Mingu: Folk Implements - Designs in Everyday Life, Design for Life -

Period: Tuesday, January 5th ～ Sunday, April 13th, 2025
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)

The term “mingu” was coined by Shibusawa Keizo(1896-1963), a well-educated economist, and is a collective term for folk implements and artifacts made or used by the general public for their everyday needs. In other words, it refers to the tools that we have always used in our daily lives.

Folk tools have been devised and improved, with simple shapes and designs in order to make people's lives more comfortable. People have also made everyday items from various natural, locally-sourced materials since ancient times.

However, since the Japanese economic miracle (1955 - 1973), new materials have been developed at a rapid rate, and technology has evolved, replacing traditional folk tools with industrially-made mass-produced goods. Our lifestyles and mindsets have shifted significantly along with these changes.

Now is the time to rethink our way of life by learning from these folk implements. They are filled with the experiential “wisdom of life” of their makers and users and can help us to understand the transition of our culture from ancient to modern times.

This exhibition is introducing a wide variety of materials and uses of folk tools, mainly daily essentials, selected from the museum's collection. In addition, the exhibition is held in collaboration with the Hakata Traditional Craft and Design Museum. Both venues are exhibiting traditionally crafted objects that have been produced for a long time.

Please come and see the new styles and traditions of contemporary craftsmen and artists recommended by the museum.

Exhibits are presented in four categories:

1. Materials and regional characteristics of folk tools

This category displays folk tools by material, such as wood, bamboo, straw, and other plants, as well as introducing unique tools made by various local processes.

【Cylindrical bamboo fishing basket for crabbing】
By grasping the conditions of the river and setting this tool in a place where the crabs are likely to gather, the fishermen used this fishing tackle to catch river crabs. The entrance is designed so that the crabs cannot escape once they are inside.

 

【Rice basket】
This bamboo basket was used to store cooked rice mainly in summer. It is woven to provide better ventilation and to prevent the rice from spoiling. A handle and stand are attached to the basket so that it can be hung or placed under the eaves in a breathable space.

2. Folk tools suitable for daily life

This category introduces folk implements that were used in the living environment, such as cooking and storage tools, as well as those related to fire, which was an important energy source for all aspects of contemporary life.

【Hot-water bottle】

This ceramic hot water bottle was used in Japan approximately 100 years ago.

It was filled with boiling water wrapped in cloth, and placed in a futon to warm the feet and body.

【Bread baking machine】

This bread baking machine was used on top of a small charcoal grill. 

It has two aluminum plates inside, one on the top and one on the bottom.

3. Aesthetic design

This category showcases the designs of the period by displaying clothing and textiles used in a variety of situations, from everyday casual to formal and special occasions.

【Hagitōjin work kimono】

A unique work wear from Tsutsu in Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture, made of more than 40 pieces of scrap cloth, similar to a quilt, with narrow sleeves. It was worn from fall to spring for work in the mountains and sea.

4. Local arts and crafts

This category begins with Noma Yoshio's collections from various regions of Kyushu and continues with the introduction of traditional crafts representing Fukuoka City, such as textiles, dolls, magemono (wooden containers), papier-mâché, spinning tops, okiage, and multi-layer glass. Additionally, there are works by artisans recommended by the Hakata Traditional Craft and Design Museum.

【Helmet made of multi-layer glass】

This beautiful helmet is seen at the Boys' Festival, and is made of multi-layered colored glass, with different qualities. It celebrates a boy's birth and the family's wish for the boy to grow strong.

【Married couples' spinning tops】
This is a pair of decorative spinning tops from Hakata to pray for matrimonial happiness and good health. They originated as part of an acrobatic performance with spinning tops on the tip of a sword or fan.

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.

Otoroe: The Astonishing World of Giant Lantern Paintings

Period: September 13 ~ November 4, 2024
Venue: Special Exhibition Room
Opening Hours: 9:30am - 5:30pm (last admission: 5:00pm)
Closed: Mondays (if Monday falls on a national holiday, the following weekday)
Charge:
・Adults: 1,200yen
・High school and University students: 800yen

   *The chicket includes admission to the Permanent and Feature Exhibition Rooms.
　*No charge for Junior High School Students and younger.

