Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties - Publications
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Evening Temple Bell in the Mist, Descending Geese : restoration report : the cooperative program for the conservation of Japanese art objects overseas : No.2017-3
Get PDFインディアナポリス美術館（アメリカ合衆国）所蔵 The Indianapolis Museum of Art, USA紙本墨画 掛軸装 2 幅 Ink on paper, hanging scrolls, two scrolls平成 29 年度修復事業 2017 Japanese Fiscal Yearboo
Investigation of Chemical Structure and Physical Property of Urushi Coating Film mixed with Protein
Get PDFUrushi, extracted from plants of the Anacardiaceae family, is a natural curing resin. Depending on the situation, raw urushi, called ki urushi, is often refined or mixed with materials such as starch, wheat flour, oil, natural earth powder, and pigments.
When urushi is mixed with protein, it changes into a more viscous liquid, called shibo urushi. Shibo urushi has been used for the kawarinuri technique, with which the surface of lacquerware is decorated unevenly. There are few scientific studies regarding shibo urushi coating films. To conserve and restore lacquerware properly, it is important to understand the material properties.
This study compared sugurome urushi (refined urushi) coating films and shibo urushi coating films through surface observation, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and micro slurry-jet erosion (MSE) test to understand the chemical structure and physical property. MSE test is one of the hardness tests.
No amino group consisting of protein could be detected from the examined shibo urushi coating film by FT-IR; the peak attributed to the carbonyl group shifted to lower wavenumber.
It was estimated that urushiol reacted with protein, and the deterioration caused by UV irradiation does not always occur at the amino group preferentially.
Our previous MSE test showed shibo urushi coating films were softer than ki urushi coating films. In this study, shibo urushi films became softer 3 days after exposure to UV-A. Considering the result of surface observation, the decline of bonding strength on the nanoscale level is followed by structure defects on the microscale level.
After exposure to UV-A, numerous narrow cracks appeared on the shibo urushi coating film, whereas the sugurome urushi coating film had some wide cracks.
In conclusion, differences between shibo urushi and sugurome urushi coating films were found in their chemical structure and physical property.journal articl
Investigation Report on Techniques for Preserving Cultural Properties with Focus on Musical Instruments 4
Get PDFThe Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage considers the manufacture of musical instruments, techniques for their repair, the manufacture of tools necessary for the production of the instruments and repair techniques, as well as the manufacture of materials necessary for these as important restoration techniques to support the traditional performing arts of Japan and has been conducting investigation since 2017. The present report is a sequel to “Investigation Report on Techniques for Preserving Cultural Properties with Focus on Musical Instruments １” and provides an outline of 5 cases of investigation conducted from June to December 2020. Of these those that have not been investigated sufficiently up to this point are listed as topics.
Japan, according to the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties has a system by which preservation techniques are selected and holders and holding groups of these techniques are recognized. However, in this investigation, investigation has been done on the holders and holding groups that are considered important regardless of selection or recognition. The content of investigation are arranged into the following 7 items and categorized according to instruments for ordering of information: 1. Name of the holder, 2. Date of birth, 3. Address or place of investigation, 4. Date of investigation, 5. Investigator, 6. Outline of the holder of technique, 7. Observation of the investigator.
This year, traditional performing arts was greatly influenced by Covid-19 and it is thought that many of the techniques for preserving cultural properties were also affected by the infection. This was a year in which the necessity for investigation was felt all the more, yet it was not possible to conduct investigation as desired due to the necessity to prevent infection from spreading widely. We hope to take note of both the present condition of preservation techniques and the influence of Covid-19.departmental bulletin pape
Report on SP Records Made by Pathé in the Collection of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties: With Focus on the Nagauta “Kangyo Yuki-no Sugatami” and “Chikumagawa”
Get PDFThe present author has introduced three of the seven nagauta records made by Pathé in the collection of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties: “Yoshiwara Suzume,” “Shin Urashima” and “Tsunayakata.” She introduced in these papers the performing community that were the main persons involved in the recording by Pathé including Kineya Rokuzaemon XIII, Kineya Kangoro V, Yoshimura Ijuro VI and Okayasu Nampo as well as the melody of shamisen and the verse in light of the historical backdrop of 1911 which is assumed to have been the year of recording.
