Tokugawa Reimeikai

Tokugawa Reimeikai (公益財団法人徳川黎明会) is a Japanese public interest incorporated foundation headquartered in Mejiro, Toshima, Tokyo. Its core mission is to collect, preserve, and publicly exhibit the artworks, documents, and historical materials handed down through the Owari Tokugawa family, one of the three branch houses of the Tokugawa shogunate. The foundation operates two principal institutions: the Tokugawa Art Museum in Nagoya and the Tokugawa Institute for the History of Forestry (徳川林政史研究所) in Tokyo. It also conducts research in art history and forestry history, organizes exhibitions and public lectures, and manages the cataloguing and public release of its collections. The organization traces its origins to the late 1920s, when Suzuki Shinkichi, who had become steward of the Owari Tokugawa household, helped realize the museum concept of the 19th head of the family, Marquis Tokugawa Yoshichika. In September 1930, a family council approved donating part of the family's Nagoya Ōzone estate to the city of Nagoya and establishing the Tokugawa Art Museum as a foundation. The foundation itself, initially named Owari Tokugawa Reimeikai, was established in December 1931. Tokugawa Yoshichika became its first chairman. Alongside the museum, the foundation set up the Hōsa Bunko library for books and took over the Tokugawa Biological Research Institute and the forestry history research office. In 1932, the Hōsa Bunko was established in Zōshigaya, Takada, Tokyo (present-day Mejiro, Toshima), and the forestry history office became its affiliated history research office. Construction of the Tokugawa Art Museum in Ōzone, Nagoya began the same year. In November 1935, both the Hōsa Bunko and the Tokugawa Art Museum opened to the public. After World War II, the foundation changed its name to Reimeikai to avoid foregrounding its personal/family character. In 1950, facing postwar social and economic hardship, it sold the Hōsa Bunko name and part of its book collection to the city of Nagoya; the affiliated history research office retained part of the collection and continued as the Tokugawa Institute for the History of Forestry. In 1970, the Tokugawa Biological Research Institute was closed and transferred to a lactic acid beverage company (Yakult). On April 1, 2011, the foundation transitioned to public interest incorporated foundation status. As of 2016, the chairman was Tokugawa Yoshitaka, the 22nd head of the Owari Tokugawa family. The foundation continues to manage the Tokugawa Art Museum and the Tokugawa Institute for the History of Forestry, conducting research, exhibitions, public lectures, and collection management. Its headquarters and general affairs department remain in Mejiro, Toshima, Tokyo.

The foundation's history begins in the late 1920s. In 1929, Suzuki Shinkichi became steward (家令) of the Owari Tokugawa family and worked to realize the museum concept of the 19th family head, Marquis Tokugawa Yoshichika. On September 13, 1930, at a family consultation meeting, it was decided to donate part of the family's Nagoya Ōzone estate to the city of Nagoya and to establish the Tokugawa Art Museum as a foundation there. During deliberations, the foundation was named "Owari Tokugawa Reimeikai" by Sakamoto Sankinosuke, who had a background in Chinese literature. In addition to the museum, a library called Hōsa Bunko was to be established to collect and preserve books, and the Tokugawa Biological Research Institute and the Tokugawa Forestry History Research Office were to be transferred to the foundation. In December 1931, the foundation Owari Tokugawa Reimeikai was established to preserve and display the heirlooms and books inherited from the Owari Tokugawa family. That same year, management of the Tokugawa Biological Research Institute and the Forestry History Research Office was transferred to the foundation. Tokugawa Yoshichika became the first chairman. The founding directors included his eldest son Yoshitomo (vice chairman), Suzuki Shinkichi (executive director), Gomi Suekichi (managing director), and Hattori Hirotarō, director of the Tokugawa Biological Research Institute (managing director). In 1932, the Hōsa Bunko was established as a foundation facility in Zōshigaya, Takada, Kita-Toshima District, Tokyo (present-day Mejiro 3-chōme, Toshima). The Forestry History Research Office became the Hōsa Bunko Affiliated History Research Office, and the Tokugawa Biological Research Institute was newly built and relocated there as a foundation facility. In September of the same year, construction began on the Tokugawa Art Museum in Ōzone, Nagoya. In November 1935, the Hōsa Bunko and the Tokugawa Art Museum opened in Tokyo and Nagoya respectively and began public display. After World War II, the foundation changed its name to Reimeikai (財団法人黎明会) so that its personal/family character would not be foregrounded. In 1950, against the backdrop of postwar social confusion and economic hardship, and in order to ensure the foundation's survival, it sold the Hōsa Bunko name and part of its book collection to the city of Nagoya. The Hōsa Bunko Affiliated History Research Office took over part of the collection, including domain government documents, and continued as the Tokugawa Institute for the History of Forestry. In 1970, the Tokugawa Biological Research Institute was closed, on the grounds that "under current circumstances there is no longer any meaning in bearing the Tokugawa name," and was transferred to a lactic acid beverage company (Yakult). On April 1, 2011, the foundation transitioned to public interest incorporated foundation status. As of 2016, the chairman was Tokugawa Yoshitaka, the 22nd head of the Owari Tokugawa family. The foundation manages and operates the Tokugawa Art Museum and the Tokugawa Institute for the History of Forestry, conducts research in art history and forestry history, holds exhibitions and public lectures, and organizes and publishes its collections. Its headquarters and general affairs department are located in Mejiro, Toshima, Tokyo.

• 2011

  On April 1, the foundation transitions to public interest incorporated foundation status.

• 1970

  Tokugawa Biological Research Institute is closed and transferred to Yakult.

• 1950

  Hōsa Bunko name and part of its collection are sold to Nagoya City; the forestry history research office continues as the Tokugawa Institute for the History of Forestry.

• 1935

  Hōsa Bunko and Tokugawa Art Museum open to the public in November.

• 1932

  Hōsa Bunko is established in Tokyo; construction of the Tokugawa Art Museum begins in Nagoya.

• 1931

  Foundation Owari Tokugawa Reimeikai is established in December; Tokugawa Yoshichika becomes first chairman.

• 1930

  Family council approves donating part of the Nagoya Ōzone estate to Nagoya City and establishing the Tokugawa Art Museum as a foundation.

• 1929

  Suzuki Shinkichi becomes steward of the Owari Tokugawa family and begins realizing the museum concept.

A cultural heritage foundation preserving and presenting the Owari Tokugawa family's art and historical records through its museum and research institute.

• Tokugawa Art Museum

  Museum in Nagoya exhibiting the art and heirlooms of the Owari Tokugawa family.

• Tokugawa Institute for the History of Forestry

  Research institute in Tokyo dedicated to the history of forestry and domain records.

1. 1公益財団法人徳川黎明会tokugawa.or.jp
2. 2Tokugawa Reimeikai - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3徳川黎明会 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org