  

Ohama Nagarekanjo Otoro,
Tangible Folk Cultural Property by Fukuoka Prefecture
 (Taken on August 24, 2023)

In areas along the Hakata Bay coast in Fukuoka City, there are places where giant lanterns called "Otoro" are displayed along roadsides during summer festivals. The lanterns are often decorated with striking depictions of warriors and legends.

One of the famous events in which giant lantern paintings ("Otoroe") are displayed is Ohama Nagarekanjo, a local summer festival held every year in August in Fukuoka City (photo above). This festival’s original purpose was to pray and hold a memorial service for people who had died in a severe natural disaster in 1755 and the plague of the following year. The giant lantern paintings, which have been adorned with prayers for the dead and the safety of the town at festivals, evoke feelings of extraordinary excitement and fear.

“Igagoe vendetta,” giant lantern painting/ Hakozaki Hachiman Shrine

This exhibition brings together – for the first time – approximately 60 giant lantern paintings from across Fukuoka, including 9 designated as Tangible Folk Cultural Property by Fukuoka Prefecture. Some exhibits are photographs to protect the originals. The exhibition also focuses on the artists responsible for these paintings, and introduces other prints, posters, and hanging scrolls they created.

We hope you will take this opportunity to view these unique and highly impactful paintings and learn about the local customs of Fukuoka at the exhibition site!

This room has a section that reproduces the altar (for a Buddhist service to placate the dead) that is set up during the Ohama Nagarekanjo summer festival. Buddhist paintings, lanterns, stupas (wooden grave markers), and a boat, believed to carry the spirits of ancestors, are also on display. The lanterns crowned with an umbrella and flowers on either side of the section were made by participants in a workshop held at the museum in May.

The 35th Annual Exhibition of New Acquisitions: Fukuoka's history and its people's lives

Period: November 7th (Tue.), 2023 - January 28th(Sun.), 2024
Venue: Feature Exhibition Room 1 - 4
Opening Hours: 9:30am - 5:30pm (last admission: 5:00pm)
Closed: Mondays, December 28th (Thu.), 2023 - January 4th (Thu), 2024

Charge:

 ・Adults: 200yen

 ・High school and University students: 150yen

　(No charge for Junior High School Students and younger)

Entrance to the exhibition

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Fukuoka City Museum's collection, which began in 1983, seven years before the museum opened. The museum has collected more than 190,000 items in the fields of archaeology, history, folklore, and art through donations, loans and purchases.

In order to ensure that this precious collection is passed on to future generations properly, and that it is effectively used for exhibitions and study, the museum researches and organizes all newly acquired objects and annually publishes a list of them in the "Collection Catalog." The museum also 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 35th edition of this series displays approximately 100 selected items from the 3,647 items collected in FY 2020.

Exhibits are presented in four chapters:

  1. Pre-Modern Fukuoka

  2. Memories of Modern Fukuoka

  3. The World of Festivals and Rituals

  4. The Work of Painters and Craftsmen

A wide range of items is displayed that represents Fukuoka's history and lifestyle. These include: ancient artifacts; documents and hanging scrolls related to the Fukuoka domain in the Edo period (1603-1868); photographs showing everyday life in the Showa period (1926-1989); tools used in traditional festivals and rituals; and paintings and crafts associated with Fukuoka and Hakata.

Lastly, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who have provided valuable items for this exhibition. We hope that it will stimulate visitors' interest in the history of Fukuoka and the daily lives of its people.

1. Pre-Modern Fukuoka

Copper bowls (9th-12th century) 
These two nested copper bowls were found at Hakozaki (Higashi Ward, Fukuoka City). It is extremely rare for items to be excavated in a near-perfect condition. They were probably placed there during a burial ritual.

Manual illustrating the secret art of conch blowing by the Kiyomasa school　(1859)
In the Edo period, the trumpet shell was a tool used by warlords to command their armies. This scroll contains the names of the various parts of the conch and numerous pictures showing how to blow it.

2. Memories of Modern Fukuoka

Copper coin called “Bunkyu-Eiho” (1863-1867) 
The Bunkyu Eiho coin issued by the shogunate at the end of the Edo period.

