Special Exhibitions

Some of the explanations for this exhibit are in English.

Exhibition Overview
In October 1274 (Bun’ei 11) according to the old calendar, the Mongolian Emperor Kublai Khan ordered an invasion of Japan. Kublai was the fourth emperor of the Mongol-ruled Great Yuan Dynasty (hereafter “Yuan”), a successor state to the Mongol Empire which had ruled the majority of the Eurasian continent. Combined forces of Yuan and Goryeo departed from Gappo (now Masan) in southern Goryeo and arrived at Hakata Bay. They fought against the Kamakura Shogunate troops and retreated after burning down the area. It was Japan’s first international war since fighting in the Battle of Baekgang (Battle of Hakusukinoe) in 663 against the allied forces of Tang China and Goguryeo, about 600 years earlier. The Emperor Kublai attempted another invasion of Japan in May 1281 (Kōan 4) according to the old calendar. It is said that, during this second invasion, Yuan warships gathered at Imari Bay located between Saga Prefecture and Nagasaki Prefecture but were destroyed by great storms. In Japanese history, the Yuan’s two invasions of Japan are collectively known as the Mongolian Invasions or Genkō (Yuan’s invasions), the first one being called as the Battle of Bun’ei and the second the Battle of Kōan. The year 2024 marks the 750th anniversary of the first Mongolian Invasion. To commemorate the anniversary, Kokugakuin University Museum is pleased to present two special exhibitions highlighting the Mongolian Invasions.
In this first special exhibition, titled “Underwater Archaeology Reveals the Mongolian Invasion,” we will present methods of underwater archaeological research that have continued since 1980 aiming to reveal the truth of the Mongolian Invasions, along with the results of the research.
Then the second exhibition, titled “Unveiling the Mongolian Invasions Through an Illustrated Account: The World of Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba,” dives into a handscroll known as the Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba. The handscroll was commissioned by Takezaki Suenaga, a retainer of the Higo Province who fought in the battles against Yuan, as a record of his wartime valor.
We hope that these two special exhibitions presented by Kokugakuin University Museum provide visitors with a deeper understanding of the Mongolian Invasions that involved several East Asian countries during the 13th century and their historical significance.

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