July 31 (Sat) – August 29 (Sun), 2021

This exhibition showcases Yoro monogatari emaki (Illustrated Scroll of the Tale of Yoro) owned by the Gifu City Museum of History. Based on “Koshi Monogatari” (The Tale of Koshi) concerning Yoro Falls, the scroll is thought to have been produced during the early and middle Edo period (17th – 18th century).

Costumes for Noh chant “Yoro” are currently displayed at the special exhibition. The chant “Yoro” was produced by Zeami based on the Tale of Koshi. The story in the scroll is not exactly the same as the one in “Yoro” (The Nochi-Shite* of the mountain god does not appear), however you will enjoy Noh's world even more comparing them.

Unlike other illustrated scrolls, this only consists of illustrations. It does not have “kotobagaki” (text) to explain the illustrations, which implies that the Tale of Koshi was so well-known that text was unnecessary. Even though the author is unknown, the painting style implies that it was someone who had studied the Tosa School of painting which focused mainly on “Yamato-e” (a traditional style of Japanese painting).

*Nochi-Shite: leading role in the latter half of a Noh play

June 5 (Sat) – July 25 (Sun), 2021

People in the Mino region during the Edo period valued family lineage and history. It is believed that this was because of “kashira-bun-sei,” the class system unique to the Mino region. The “Kashira-bun-sei” class system divides hyakusho (peasants) into the ranks of kashira-byakusho (high-ranking peasants) and waki-byakusho (low-ranking peasants). In the mid-Edo period, however, some waki-byakusho tried promoting themselves to kashira-byakusho, and this led to checking family history.

The special featured exhibition showcases the family trees and family history records, focusing on the background of creating those records, and the Mino-region’s cultural characteristics.

April 10 (Sat) – May 30 (Sun), 2021

The works of “Mino carving” among our collection are displayed.
A sword mounting (koshirae) includes fittings such as a sword guard (tsuba), hilt ornaments (menuki), and a small tool (kogai) attached to the sword sheath for hairdressing and ear cleaning. In the Edo period, sword fittings called “Mino-bori (Mino carving)” were created mainly in Gifu. Etching deeply into red copper on a black background, autumn plants and insects are frequently used for design, decorated with gold. Despite the garishness of the decoration, many of them create a subtle and melancholic atmosphere which is another feature of Mino-bori. These elaborate fittings do not stand out when wearing a sword, however, one can say that it was a way for samurai to demonstrate dandyism.