Special Exhibitions

Academic archives of Iwao Oba, the founder of Shinto archaeology
Term：Nov. 5, 2020 (Thu) - Dec. 26 (Sat)

*We have English explanation part in this exhibition. 

   　Oba Iwao was an archaeologist who advocated “Shinto archaeology” after studying under the tutelage of Torii Ryuzo, Orikuchi Shinobu, and Miyaji Naokazu. He systematically kept a wide variety of materials that he had collected since his boyhood and established a complete archive. The archive covers a broad range of materials, such as archeological relics, of course, but also drawings, photographs, and manuscripts. The Kokugakuin University Museum has conducted research studies of the diverse historical materials left by Oba and utilized them to reevaluate the materials in the Museum’s collection.
   　In addition, last spring, “Rakuseki Zappitsu” and its related field books and materials were donated to the Museum by Oba’s favorite pupil, Mr. Mogi Masahiro, visiting professor at the Kokugakuin University Museum and professor emeritus at Ibaraki University, who had kept them for a long time. “Rakuseki Zappitsu” is a diary that Oba kept from 1918 through to his later years and can be considered an invaluable record concerning the history of his academic pursuits. Taking the opportunity of this exhibition, we aim to review “Oba’s Studies” once again, preserve the materials left, and make the best use of them in a manner suited to the present-day situation.


*Flyer