Treasure of Daimyo Tachibana
The collection of the Tachibana family, the successive lords of the Yanagawa domain, tells us the story of the daimyo family’s life with accuracy and plausibility.
Letter from Toyotomi Hideyoshi to Ankokuji Ekei, Kuroda Yoshitaka and Miyagi Katayoshi This is a letter from Toyotomi Hideyoshi to Ankokuji Ekei, Kuroda Yoshitaka (Kageyu) and Miyagi Katayoshi (Nyudō). In the letter, Hideyoshi praised Muneshige’s activity in the battle by saying, “He is the real warrior unrivaled in Kyushu.” The letter was kept by the Kuroda family. Twenty or thirty years after Muneshige’s death, it was given to the Tachibana family.
Hotoke-marudo armour covered with nutbrown leather (16th century, Momoyama period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Hotoke-marudo armor covered with nutbrown leather
The first Lord Muneshige's suit of armor. The combination of colors, such as the nutbrown leather of the cuirass, the red-lacquered tassets hanging beneath the cuirass and silver foil of the thigh guards, reflects the splendor of the Warring States period.
Gilded peach-shaped helmet (16th century, Momoyama period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Gilded peach-shaped helmet
These helmets are thought to have been prepared for the cavalry responsible for guarding the first Lord of the Yanagawa domain, Tachibana Muneshige, on the battlefield.
Katana sword, attributed to “Kanemitsu” This katana, or a single-edged sword, has no inscription but it is attributed to Kanemitsu. Kanemitsu was a swordsmith of the Osafune school in Bizen Province (modern Okayama Prefecture). The Osafune school was well renowned for its excellent swords. The blade shows the temper pattern of ‘kataochi-gunome midare’ along the cutting edge. This abrupt undulation pattern was introduced by Kanemitsu’s father, Kagemitsu, and continued by Kanemitsu.
Yari spearhead, signed ‘Kanesada’ (1537) by KanesadaTachibana Museum
Yari spearhead, signed ‘Kanesada’
This is a large yari (spearhead) created by Kanesada, a swordsmith in Mino Province (modern Gifu Prefecture). The blade is 38.7 cm in length and engraved with a title given to the Shinto gods.
Trinity of war gods This hanging scroll is believed to be a talisman which Tachibana Muneshige brought along to military camps. The figure with three faces and six arms riding on a wild boar in the center is Marici, who was worshipped by samurai warriors as the goddess of war. The figure in armor riding a horse on the left is Shogun Jizo, who was worshipped as a deity of victory. The figure holding a rod on the right is Koyamyojin, who is the tutelary deity of Mt. Koya.
Hitoyogiri flute (17th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Hitoyogiri flute
This is a vertical flute owned by Tachibana Muneshige. It was created by Hara Zensai who was active in the 17th century as a master of making hitoyogiri flutes.
Tea scoop and case
Tea-powder spoon attributed to Sen-no-Rikyu and case by Gengensai Seichu
Tea scoop, named Yosame (Rain at night) It is applied with gold on the backside to repair a crack which appears along the groove. There is also a wormhole on the backside of the upper part of the knot. The storage tube is shaved off while partially leaving the skin. This scoop is given a poetic name “Yosame” (Rain at Night) which is written in ink on the storage tube with the signature. It is signed by Itto Soshitsu, the 8th head of the Urasenke school of tea ceremony.
Pearl shell incense case by UnknownTachibana Museum
Pearl shell incense case
From the note on the wrapping paper of this incense case, we learn that this is a gift from the 3rd shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, when he visited the feudal lord of the Yanagawa domain, Tachibana Muneshige at his suburban residence in Edo (modern Edo) in 1638 or 1639.
Tea leaf jar, named Yoro This Seto ware jar was given to the lord of the Yanagawa domain, Tachibana Muneshige, by the 3rd Tokugawa Shogun, Iemitsu. This was during Iemitsu’s second visit to the tea ceremony held at the Yanagawa domain’s suburban residence in Edo (modern Tokyo) in 1639. Muneshige was seventy-three years old at this time.
Sealed letter of granting issued by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to Tachibana Muneshige【Important cultural property】 After conquering Kyushu region, Toyotomi Hideyoshi issued this letter to Tachibana Muneshige for granting the ownership of four districts in the Chikugo Province. This proves that Muneshige improved his position from a vassal of the Ohtomo clan to a feudal lord. He then moved from the Tachibanayama-jo Castle in the Chikuzen Province to the Yanagawa-jo Castle in the Chikugo Province.
