Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library houses numerous classics, scrolls, and other rare items donated by Sumitomo.
Mr. Yasunori Nomoto, Director of Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library, and Ms. Tomoko Okita, General Manager of the Librarian Department, Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library, discuss those offering glimpses of the lived experience of merchants and aristocrats in early modern Japan. (Interviewed by Teruaki Sueoka, Deputy Director of Sumitomo Historical Archives)
(Affiliations and titles of the persons mentioned in the article are as of the time of publication.)
Sueoka:
Nakanoshima Library is known for its holdings of items dating back to premodern Japan. “If you are looking for items produced in premodern Japan, you need look no further than the National Diet Library in the east and Nakanoshima Library in the west,” is a common refrain among scholars.”
Okita:
That sentiment is of course music to the ears of our librarians. But it is true that our library does possess extensive holdings of rare books and other items of historical interest. On joining the library as a newly minted graduate, my first task was to catalogue the holdings. In that work, I came across many notable works whose titles I had previously encountered in textbooks. I will always remember the thrill of making one discovery after another.
Sueoka:
How many premodern books does Nakanoshima Library have?
Nomoto:
We have about 200,000 Japanese and Chinese books published before the Meiji era, which began in 1868.
Sueoka:
That is impressive.
Okita:
Although the library’s holdings do include a few items produced before the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the bulk of our holdings of rare books and other items are from early modern Japan (Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1603) and Edo period (1603-1868)), which saw the emergence of a mercantile class.
Sueoka:
So the library is eminently attuned to the history of Osaka, which was Japan’s foremost mercantile city
Nomoto:
As you may know, merchant families and individuals donated many of these premodern items, although the library did collect some on its own initiative. The library’s holdings were augmented by many donations in the years following its opening in 1904, that is, during the late Meiji era and the Taisho era (1912-1926). Most of those books had been kept in kura, traditional storehouses, where there was a risk of fire or other damage. People no doubt viewed this new, secure, well-appointed, modern library built by Sumitomo as a safe haven for their books, where they would be well cared for and kept safe from fire.
Sueoka:
That must have gladdened the hearts of Shunsui Sumitomo (Tomoito Sumitomo, the 15th head of the Sumitomo family) and Magoichi Noguchi, the architect who designed Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library. The culture of Osaka was such that merchants were eager to learn. Without relying on the authorities, merchants took the initiative to acquire, accumulate, and share knowledge. This thirst for knowledge explains why merchant families retained so many books and other items. They donated them to the library so that they would be utilized as a shared resource for the benefit of the community. It was widely held that merchants who grew prosperous through commerce had a responsibility to engage in philanthropy. Shunsui evidently shared this civic culture and thus he stepped forward to donate not only the building but also many books.
Okita:
Many of the books donated by the Sumitomo family are of great value to scholars. These prized assets of the library are a treasure trove for historians focusing on early modern Japan.
Sueoka:
How many books did the Sumitomo family donate?
Okita:
The Sumitomo family made eight donations to the library in the period from 1903 (36th year of the Meiji era) to 1923 (12th year of the Taisho era), totaling 26,902 books.
Nomoto:
These 18th century Dutch books were donated upon the opening of the library. Among them, Beschryving der Nederlandsche historipenningen (Description of Dutch Historical Medals) is especially valuable and designated by the Osaka Prefectural Government as a cultural property (book).
Okita:
Beschryving der Nederlandsche historipenningen and Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers (Encyclopedia, or a Systematic Dictionary of the Sciences, Arts, and Crafts) contains a note signed by the head of the Dutch Trading Post in Nagasaki stating that it is presented to Dobukiya Izumiya Kichizaemon (Tomonori, the sixth head of the Sumitomo family). It is extraordinary how much fascinating history these books embody.
Sueoka:
Osaka was already a city with global reach in the Edo period. Few foreigners came to Japan in that era, but those that did, almost without exception, visited Osaka. And whenever the head of the Dutch Trading Post was in Osaka, he always visited Sumitomo. He was particularly interested in seeing the copper production process as the Netherlands imported copper from Japan. He presented these books to Sumitomo as an expression of appreciation for the hospitality he received.
Nomoto:
The world map by Hashimoto Sokichi and the etching by Shiba Kōkan are fascinating items, too.
Sueoka:
They confirm that Osaka was no intellectual backwater, but quite the opposite. These works speak of a free-spirited culture eager with an appetite for new ideas.
Okita:
The authorities didn’t thwart this cultural flowering in Osaka. A freewheeling mercantile culture seems to have set the tone of the city.
