Past Exhibitions

Takarabune (treasure ship) is a paper with ship design placed under one’s pillow to ensure a propitious first dream of the year. The ship is laden with treasures symbolizing abundant harvests—such as ears of rice and rice bales—alongside Shichifukujin (Seven Deities of Good Fortune) and the magic mallet. It embodies the wish for the first dream of the year to be a lucky one. This exhibition brings together these treasure ships, each bearing the hopes and wishes of the people.

※ About Horiuchi Ebisu Collection
The Horiuchi Ebisu Collection was collected over many years by the late Dr. Horiuchi Kiyoshi (1924 – 2009). He was a local historian as well as a doctor of medical science. Born and raised in Nishinomiya, his collection consists mainly of works of art related to the deity Ebisu, other deities of good fortune, historical documents of local history and customs and manners.

The 19th century in Japan, a time of great cultural and political upheaval was an era of prolific production of wahon (Japanese style books) and ukiyo-e prints. Wahon featured diverse works like popular novels for the common people and comic novellas. Nishiki-e, the multicolored woodblock prints that emerged in the mid-18th century, continued to enjoy great popularity throughout the 19th century.
This exhibition introduces the publishing culture of the time through wahon and nishiki-e from the 19th century, when woodblock printing was at its peak.

Lacquer, made from the sap of the poison oak tree, is a strong material that has been used since ancient times and used in daily life as lacquerware. Maki-e, which developed uniquely in Japan as a lacquer craft technique, is a technique in which gold powder is sprinkled on the surface of lacquerware before the patterns drawn in lacquer dry, creating beautiful decorations.

Maki-e is one of the most glamorous forms of lacquerware.This exhibition highlights furnishings from the museum collection that are decorated with black or vermilion with gold powder sprinkled on the surface.

The Sasabe Sakura Collection (entrusted to the museum by Nishinomiya City) is one of Japan’s foremost collections of materials regarding cherry blossom trees collected by Sasabe Shintaro, who devoted his life to protecting and nurturing indigenous Japanese cherry blossom trees.

This exhibition focuses on works from his collection related to cherry blossoms and poetry. We hope you will enjoy the world of poetry that blooming of cherry blossoms.

※English captions are available in this exhibition.

This exhibition displays a collection of various dolls from the early Showa era (19th century), made by renowned Kyoto doll maker Ōki Heizō, which had been owned by the sake brewing Tatsuuma family. For this year’s special exhibition titled “Happy Playing House”, fascinating utensils and dolls used for playng house owned by Maruhei Bunko, the reference room of Maruhei Ōki Doll Store, are on display.

Please enjoy the exhibition of the dolls which heralds the arrival of spring, and take a close look at the small but extravagant figurines.    

Horiuchi Kiyoshi, who was born and raised in Nishinomiya, wrote about a number of good luck customs. Even today, people still try to bring good fortune to themselves by saying lucky words or placing lucky items around them. In this exhibition, we will introduce the deities of fortune, who bring such good fortune to us. “Shichifukujin (The Seven Deities of Good Fortune)”, including Ebisu Daikoku, will gather in the Sake Museum exhibition room for a limited time this year. Please enjoy the appearance of the deities of good fortune as they celebrate the various pre-festival celebrations of happiness.

※ About Horiuchi Ebisu Collection

The Horiuchi Ebisu Collection was collected over many years by the late Dr. Horiuchi Kiyoshi (1924 – 2009). He was a local historian as well as a doctor of medical science. Born and raised in Nishinomiya, his collection consists mainly of works of art related to the deity Ebisu, other deities of good fortune, historical documents of local history and customs and manners.

Influenced by changing customs, fashions, techniques, and environments over time, various works of art have been produced in Japan. The first half of this exhibition features works by Kano Tanyu, Tosa Mitsuki, and others from the early modern period (Edo period), before the term “Japanese Paintings” became established, while the second half features works by Kawabata Gyokusho, Hashimoto Kansetsu, and others from the modern period (Meiji era to prewar), which were produced as “Japanese Paintings” in contrast to Western-style paintings. We hope that you will feel the change of the times through the works from the Sake Museum’s collection.

During the Edo period (1603-1868), many adaptations of the tale were published, including not only summary books abridging “The Tale of Genji,” but also parody books adapted from the tale, and nishiki-e prints depicting scenes and characters in a modern style. The Genji pattern, a design based on a scene from the tale, was incorporated into furnishings and other items, and was favored as an elegant pattern.
In this exhibition, we introduce the development of “The Tale of Genji” in the Edo and Meiji periods.

The Sasabe Sakura Collection (entrusted to the museum by Nishinomiya City) is one of Japan’s foremost collections of materials regarding cherry blossom trees collected by Sasabe Shintaro, who devoted his life to protecting and nurturing indigenous Japanese cherry blossom trees.

This exhibition features paintings, ceramics, metal, wood and lacquer works, prints and kimono, together with records of the purchases made by Sasabe. Please enjoy the variety of cherry blossoms represented in works from a wide range of fields.