Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery

Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery (聖徳記念絵画館, Seitoku Kinen Kaigakan) opened in Tokyo, Japan, in 1926. In June 2011, the Gallery was designated an Important Cultural Property. Inside are eighty paintings depicting events from the life of Emperor Meiji, by forty leading nihonga and forty leading yōga artists.[1][2][3]

Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery
聖徳記念絵画館
General information
Address	1-1 Kasumigaoka-machi
Town or city	Shinjuku, Tokyo
Country	Japan
Coordinates	35°40′44″N 139°43′04″E
Opened	1926
Website
Official website

Wall art collections are displayed to show the events from the birth to the demise of the Meij'i Emperor in chronological order, with the titles of the works representing the events. The first 40 works are Japanese-style paintings, while the later 40 are Western-style works. The pictures, each measuring about 3m x 2.7m.[4]

The building was designed by architect Masatsugu Kobayashi and completed on 22 October 1926.[5] Kobayashi's design was chosen from 156 entries in a public design competition held in 1918. His original drawing was modified by Meijijingu Zoeikyoku (building department).[4]

	Painting	Date of event	Painter	Dedication of painting	Comments	Image	Dedicator
1	The Birth of Emperor Meiji 御降誕 Go-kōtan	3 November 1852	Takahashi Shūka (高橋秋華) (1877–1953)	July 1930	depicted is the Lying-in Chamber (御産室) erected by Nakayama Tadayasu in the grounds of Kyoto Imperial Palace		Marquis Nakayama Sukechika (中山輔親)
2	The Rites of Growth 御深曾木 On-fukasogi	6 May 1860	Kitano Tsunetomi (北野恒富) (1880–1947)	November 1934	ceremonial trimming of the hair, performed by Ichijō Tadaka (一条忠香) in the Omima		Baron Kōnoike Zenemon (鴻池善右衛門)
3	Investiture of the Crown Prince 立親王宣下 Ritsu shinnō senge	10 November 1860	Hashimoto Eihō (橋本永邦) (1886–1944)	June 1931	Nijō Nariyuki presents the imperial proclamation at the Palace		Mitsubishi Gōshi gaisha
4	Accession to the Throne 践祚 Senso	13 February 1867	Kawasaki Shōko (川崎小虎) (1886–1977)	August 1930	the Emperor, aged fifteen, appointed Nijō Nariyuki as regent in the Seiryōden on the day of his accession		Marquis Ikeda Nobumasa (池田宣政)
5	Resignation of the Last Shōgun 大政奉還 Taisei hōkan	7 November 1867	Murata Tanryō (邨田丹陵) (1872–1940)	October 1935	Tokugawa Yoshinobu informs officials of his decision at Nijō-jō		Prince Tokugawa Yoshimitsu (徳川慶光)
6	Restoration of Imperial Rule 王政復古 Ōsei-fukko	3 January 1868	Shimada Bokusen (島田墨仙) (1867–1943)	March 1931	the Emperor abolishes the offices of Sesshō, Kampaku, and Shōgun		Marquis Matsudaira Yasutaka (松平康荘)
7	The Battles of Toba and Fushimi 伏見鳥羽戦 Fushimi-Toba-sen	29 January 1868	Matsubayashi Keigetsu (松林桂月) (1876–1963)	July 1933			Prince Mōri Motoaki (毛利元昭)
8	Attainment of Majority Ceremony 御元服 Go-genpuku	8 February 1868	Itō Kōun (伊東紅雲) (1880–1939)	November 1928	held shortly after the Emperor turned 16; his hairstyle was changed, he donned the robes of manhood, and he was crowned by Prince Fushimi Kuniie		Prince Konoe Fumimaro
9	The Emperor's Visit to the Dajōkan 二条城太政宮代行幸 Nijō-jō Dakōjan dai-gyōkō	25 February 1868	Kobori Tomoto (小堀鞆音) (1864–1931)	April 1933	the Emperor was conveyed to Nijō-jō by palanquin		Baron Mitsui Hachirōemon
10	The Imperial Army Leaves Kyōto 大総督熾仁親王京都進発 Dai-sōtoku Taruhito shinnō Kyōto shinpatsu	8 March 1868	Takatori Wakanari (高取稚成) (1867–1935)	September 1931	Prince Arisugawa Taruhito salutes the Emperor in front of the Kenreimon before setting out for Edo		Marquis Hachisuka Masaaki (蜂須賀正韶)
11	The Emperor Receives Foreign Ministers 各国公使召見 Kakkoku kōshi shōken	23 March 1868	Hiroshima Kōho (広島晃甫) (1889–1951)	November 1930	the Emperor receives Dirk de Graeff van Polsbroek; to the left and right of the imperial dais are Prince Yamashina Akira and Iwakura Tomomi		Marquis Date Muneharu (伊達宗彰)
12	Proclamation of the Imperial Oath 五箇條御誓文 Gokajō no go-seimon	6 April 1868	Inui Nanyō (乾南陽) (1870–1940)	April 1928	Sanjō Sanetomi reads the Oath in Five Articles		Marquis Yamauchi Toyokage (山内豊景)
