Key Facts
• Exhibition features 100 works by Hatsusaburo Yoshida, open until September 28, 2025.
• Yoshida (1884–1955) pioneered bold, detailed tourist bird’s-eye view maps.
• Born in Kyoto, Yoshida began as a textile designer and later studied Western painting.
• His first tourist map in 1913 gained recognition from the Crown Prince (later Emperor Showa).
• Yoshida created up to 100 maps annually, leading Japan’s travel boom in the early Showa era.
• The exhibition includes maps of Beppu, Yabakei, Yufuin, and Hita, among others.
• Some works are displayed as posters, leaflets, and folding screens, with enlarged versions for impact.
• Historical pieces include a map commissioned in 1927 and a 1935 poster celebrating the Kyudai Line’s completion.
• Researcher Keiichiro Masuda, from Usa City, contributed to the exhibition.
• Venue: Kurushima Takehiko Memorial Museum, open 9:30 AM–4:30 PM, closed Mondays.
• Admission: ¥150 for locals, ¥300 for non-locals, free for high school students and younger.
Summary
The Kurushima Takehiko Memorial Museum in Kusu Town is hosting a 70th-anniversary exhibition of Hatsusaburo Yoshida’s works, showcasing 100 bold and detailed tourist bird’s-eye view maps. Yoshida, a Kyoto-born artist, gained fame in 1913 when his first map caught the attention of the Crown Prince. Known for his “Hatsusaburo Style,” he created up to 100 maps annually, influencing Japan’s early Showa-era travel boom. The exhibition includes maps of Beppu, Yabakei, and Hita, as well as historical pieces like a 1927 commissioned map and a 1935 Kyudai Line poster. Enlarged displays enhance the visual impact. Researcher Keiichiro Masuda contributed to the event. The museum is open until September 28, 2025, with affordable admission fees.
