Ryohei Murayama (1850-1933), founder of the Asahi Shimbun Company, which collected the collection of the Kosetsu Art Museum, was born into a samurai family in the Tamaru domain of the Kishu clan in Ise Province (now Tamaki Town, Watarai County, Mie Prefecture). Influenced by his father, a skilled appraiser, he began collecting swords at a young age, which became the starting point for his collection. He also collected sword mountings such as sword mountings (koshirae) and sword mountings (tsuba) that adorned the exterior of swords. These were mostly of a practical nature, rather than the more glamorous and appreciative. The sword dealer Shonosuke Kishimoto, who frequented the Murayama family, recalls that "the president of the company preferred austere items to flashy ones," which gives us a glimpse of Murayama's aesthetic sense that could only have come from a samurai family.
This exhibition will showcase approximately 160 pieces selected from more than 600 swords donated in 2020 by Michiko Murayama (1920-2020), former president of the Kosetsu Art Museum Foundation.
Information about the Exhibition
〈Dates〉
Dec 17 (Sat) 2022-Feb 26 (Sun) 2023
〈Hours〉
10:00-17:00
Closes at 19:30 on December 22, January 26 and February 16.
〈Closed〉
Monday
Open on a public holiday but closed on the following day.
Closed from December 26 to January 6.