13	The Surrender of Yedo Castle 江戸開城談判 Edo kaijō danpan	6 April 1868	Yūki Somei (結城素明) (1875–1957)	December 1935	Saigō Takamori and Katsu Kaishū negotiate the surrender without bloodshed of Edo Castle		Marquis Saigō Michinosuke (西郷吉之助), Count Katsu Kuwashi (勝精)
14	The Emperor Reviewing Clan Warships 大阪行幸諸藩軍艦御覧 Ōsaka gyōkō shohan gunkan goran	18 April 1868	Okada Saburōsuke (1869–1939)	April 1936	in Ōsaka Bay		Marquis Nabeshima Naomitsu (鍋島直映)
15	Enthronement of the Emperor 即位礼 Sokui no rei	12 October 1868	Igai Shōkoku (猪飼嘯谷) (1881–1939)	December 1934	in the grounds of Kyōto Imperial Palace		Kyōto City
16	The Emperor Viewing Rice Harvest 農民収穫御覧 Nōmin shūkaku goran	11 November 1868	Morimura Gitō (森村宜稲) (1872–1938)	August 1930	in Hatchōnowate (八丁畷), Owari Province, while en route to Tōkyō		Marquis Tokugawa Yoshichika (徳川義親)
17	The Emperor Arriving in Tōkyō 東京御着輦 Tōkyō go-chakuren	26 November 1868	Kobori Tomoto (小堀鞆音) (1864–1931)	October 1934	arrival at Edo Castle		Tōkyō City
18	Installation of the Empress 皇后冊立 Kōgō no sakuritsu	9 February 1869	Suga Tatehiko (菅楯彦) (1878–1963)	December 1935	Princess Haruko arrived at the Kyōto Imperial Palace in the traditional ox-cart		Ōsaka City
19	The Emperor at the Grand Shrine of Ise 神宮親謁 Jingū shinetsu	23 April 1869	Matsuoka Eikyū (松岡映丘) (1881–1938)	April 1927	the Emperor left Kyōto for Tōkyō for the second time on 8 April 1869, stopping en route at Ise Jingū		Marquis Ikeda Nakahiro (池田仲博)
20	The End of the Feudal Clans 廃藩置県 Haihan chiken	29 August 1871	Kobori Tomoto (小堀鞆音) (1864–1931)	September 1931	Sanjō Sanetomi reads the edict		Count Sakai Tadamasa (酒井忠正)
21	The Iwakura Mission to America and Europe 岩倉大使欧米派遣 Iwakura taishi Ōbei haken	23 December 1871	Yamaguchi Hōshun (1893–1971)	December 1934	the party board the steamship SS America in the Port of Yokohama		Yokohama City
22	The Great Imperial Thanksgiving Rite 大嘗祭 Daijōsai	28 December 1871	Maeda Seison (1885–1977)	July 1933	performed once by each emperor; the Emperor offers up newly harvested rice and sake		Count Kamei Koretsune (亀井茲常)
73	The Triumphal Grand Naval Review 凱旋観艦式 Gaisen kankan shiki	23 October 1905	Tōjō Shōtarō (東城鉦太郎) (1865–1929)	May 1929	the Emperor aboard the Asama reviews the Combined Fleet in Yokohama Bay on 23 October 1905, with Commander-in-Chief Tōgō Heihachirō to his left and the future Taishō Emperor to his right, flanked in turn by Navy Minister Yamamoto Gonnohyōe and Chief of the Navy General Staff Itō Sukeyuki; over 160 vessels took part in the 1905 Triumphal Grand Review that celebrated the navy's contribution to victory in the Russo-Japanese War		Ministry of the Navy
74	The Triumphal Grand Army Review 凱旋観兵式 Gaisen kanbei shiki	30 April 1906	Kobayashi Mango (小林万吾) (1870–1947)	December 1931	the Emperor reviews the troops at the Aoyama Parade Grounds (東京青山練兵場), with Ōyama Iwao riding behind		Ministry of the Army
75	Demarcation of the Sakhalin Frontier 樺太国境画定 Karafuto kokkyō kakutei	June 1906	Yasuda Minoru (安田稔)	December 1932	Japanese and Russian representatives designate the boundary marker		Nippon Oil Kabushiki gaisha
76	The Chrysanthemum Garden Party 観菊会 Kangikukai	19 November 1909	Nakazawa Hiromitsu (中沢弘光) (1874–1964)	May 1931	the Emperor and Empress attend the party at the Akasaka Palace for the first time		Marquis Tokugawa Yorisada (徳川頼貞)
77	The Union of Korea and Japan 日韓合邦 Nikkan gappō	22 August 1910	Tsuji Hisashi (辻永) (1884–1974)	October 1927	depicted is the Namdaemun at the time of annexation		The Provinces of Korea
78	The Emperor at Tokyo Imperial University 東京帝国大学行幸 Tōkyō Teikoku Daigaku gyōkō	10 July 1912	Fujishima Takeji (1867–1943)	April 1936	the arrival of the Emperor for the graduation ceremonies		Marquis Maeda Toshinari
79	The Emperor's Final Illness 不豫 Fuyo	July 1912	Tanabe Itaru (田辺至) (1886–1968)	March 1927	as the Emperor's condition worsened, people gather outside the Tokyo Imperial Palace to pray for his recovery		Tōkyō Prefecture
80	The Imperial Funeral 大葬 Taisō	14 September 1912	Wada Sanzō (1883–1967)	July 1933	after a ceremony at the Aoyama Funeral Pavilion (青山葬場殿) in Tōkyō on 13 September, the Emperor's coffin was taken by train to Kyōto, before being conveyed to Fushimi Momoyama no Misasagi (伏見桃山陵)		Meiji Jingū Commemorative Association (明治神宮奉賛会)