Official document issued by senior councilors of the shogunate 【Important cultural property】 Muneshige died at age of seventy-six in 1642. This document was issued to his son to show the shogun Iemitsu’s condolences.
The History of the Tachibana Residence Ohana
The 5th lord of the Yanagawa domain, Tachibana Sadayoshi, ordered construction of a villa for his concubine and children on the southwest corner of Yanagawa Castle in 1738 and named it ‘Ohana-batake’ or Flower Garden.
Saddle with design of carp ascending a waterfall (1744) by designed by Kano Tan-yuTachibana Museum
Saddle with design of carp ascending a waterfall
It represents a metaphor for achievement and advancement in life, and derives from a Chinese legend about a carp, which succeeded in leaping a waterfall called Ryumon in the rapid stream of the Yellow River, and was transformed into a dragon.
Drawing of Ohanabatake Garden In the Ohana-batake villa, there used to be a Chisen Kaiyu style garden, which is a garden with a big pond surrounded with seasonal flowers that visitors can enjoy while strolling around it. Even now, this style of garden can be seen in the remaining mansions of daimyo feudal lords such as the Suizenji joju-en Garden of the Hosokawa family in Kumamoto and the Sengan-en Garden of the Shimazu family in Kagoshima.
Portrait of Count Tachibana Tomoharu
Tomoharu made extensive new construction on the premises that the Tachibana family’s villa used to be on. He built a Western style building and directly behind it is a Japanese structure that looks out onto the vastness of the Shoto-en garden.
Tachibana Tomoharu inherited the headship of the Tachibana family from the last lord of the Yanagawa domain and became the 14th head of the family. Under the policy of Haihan-chiken in 1781, the feudal system was abolished and feudal lords became government officials appointed by and working for the central government in Tokyo. Due to this, Tomoharu moved to Tokyo. In 1884, he was honored as count in accordance with the Peerage Law. In 1889, he moved his living base back to Yanagawa.
Portrait of Tachibana Eiko
the wife of Count Tachibana Tomoharu
The God of Longevity with white deer and Landscape scenes According to the management note of the Tachibana family, this triptych of hanging scrolls was a gift for the celebration of the 14th Tachibana Tomoharu’s 60th birthday in 1917. Jurojin is a god of longevity so that it is a suitable present for the 60th birthday. The painter, Gyokudo, was good at landscape painting. In this painting, he depicts the enchanted land full of mysterious profundity.
These pieces are from a tea set which was ordered to make along with the completion of the Tachibana family’s residence in 1910. The color combination of blue family crest and gold patterns on the white porcelain gives a noble and refreshing impression.
In the Edo period (1600-1868), the Kaiawase shells were used for wedding ceremonies, because the idea that only a mated pair of shells could match is linked to the image of conjugal harmony.
The Tableware in the Tachibana Count's Residence
Dinnerware with wisteria designThese tableware was ordered to make along with the completion of the Tachibana family's residence in 1910. Each piece has the Tachibana family crest, wisteria design and Koransha’s brand mark of Arita ware in underglaze blue.
Quiver covered with black boar skin (19th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Quiver covered with black boar skin
This was used for carrying arrows and was hung by the waist or over the shoulder.
To use it, one must set down the lattice frame and put the arrows with the heads facing downward into the box through the lattice.
Saddle and Stirrups with design of sacred animal Sai (1662) by attributed to Ishiguro TeikyuTachibana Museum
Saddle and Stirrups with design of sacred animal Sai
Each piece is made of wood, coated with gold nashiji (pear skin pattern) lacquer, and sumptuously embellished with design of the Tachibana family crest and Sai —a legendary animal with a single horn and carapace.
〜Permanent Exhibition〜
The Successive Arms and Armor of Daimyo TACHIBANA
Tatami armor with karuta plates (17th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Folding armor with karuta plates
This is the 2nd lord's spare armor brought to the Shimabara Rebellion (1637-38). The cuirass consists of karutagane (rectangle iron plates) connected by chains for folding.
Tatami armor with cherry blossom design (17th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Tatami armor with cherry blossoms design【Audio guide 3】
This suit of armor was owned by the 3rd lord who lived in a peaceful period in the late 17th century. The cuirass is composed of iron plates linked together by chains and sewn onto the fabric backing to make the armor foldable. Each of the hexagonal plates has an openwork design of cherry blossoms. The bell-shaped helmet also shows a unique appearance.
Armor of two-piece cuirass embossed with a dragon (18th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Nimai-dō armor of two-piece cuirass embossed with a dragon
This suit of armor was owned by the 4th lord. The cuirass was constructed with two plates that are arranged vertically and fastened at either side of the body. All the metal parts were elaborately made with an alloy of copper and gold which produces beautiful purplish black sheen.
