[Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies] Students from the History course of the Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies visited a special exhibition of the collection of ancient documents belonging to Dr. Naokatsu Nakamura, the first President Otemae University

From Saturday, May 30, 2026, to Tuesday, July 7, 2026, the special exhibition “The Charm of Ancient Documents: Naokatsu Nakamura and the Sōhaku Collection—50 Years After His Passing” was held at the Yamato Bunka-kan (Gakuenmae, Nara). Ten students from the course “Faculty of Intercultural Japanese Studies” taught by Masaki Ishibata Lecturer (Medieval Japanese History) visited the exhibition on Sunday, June 28.
The exhibition featured approximately 70 ancient documents collected by Dr. Nakamura dating from the Heian period to the late Edo period, including numerous autographs by famous historical figures such as Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Ashikaga Takauji, Akechi Mitsuhide,Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Ishida Mitsunari, Date Masamune, and members of the imperial family from various eras.In addition, at the beginning of the exhibition route, the President and the manuscript of the address delivered at the first graduation ceremony from Otemae Women’s University (now Otemae University), where Dr. Nakamura served as the first President in 1966, were on display, and the students gazed at them with great interest.
During the tour, Mr. Takayuki Ichimoto of the Yamato Bunka-kan Public Interest Incorporated Foundation provided an explanation.He shared several anecdotes about the doctor, who had a deep love for ancient documents. For instance, before the war, when the doctor attempted to purchase a hanging scroll in the handwriting of Ashikaga Takauji—who was regarded as a traitor at the time—an antique dealer cautioned him, “Given the current climate, you might be labeled a traitor yourself, so you’d better not buy it.” Despite this, the doctor purchased it anyway, reasoning, “As long as I don’t show it to anyone else, it should be fine.”He shared several such anecdotes about the Doctor, who had a deep love for historical documents. In particular, he explained the intent behind the exhibition: “The Doctor did not merely trace historical facts through these documents; he found great joy in listening closely to the voices of those who lived in the past and connecting with their human warmth and memories.In this special exhibition, we wanted to introduce the ‘allure of ancient documents’ alongside the professor’s own words.” This explanation of the curatorial intent behind the exhibition was particularly memorable.
I would like to share an excerpt from Dr. Nakamura’s essay, which appeared at the end of the exhibition brochure: “A single petition. As I imagine Takauji, wondering with empathy whether he wrote that petition with all his heart, sitting at his desk like this, it feels as though Takauji is right beside me.~[Omitted]~ A life lived for the charm of ancient documents, drawn to the power they contain, and spent amidst their profound richness. I am a fortunate person to have walked that path.”

<Source: Regional and Social Cooperation Office >