Do you know how many “national museums” are in Japan? Only four.
One in Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, and the fourth is right here in Dazaifu.
Why not Osaka or Nagoya, or even Hakata? Why did they choose Dazaifu, of all places?
Surely after your journey today, you can start to see the reasons why Dazaifu was chosen to hold the fourth national museum of Japan.
Older than Heijō-kyō, Dazaifu prospered as the gateway to Asia. The Kyushu National Museum was built in response to the prosperity of Dazaifu, a pivotal step in the growth of Japan from the very beginning.
The museum is characterized by its gently curved structure that blends into the mountainous surroundings, and the wave-like roof mimicking the wave of culture that made its way to Japan through Dazaifu.
The permanent exhibit located on the fourth floor is called the “Cultural Exchange Exhibit.” Why did they give it that name? It represents the very values of the Kyushu National Museum. Mizuki and Ono Castle are from the ancient Korean kingdom Baekje, Suzaku Avenue and the Dazaifu Government Office are from the Chinese Tang dynasty. Japan used what it gathered from all around Asia to develop its own identity.
And when you look at the big picture, all cultures are intertwined. For example, while Japan learned about Buddhist statues from Korea, Korea in turn learned it from China. The sculpting art China learned from central Asia could be tied to even older roots, going as far back as ancient Greek sculpture. You can trace these kinds of paths at the Cultural Exchange Exhibition Room.
Outside the glass windows, you can see the forests of Dazaifu. This location was originally the holy forest of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine. In 1971, Nobuyoshi Nishitakatsuji ordered the building of a museum in Dazaifu, and this land was donated in those efforts. They thought, “What would Michizane do if he was alive today? What would he think was best?”
