A number of museums from across Japan are joining forces to support the rescue of a number of specimens that were damaged during the heavy rain and floods experienced earlier this year in Kumamoto Prefecture.
The Hitoyoshi Castle History Museum located in Hitoyoshi city, Kumamoto, is one of many venues that suffered damage from the torrential rain that hit western Japan in July. Floods caused by the bursting of the Kuma River has led to a large amount of waterlogged damage to specimens and exhibits of the museum.
The museum houses a specimen of plants collected by the author of the “Nanhi Botanical Journal”, Kanjiro Maehara (1890-1975), who documented a number of plants and foliage unique to southern Kyushu – some of which are no longer in existence – in the magazine. The Nanhi Botanical Journal, which focuses on the history of plant research in Southern Kyushu is considered an important document that illustrates the evolution of plant forms in the area. The Journal is available to the public at the National Diet Library.
Unfortunately much of the collection of plant specimens were submerged during the flooding, and if not dried and cleaned immediately the water damage will lead to the development of rot and mold and therefore jeopardize the value of the specimens.
With damage to more than 30,000 pieces, the city of Hitoyoshi and the Kumamoto prefectural museum network centre contacted natural history-related organizations nationwide and requested cooperation to help carry out quick preservation processing to prevent any further damage.
In response, the National Science Museum, Iwate Prefectural Museum and the West Japan Natural History Museum Network, which were responsible for restoration to damaged pieces during the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, have come together to coordinate with the Hitoyoshi Castle History Museum and similar institutes across the country to work on the repair of the water-damaged specimens.
This system means that restoration efforts, which is difficult to attain locally due to the measures put in place to prevent new coronavirus cases arising in the area, can be distributed to related organisations nationwide to ensure a quick and successful outcome. After restoration, each specimen will be returned to Hitoyoshi Castle History Museum and will be once again preserved as an important natural history documentation of the area.
Involved in the project are 38 individual research, history and scientific organizations, such as the National Museum of Science and Nature and the Tokyo Metropolitan University. A full list of the organisations and institutes involved can be found on this press release from the National Museum of Nature and Science.
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3 Comments
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Antiquesaving
It is heart breaking to see the damage but uplifting to see so many trying to help.
I spent years learning how to restore and preserve Japanese art and crafts.
Some of those now trying to help here are the ones that trained me.
The saddest part is very few of the younger generation are interested in doing this and we with the experience are not getting any younger.
Many of the skills and techniques are already lost.
One bright spot is that now as environmental awareness is up many of my colleagues and I using the recycle reuse idea are now more able to get the youth interested in preserving and using past creations.
I wish the best of luck to those doing this and hope they can save most of it.
Jonathan Prin
Make it possible to work for such restore jobs for a living for yourself and a family, not pay taxes for dinosaurs. Only way.
Antiquesaving
@Jonathan Prin
That is only part of the problem.
Today in Japan like most of the developed countries, the youth are not interested in what is often called dirty, boring and in some cases dangerous jobs.
So finding help or an apprentice is near impossible even if I could pay them really well.
Those studying in art in university will do as little actual physical work as possible, just long enough to get a job where they no longer have to.
Many of my restorations require using things like Urushi lacquer the Urushi oil is a skin irritant ( Urushi oil is the same stuff that makes poison ivy, oak, sumac cause rashes) so try getting young people interested in working with it.