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To prevent the expansion of COVID-19 infection, the Tokyo venue, which had been postponed for one year and five months, opened on October 13 (Wednesday). It will be held until November 24, 2021 (Wednesday).
The event was threatened by the departure of declaration of a state of emergency, but it was canceled at the end of September, and although there were some restrictions, we were able to hold the event.
Image provided: National Museum of Nature and Science
The venue is the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno, a sacred place for exhibitions of natural history and science and technology history! It is located in the city center and has good access to transportation, and the climate will be suitable for going out in the future, so if you are near the Kanto area or have missed the previous traveling exhibition, I hope you will take this opportunity to see it.
※Advance reservations are required to enter the National Museum of Nature and Science. For details on how to enter, please visit the National Museum of Nature and Science website.
Ueno Main Building (Japan Pavilion) of the National Museum of Nature and Science is a venerable building built in 1931 based on the Neo-Renaissance style, and is famous for its airplane shape, which was a symbol of science and technology at the time when viewed from the sky. In 2008, it was designated as an important cultural property of the country.
In the central hall of the Japan Pavilion, there is a dome with a wonderful design with stained glass. The venue is a special exhibition room facing the central hall.
In this central hall, we had a hands-on exhibition where you can touch the wood group and understand it, but the hands-on exhibition has now been canceled to prevent the expansion of COVID-19 infection.
In the entrance part, a short introduction video of two movies ("Kigumi House" and "Heritage of Kumiko Crafts") produced in conjunction with this tour exhibition is aired. A theater room was set up at other venues, but it could not be installed at this venue due to circumstances, so screenings will be held instead (10/17 and 10/31).
This time, it is a joint project between the National Museum of Nature and Science and Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum, and in addition to the contents of the previous tour exhibition, the treasured collection of the National Museum of Nature and Science is also exhibited.
Among them is the wooden model (scale 1/25) of Horyuji Temple five-storied pagoda and Yakushi-ji Temple East Pagoda made by fitting craftsmen with elaborate techniques. It was once exhibited at the Permanent exhibition of the National Museum of Nature and Science, but it is rarely seen because it is now stored in a storage room. Don't miss it.
When you pass through the entrance, you will be greeted by a wooden frame corner that introduces various fittings and gestures. In this exhibition, multi-language support is available, and the commentary panel is available in Japanese and English. In addition, by reading the QR code installed at the venue, Chinese and Korean are also supported.
A full-size model with wooden sets and four sides used for the main pillars of private houses. It is a state where the top is assembled and the bottom is broken down. In this exhibition, we have prepared a video commentary by the manufacturer for major exhibits. Akinori Abo (Kokimori), a carpenter from Chiba who produced this exhibition, explains the secrets of the wood group and how to use tools. By reading the QR code attached to the commentary panel, you will be transferred to the YouTube page (free Wi-Fi is available in the hall).
Enkaku-ji Temple Shariden, a national treasure in Kamakura, is a representative architecture of the Zen sect style of the Muromachi period. Here, a braid composed of a total of 66 members supporting the eaves is displayed in a decomposed form. In addition, you can see how these are assembled in CG.
This is a wooden structure model of the roof and a wooden structure exhibited by the National Museum of Nature and Science. The braid model is based on the Taimadera east pagoda (national treasure, the end of the Nara period), and the roof model is based on the Myotsuji triple pagoda (national treasure, Kamakura period).
A work by Kenji Suda, a living national treasure. You will be caught by the beautiful heather eyes. The corners are actually assembled with complex hands. You can also see Mr. Kenji Suda's commentary on YouTube.
It is a Kumiko folding screen that expresses the mountains of Shinshu by combining trees without using any hardware or paint. Please take a look at the elaborate skills of Japan's leading fitting craftsmen at the venue. You can also see a commentary video by Mr. Setsuo Matsubayashi of the prospering fitting craft made here on YouTube.
Please check the details of Kumiko in the real thing!
Next is the European tree group. This section introduces a wooden set called guitars that support the roof of the domer window and the mount. You can see complex wooden groups that cannot be seen in Japan together with images.
This huge wooden group is made of a part of the wooden Kintai-kyo Bridge wooden group in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in a size of 2.5. The production was by Mr. Kumeji Ebizaki, the leader who replaced the Heisei era. You can see the mechanism of the arch structure made of wood, which is rare in the world. In addition, the National Museum of Nature and Science exhibited a model used for structural experiments on Kintai-kyo Bridge at Waseda University.
Finally, the strange wood group corner. I tried 6 kinds of wooden groups like puzzles. Originally, I would like you to enjoy it together with hands-on exhibitions, but in order to prevent the expansion of COVID-19 infection, it is an exhibition just to see. The location map of old buildings related to this exhibition is posted on the wall, so I hope you can refer to it when you go out.
Kawai fittings with a complex and strange shape. You can put it on both verticals and horizontals.
When finished, it is completely invisible from the outside. Please enjoy the mysterious and beautiful world at the venue with the refreshing scent of wood!