Charcoal stove (19th-20th centuries) 

Charcoal stove, called Hakata shichirin, one of the products of "Hakata unglazed pottery" made in Kawaramachi town (present-day Hakata) and other areas since the late Edo period. It was salvaged from the seabed off the coast of Nishiura (Nishi Ward, Fukuoka City).

3. The World of Festivals and Rituals

Tools for Taniguchi Kagura (a performance of sacred music and dancing) (20th century)

Masks used in Taniguchi Kagura, in the Wakiyama and Taniguchi areas (Sagara-Ward, Fukuoka City). This kagura ceased to exist around 1968.

Decorations for betrothal gifts in Fukuoka (2004)
A traditional betrothal gift to a woman by a man during the rites of engagement.
A unique feature of Fukuoka's gift is that it includes tea.

4. The Work of Painters and Craftsmen

Large lantern painting titled "Battle of Kawanakajima" (20th century)

This lantern painting was used in the summer festival "Oshioitori" at Imajuku Uemachi Tenmangu Shrine (Nishi Ward, Fukuoka City) until around 1960. The artist is thought to be Shiramizu Koun.

Kimono made in Hakata-shibori (tie-dye)

This kimono is made of tie-dyed fabric produced by Hakata Shibori Manufacturing Co. The dyeing technique results in the dyed form resembling a spider's web, and another in which the coloring is reminiscent of willow leaves.

War and Our Way of Living #32

 

May 30th (Tue.) ~ July 9th (Sun.), 2023

Feature Exhibition Room 1

Textbook with some of the contents blacked out after the war

On June 19, 1945, a large formation of B-29 long-range bomber planes from the United States flew over Fukuoka. Here the United States dropped a large number of incendiary bombs, between midnight and the early morning hours. This is known as the ‘Great Fukuoka Air Raid’, which left the central part of the city in burnt-out ruins.

Since 1991, the Fukuoka City Museum has held an exhibition entitled ’War and Our Way of Living’ annually to commemorate the 'Great Fukuoka Air Raid.’

This year, we introduce the lives of children during wartime through textbooks, magazines, paintings and other items.

During the war, "home front citizens," who did not directly participate, were incorporated into the war support system. Children’s living environment in terms of food, clothing and shelter was greatly restricted. Schools, entertainment, and other activities were also strongly affected.

We hope that by seeing the daily lives of children in this exhibition, you will have the opportunity to learn about this period of the war and how it influenced those involved. We also hope this will allow you to reflect on the importance of peace.

Exhibition view

Basics of Archaeology

-How to Know an Artifact's Age

April 25th (Tue.) ~ June 25 (Sun.), 2023

Feature Exhibition Room 3

Which is older?

Left: Sue ware with ring-shaped handles 6-7th c.
Right: Sue ware with knot handles 6-7th c.

What comes to mind when you think of archaeology? Some might answer dinosaur fossils, pyramids, or buried treasure while those who are familiar with history might answer ruins or excavation.

Archaeology is the study of history. Its objects are any artifacts that humans once made, processed, and used, such as earthenware, stoneware, building materials, and food remnants (food scraps in those days!). This makes archaeology useful for reconstructing the history and the lifestyles of people in a time when there were no letters or other written communication.

In order to advance the research, archaeologists need to start by extracting information from relics and verbalizing them, unlike documented records, where events are expressed and organized in words.

This exhibition introduces you to one of the most basic methods of archaeological research, the dating method, which determines the age of excavated items. The dating method research proved to be useful in helping to establish the age of our museum’s permanent exhibits. We hope that this exhibition will make your future visit to historical exhibitions more enjoyable.

Exhibition view

Explore the Charms of Ancient Earthenware Vessels

- How our ancestors made, used and carried them

March 28th (Tue.) ~ June 11th (Sun.), 2023

Feature Exhibition Room 4

 

Pot with leaf impression on the bottom (500-300BCE)

Earthenware pieces are the most recovered artifacts through excavation and the focus of archeological research.

These relics and remains act as a standard to estimate the age of archaeological sites. In exhibitions, earthenware vessels tend to be overshadowed by other eye-catching exhibits such as rare metalware or beautiful accessories. Visitors may think “earthenware is plain and inconspicuous.” We may also hear a voice telling us “What's the fun in looking at earthenware?”

