[Bizen City Museum of Art (Bizen City Cultural Arts Promotion Foundation)] “The Microcosm of the Masamune Library: Atsuo’s Beloved Selections” October 11th (Sat) – December 14th (Thu)
Bizen City Museum of Art (Bizen City Cultural Arts Promotion Foundation) Press Release: September 25, 2025 “The Microcosm of the Masamune Bunko: Atsuo’s Beloved
Selections” October 11th (Sat) – December 14th (Thu) Who created the treasure trove of knowledge hidden in Bizen?
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“Seclusion in the Furano”: A Giant of Knowledge Who Laid the Foundations of Japanese Literature Atsuo Masamune (1881-1958) was a poet and scholar of Japanese literature from Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture. In contrast to his brother, the writer Masamune Hakucho, who was active in the central literary world, Atsuo spent his entire life in Iri Village, Wake County (present-day Honami, Bizen City), and contributed to the study and development of Japanese literature through a wide range of activities, including compiling the “Complete Index of the Manyoshu,” which is considered to have laid the foundation for research on the Manyoshu and ancient language, publishing the “Complete Collection of Japanese Classics” in 266 volumes, which he promoted together with Yosano Akiko and Yosano Tekkan, and establishing the “Masamune Library.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/161458/5/161458-5-6fb8b54f8bb30b9cfdc5fd79047521e0-1558×1918.jpg Atsuo Masamune
A Diverse and Carefully Selected Collection This exhibition features approximately 40 carefully selected items from the 7,000 items and 20,000 volumes housed in the Masamune Bunko. These include classic books and old maps from the Edo, Meiji, and Showa periods, materials showing interactions with cultural figures such as Yosano Akiko and Yosano Tekkan, works by Living National Treasure Kaneshige Toyo, and items related to the Masamune brothers. The National Institute of Japanese Literature and Shujitsu University, which have been conducting research on the Masamune Collection for many years, will be showcasing their latest research findings through exhibitions and talk events.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/161458/5/161458-5-28e322a4c481a7e61c3f4dc8a16ee401-2076×1674.jpg Asagao Hyakushu Kyokashu (Asagao Hyakushu Kyokashu) (Published in 1820)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/161458/5/161458-5-dea051f626159617dcdbccd2e764e79d-3141×1922.jpg Hanai Bokuyo, “Bokuyo Kyoka Collection” (1660) photo)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/161458/5/161458-5-02bc5f3429ce889339022a7e1dbe644f-943×587.png Song Dynasty version of all the scriptures (Northern Song Dynasty, published in Chongning 2nd year)
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/161458/5/161458-5-9750ff084f2ae95446c8b5bd718554da-3900×3407.jpg Masamune Tokusaburo《Autumn Leaves Landscape (Joshu Shiman)》 Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/161458/5/161458-5-dbc10f38698588741a3cfc9eb3267674-2366×2489.jpg Masamune Bunko establishment prospectus (Showa 11) Original merchandise also available! Featuring Atsuo and Aiyagi’s “Queen” as motifs Original merchandise (clear files, postcards, etc.) featuring Atsuo Masamune and Aiyagi’s “Queen” as motifs will also be on sale during the event. You can also purchase the latest book, “Fugura ni Komorite 1 & 2” (Toyo Bunko), by Ogawa Takeo, a professor at the Faculty of Letters, Keio University and a leading expert on Masamune Atsuo.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/161458/5/161458-5-7d90b294c8d55253cd409fadc479fc7c-1341×768.jpg From left: clear file, postcard, notepad. *Product images are for illustrative purposes only.
