History of the Asai Collection

Yusuke Asai, a native of Echi-mae City, Fukui Prefecture, established Asai Shoten in Osaka.
It centered on the corporate transaction, and Kiyoso Iwasaki of the Osaka financial world and Mr. 13 Kobayashi were both social.
Prior to this, Yusuke Asai began collecting ukiyo-e from around 1895.

The trade name of Asai Shoten was changed to Taishando.
By this time, yusuke Asai's ukiyo-e collection had already been collected in the tens of thousands of copies, and it had been established as a collection of ukiyo-e.
Ukiyo-e research by Yusuke Asai was also being promoted.
Taizando also published "Noh Paintings" (prints by Momo Taniguchi僊 and all 100 prints) as the original, and reprinted ukiyo-e prints.

"Early Modern Nishiki Esei Soshi" (Heibonsha, Asai Yusuke: 8 volumes in total) was published in 1936.
The main collection of the Asai Collection was selected from approximately 35,000 copies and published along with a commentary on Asai Yusuke's research results.
Unlike other ukiyo-e paintings and research books, this book was uniquely edited based on Yusuke Asai's belief that "ukiyo-e prints are not made as art, but should be seen as historical and cultural materials."

The "2,600-Year History by Nishiki-e" exhibition was held at osaka castle tower, and the Asai collection was opened to the public in earnest.

"History of Japanese Culture by Nishiki-e" is held at osaka castle tower by the collection of Asai collection. (Sponsored by Asahi Shimbun)
The results of the exhibitions since then are listed separately.

Yusuke Asai passed away at the age of 89.
The Asai Collection was inherited by Yusuke's grandson收 Asai, and has been represented to this day.
The research of ukiyo-e was also inherited and continued.

"The History of the Meiji Era at the End of the Nishiki-e Shogunate" (Kodansha, 12 volumes) was published by Former Professor Shiro Konishi of the University of Tokyo.
About 70% of the ukiyo-e (nishiki-e) published were from the Asai Collection.

"Nishiki-e: The History of Japan" (Japan Broadcasting Publishers Association, 4 volumes) was published by Professor Emeritus Katsu Tonoya of Osaka University.
It was a ukiyo-e that showed Japanese history, and all of the ukiyo-e were from the Asai Collection.

Hide Asai收's eldest son, established Cool Art Tokyo Co., Ltd. with the aim of manageing ukiyo-e from the Asai Collection.
With 收 mission is to disseminate ukiyo-e from the Asai Collection, which is also a valuable cultural heritage of Japan, to the world.

Most of the Asai collection is ukiyo-e prints, but the following picture scrolls are also stored.
・"Heda Shipbuilding Picture Scroll" (a picture scroll almost identical to the original replica picture scroll presented by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and only three of them have been confirmed in Japan. )
Boshin War Picture Scrolls (Woodblock Prints)
・ "Higashisei Daihoro Miyagexan Picture Scroll" (Woodblock Print)
・ "誅", "Tenki", "Temporary Title, Brush Book)