However, if you observe pottery closely, it gives an insight into how ancient people made, used and carried them, and excites us. We really would love to share this point of view with YOU!

This exhibition introduces eye-opening new perspectives on earthenware, so you can enjoy it in a new light. You may even learn and interpret a little about how archeologists observe artifacts.

Exhibition view

【Discover the Feature Exhibition】The Kawari-Kabuto (“Exotic Helmets”) Exhibition 5

- Armor and weapons from the New Collection

March 14th (Tue.) ~ May 28th (Sun.), 2023

Feature Exhibition Room 1

Hoshi-Kabuto helmet with seventy-four riveted plates with cirrus / tornado ornamentation (17th century)

This exhibition displays armor, weapons, helmets with unusual decorations (Kawari-Kabuto) and related items collected by the Fukuoka City Museum over a 10-year period until 2021, and explores the changes in the history and culture of the samurai families.

First, we introduce old Kawari-Kabuto with traditional bowls, such as Hoshi-kabuto (helmets with standing rivets) and Suji-kabuto (helmets with ridged bowls) among the ones owned by vassals of the Fukuoka domain. Some helmets have the fantastic shapes of Maedachi (front crests), while others, such as the gorgeous Hoshi-kabuto helmet are decorated with the shape of a gold-lacquered bottle on the top and crab claws on both sides. This helmet was owned by Kiriyama Nobuyuki, also known as Kiriyama Tanba, one of the Twenty four major samurai warriors supporting the Kuroda clan, feudal lord of the Fukuoka domain.

Some Kawari-Kabuto have bowls made in a simple and sturdy way. Among these, Momonari- kabuto (helmets with peach-shaped bowls) were especially favored by the warriors of the Fukuoka clan. They also devised front and side ornaments to give them individuality.

Samurai warriors active during the period of upheaval from the closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate to the Meiji Restoration (c.1850s - early 1870s) fought with new armor or repaired ancestors' armor for a heroic appearance. They also wore Jingasa (soldier’s helmet) or Jinbaori (surcoat). In addition, this exhibition displays guns, spears with handles and other practical weapons, as well as artillery and secrets of the art of gunnery, such as the Japanese hand culverins.

Exhibition view

【Discover the Feature Exhibition】 Gifts from the Lords

March 21st (Tue.) ~ May 21st (Sun.), 2023

Feature Exhibition Room 2

Military baton gifted to Noguchi Kazunari from Kuroda Nagamasa　(16 -17th centuries)

Many of the items in the Fukuoka City Museum's permanent collection have　beendonated by the people of Fukuoka City and other regions. We would like to once again thank everyone who donated valuable objects to the museum.

All collected items are first organized and researched to ensure that they are passed on to future generations properly and securely and that they are effectively used for exhibitions, study and other purposes.

While organizing and researching artifacts from families that were clansmen, families that ran businesses and families that served as village officials in the Fukuoka domain, we occasionally come across things that are said to have been gifted by feudal lords of the Fukuoka domain.

On such occasions, we often ask ourselves, "Why this item? Why this person? When and why was it given?” We try to find answers to these questions from related materials and sources.

In this exhibition, we display the actual items gifted by the feudal lords and introduce the real picture that we have gained through our research.

  

Saddle with mother-of-pearl inlay and designs of comma-shapes and arabesques (16th century)

【Discover the Feature Exhibition】 The Sakimori

 - Soldiers garrisoned in Northern Kyushu in Ancient Times

January 17th (Tue.) ~ April 23rd (Sun.), 2023

Pottery from Tohoku region (Northern Japan) 8th century

Since Fukuoka is the closest city in Japan to Mainland China, it was not only a window for foreign exchange but also a place vulnerable to invasion as an entry point from the continent.

In 663, Japan suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the combined forces of Tang and Silla, known as the Battle of Baekgang. The Yamato Imperial Court, fearing a Tang invasion, dispatched soldiers from the eastern provinces to Kyushu, such as Tsushima, Iki, Tsukushi and other provinces as the Sakimori soldiers.

