Special Exhibition 'Tetsuo So-mon: A Painter of Nagasaki' Now Open at Nagasaki Historical & Cultural Museum (July 7 – August 30, 2026)

Tetsuo So-mon (1791–1872) was one of the most prominent painters in Nagasaki during the Bakumatsu period and is known alongside Kinoshita Itsun and Miura Gomon as one of the 'Three Great Painters of Nagasaki'.

Born in Gin-ya-machi in 1791 (Kansei 3), Tetsuo entered the priesthood under Gen-o, a monk of Shuntoku-ji Temple (Hana-take-yama Shuntoku-ji) of the Rinzai-shu Ken-nin-ji school. Around the age of 30, he became the 14th head priest of the temple. From childhood, he showed a deep interest in painting and studied painting techniques under Ishizaki Yu-shi (1768–1846), a connoisseur of Chinese-style paintings (kara-e mekiki). Later, he learned literati painting techniques from Kō Kaho (1746–1824), a Chinese painter who had come to Nagasaki by ship.

Tetsuo was particularly skilled in flower-and-bird and landscape paintings, with snowy landscapes and ink orchids being his most celebrated works.

This exhibition presents Tetsuo So-mon’s artworks and artistic legacy, while also highlighting Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges and the vibrant intellectual networks among local literati in late Edo-period Nagasaki.

《Total Exhibits: Approximately 30》

Portrait of Tetsuo in his mid-70s (panel) and exhibition space view

Exhibition Materials

Works painted from his 30s to 70s A sense of intimacy among literati conveyed through collaborative calligraphy album 'Bokka Tosho' 'Condensed Sketch Excerpts'—notes on works of interest

Special Exhibition 'Tetsuo So-mon: A Painter of Nagasaki'

Period: Tuesday, July 7, 2026 – Sunday, August 30, 2026 *Closed on July 21 (Tue), August 3 (Mon), and August 17 (Mon)

Venue: Special Exhibition Room (within the 2nd-floor permanent exhibition area, Historical & Cultural Zone)

Hours: 8:30 – 19:00 (last admission at 18:30)

Admission: Included with permanent exhibition ticket (Adults: ¥630, Students: ¥310)

*Free for junior and senior high school students residing in Nagasaki Prefecture, members of the Nagasaki Rekibun Yū no Kai, and Campus Members

The special exhibition is a mini thematic project showcasing materials from the museum’s collection, including paintings influenced by Europe and China, as well as rare historical documents.

Other Exhibitions and Special Projects

Ryunosuke Akutagawa's 'Kappa Screen' on Display

In conjunction with 'Kappa-ki' on July 24, the anniversary of Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s death, the museum is specially exhibiting the screen painting he created and related materials. Period: Tuesday, July 7, 2026 – Sunday, August 16, 2026 *Closed on July 21 (Tue) and August 3 (Mon) Venue: Historical & Cultural Zone 'Nagasaki: Pioneer of Modernization' Corner (Within the 2nd-floor permanent exhibition)

Hours: 8:30 – 19:00 (last admission at 18:30)

Admission: Included with permanent exhibition ticket (Adults: ¥630, Students: ¥310)

*Free for junior and senior high school students in Nagasaki Prefecture, members of the Nagasaki Rekibun Yū no Kai, and Campus Members

【Summer Special Exhibition】The Traveling Light Paper Cut Art Exhibition ~Kuusou is Magic~

Paper cut artist Atsumi Sakai invented a unique technique called 'light paper cutting,' where light shines through layered, colored washi paper. This exhibition offers an experiential art journey, blending the warmth and beauty of paper cuts with light and video to create a fantastical space. A 20-meter-long original piece, themed on Nagasaki’s scenery, will also be featured.

Period: Friday, July 17, 2026 – Sunday, September 6, 2026 *Closed on July 21 (Tue), August 3 (Mon), and August 17 (Mon) Venue: 3rd-floor Special Exhibition Hall

Hours: 10:00 – 18:00 (last admission at 17:30)

Admission: General: ¥1,600 (Advance: ¥1,400) High School & Middle School Students: ¥1,000 (Advance: ¥800) Children (3–Elementary): ¥500 (Advance: ¥400)

Organizer: Nagasaki Shimbun, Nagasaki Historical & Cultural Museum

Co-organizer: NCC Nagasaki Culture Broadcasting

Support: Nagasaki Bus, Nagasaki Medical Association, Nagasaki Shimbun Sales Center

Special Sponsor: Iimori Green Development

Nagasaki Historical & Cultural Museum

The museum displays valuable historical documents and artworks centered on Nagasaki’s history of international exchange. During the Edo period, Nagasaki was home to the Nagasaki Magistrate’s Office, part of which has been reconstructed on-site. The museum features interactive zones for enjoyable historical learning and hosts diverse special exhibitions and events throughout the year! It celebrated its 20th anniversary on November 3, 2025.