The Tokugawa Art Museum: Treasures of the Tokugawa Family

The Tokugawa Art Museum

(Nagoya City, Aichi)

【 Gosanke（御三家）】 or the “Three Great Tokugawa Houses,” refers to the three branches of the Tokugawa family that ruled Japan for approximately 265 years, from the 17th century until the late 19th century.

These three families were founded by the three sons of the first shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. They governed Owari (present-day Nagoya), Kii (present-day Wakayama), and Mito (present-day Mito), respectively. Only the shogun’s family and these three branches were permitted to bear the Tokugawa name. This system helped establish a stable political structure by ensuring military control over the nation and hereditary succession. When the shogun had no direct heir, a successor could be chosen from one of these three houses, ensuring the continuity of Tokugawa rule.

Nagoya, in present-day Aichi Prefecture, was governed by the Owari Tokugawa family, one of the Gosanke. It is home to the Tokugawa Art Museum, located in a neighborhood appropriately named Tokugawa twon, where the legacy of the Tokugawa family remains deeply rooted.

The museum’s collection centers on the possessions of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun, as well as the treasures passed down through generations of the Owari Tokugawa family. These include samurai armor and weapons, tea ceremony utensils, Noh theater costumes and masks, paintings, and bridal furnishings that once belonged to powerful feudal lords and represent some of the finest craftsmanship of their time. When the museum was established, treasured heirlooms from other feudal families were also added to its collection. Today, the museum houses numerous National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, making it one of Japan’s finest private museums in terms of the number of nationally designated cultural assets.

As you enter the first exhibition hall, you are immediately greeted by a magnificent suit of samurai armor standing proudly at the entrance, facing visitors with an air of dignity. Decorative helmets that once commanded attention on the battlefield, facial masks that concealed the wearer’s expression, and intricately constructed armor made from countless small plates all demonstrate the extraordinary craftsmanship of the period. Even the protective gear for the arms and legs is exquisitely crafted. Although these were instruments of war, their artistic beauty is truly captivating.

Among the museum’s most celebrated treasures are the illustrated handscrolls of “The Tale of Genji” and a magnificent set of bridal furnishings known as “Hatsune”.

“The Tale of Genji” is a classic romantic novel written by a woman who served at the imperial court in the early eleventh century. It is widely regarded as a masterpiece of Japanese literature. The illustrated handscrolls, created in the first half of the twelfth century, illustrate scenes from The Tale of Genji. They are the oldest surviving illustrated version of the story. With their delicate brushwork and refined colors, these paintings preserve the elegant world of Japan’s aristocracy from a thousand years ago.

The “Hatsune” furnishings were originally part of the bridal trousseau of a young princess who, at just two years and six months of age, was sent from the main Tokugawa family to marry into the Owari Tokugawa family as part of a political alliance. The name of “Hatsune” comes from one of the chapter titles in “The Tale of Genji”, whose story inspired the decorative designs on these furnishings. In that chapter, a eight year-old adopted daughter receives New Year’s gifts with a poem from her birth mother, who longs to see her again.

Through long‑passing years,

drawn on by waiting,

to the one who has endured them,

may the bush warbler’s first song be heard today.

The original meaning of “Hatsune” is the first song of a bird heard in a new season or year. In the poem, the mother compares her daughter to a bush warbler and expresses her wish to hear her “first song”—her first message or greeting of the New Year. If you look closely, you can spot a bush warbler depicted on these furnishings.

When sending her young daughter off to be married, the mother may have commissioned these bridal furnishings with the same wish expressed by the mother in The Tale of Genji. Lavishly decorated with gold leaf, the furnishings combine dazzling beauty with the dignity befitting a feudal lord’s household. They showcase the finest lacquerware techniques of the time and were created by the most skilled craftsmen of the age.

These masterpieces are not always on display. The museum regularly rotates its exhibits for conservation purposes, and many of its National Treasures are shown only during special exhibitions for limited periods. If there is a particular work you hope to see, it is advisable to check the museum’s website before your visit.

Adjacent to the museum is Tokugawa Garden, a beautiful Japanese strolling garden built around a central pond. After immersing yourself in the grandeur of samurai history inside the museum, a leisurely walk through the peaceful garden—with its pond, waterfalls, and seasonal flowers—offers a perfect way to relax and reflect.

Please visit the Tokugawa Art Museum website.