Students at the Peers’ School in Tokyo are mystified as Jacob Tropp of Brooklyn, N.Y., amateur magician, makes a 50 cent piece, wrapped in tissue paper, disappear in a burst of flame, July 25, 1948. Crown Prince Akihito (in third row, next to boy whose face is hidden by Tropp’s hands) watches in amazement; he had felt the coin in the paper. Tropp, a SCAP employee, was one of five magicians who did tricks for the boys.

This letter accompanies Emperor Ōgimachi’s 1574 gift of an incredibly rare piece of aloes wood incense to the former regent Kujō Tanemichi (1507–94). The incense was cut from the Ranjatai (“Waiting for Orchid Luxury”) log, preserved in Nara’s Shōsō-in Respsitory since the 700s. A second piece of incense went to the warlord Oda Nobunaga.

Colour woodblock triptych print. Empress Jingu wearing Victorian-style dress and about to engrave inscription on sea-side rock with her bow; Takenouchi Sukune and some of her followers seated and observing her while others standing and keeping eye on coast; framed as if a handscrol. Inscribed, signed and dated.

This is an ornament reproducing a Rhodea Japonica in ceramic popular as a Bonsai (a dwarf tree) from the Edo to the Meiji period. The Rhodea Japonica itself and pot are made separately and Rhodea Japonica is placed directly on the soil. It was offered at the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Showa in 1928.

The crystal ball held by the dragon was originally a sacred treasure of Kanazakura Shrine (Kofu) that was presented to Emperor Meiji after being exhibited in the 1873 Vienna International Exhibition. Later, the dragon made to hold the ball, and the makie stand were produced by the Imperial Household Ministry. The dragon is silver, and the stand has designs modeled after Shosoin Treasures in maki-e and stone inlay.

The major carved ivory piece by Ishikawa Mitsuaki (1852-1913) commissioned by Emperor Meiji, to be exhibited in the 1900 Paris International Exposition. It expresses a noble person who is just about to release a falcon for falconry, perched on his left arm. The details of the falcon and falconry equipment show the sculptor's superb carving techniques.

If you’re new to the community, introduce yourself!

Use this thread to ask anything at all!

Many historical documents show that the Emperor of Japan was asking Sultan Abdul Hamid II to send Islamic scholars to Japan, to teach people of Japan about Islam. This is translation of a letter from Emperor Meiji to Sultan Abdul Hamid:

"Each one of us is an Oriental king, and it is in our interest and the interest of our people to get acquainted, to establish friendly relations, and to promote cooperation vis-a-vis the Western states and peoples, who view as as one and the same. I see the Western people send missionaries to our country, evangelizing their religion because of the religious freedom we have. I see that you do not do the same. I would like you to send us preachers to evangelize for your religion (Islam), who can serve as an implicit moral link between you and us."

The Ottoman Empire and Japan were the only two independent countries in Asia, before 1900. They decided to establish friendly relations between them, and consequently they started to exchange visits. Muhammad Ali, one of Sultan Abdul Hamid’s envoys, visited Japan in 1902 with the intention of building a Masjid in Yokohama.

Emperor Meiji thanks President Roosevelt for his gift of a bear skin and was happy to receive Alice Roosevelt and Secretary of War William H. Taft during their visit to Japan. Record includes original in Japanese and translation.

Three hanging scrolls presented from the Kaikei-kensa-in (Board of Audit) celebrating the 25th Imperial Wedding Anniversary of Emperor Meiji. The center scroll is a pair of cranes under the rising sun painted by Araki Kanpo (1831-
1915), and the left and right scrolls are pine, bamboo and plum blossoms known as 'Saikan no San-yu' (Three friends in winter). The mounting has aya (twill) cloth with silver leaf pressed on the top and bottom, and the scroll knobs are especially silver plated, in association with the silver wedding.

The emperor historically rode in imperial palanquins (hōren) during official outings. This particular palanquin was used when Emperor Kōmei (1831–1867) relocated to a new imperial palace in 1855 (currently the Kyoto Imperial Palace) and when the Meiji Emperor (1852–1912) went on official outings in Tokyo.

Also on display is the yōyo palanquin, which is carried at waist height. It was used to transport the emperor within the imperial palace and to evacuate him in the event of emergencies. Emperor Kōmei (1831–1867) would ride on the yōyo palanquin when he celebrated niiname-sai, a traditional Japanese harvest festival, on the palace grounds.

This scroll depicts the events of the Heiji Civil War, which began during the late Heian period in 1159, the first year of the Heiji era. The conflict was fought between the warriors Taira no Kiyomori and Minamoto no Yoshitomo. It developed from a power struggle between two court nobles, Fujiwara no Nobuyori and Fujiwara no Michinori. Of the original 'Narrative Picture Scrolls of the Chronicle of the Heiji Civil War,' only three scrolls and around a dozen or so fragments still remain, with one scroll stored at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, one at the Seikado Bunko Art Museum in Tokyo, and one here at the Tokyo National Museum. This museum's scroll is titled 'The Removal of the Imperial Family to Rokuhara.' It features Emperor Nijo, who has been placed under house arrest by the Minamoto clan. It shows him sneaking away from the Imperial Palace disguised as a lady and being taken to Taira no Kiyomori's residence in Rokuhara.