Event overview
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/161458/5/161458-5-cdf8d0214e5e58ddd3b85680766d8303-724×1024.jpg Exhibition title: “The Microcosm of the Masamune Bunko” “Atsuo’s Favorite Selections” Dates: Saturday, October 11, 2025 – December 14, 2025 Organized by: Bizen City Museum of Art Special cooperation: Okayama Prefectural Board of Education, Okayama Prefectural Museum, Masamune Bunko Foundation, Faculty of Humanities, Shujitsu University, National Institute of Japanese Literature, National Institutes for the Humanities Sponsored by: Bizen City, Bizen City Board of Education (Sun) Venue: Bizen City Museum of Art, Exhibition Room 3 Opening Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Last entry at 4:30 PM) Closed: Every Monday (open if Monday is a public holiday, closed the following Tuesday) Admission Fee: Adults 500 yen, high school and university students 300 yen, elementary and junior high school students free
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/161458/5/161458-5-2e69537f9f5402ed56acb457bd47b0f4-725×1024.jpg [Exhibitions scheduled for the same period] ■ “Bizen Contemporary Ceramics: Masterpieces” [Late Period] October 11 (Sat) – December 25 (Thu), 2025, Exhibition Room 1 ■ “Bizen City Museum of Art Collection Exhibition I” Saturday, October 11th, 2025 – Thursday, December 25th, 2025, Exhibition Room 2 Main Exhibition Structure and Highlights This exhibition is divided into three parts and will convey the richness of the Masamune Bunko collection, as well as Atsuo Masamune’s friendships and diverse interests. ■Chapter 1: The People of the Masamune Family This chapter introduces the family’s history and its ties to its hometown through documents handed down through generations of the Masamune family. ■Chapter 2: The Establishment of the Masamune Bunko and Its Masterpieces The exhibition will explain how the Masamune Bunko was established, and will include its history and prospectus. It will also feature a variety of nationally valuable masterpieces, from works by local figures. ■Chapter 3: Fine Art that Adds Color to the Collection The exhibition will feature a variety of artworks owned by Atsuo, including oil paintings by his younger brother, the painter Tokusaburo, Bizen ware by Kaneshige Toyo and Isezaki Yozan, and works by other renowned artists from Okayama and across Japan. Related programs We will be holding events to help you enjoy the exhibition even more. ・National Institute of Japanese Literature joint research “Comprehensive Research on Masamune Bunko” (Representative: Tsuyoshi Kawasaki, Professor at Junjitsu University) “6th Masamune Bunko Seminar” Date and time: Saturday, October 11, 2025, 13:30-16:00 Keynote speech: Junichi Hayashi (Chief of Curatorial Affairs, Bizen City Museum of Art) Lecture: (1) Kana Chofuku (Associate Professor, Wakayama University) (2) Tsuyoshi Kawasaki (Professor at Shujitsu University) Venue: Bizen City Art Museum 1st floor auditorium Capacity: 50 people. Advance registration required (first-come, first-served basis, registration will close once capacity is reached) Course Fee: Free ・Gallery Talk (4 sessions) 1st Session Date and Time: Saturday, October 25, 2025, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Guest: Hideki Uchiike (Deputy Director of Okayama Prefectural Museum) Part 2 Date and time: Saturday, November 8, 2025 13:30-14:30 Guest: Toshiki Tojo (Professor, Notre Dame Seishin University) Part 3 Date and time: Saturday, November 22, 2025, 13:30-14:30 Guest: Kosuke Takeuchi (Full-time lecturer at Shujitsu University) 4th Date and time: Saturday, December 13, 2025 13:30-14:30 Guest: Minako Kato (Professor, Shuji Junior College) Common to all sessions Venue: Bizen City Museum of Art, 2nd floor, Exhibition Room 3 Participation Fee: Same-day admission ticket required (no application required) ・Workshop “Make your own original Japanese-bound notebook” Date and Time: Sunday, November 16, 2025, 1:10 AM – 2. 14:00~ Venue: Bizen City Museum of Art, 1st Floor Auditorium Target audience: Elementary school age and above Capacity per session: 20 people. Advance registration required (first-come, first-served, application deadline November 15th) Participation Fee: 300 yen ・Concert “A Collaboration of Words and Sound” Date and Time: Monday, November 24, 2025 (National Holiday) 1:00 AM – 2:00 PM Venue: Bizen City Museum of Art, 1st floor entrance Admission Fee: Free For the latest information and details, please visit the official website. Facility Overview Facility Name: Bizen City Museum of Art Art) Address: 1659-6 Ibe, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture, 705-0001 Opening Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Last entry at 4:30 PM) Closed Days: Every Monday (open on public holidays, closed the following weekday), New Year’s holiday period. *There may also be other temporary closures due to exhibition changes, etc. Access: 1 minute walk from Ibe Station on the JR Ako Line, 2 minutes walk from the Uno Bus “Ibe Ekimae” stop. Website: https://bizen-moa.jp/ Phone number: 0869-64-1400 (Bizen City Museum of Art representative) *A preview will be held on Friday, October 10th from 1:30 PM. If you are a media representative and would like to attend, please contact us at the address below. Please apply by email or fax to the person in charge. (Coverage application deadline) October 8th (Wednesday) 17:00
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/161458/5/161458-5-58fb25f51021ef33d09170d83f8a0d21-512×512.png Bizen City Museum of Art (Bizen City Cultural Arts Promotion Foundation Office) The long-loved Bizen City Bizen Pottery Museum will be reborn as the Bizen City Museum of Art in July 2025. As a new hub for promoting the appeal of Bizen ware and other contemporary ceramics both domestically and internationally, the museum will offer a wide variety of artistic experiences. 【Contact for media inquiries regarding this matter】 Bizen City Museum of Art (Contact: Ota) 1659-6 Imbe, Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture 705-8602 TEL: 0869-64-1400 / FAX: 0869-64-1401 E-mail: info@bizen-moa.jp
