A Volume from Sugawara no Michizane's Classified History
The Ruiju Kokushi Volume 25 (類聚国史巻第廿五) is a Heian-period handscroll copy of volume 25, the fifth part of the Emperors section, of the Ruiju Kokushi, a classified history compiled by Sugawara no Michizane, and held by Tohoku University in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture; it was designated a National Treasure on November 22, 1952.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records it as one scroll of calligraphy and classical texts from the Heian period. According to Tohoku University's Graduate School of Arts and Letters, it is mounted as a handscroll with a newer cover and 33 sheets of the original paper. Miyagi Prefecture gives its height as 27.9 centimetres.
Tohoku University Library says the scroll came with a collection bought from Kano Kokichi in 1912. It is one of the library's two National Treasures, the other being volume 10 of the Shiji.
Why It Is a National Treasure
The Ruiju Kokushi rearranges the entries of the six official histories, beginning with the Nihon Shoki, under headings such as deities, emperors, the imperial household and people. According to the Graduate School of Arts and Letters, Michizane compiled it on the order of Emperor Uda, modelling it on Chinese classified compendia so that chronological histories could be searched easily. It originally ran to 200 volumes, of which 61 manuscript volumes and scattered fragments survive. Tohoku University Library notes that it is especially valuable because much of the Nihon Koki, one of the six histories, has been lost.
The first half of volume 25, under "retired emperors", gathers entries mainly on the abdications and deaths of 11 retired sovereigns from Empress Jito onward; the second half, "posthumously titled emperors", records how Prince Kusakabe and three others were granted the title of emperor after death.
Its value as a manuscript is considerable too. Along with four volumes held by the Sonkeikaku Library of the Maeda Ikutokukai, it is one of the old copies thought to date from the end of the Heian period into the Kamakura period. Miyagi Prefecture describes it as an extremely valuable late Heian manuscript copied by several hands rather than one.
What to Look For
According to the university's commentary, the scroll once belonged to the Mibu family, the Otsuki clan who served as chief clerks of the Council of State. A separate sheet thought to be the old cover is inscribed "Ruiju Kokushi volume 25, formerly owned by the Mibu kanmu". The family that managed the Council's documents evidently kept the Ruiju Kokushi at hand for looking up precedents.
At the end is the note "seen" (kenryo) with a signature mark. An Edo-period copy of volume 14 at the Sonkeikaku Library has the same note and annotations apparently in the same hand, suggesting that volumes 14 and 25 at some point travelled together apart from the rest. The text itself varies in hand and includes copying errors, and the copyist used paper already stained with red ink, details the commentary highlights as part of this scroll's character.
Access and Viewing
Tohoku University Library says the original is kept under strict temperature and humidity control. No guidance on regular public display was found.
The scroll is introduced in the university's digital archive collection database. For image use or access to the original, follow the archive's guidance and contact the library.
Q&A
- What is the Ruiju Kokushi?
- A history compiled by Sugawara no Michizane that sorts the entries of the six official histories, beginning with the Nihon Shoki, by subject. It once had 200 volumes; 61 manuscript volumes and fragments survive.
- What does Ruiju Kokushi Volume 25 contain?
- It is the fifth part of the Emperors section, with entries on the abdications and deaths of 11 retired sovereigns from Empress Jito onward and on Prince Kusakabe and three others granted the imperial title after death.
- When was Ruiju Kokushi Volume 25 designated a National Treasure?
- On November 22, 1952.
- How did Ruiju Kokushi Volume 25 come to Tohoku University?
- It once belonged to the Mibu family and, after passing through the collection of Kano Kokichi, was bought by Tohoku University in 1912.
- Can I see the original Ruiju Kokushi Volume 25?
- The library keeps it in strict storage, and no regular display was found. It is introduced in the university's digital archive.
Basic Information
| Name | Ruiju Kokushi Volume 25 (類聚国史巻第廿五) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture (Tohoku University) |
| Designation | National Treasure (Fine Arts and Crafts: Calligraphy and Classical Texts) |
| Year Designated | National Treasure 1952/11/22 (Showa 27) |
| Quantity | 1 scroll |
| Dimensions | 27.9 centimetres high (per Miyagi Prefecture), 33 sheets of paper |
| Owner | Tohoku University |
| Public Access | Kept in strict storage at the university library; no regular display announced |
References
- 類聚国史巻第廿五 (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/201/646
- 類聚国史巻第廿五 (Cultural Heritage Online)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/150231
- 『類聚国史』巻二十五 帝王部第五 (Tohoku University Graduate School of Arts and Letters, Digital Museum)
- https://www.sal.tohoku.ac.jp/digital_museum/04.html
- National Treasures: Shiji and Ruiju Kokushi (Tohoku University digital archive)
- https://touda.tohoku.ac.jp/collection/database/library/exhibition/20240325_natl_treas
- 指定文化財〈国宝〉類聚国史巻第廿五 (Miyagi Prefecture)
- https://www.pref.miyagi.jp/soshiki/bunkazai/01kokusi.html
Last verified: 2026.10.04