The Scenic Beauty Protected by Fukuzawa Yukichi: Nakatsu and Yabakei Valley

100 years ago, on March 7th 1923, Nakatsu’s Yabakei Valley was registered as a National Place of Scenic Beauty. When Fukuzawa and his children visited his hometown of Nakatsu in 1894, he learned that land in Yabakei Valley was up for sale. He made arrangements to privately purchase the land of Kyoshuho, protecting Yabakei’s picturesque scenery from development. This exhibition is held in partnership with Nakatsu History Museum’s ‘Kingdom of Stone – How Yabakei Became a National Place of Scenic Beauty’, as we introduce Yabakei’s scenery and the relationship between Fukuzawa and Nakatsu. On display are Edo period guides to Yabakei, such as the path to Rakanji Temple that Fukuzawa himself once climbed, as well as a replica of one of Rakanji’s 500 stone Arhats. You can also see letters from Fukuzawa to those such as Otabe Kikuichi, who lent their support to protect Kyoshuho, and birds-eye views of the area by Yoshida Hatsusaburo, used in historical travel pamphlets.

Dates: February 17 (Fri.)- March 11 (Sat.), 2023
　　　　Closed: Sundays, public holidays
Venue: Old University Library 2nd Floor, Temporary Exhibition Room, Keio History Museum
　　　　*Click here for access to the venue
Open: 10:00-18:00
Admission: Open to all (we recommend that you reserve a spot in advance)
Organizer: Nakatsu City

Featured items

The Scenic Beauty Protected by Fukuzawa Yukichi: Nakatsu and Yabakei Valley
List of Works