Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History Museum
The Fukuzawa Memorial Center for Modern Japanese Studies’ 2025 Exhibition of Newly Acquired Materials

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As a part of its regular programming for the new year, the Fukuzawa Memorial Center for Modern Japanese Studies will be showcasing the new items it added to its collection in 2024. Keio University has held commemorative events for the birthday of its founder, Yukichi Fukuzawa, on January 10 since the Meiji period, meaning that this tradition has continued for over one hundred years. The exhibition originated as a New Year’s celebration where pieces of calligraphy that Fukuzawa had scribed were hung as decorations. After World War II, it became an annual event to display newly acquired pieces and materials. In the past, this was an exclusive event held only on January 10. However, the exhibition was extended for the viewing public after the museum was founded.

We hope that you join the festivities as we introduce newly uncovered writings by Fukuzawa, calligraphy from the first and second deans of the School of Medicine, Shibasaburō Kitasato and Taichi Kitajima, as well as other documents depicting Keio’s rich history. These include documents formerly in the possession of Mikio Hiramatsu, a scholar in English literature and editor of Mita Bungaku, letters from Shōzō Abe (pen name, Takitarō Minakami) and Shinzō Koizumi to their mutual friend, Kakichi Kajiwara, and photographs of the Keio Gymnastics Club from the 1935 International University Games (precursor to the World University Games).

1. Basic overview

Dates:Friday, January 10–Saturday, February 8, 2025 *Closed Sundays and Holidays

Venue: Old University Library 2nd Floor, Temporary Exhibition Room, Keio History Museum

Open: 10:00–18:00

Admission: Open to all

Details: https://history.keio.ac.jp/en/

2. Featured items

1. Calligraphy by Fukuzawa Yukichi, What one thinks should not be spoken (Formerly owned by Shigekatsu Iida)

2. Model of the “KEIO” rowing boat that was used at the Melbourne 1956 Summer Olympics (Formerly owned by Yasukuni Watanabe)

3. Correspondence from Yukichi Fukuzawa to Naruo Sekitō dated February 5, 1878

4. Correspondence from Shōzō Abe (Takitarō Minakami) to Kakichi Kajiwara dated January 8, 1912

5. Avignon by Shōtarō Yasuoka (Formerly owned by Mikio Hiramatsu)

6. Members of the Keio Gymnastics Club on board a ship bound for Budapest to participate in the 1935 International University Games