2008 No.04 December 10, 2008

Photo Exhibition:

Lighting of the Bankoro andSeien Bunko
Dec. 6, 2008 – Feb. 14, 2009
Seien Bunko, Shibusawa Memorial Museum

This small-scale photography exhibition focuses on the decorations of interior and exterior lighting
fixtures of the Bankoro and Seien Bunko. The buildings were built in 1917 and 1925 within the grounds ofthe former Shibusawa residence and were recently designated by the government as Important CulturalProperties. Sixteen photos by the noted architecture photographer, Akihisa Masuda, reveal the details oflamps and shades which illuminate and adorn the buildings.
Bankoro
The Bankoro is a finely crafted Western and Japanese cottage built and presented to Shibusawa Eiichi in
1917 by the Shimizu Gumi (now the Shimizu Corporation) to celebrate Shibusawa's 77th birthday.
Shibusawa used the Bankoro as a reception room to welcome his many important Japanese and foreign
guests. A wooden one-story building, the Bankoro incorporates the functions and designs of a Japanese tea
room and furnished with furniture specially commissioned from artistic craftsmen.
Seien Bunko
The Seien Bunko is a Western-style reinforced concrete structure presented by the Ryumonsha(predecessor of the Shibusawa Memorial Foundation) to Shibusawa Eiichi in 1925 in honor of his 80thbirthday and his promotion from baron to viscount. It was initially intended to be used as a library but wasinstead mainly used to entertain guests. Beautiful stained glass windows and colorful tiles add an elegant
touch to the sedate and solidly built structure.
Masuda Akihisa
Masuda was born in Tokyo in 1939 and graduated from the Department of Photography in the College ofArt at Nihon University. After retiring from the Taisei Corporation, he established the Masuda Akihisa
Photography Office. He has been taking photos of architecture and the heritage of modern Japan more than
40 years and has published many books.

About the SHIBUSAWA MEMORIAL MUSEUM
The Shibusawa Memorial Museum collects and displays documents and artifacts
from the life of Shibusawa Eiichi (1840-1931), a leader in business and finance
who fostered the growth and development of the modern Japanese economy.
Throughout his life he advocated for the harmony of morality and economy;
playing an important role not only in the business world but in the fields of socialwelfare, education and private-sector diplomacy as well.
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Photo Exhibition: Lighting of the Bankoro and Seien Bunko
Dates:

Dec. 6, 2008 – Feb. 14, 2009
The exhibition is open on Saturdays 12:30 – 15:30

Venue:

Seien Bunko Library, Shibusawa Memorial Museum

Organized by Shibusawa Memorial Museum
2-16-1 Nishigahara, Kita-ku, Tokyo
Tel：03-3910-0005 ／ Fax：03-3910-0085

Admission: Adults 300 yen
Elementary, junior high school, and high school students 100 yen
20% discount for groups of 20 or more

Contacts
Megumi Kawakami, CuratorRuri Kato, Public RelationsShibusawa Memorial Museum http://www.shibusawa.or.jp
2-16-1 Nishigahara, Kita-ku, Tokyo
Tel：03-3910-0005 ／ Fax：03-3910-0085

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Shibusawa Memorial Museum

FAX: 03-5567-7289
Application for the Use of Press Images
Attn. Mr. Jun Inoue
Director
Shibusawa Memorial Museum
Date:

//

Applicant Name:
Signature
Company/Institution:
Address:Tel:
I hereby apply for the use of images from the exhibition “Masuda Akihisa Photo Exhibition: Bankoro and Seien
Bunko” under the conditions stated below:
1. Images to be used〔〕 a. Lighting of the Reading Room of the Seien Bunko〔〕 b. Lighting of the Entrance Hall of the Seien Bunko

2. Purpose of use (title of publication etc.)
3. Media*total number of pages：*length of the article：*circulation：

4. Date of issue
5. Details of usage
6. Conditions* The images must be borrowed in the form of printed media at the Shibusawa Memorial Museum andreturned to the Museum immediately after use.
* The provenance of the images must be clearly noted.
* The images cannot be used for purposes other than those stated in No.2 above.
* The applicant must send two copies of the publication to the Shibusawa Memorial Museum.
* The applicant must immediately inform the museum of any changes to the above information.