domain of Japan in the Edo period. Located in what is now the western part of Aichi Prefecture, it encompassed parts of Owari, Mino, and Shinano provinces. Its headquarters were at Nagoya Castle. At its peak, it was rated at 619,500 koku, and was the largest holding of the...

 in what is now Aichi Prefecture

Aichi Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...

. The museum is operated by the Tokugawa Reimeikai Foundation, which was founded in 1931 by Yoshichika Tokugawa (1886–1976), 19th head of the Owari clan, in order to preserve the clan's priceless collection of art objects, furnishings, and heirlooms.

The main building of the museum was constructed in the 1930s in a classic Japanese style with western elements.

Collection

The permanent exhibition is housed in a historical reproduction of the living quarters of the Owari daimyō

Daimyo

is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

, allowing visitors to view the objects as they were actually used in settings such as a Japanese tea-house or Noh stage. The museum also mounts temporary exhibitions in a building that has been declared a national cultural property.

The most important and valuable treasures are three Heian period

Heian period

The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...

 illustrated handscrolls of The Tale of Genji

The Tale of Genji

is a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. It is sometimes called the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first psychological novel or the first novel still to be...

, dating to the 1130s. Along with one other scroll from the same set, now preserved at the Gotoh Museum

Gotoh Museum

The is a private museum in the Kaminoge district of Setagaya on the southwest periphery of Tokyo. It was opened in 1960, displaying the private collection of Keita Gotō, chairman of the Tokyu Group...

, they are the earliest extant depictions of the epic tale and are National Treasures of Japan

National treasures of Japan

National Treasures are the most precious of Japan's Tangible Cultural Properties, as determined and designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs...

. The scrolls are so fragile that they are permanently diplayed to the public. Since at least Heisei 13, they have been displayed in the Tokugawa Museum for one week in November.

The Hōsa Library

Hōsa Library

The Hōsa Library is a library located on the compound of the Ōzone Shimoyashiki in Nagoya, central Japan.- History :It was established by Tokugawa Yoshinao, the first lord of the Owari Domain, as an official archive. It was transferred from the Tokugawa family to Nagoya City in 1950...

 is located next to the museum and houses 110,000 items including classic literature belonging to the Owari branch. Located next to the museum is the Tokugawa Garden

Tokugawa Garden

The Tokugawa Garden is a Japanese garden in the city of Nagoya, central Japan. It is located next to the Tokugawa Art Museum.- History :...

.

See also

• Daimyo collection
• List of National Treasures of Japan (paintings)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-others)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-swords)

External links

• Official site of the Tokugawa Art Museum