Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History Museum 2025 Spring Special Exhibition (June 19—August 30)
“Remains of a Family: The Ueharas and the Age of War”
The most well-known final writing by a kamikaze pilot.
Why did he pen this last letter?
The answer to this piece of Japanese history and the Pacific War can only be understood through the Uehara family’s untold story.
What war has visited upon one family…
Three brothers and two sisters lived in Ariake Village (present-day Azumino City) of the Minami Azumi District in Nagano Prefecture. The three brothers—the eldest Yoshiharu, the second son Tatsuo, and the youngest brother Ryōji—all attended Keio University, and each lost their lives in the war.
Ryōji, who served as a member of the Special Attack Units of the Imperial Japanese Army, is widely known for his last letter written the night before his final mission, in which he states, “Tomorrow one liberalist will depart from this world.”
His bereaved parents retained all the personal belongings of their three sons who fell in battle, disposing of not a single item, thus preserving a collection of various materials dating from the time of their birth.
In this exhibition, we trace the footsteps of these three brothers, while also turning our gaze to their father, Toratarō, a practicing doctor and well-respected figure in the community, as well as their grandfather, Ryōzaburō (Sansen), a modernhaiku poet and pupil of Masaoka Shiki. By examining this family, we shall contemplate and gain insight into Modern Japan and the Pacific War.
1. Exhibition Details
Dates: Thursday, June 19, 2025–Saturday, August 30, 2025
Closed on: Sundays, public holidays, and for the summer break between Tuesday, August 12 and Monday, August 18
Venue: 2nd Floor, Old University Library, Temporary Exhibition Room, Keio History Museum
Open: 10:00–18:00
Admission: Open to the public (free of charge)
Exhibition page: https://history.keio.ac.jp/?page_id=4008 (available in Japanese)
*Please check the museum’s English website for future updates: https://history.keio.ac.jp/en/
2. Exhibition Structure
1. Grandfather Uehara Ryōzaburō and Father Toratarō
2. The Three Brothers Who Attended Keio University
3. The Three Brothers in War and Their Fall in Battle
4. Belongings and Letters Left Behind
3. Featured Items
1. Butterfly–a poem gifted by Masaoka Shiki to Uehara Sansen
2. Portrait of Uehara Toratarō by Ishii Hakutei
3. Uehara Yoshiharu’s Favorite Camera
4. Manga by Uehara Tatsuo
5. Shokan (My Thoughts), written by Uehara Ryōji on the night before his final mission
6. Bust sculptures of Uehara Yoshiharu, Uehara Tatsuo, and Uehara Ryōji, created by Kamijō Shunsuke
(Items 1–6 belong to the Uehara Kōichi collection)
to Uehara Mikawa
4. Related Events
(1) Special Roundtable Discussion “The Uehara Family–Testimony after 80 years” (free admission)
Speaker: Uehara Toshie (second daughter of Uehara Toratarō and Uehara Yoshie)
Yokoyama Fusako (eldest daughter of former professor at the School
of Medicine, Aoki Teishô)
Date and time: July 12 (Sat.), 2025, 14:00–16:00 (venue opens at 13:30)
Venue: 4F South School Building Hall, Mita Campus, Keio University
Application: Not required
(2) Tour of Mita Campus as a War Heritage Site (free of charge)
Date and time: June 25 (Wed.), 2025, 10:00–11:30
Guide: Tokura Takeyuki (Vice director of the Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History Museum and professor at the Fukuzawa Memorial Center for Modern Japanese Studies)
Application: Please apply through the exhibition website https://history.keio.ac.jp/
(Deadline: June 18; admission quota: 20)
*If the number of applications exceeds the admission quota, participants will be selected through a random ballot
(3) Tour of Hiyoshi Campus as a War Heritage Site (free of charge) *includes a tour of Hiyoshidai Underground Bunker
Date and time: July 1 (Tue.), 2025, 9:30–12:30
Guide: Tokura Takeyuki (Vice director of the Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History
Museum and professor at the Fukuzawa Memorial Center for Modern Japanese
Studies) and the Hiyoshidai Underground Bunker Preservation Society
Application: Please apply through the exhibition website https://history.keio.ac.jp/
(Deadline: June 24; admission quota: 20)
*If the number of applications exceeds the admission quota, participants will be selected
through a random ballot
*Please be sure to check the terms and conditions of participation before applying.
(4) Gallery Talk (free of charge)
Date and time: July 17 (Thu.), 2025, from 14:00 and August 4 (Mon.), 2025, from 11:00
(each session lasts approximately 50 minutes)
Guide: Tokura Takeyuki (Vice director of the Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History
Museum and professor at the Fukuzawa Memorial Center for Modern Japanese
Studies)
Application: Not required
(maximum of 15 people on a first-come, first-served basis on the actual day)
*Please direct any requests or inquiries to the contacts listed below in advance of any press coverage.
*We have sent this news release to the MEXT Press Club and the social, educational and cultural news departments of other media outlets.
・Contact information for inquiries about this exhibition
Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History Museum
Tel: 03-5427-1604 Fax: 03-5427-1605 Email: info@history.keio.ac.jp
・Source of this release
Office of Communications and Public Relations (In-charge: Saido)
Tel: 03-5427-1541 Fax: 03-5441-7640
Email: m-pr@adst.keio.ac.jp https://www.keio.ac.jp/en/