Tachibana Foundation

Tachibana Foundation

Location:
1 Shinhoka-machi,Yanagawa-shi,Fukuoka-ken, 832-0069 , Japan
Tel: +81 944-77-7888
Fax: +81 944-77-7890
E-mail: info@tachibana-foundation.jp

I am pleased to announce that we have come to establish Tachibana Foundation in order to preserve the historical and cultural heritages passed down in Tachibana family of a Daimyo (feudal lord of Yanagawa district) here in Yanagawa.

The main purpose of this foundation is to run Tachibana Museum which had been under the control of family business OHANA Company. My father Kazuo used to tell us that historical materials such as old documents, art and crafts, martial tools of our family are not private possessions but rather the community’s common properties. He opened the museum’s collection to public under the management of OHANA, and many people have visited the museum.

Most Daimyo family were forced to abandon their heirlooms two times, the Meiji Restoration and the Second World War, and we were not an exception. When the Tachibanas was pressed for a difficult decision on which residence to be given up the Kamiyashiki, the lord’s main residence in Tokyo (Edo) or the Yanagawa residence with all the utensils due to the postwar financial difficulties, they decided to preserve the historical materials in Yanagawa, the basis for living. Kazuo started a traditional Japanese-style restaurant Ohana for preserving the buildings, gardens, and historical objects. Fortunately, we have been able to maintain those heritages until today due to OHANA’s managerial efforts and the support from the people in Yanagawa.

But now I believe it more desirable to run the facility under the foundation to realize Kazuo’s strong desire. It will deepen the recognition of all the materials as community’s common properties and strengthen the basis to preserve them in Yanagawa into the future.

It is a lucky case these historical materials, approximately 30,000 pieces of documents and 5,000 pieces of utensils are passed down together at the original place. The financial basis of our foundation is small, but we will do our best for its eternal existence. We will plan to entertain many visitors interested in the history of Daimyo or Samurai to make them find fun to see and feel the history close to them.

Finally, we would like to express heartfelt thanks to all the people concerned, and will highly appreciate it if you could give us any possible support in the future.

Muneaki Tachibana
President, Tachibana Foundation
17th Head of the Tachibanas Household