[The Magic of Art 05] Osaragi Jiro Memorial Museum: Writers, Literature, and Cats
Osaragi Jiro is a novelist with ties to Yokohama who is also known as a cat lover. He gained popularity in 1924 with the Kurama Tengu series, and since then he has written in a wide range of genres for about 50 years. One of his representative works is my favorite fairy tale, "Switcho Neko." This time, we will be talking to Osaragi Jiro Memorial Museum's Osaragi Naoko.
The literature left by Osaragi Jiro
The Osaragi Jiro Memorial Museum is located in Minato-no-Mieru-Oka Park, overlooking Yokohama Port. After Osaragi's death, his family donated his books and materials to the city of Yokohama, and the museum was opened on May 1, 1978 in the area of Yamate, which often appears in his works.
-It's a beautiful memorial hall with a red brick exterior.
Thank you, Daifusa. The museum houses about 70,000 items, including Daibutsu's handwritten manuscripts, his treasured possessions, and items related to French literature and history, which he has been interested in since his student days.
--I had the opportunity to look at your many works in the reading room. They cover a wide range of subjects, including novels, non-fiction, essays, plays, and children's literature.
Although he majored in political science at the Imperial University of Tokyo, he was drawn to literature, especially theater. After getting married, he made a living as a teacher and a consultant for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but he also contributed translations to magazines.
However, the magazine was discontinued after the Great Kanto Earthquake. Seeking income, he tried his hand at writing historical novels in the style of storytelling under the pen name "Osaragi Jiro," which was a big hit. His first Kurama Tengu work, "The Old Woman with the Demon Mask," was well-received and became a series, which made him an instant celebrity. He went on to serve as a member of the Naoki Prize selection committee for 39 years and was also awarded the Order of Culture. He devoted himself to the literary world until his death on April 30, 1973, at the age of 75.
-Why was the memorial hall built in Yokohama and not in Kamakura, where his home is?
This is because it is the place where Taifusa Daibutsu was born and which he held a special place in. For about 10 years from 1931, when he had become a popular writer, he used room 318 of the Hotel New Grand as his workplace. Yokohama, with its exotic and free atmosphere, was a beloved hometown located exactly halfway between Kamakura, where he was accustomed, and Tokyo, where his editorial office was located, and was an inspiring place that inspired his works. Even today, the Hotel New Grand has a "Tengu Room," which is beloved by many, along with his novel "Mist Horn," set in Yokohama in the early Meiji period.
-What do you think is the appeal of Daibutsu's works?
The breadth of Ohsura 's insight and meticulous approach make this a fascinating read. My recommendation is his unfinished masterpiece, "The Century of the Emperor," which began as a newspaper serial to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Meiji era. It is a historical biography that touches on the era and spirit of the Japanese people across the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods, and was started when Ohsura was 70 years old. In order to remain faithful to the historical facts, he pored over a huge amount of material and continued writing, even going so far as to conduct research in distant places despite his illness, but his death meant that he ceased writing after the 1,555th installment.
From this work, which he devoted his life to, we can strongly sense Osaragi's "eye for the times" as a leading figure in popular literature and an expert in period novels and historical literature. If it had been completed... our image of Osaragi Jiro might have been a little different.
Blue, white and red, inspired by the French tricolor flag
Osaragi was born near the port of Yokohama, which was open to foreign countries. He was influenced by his older brother, Nojiri Hoei, a star literary scholar who would later become the godfather of Pluto, and was familiar with Western literature from an early age. He was devoted to the French novelist and critic Romain Rolland, and even published a translation of his work. He later traveled to France, where he collected materials related to the Paris Commune and wrote the final part of his French tetralogy, "Paris Burning," with a focus on historical facts.
The architect who designed the museum, Urabe Shizutaro, scattered the three colors of the French flag, which is said to be one of the pillars of Daisaragi literature, throughout the retro Western-style building. The blue stained glass, white marble floors, red brick tiles, and the wall decorations of the arch near the ceiling and the staircase are also gorgeous. On the second floor, there is a memorial room that recreates Daisaragi's room using the chair and desk that he actually used, making it an attractive space.
The cat photo exhibition is popular every year! It runs until April 20th
Osaragi Jiro lived with over 500 cats in his lifetime. He was such a cat lover that he once said, "Cats are not my hobby. Before I knew it, they had become my indispensable, gentle companions." (From "The Silent Cat") He created many works while constantly surrounded by dozens of cats.
The "Osaragi Jiro x Cat Photography Exhibition 2025," named after Osaragi, will be held until April 20, 2025. This year, the ninth exhibition, will fill the lobby on the first floor with 482 publicly submitted photographs of house cats and local cats. Each photograph is accompanied by a witty comment that is perfect for a literary museum.
The original fairy tale "Switchyo Neko" is my favorite picture book that I was read to many times in my childhood. Now that I'm an adult and a mother, I can see Osaragi's affection for cats, her unique powers of observation, and her lyrical writing. The museum is also holding a thematic exhibition "Osaragi Jiro and Yamaguchi Hoshun - A writer and a painter, overlapping gazes" until April 20th. Why not visit it along with the cat photo exhibition?
Osaragi Jiro Memorial Museum
Address: 113 Yamate-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama
Phone number: 045-622-5002
Official website: here
