Kunio Yanagita and Matsuoka-ke Family Memorial Museum, Biographical museum in Fukusaki, Japan
The Kunio Yanagita and Matsuoka-ke Family Memorial Museum is a repository of artifacts, documents, and personal belongings from the renowned folklorist and his family. The exhibition displays research materials, photographs, and handwritten notes spanning different periods of his life and work.
The museum was founded in 1975 to preserve the legacy of Kunio Yanagita, who received the Order of Culture and became the first Honorary Citizen of Fukusaki. His pioneering work in folklore studies established the foundation for academic research into traditional Japanese practices and regional differences.
The museum displays materials on Japanese folklore studies, showing Yanagita's research into hunting terminology and regional folk traditions across the country. His collections reflect the everyday customs and stories he gathered from different parts of Japan.
The museum is straightforward to navigate and can be explored comfortably in a few hours, giving visitors enough time to review the exhibits carefully. Plan your visit with flexibility, as specific dates throughout the year may have closures affecting access.
The museum preserves Yanagita's original birthplace, which he himself described as the smallest house in Japan, now accessible on the western side of the building. This unusually small structure gives visitors a direct impression of the living conditions and family circumstances from his childhood.
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