Sekisui Museum

(Translated by Google) This museum houses the former collections of the Kawakita family, who flourished as wealthy merchants with a cotton wholesaler in Nihonbashi during the Edo period. The 16th head of the family, Handeishi, served as president of the Hyakugo Bank in Tsu City and enjoyed many hobbies, including the tea ceremony, calligraphy, painting, and food. He was also known as a potter. This time, I went to see the special exhibition, "Tsutaya Juzaburo and the Masterpieces of Ukiyo-e: Sharaku, Kuniyoshi, Kunisada, and Hiroshige." The highlight, without a doubt, was Sharaku's original painting (one of only three known original paintings in the world!) "Old Man on a Fan" (painted jointly with Utagawa Toyokuni)! I had known of its existence for some time, but I never thought I'd see it here!!! Other Sharaku ukiyo-e prints on display for the first time are two from the third period, "Urunai Natsuko Nawaka Homare," which are in excellent condition and unfaded. I enjoyed the many exhibits, including ukiyo-e prints collected since the Edo period and books related to Tsutaya Juzaburo. The second-floor exhibition room is currently hosting an exhibition titled "Kawakita Handeishi's Works and Seasonal Museum Collection Items." The exhibit primarily features tea bowls by Handeishi. He created a wide variety of tea bowls (including Ido, Akaraku, Shino, and Oribe black bowls), and the inscriptions on them, such as "Sunset After the Rain" and "Rising River," are stylish. Both exhibitions run until Sunday, November 9th. There will also be a lecture by Professor Hidetake Asano, director of the Yamato Bunkakan Museum, on Saturday, October 25th. From JR or Kintetsu Tsu Station (East Exit), it's about a 15-minute bus ride from the Mie Kotsu bus stop, then an 8-minute walk from the Aoyaguchi bus stop. There's a sign next to the bus stop. Please note that the road is only wide enough for one car when entering from the prefectural road. Follow the road through a residential area. Parking is available. Opening Hours: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Closed: Mondays (open on public holidays, closed the following Tuesday), during exhibit changeovers, and during the winter (January - March). Admission Fee: ¥500. Visited on October 9, 2025 (Original) 江戸時代、日本橋に木綿問屋として店を構え豪商として栄えた川喜田家の旧蔵資料を所蔵する博物館です。特に十六代当主・半泥子(はんでいし)は、津市の百五銀行の頭取を勤め、茶道、書画、食など多趣味の方で、陶芸家としても知られたそうです。 今回は特別企画展「蔦屋重三郎と珠玉の浮世絵～写楽・国芳・国貞・広重～」を見に足を運びました。 なんと言っても見どころは、写楽の肉筆画(肉筆画は世界でも３点しか確認されていない！)『老人図扇面』(歌川豊国と合筆)を見ることでした！存在は以前から知っていましたが、ここで見られるとは!!!! 写楽浮世絵は他に、第３期の細版『閏内訥子名和歌誉』からの２枚が色あせが無く状態の大変よいものが初展示されています。 江戸時代から収集された浮世絵や、蔦屋重三郎関連の書物が数多く展示されていて楽しめました。 二階の展示室では、「川喜田半泥子の作品と季節の館蔵品」を開催中。主に半泥子作の茶碗です。いろいろな種類の茶碗(井戸茶碗とか赤楽茶碗、志野茶碗、織部黒茶碗などなど)を作っており、それらに付けられた銘が『雨後夕陽』とか『たつた川』とかでオシャレでした。 どちらの企画展示も11月 9日(日)まで。10月25日(土)には大和文華館館長の浅野秀剛先生の講演会もあります。 ＪＲ、近鉄津駅前(東口)から三重交通バスで約15分、青谷口バス停下車徒歩8分程度。バス停の傍に看板あり。県道から入ると車１台分くらいの道なので注意してください。住宅地を抜けて道なりに。駐車場もあります。 開館時間：10時～17時、休館日：月曜日(祝日は開館、翌火曜日休館)、展示替期間、冬期(１月～３月)、入館料：一般500円 2025年10月 9日来館