The 36th Annual Exhibition of New Acquisitions: Fukuoka's history and its people's lives

Period: October 9th ～ December 22nd, 2024

Venue: Feature Exhibition Room 1 - 4

Opening Hours: 9:30am - 5:30pm (last admission: 5:00pm)

Closed: Mondays

Charge:

 ・Adults: 200yen

 ・High school and University students: 150yen

　(No charge for Junior High School Students and younger)

Fukuoka City Museum has continued to collect artifacts in the fields of archaeology, history, folklore and art since 1983, seven years before the museum opened. Since then, the museum has collected more than 190,000 items through donations, deposits and purchases.

In order to ensure that this precious collection is passed on to future generations, and that it is effectively used for exhibitions and study, the museum researches and organizes all newly acquired objects and publishes an annual list of them in the "Collection Catalog."  The museum also makes this available as a searchable database on its website. It holds the “Annual Exhibition of New Acquisitions” to provide an opportunity to learn about how the museum's collection is procured and effectively utilized.

This year, the 36th edition of this series includes approximately 80 of the 2,548 items collected in FY 2021.

Exhibits are presented in four categories:

1. History and Records of Fukuoka

Helmet and armor with a five-piece cuirass (torso armor)（17th century)

This armor was inherited from the Ogo family, a key vassal of Kuroda Tadayuki, the second ruler of the Fukuoka domain. The helmet is decorated on both sides with the wings of a hawk with the crest of the Ogo family on them, while the front is decorated with a military fan with a sun disk on it.

Tiered vermilion-lacquered box (20th Century)

This set of boxes, used for displaying food, was exhibited at the 13th Kyushu-Okinawa Prefectural Alliance Exhibition held in Fukuoka City in 1910. They are made using the traditional Okinawan technique of Tsuikin, in which lacquer is colored and molded to create a three-dimensional form.

2. Modern Fukuoka

Photograph of post-war Fukuoka City taken between 1946 and 1947.

The photographer was an American who worked for an educational institution of the U.S. military. The photographs show the urban area with its rubble after the war.

3. Life and Festivals

Porcupinefish (20th-21st century).

A stuffed porcupinefish (a type of pufferfish) used to ward off evil spirits on Genkai Island in Fukuoka City.

Okiage, a layered cloth picture (20th century).

Self-portrait created using the Hakata okiage technique in which the underpainting is layered with cloth or cotton to create a three-dimensional pattern.

4. Entertainment and Art

Furisode (long-sleeved kimono) ,worn at weddings, tea ceremonies, flower arrangement lessons, and other celebratory occasions. This one is decorated with cranes, pine trees, chrysanthemums, and waves patterns. (20th century)

Painting of Yamakasa float by Mitoma Shusei (1822)

This is a painting of a decorative float used in the Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival.

This Yamakasa float depicts the story of the extermination of bandits in the ancient Chinese state of Yue.

There is a wide range of items on display, representing Fukuoka's history and lifestyle. These include: armor and helmets used by samurai in the Edo period; beautiful calligraphy and paintings; and amazing photographs and postcards that tell Fukuoka's story. Visitors can also see an example of the costumes and artifacts used in traditional festivals. In addition, a puppet used by Komatsu Masao, the famous comedian from Fukuoka City who passed away in 2020, is exhibited for the first time.

Puppet used by Komatsu Masao (1942-2020), a famous comedian from Hakata.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who have provided valuable items for this exhibition. We trust that these will stimulate visitors' interest in the history of our city and the daily lives of Fukuoka's people over the years.