“Through the rain I can see the dim figure of Kashima in the distance

Which reminds me of Kumagusu who was born in Wakayama”

“Minakata Kumagusu”-- a name that stays with you after hearing it for the first time. It sounds like a name that would appear in Greek legends, or the scientific name of some living organism. It doesn’t feel like a very Japanese name at all, but that is his real name.

Welcome to the Minakata Kumagusu Museum. My name is Mikio Taniwaki. I am the museum director here, and I will be your navigator throughout this guide.

Even among those who know Minakata Kumagusu’s name, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what he did to become famous. Some remember him as a botanist studying slime molds. Others, as a folklorist. Kumagusu’s interests varied so widely that it’s impossible to summarize his work in a single word. But, if we were to try to condense his interests into a single category, we might say “boundaries”. Kumagusu was interested in the boundaries between things, and he made it his life’s work to shed light on them. But what does that mean? Hopefully this guide will help you see things from Kumagusu’s perspective.

Now, did you notice the monument standing in front of the entrance to the museum? It’s engraved with a poem that was recited by Emperor Hirohito, the emperor of the Showa Period. On May 23rd, 1962, the 37th year of his reign, the emperor returned to this place and reminisced about meeting Kumagusu in his younger days while gazing out upon the island of Kashima. Emperor Hirohito left behind many poems, but only one of them speaks of a specific person by name, and that person is Minakata Kumagusu.

Three years after the emperor composed this poem, the Minakata Kumagusu Museum was opened right here, on the very spot where he stood gazing upon Kashima Island. That was on April 1st, 1965. Later, when we climb up to the rooftop deck, you’ll be able to look out upon the town of Tanabe where Kumagusu lived, as well as the mountains of Kumano, where he gathered specimens.

So how did a lowly man born into a merchant family leave such a lasting impression on an emperor? Climb the stairs to learn about Kumagusu’s character.