Image: Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum, Naha
The Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum in Naha will open an exhibition on August 7 that brings together historical records and drawings related to Ryukyu from the University of Tokyo’s Historiographical Institute. Running through September 23, 2026, the exhibition is titled '時を超えて過去から未来へ―東京大学史料編纂所と、琉球の記録・絵図―' and is presented as a survey of materials gathered through research that began in the Meiji era.
According to the museum, the show focuses on records and images that speak to the memory of Ryukyu, including rare documents that are no longer accessible in Okinawa because they were lost in earthquakes or wartime damage. The museum says the exhibition will introduce ancient documents and drawings to trace Ryukyu’s history, with some Japanese historical materials shown in Okinawa for the first time.
The exhibition is organized into three sections. The first, '史料編纂所と日本史の名品', highlights materials associated with well-known figures in premodern Japanese history, including Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Ashikaga Yoshiaki. Items listed for display from the Historiographical Institute include precious books such as '吾妻鏡', '藤原氏系図', '足利義昭御内書', '織田信長朱印状〈天正九年十一月十五日〉' and '豊臣秀吉朱印状〈天正一四年十二月廿四日〉'.
The second section, '琉球の記録・絵図', turns to documents connected to Ryukyu and Okinawa, including materials that have not previously been shown in earlier exhibitions. The museum says one focus will be drawings that carefully depict Shurijo Castle and Un ten Port in northern Okinawa, and notes that these drawings will be publicly displayed in Okinawa for the first time. Works listed here include '英人逗留付那覇二而之日記', '島津家本「琉球封使録」' and '仏朗西国船三艘運天津著場之図', alongside '景泰五年 尚泰久王勅書' on deposit at the Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum.
A third section, '史資料研究への新たな試み', presents current efforts in historical document research, including digital archives. The museum says the display will introduce initiatives such as the '琉球国図' digital archive, which began public access in March 2025, as well as related panels and materials from both institutions’ collections.
The museum has also scheduled related public programs during the exhibition run. These include exhibition talks on August 28 and September 12, an international symposium, '琉球をめぐる海上の道と絵図', on August 29, a curator lecture, '『運天湊之図』の成立とその背景', on September 12, and a cultural lecture, '東京大学史料編纂所所蔵の島津家文書と島津家本', on September 19. The exhibition will be shown in the museum’s special exhibition gallery, with admission priced at 800 yen for adults, 500 yen for high school and university students, and 200 yen for elementary and junior high school students, with discounts for groups and certain visitors.
