Bakumatsu and Meiji Museum Annex

Bakumatsu and Meiji Museum Annex: A Neoclassical Treasure in Oarai

Standing on a pine-covered hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture, the Bakumatsu and Meiji Museum Annex (幕末と明治の博物館別館) is a distinguished example of early Showa-era museum architecture. Built in 1932 as part of the Joyo Meiji Memorial Hall complex, this reinforced concrete building was registered as a national tangible cultural property in 2005, recognized for its contribution to Japan's historical landscape and its refined neoclassical design. The Annex houses four exhibition rooms filled with imperial treasures, calligraphy by Bakumatsu-era samurai, and artwork spanning the tumultuous transition from feudal Japan to the modern Meiji state.

History of the Museum and Its Founder

The story of the Bakumatsu and Meiji Museum begins with Count Tanaka Mitsuaki (1843–1939), a remarkable figure who lived through the entire arc of Japan's modernization. Born a low-ranking samurai in Tosa Province (present-day Kochi Prefecture), Tanaka joined the loyalist movement as a disciple of Takechi Zuizan and fought alongside legendary figures such as Sakamoto Ryoma, Nakaoka Shintaro, and Takasugi Shinsaku. After the Meiji Restoration, he rose through the ranks of the new government, serving as Commissioner-General of Police, President of the Gakushuin, and ultimately as Minister of the Imperial Household for eleven years from 1898.

After retiring from politics, Tanaka devoted himself to honoring the memory of the Bakumatsu-era loyalists. He spent decades collecting their calligraphy, paintings, and personal effects, eventually establishing three memorial institutions. The Joyo Meiji Memorial Hall in Oarai, founded on April 14, 1929, was one of these. Tanaka chose this location in the former domain of the Mito clan because of Mito's crucial role in the sonnō jōi (revere the emperor, expel the barbarians) movement that helped spark the Meiji Restoration. The Annex building was constructed three years later in 1932 to expand the exhibition space.

Why It Was Designated a Registered Tangible Cultural Property

The Bakumatsu and Meiji Museum Annex was registered as a national tangible cultural property (建造物) on February 9, 2005. Japan's registration system for cultural properties, established in 1996, aims to preserve buildings that contribute to the nation's historical landscape, serve as models of architectural design, or are difficult to reproduce. The Annex qualifies under these criteria for several reasons.

As a single-story reinforced concrete structure with a total floor area of 591 square meters, the building reflects the ambitions of early Showa-era institutional architecture. Its exterior walls are finished in a mock-stone technique called giseki, with carefully scored joints that give the concrete the dignified appearance of cut stone. Angular pilasters divide the facade into rhythmic bays, creating a sense of weight and authority. Beneath the eaves, dentil molding—a decorative motif borrowed from classical Greek and Roman architecture—adds a refined detail. Most strikingly, the south-facing wall of Exhibition Room 1 features a row of Corinthian-style columns flanking its windows, providing an elegant accent inspired by Western classical traditions.

Together with the adjacent Seizo-den (Imperial Statue Hall), to which it is connected by a covered walkway, the Annex forms a cohesive museum complex that documents the architectural aspirations of prewar Japan—a period when Western classical idioms were adapted to serve Japanese commemorative purposes.

Architectural Highlights and Design

The Annex is connected to the Seizo-den via a covered corridor (watarō-ka), creating a seamless visitor experience between the two structures. The Seizo-den itself houses a life-sized bronze statue of Emperor Meiji, created at the time of the museum's founding in 1929, along with a portrait of Emperor Jimmu painted by the renowned Nihonga artist Kimura Buzan.

The Annex's most notable exterior feature is its deliberate windowlessness on most walls—a practical choice to protect the delicate artworks and documents inside from sunlight, while also reinforcing the building's fortress-like solemnity. The exception is the south wall of Exhibition Room 1, where tall windows framed by Corinthian-style circular columns admit controlled natural light. This contrast between solid, impenetrable walls and the classically adorned window bay creates a striking visual dialogue between protection and display, function and ornament.

The building's giseki (mock-stone) finish is characteristic of early Showa concrete architecture, when builders sought to achieve the prestige of masonry construction using modern materials. The technique involved scoring wet plaster to simulate ashlar stonework, a practice also seen in major public buildings of the era throughout Japan.

What to See Inside: The Four Exhibition Rooms

Exhibition Room 1 is dedicated to the imperial family, displaying items bestowed by the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa emperors and other members of the imperial household. These include personal belongings, ceremonial objects, and gifts that reflect the close relationship between the museum's founder and the imperial court during his long tenure as Minister of the Imperial Household.

Exhibition Room 2 features calligraphy and paintings by the great figures of the Bakumatsu and Meiji periods. Visitors can view works by Katsu Kaishu, Yamaoka Tesshu, Saigo Takamori, Fujita Toko, and other influential statesmen, samurai, and scholars whose brushwork reveals their character and convictions. The room offers an intimate encounter with the individuals who shaped modern Japan.

Exhibition Room 3 serves as a special exhibition gallery, hosting rotating displays of fine art and decorative objects. Exhibition Room 4 provides additional space for thematic exhibitions drawn from the museum's extensive collection of historical materials related to the Mito domain and the broader Bakumatsu period.

The Wider Museum Complex

Beyond the Annex, the museum complex includes a New Building (Shinkan) added in 1997 when the institution was renamed from the Joyo Meiji Memorial Hall to the Bakumatsu and Meiji Museum. The New Building houses an entrance hall featuring a scale model of the Kyokujitsu-maru, an early Western-style warship built by the Mito domain, as well as a video hall and a comprehensive exhibition room that traces the historical narrative from the late Edo period through the Meiji Restoration.

In 2010, the museum's management was transferred from the Joyo Meiji Memorial Foundation to the town of Oarai, and its name was officially changed to the Oarai Town Bakumatsu and Meiji Museum. Despite these administrative changes, the Annex and Seizo-den remain as physical links to the founding vision of Count Tanaka Mitsuaki.

Surrounding Attractions

The museum is situated in a beautiful natural setting surrounded by pine groves, with the Pacific coastline just moments away. Nearby attractions include Oarai Isosaki Shrine, one of the region's most revered Shinto shrines, famous for its torii gate standing dramatically on rocks amid the ocean waves. Aqua World Oarai, one of the largest aquariums in Japan, is also located nearby and makes for an excellent combined visit.

The town of Oarai is also well known to fans of the anime series "Girls und Panzer," which is set in the area. The museum even offers discounted admission for visitors who present related merchandise. For those interested in further historical exploration, the nearby city of Mito offers Kairakuen, one of Japan's Three Great Gardens, and the Tokugawa Museum.