Pottery from the Tohoku region was excavated from a pit dwelling from the Nara period (710-784) at the Zasshonokuma site in Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City. The shape of the dwelling is similar to that from the Tohoku region, leading us to believe that it’s also the residence of the Sakimori soldiers who had been dispatched from the same region.

During the Mongol invasions of Fukuoka in 1274 and 1281, a group of warriors from the western provinces were dispatched to the area. The 'Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba,’ an illustrated account of the Mongol invasion, eloquently describes the battle against the army. It also shows the exploits of Takezaki Suenaga, a samurai warrior from Higo (present-day Kumamoto area).

In this exhibition, we focus on the soldiers who had been stationed in Fukuoka to fight against foreign enemies, such as Western samurai warriors in the Kamakura period (1185-1333), as well as the ancient Sakimori soldiers.

Exhibition view

【Discover the Feature Exhibition】 Water and Life

Commemorating the Centennial of Fukuoka City Waterworks

Water and Life

January 17th (Tue.) ~ March 26th (Sun.), 2023

Feature Exhibition Room 4

Painting depicts water vendors in the Meiji period

Fukuoka City began supplying water to residents on March 1st, 1923, the 41st year of the Taisho period, with the completion of a series of facilities that included the Hirao filtration plant and Magaribuchi Dam, both built upstream of the Muromi River. In the year 2023, the 5th year of the Reiwa period, marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the Fukuoka City waterworks project.

Excavations have revealed that wells have been used in communities in the Fukuoka Plain since the Yayoi Period (c.800BCE - 250CE). Numerous wells have also been found at the ruins of Hakata, which was an international trading port during the Middle Ages. During the Meiji period (1868-1912), since the water quality in some places in the Hakata area was poor due to the high concentration of salt, Fukuoka city constructed a well in Higashi Park in Hakata Ward, and water vendors sold water to individual homes.

The city waterworks enabled many people to secure a high quality water supply which dramatically changed their way of life. Unfortunately, Fukuoka City was often plagued by water shortages due to the lack of large rivers in the surrounding area. However, the water supply from the Chikugo River and the completion of the Gokayama Dam stabilized the water situation.

This exhibition displays tools used for well and water pipe maintenance, as well as photographs showing the history of the waterworks projects in the area.

Exhibition view

【Discover the Feature Exhibition】 A Collection of Portraits that show Kuroda Josui & Nagamasa

January 17th (Tue.) ~ March 19th (Sun.), 2023

Feature Exhibition Room 2

Portrait of Kuroda Josui (left) and Nagamasa (right) depicted with dignity (1821)

This exhibition showcases portraits and paintings of Kuroda Josui (1546-1604), founder of the Fukuoka domain, and his son Nagamasa (1568-1623), its first lord. What we display is mainly from the museum's collection, and it introduces how the art's characteristics have changed over time.

The portraits drawn at the beginning of the Edo period, soon after the deaths of Josui and Nagamasa, retain their appearances and expressions.

The portraits of the two men each provide insight into their way of life. Josui was depicted as a retiree, leaned on an armrest, while Nagamasa was shown as riding a horse wearing a heroic helmet with a large silver-foiled plate, or in meditation seeking enlightenment. By the late 17th century, half a century after their deaths, the two men began to be portrayed as more dignified and admirable, with Nagamasa in his traditional Japanese court dress, and Josui in his neatly seated position (photo shown above). Those paintings were later enshrined and revered as deities protecting both the Kuroda family and the clan.

Meanwhile, after the Genroku Period (1688-1704), another image of Nagamasa emerged. At first, Nagamasa was depicted as a small figure wearing his regular helmet, with a pair of large bull horns, with Twenty-four major samurai warriors supporting the Kuroda clan. However, he gradually began to be drawn in a variety of ways. He was displayed alone with the same helmet, and he became familiar to samurai families and ordinary people as a symbol of bravery, and a protector of peace and security in Chikuzen Province. 

Exhibition view

【Discover the Feature Exhibition】 Ancient Temples

 － Familiar Temples from Distant Times

January 17th (Tue.) ~ March 12th (Sun.), 2023

Feature Exhibition Room 1

The temple bells ring in New Year's Eve, children play and run through the temple grounds... The traditions and scenes may have changed little by little with the times, but temples are still a part of our daily lives.

