Museum of Northern Japanese Culture

The Agano River, a great river that flows through the majestic plain of Puyuan. There is a small village by the shore, Soumi. In the mid Edo period, the Ito family grew up from farming in the region and became the largest landowner in Echigo, embarking on the path of becoming wealthy farmers for generations. Due to post-war land reform, the vast land will be separated from the Ito family, but the Ito family will donate their assets and establish a Northern Culture Museum to leave buildings, gardens, and artworks to the Ito family. Later generations. Here, I will tell you only a part of the history of the Ito family as the story of the Ito family.

In 1756 (Friuli 6), the history of the Ito family began.

The first Wenji was a branch family (Horeki 6) at the age of 20 in 1756. I obtained approximately 13000 square meters of space (the same size as the Tokyo Dome) and moved into a house with 6 tatami rooms and a kitchen. Soon, he will marry Konya's daughter Qing Dynasty and run an indigo business while working as a farmer. In 1801 (the first year of the Kyowa era), Bunji's child Anjiro inherited the name of the second generation Bunji at the age of 35. This second-generation Bunji referred to himself as "Ito Bunji" when he was awarded the sword of the Natori in 1837 (Tenpo 8). Around that time, he not only operated the indigo business, but also ran Xiaomi, pawnshops, and warehousing businesses under the name "Iha no Ie". Afterwards, he adopted his second wife, the son of Jiro, who laid the foundation for the Ito family and became Bunichi III. However, Zuo Liu, who was supposed to replace Shi Daiwen Ji, passed away at the age of 44. Therefore, at the young age of 16, the grandson of King Wenji III and his assistant were named Wu Dai Wenji.

In 1889 (Meiji 22), it took eight years to build the Ito Mansion.

This era spans from the Edo period to the Meiji period. In 1882 (Meiji 15), Gotai Bunji began construction of a new Ito residence on approximately 18000 square meters of prepared land. The materials purchased from Aizu, Yamagata, and Akita were brought in and the current Ito Mansion was built in 1889 (Meiji 22), taking about 8 years. Fumiyoshi 6th Kenjiro showcased his skills as a wealthy businessman. It is said that in 1892 (Meiji 25), the famous Murayama family married the bride and held a grand reception for three days and three nights. However, while the land continued to expand, he suddenly passed away in 1903 (Meiji 36) at the age of only 33. Fumichi Shichidai is led by his eight year old second son Atsuo, but with the support of his family, he will continue to grow into a landlord. In 1908 (Meiji 41), the land owned 1385 hectares (approximately the area of 300 Tokyo Dome), and the number of employees living in the Ito family had grown to about 60. The era spans from the Meiji era to the Taisho era. After graduating from Keio University, Fumichi Shida studied abroad at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. After returning to Japan in 1927 (Showa 2), Yoshihiko, who became the eighth generation Bunji, was born.

The foundation was established in 1946 (Showa 21). The birth of the Northern Culture Museum.

After World War II, the future image of the poster could no longer be depicted, and it was taken for granted before that. Therefore, the seventh owner decided to "build a museum and donate all their property to it." I gave it. The idea of preserving the remains of the Ito family as a museum for the future was achieved through the efforts of many people, including the encounter with the destined Lieutenant Ralph Wright. The Ito family, as the first private museum after the war - the Northern Culture Museum, stepped onto a new stage. In addition, the garden owner Taiya Tanaka, who deepened his trust in the 7th generation leader through long-term communication, completed a garden suitable for wealthy farmers' mansions in 5 years. This mansion gradually perfected its position as a museum. The name of the Northern Culture Museum comes from the Swedish name Nordiska Museet. The naming of a large amount of royal materials is to imitate what a museum should look like, where things should be, and the cultural significance and value should be conveyed through observation.

Further develop into a museum.

In 1952 (Showa 27), Bunichi Yatsushiro became the first student of a Japanese curator and was appointed at the age of 31 after working for a company. I have visited over 100 countries, visited cultural administration and museum operations around the world, and made every effort to promote Niigata's culture and international exchange. In 2008 (Heisei 20), it was also used as a venue for entertaining a large number of VIPs during royal visits and the reception of G8 labor ministers' meetings. In addition, with the goal of becoming a museum that serves as a place for the soul and healing, we have opened outdoor music halls, restaurants, accommodation facilities, and evolved into the necessary presence of this era. Yatsushiro Bunji was loved by many people and passed away in October 2016 (Heisei 28). The Northern Culture Museum houses the remains of the Ito family with a history of over 250 years. We will continue to convey this history and culture to customers in Japan and around the world, including our hometown Niigata.