Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History Museum 2026 Fall Special Exhibition (October 15—December 12)
Fukuzawa Yukichi and Minakata Kumagusu: Lives Beyond Completion
What Connects Two People Who First Seem to Have Little in Common?
──Examining Kumagusu through Fukuzawa, Reexamining Fukuzawa through Kumagusu── Minakata Kumagusu (1867–1941), described as “the utmost limit of Japanese potential,” and Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835–1901), one of modern Japan’s leading thinkers and educators, had almost no direct contact with one another. However, it is known that Kumagusu was conscious of Fukuzawa, an individual who remained an independent figure outside the establishment and lived his life without official rank or title. Moreover, Fukuzawa and Keio Gijuku’s own network of connections in Wakayama broadly and deeply overlapped with the people around Kumagusu, influencing him.
This exhibition seeks to examine the points of convergence and divergence between these two fascinating figures, both of whom have been the subject of extensive research. By comparing their approaches to the pursuit of knowledge, their views of humanity and nature, their perspectives on Asia and their relationship with the nation-state, as well as their distinctive personalities, the exhibition attempts to reexamine what each of them sought to achieve.
1. Exhibition Details
Dates: October 15 (Thu.)–December 12 (Sat.), 2026
Closed: Sundays and public holidays (open November 22 and 23), October 28 (Wed.), November 19 (Thu.), November 24 (Tue.), and November 25 (Wed.)
Location: Keio History Museum Temporary Exhibition Room, Old University Library (2F)
Museum hours: 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30)
Admission: Free and open to the public
Organized by: the Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History Museum, the Minakata Kumagusu Archives, and the Minakata Kumagusu Museum
With support from: Wakayama Prefecture, Tanabe City, and Shirahama Town
In cooperation with: the National Museum of Nature and Science
Details: https://history.keio.ac.jp/?page_id=4979
*Please check the museum’s website for the latest information
https://history.keio.ac.jp/en/
2. Featured Items
London Caricatures, drawn by Minakata Kumagusu, 1903. Collection of the Minakata Kumagusu Archives
Portable Microscope Used by Minakata Kumagusu. Collection of the Minakata Kumagusu Museum
Minakata Kumagusu’s Shell Collection. Collection of the Minakata Kumagusu Museum
Illustrations of Fungi, drawn by Minakata Kumagusu. Collection of the National Museum of Nature and Science
Large Caramel Box for Storing Specimens. Collection of the Minakata Kumagusu Archives
Minakata Kumagusu’s Death Mask, made by Yasuda Ryūmon. Collection of the Minakata Kumagusu Archives
Manuscript of An Outline of a Theory of Civilization, written by Fukuzawa Yukichi, 1875.Collection of the Fukuzawa Memorial Center for Modern Japanese Studies
Letter from Minakata Kumagusu to Dogi Hōryū (Minakata Mandala). Collection of the Minakata Kumagusu Archives