The two nagauta introduced in the present article, “Kangyo Yuki-no Sugatami” and “Chikumagawa” (No. 17-220A, B) are recordings that Kineya Kisaburo XIII made at the age of about 12. His father, the head master of one of the schools of nagauta, Kineya Rokuzaeon, played the shamisen. Kineya Kisaburo inherited his father and became the head master, taking on the name of Kineya Rokuzaemon XIV. He then became a living national treasure. This recording is an important recording material existing today that allows one to trace the transmission of Kineya Rokuzaemon family.
The singing of “Kangyo Yuki-no Sugatami” by Kisaburo shares common characteristics with the singing by his master Okayasu Nampo, but is different from that of 1928 when Kisaburo was 29 years old. Since there are common characteristics with the singing of Yoshizumi Kosaburo IV, under whom Kisaburo studied from the previous year, it is thought that in later years he was probably influenced by Kosaburo. In Japanese music, it is rare for a performance by a child to be recorded, but the existence of a recording of Kisaburo in his childhood made it possible to trace the change in the melody of a singing by the same person.
“Chikumagawa” is a repertorie characterized by a masculine melody called “o-zatsuma.” Rokuzaemon, who played the shamisen, was noted for his performance of o-zatsuma. In the present study it was revealed that Rokuzaemon and Kisaburo performed “Chikumagawa” in May 1911, five months before the recording by Pathé. Review of that performance notes that Rokuzaemon’s shamisen was powerful. Twelve-year-old Kisaburo’s performance received generally high assessment and his future performance was looked forward to.
One hundred ten years will have passed this year since the recording of these records. It is hoped that they will be preserved and utilized appropriately in the years to come.departmental bulletin pape
Influence of Covid-19 on Traditional Performing Arts: Investigation and Issues
Get PDFThe year 2020 has been one in which Covid-19 has been the topic of conversation for all. The field of classic performing arts has been no exception. In the present paper, investigation projects associated with “the influence of Covid-19 on traditional performing arts” are examined and related issues are organized. Information has been made public through websites and Facebook, and forums have been held in order to increase interest in the current condition of traditional performing arts. It has been possible to “make visual” the current situation, but it is also true that parts that are difficult to see are most greatly influenced. To continue interest in the movement of “the present condition that is visual” while observing and verifying “facts that are difficult to see” in the ever-changing and sensitive condition that surrounds traditional performing arts may be an important issue.departmental bulletin pape
Intangible Folk Cultural Properties amid the COVID-19 pandemic : Report of the 15th Conference on the Study of Intangible Folk Cultural Properties
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Creation of 3D Spatial Image of the Western Buddha of Bamiyan by Using the Photos Taken by Odaka Senʼnosuke in 1932
Get PDFThe present paper introduces an approach to creating 3D spatial images by using old photos in the image archive of Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TNRICP). These were the photos of the Western Buddha of Bamiyan taken by Odaka Senʼnosuke, one of the original staff members of the Institute of Fine Arts (recent TNRICP), when he visited the Bamiyan Valley on 29 April, 1932. A photogrammetry software named Metashape was used for the process of 3D spatial image creation. By using Metashape, 3D spatial image of the Western Buddha of Bamiyan was successfully created with eight items of the photos of the Buddha statue. As Odaka took photos of the Buddha statue at different points, these photos could be used for 3D spatial image processing.
Analog media for recording images, such as negative/positive films or glass plates
inevitably become deteriorated and should be converted to digital media. In particular, it is said that dry glass plates are reaching the end of their life. In this circumstance, more and more digitized images of old photos are obtained and their archives will expand. The attempt of creating 3D spatial image indicates some possibilities to utilize old photos for better understanding the appearance of the lost cultural properties and/or existing ones in the past, even if the photos were not taken for the purpose of 3D spatial image processing.journal articl