Nomoto:
The emakimono picture scrolls donated by the Sumitomo family are magnificent.
Okita:
Kiyo Suwa Myojin sairei zu depicts the Nagasaki Kunchi festival. In addition to the dragon dance, which is the highlight of the festival, the illustrations include views of the parade. You can see an elephant, a whale, a Vietnamese princess, and so on. Some of the illustrations reflect artistic license but the liveliness of the festival is superbly expressed. It is likely that the Sumitomo branch in Nagasaki commissioned this work depicting the festival.
Sueoka:
The colors are vivid. I am a native of Nagasaki Prefecture and so this festival has been familiar to me since my childhood. Doubtless any museum in Nagasaki would love to have this scroll.
Okita:
Definitely. In fact, Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture and other museums in Japan often borrow this scroll for special exhibitions. It is one of a handful of works depicting the Nagasaki Kunchi festival parade in its entirety. Although scholars have long been aware of its value, in the past it was hardly ever exhibited to the public. In 2006 a firm in Nagasaki published a book consisting of reproductions of the scroll together with detailed explanations.
Nomoto:
This rare scroll depicting a Korean mission to Japan is also of great interest to scholars.
Okita:
For the Japanese during the Edo period, Korea had much to offer culturally. When a group of Osaka notables visited the inn where the Korean mission was staying, there was lively discussion about the study of Chinese classics and other cultural topics. This scroll depicts the departure of the Korean mission from Osaka in detail.
Sueoka:
Sumitomo had a deep relationship with Korea. Exports from Japan to Korea were handled entirely by the Tsushima Domain, which did business with Sumitomo. Only copper from Besshi was exported to Korea. Sumitomo had cultural exchanges with Korean missions whenever they came to Osaka.
Okita:
So that is the context in which this work was created. When a curator of Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture visited us, he paid particular attention to this work. Apparently, there is a similar work in South Korea. Research is underway to find out how this Japanese work made its way to Korea and to clarify its provenance.
Sueoka:
Fascinating! Although I am involved in managing Sumitomo’s archives, I am not engaged in meticulous research. In particular, the subsequent provenance of items donated by Sumitomo is often largely unknown. We would appreciate it if we could be informed of the results of this research.
Okita:
Whenever we exhibit or otherwise publicize items from the library’s extensive holdings, specialists to whom the works are of particular interested visit us. They are able to deepen their knowledge through encounters with these works, which leads to new research. The library’s role as a catalyst for this virtuous cycle of intellectual endeavor is a source of great satisfaction to us.
Nomoto:
Sumitomo donated many volumes of waka poetry. In terms of their provenance, they are thought to come from the Tokudaiji family, Shunsui’s biological family. These collections of poetry range from the late Muromachi period to the Meiji era.
Okita:
Among the library’s many storybooks, Koshoku Seisuiki (Rise and Fall of an Amorous Man) by Ihara Saikaku is the sole copy of that title in Japan. It is a novel popular among servants and other household retainers. Such books were bestsellers in their day but because they were discarded without a thought, original copies are rare. Osaka Prefectural Bungei Konwakai, an affiliate of Nakanoshima Library, published a reprint of Koshoku Seisuiki. Nippon Eitaigura (The Eternal Storehouse of Japan) is not the first edition but a later one in good condition.
Sueoka:
Nippon Eitaigura contains references to Sumitomo. For example, “There is a family that mined copper and grew wealthy.”
Okita:
Nippon Eitaigura was a popular motivational novel in the Edo period describing how some people grew wealthy while others lost their fortunes.
Sueoka:
Such popular works on a rags-to-riches theme are very much at home at Nakanoshima Library in the commercial hub of Osaka.
Okita:
We should also mention the English dictionaries Sumitomo donated to the library when it first opened. And German engineering books donated by Sumitomo during the Taisho era were greatly appreciated by engineers and business people in Osaka as sources of information on the latest technologies.
Nomoto:
Sumitomo purchased these books in the aftermath of the First World War when Germany was in chaos. Perhaps such excellent books were relatively affordable at that time.
Okita:
When one considers the books donated by Sumitomo, the firm’s discernment is evident. Several other parties donated money to the library for the purchase of books. But Sumitomo not only donated money but also hired specialists to select titles so as to make the best use of the money.
Sueoka:
Sumitomo’s culture accords prime importance to integrity and quality. Given that culture, it was only natural for Sumitomo to hire distinguished scholars to select titles. I would love to hear much more and I am eager for the next opportunity. Thank you so much for welcoming me to the library and sharing your knowledge.
EN