Armor with embossed design of a dragon (1754) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Ryobikiawase-dō armor with embossed design of a dragon
This suit of armor was owned by the 7th lord. The cuirass was constructed with five plates that are bound together vertically. It was worn wrapped around the body and fastened on either side.
Mogami-do armor with light green lacing (1860) by Myochin KunisadaTachibana Museum
Mogami-dō armor with light green lacing【Audio guide 4】
This suit of armor was owned by Akitomo, the 12th and last lord of the Yanagawa domain. It was created with scrupulously refined techniques by Myōchin Kunisada who was an armorer patronized by the Yanagawa domain. The horn-like ornament attached to the helmet was designed after the motif of the Tachibana family crest.
The Wedding Trousseaus of Daimyo Families
A large number of luxurious wedding furniture was prepared for the wedding of a feudal lord’s daughter in the Edo period. Each piece was embellished with maki-e design representing the bride’s family crest.
Hasamibako chest with maki-e design of the Aoi crest (19th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Hasamibako chest with Aoi crest【Audio Guide P5】
This lacquered chest is a piece of bridal trousseau of Princess Sumi, the wife of the 12th lord. She was a daughter of the Tayasu-Tokugawa family — one of the three privileged branches of the Shogun family. The three hollyhock leaves in a circle represents the Tokugawa family crest.
Nagamochi chest with maki-e design of the Aoi crest (19th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Nagamochi chest with the Aoi crest
Nagamochi is a large portable chest for storing kimonos. It was carried by bearers using a long pole which could be passed through the metal handles on both sides of the chest. This lacquered chest is a piece of the bridal trousseau of Princess Sumi, the wife of the 12th lord.
Palanquin with maki-e design of the Gionmamori crests (19th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Palanquin with crest design of Gionmamori【Audio Guide P6】
This palanquin was exclusively intended for women of high social rank, possibly carried by four bearers; two at the front and two at the back. It is sprinkled with gold powder, depicting two styles of the Tachibana family crest and a plum blossom scroll on the black lacquered surface.
Exquisite Dolls of the Tachibana Family
Dolls in the collection of the Tachibana family are characterized by the small size. Each of the tiny pieces is exquisitely crafted with impressive technique.
Yūsoku-bina dolls (19th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Yūsoku-bina doll【Audio Guide P7】
A set of Hina dolls is displayed during the Doll Festival to celebrate the health and happiness of girls in Japan. Yūsoku-bina is one of the Hina dolls which appeared in Kyoto in the 18th century. They represent court nobles clad in exact replica of Imperial Court costume.
Miniature hina doll accessories (19th century, Edo period) by Edo NanasawayaTachibana Museum
Miniature Hina doll accessories【Audio Guide P8】
These astonishing miniature accessories replicate a bridal trousseau of a feudal lord family in the Edo period. They were made by Nanasawa-ya, a doll shop in Edo, now Tokyo. The shop was renowned for its skillful craftsmanship that faithfully reproduced miniatures of the original.
Keshi-bina dolls (19th century, Edo period) by Edo NanasawayaTachibana Museum
Keshi-bina doll【Audio Guide P9】
Keshi-bina is one of Hina dolls born in Edo, now Tokyo. ‘Keshi’ means ‘poppyseed’. There is a theory that tiny dolls became popular once the luxury goods were banned by sumptuary laws. This set of keshi-bina dolls was made by Nanasawa-ya, a famous doll shop in Edo.
Kamo dolls (19th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Kamo doll【Audio Guide P10】
It is believed that the Kamo doll originated when an odd-job man of Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto started making dolls using fabric tucked into a piece of wood. The characteristics of the dolls are their tiny size and warm smiles. Among them, smaller-sized dolls are roly-poly dolls with tiny weight in the round bottom. The smallest is only 5 mm in height.
Gosho doll (18th-19th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Gosho doll【Audio Guide P11】
Gosho doll is one of the representative dolls of Japanese doll culture. Starting in the 18th century, the chubby infant doll with white glossy skin played a role as a court gift to feudal lords who had visited the Imperial Palace in Kyoto.
Saga doll (18th century, Edo period) by UnknownTachibana Museum
Saga doll
Saga dolls were created preceding Gosho dolls. Among them, it is said that specifically the naked Saga dolls influenced the creation of Gosho dolls. So, they look almost the same, but the naked Saga dolls are distinguished by its slim body.
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