Sue ware with the word "寺-temple" (8th century)

In Japan, Buddhism was introduced from Baekje in the 6th century and the building of temples began. Later, in the Nara period (710-794), Emperor Shomu erected the Great Buddha at Todaiji Temple and established Kokubunji Temple in each of the provinces of the country. Chikuzen Province (present-day part of Fukuoka Prefecture) was home to Kanzeonji Temple, one of the most famous temples on Kyushu Island. Today, we can still visit the Todaiji Temple in Nara and the Kanzeonji Temple in Dazaifu, while many other temples built during this period are no longer standing. There are some abolished temples in Fukuoka City, such as called 'Miyake Haiji' or 'Takabatake Haiji.’

What is the reason the temples were built, and why did they disappear over time? This exhibition explores how these unrecorded temples came to be known to us, and how they existed in the region, based on documents and excavated artifacts. 

Exhibition view

The 34th Annual Exhibition of New Acquisitions

Feature Exhibition Room

October 25th, 2022 ～ January 15th, 2023

Fukuoka City Museum has continued to collect materials in the fields of archaeology, history, folklore and art since the establishment of the Fukuoka City Museum's Preparatory Office in 1893, seven years before the museum opened. The museum has collected more than 180,000 items through donations, deposits and purchases.

In order to ensure that the collected items are passed on to future generations properly and securely, and that they are effectively used for exhibitions and study, the museum researches and organizes all newly collected materials and annually publishes a list of them in the "Collection Catalog." In conjunction with the publication of the catalog, the Museum also holds the “Annual Exhibition of New Acquisitions” to provide Fukuoka citizens with an opportunity to learn about the Museum's activities.

This year's exhibition, the 34th edition of this series, showcases approximately 80 items related to the history and daily life of the people in Fukuoka City. The exhibits are carefully selected from 3,793 items collected in 2019, as listed under No.37 in the "Collection Catalog."

This exhibition is divided into four chapters: Admiring, Believing, Thinking and Learning, which evoke emotions and thoughts in the viewer.

1. Admiring

This chapter focuses on arts and crafts. You will see not only their beauty, but also their production techniques.

Hakata Doll, Bodhidharma by Harada Kahei.

Armor of Kiriyama Tanba.
The helmet is luxurious, decorated with the shapes of
a gold-lacquered bottle gourd on its top and crab claws on both sides.

   

2. Believing

This chapter displays a selection of items related to faith. Each of these materials conveys not only inner strength but also people’s feelings, and provides us a clear window into the emotional and spiritual bond they felt with these objects.

Line-engraved stone with the Buddhas image enshrined in Kanetake, Nishi ward, Fukuoka city.
The flat, smooth stone is engraved with the image of Nyorai Buddha,and the back of the stone
 says that it was dedicated in 1179 by Ryoshin, a Buddhist priest.

Former sacred, wooden statue from Kamiakizuki Shrine in Asakura City,
dedicated to Sakata Echigo-no-kami, who served the Akizuki clan during the Warring States period.

3. Thinking

In this section, we exhibit materials that trigger our remembrance of the past and of people of the past. Items that show what people in the past were thinking and feeling are also important to the museum collection.

Hakata-chanpon, a glass toy, generally called a "vidro,"makes a sound when you blow into the tube.
The tip of a regular Hakata-chanpon is bell-shaped, but these are shaped like a drum and a raccoon dog.

Imperial Japanese navy hat used by the contributor's father,
who became a petty officer in the Navy during the war.

4. Learning

In this chapter, we showcase a variety of records and tools from the past. They are strong reminders that we should learn more about Fukuoka's people and culture, and preserve its history and memory for the future.

Potter’s kick-wheel for the production of Noma ware, which was produced until around 1975.
It is literally a potter’s wheel that is turned by people with their feet.

Daimaku, a curtain used in Hakata Gion Yamakasa, a famous summer festival in Hakata. The pattern depicts a samurai wearing a braided hat and dancing in imitation of a sparrow, a popular "sparrow dance" in the Edo period. During the festival, the curtain was draped around the town's station for the festival participants, and became a familiar symbol of the town.