〈Kan’ei Gyoko 400th Anniversary Festival Collaborative Project in Hyogo〉 “The Castle Lord Who Preserved the Legacy of The Tale of Genji: The Splendor of Kan’ei Culture Brought to Sasayama and Akashi by Matsudaira Tadakuni”

He Played a Key Role on Kyoto’s Grand Stage 400 Years Ago!
Could Kan’ei Culture Hold the Key to Unraveling the Mysteries Surrounding Matsudaira Tadakuni, an Enigmatic Castle Lord?

To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Kan’ei Gyoko, a special event focusing on Matsudaira Tadakuni, a feudal lord who played an important role in the Imperial Visit and the renovation of Nijo Castle, will be held at Zenrakuji Temple in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture.
Matsudaira Tadakuni was initially the lord of Tanba Sasayama Castle and later became the lord of Harima Akashi Castle. Having been involved in the Kan’ei Gyoko, what cultural influences did he bring back to the domains he governed?
The event will feature a lecture by Masumi Yoshine, a researcher specializing in early modern Japanese history. Drawing on surviving historic sites and historical documents, the lecture will trace Tadakuni’s activities and explore how Kan’ei Culture spread beyond Kyoto. Historical materials relating to the Kan’ei Gyoko and Kan’ei Culture will also be exhibited at the venue.
Zenrakuji Temple, where the event will take place, is also a site associated with The Tale of Genji. It was here that Tadakuni erected the Akashi Nyudo Monument, commemorating a character from the celebrated literary work.
This event offers an opportunity to explore the historical and cultural connections linking Kyoto, Tanba Sasayama, and Akashi 400 years ago. We warmly invite you to visit and discover the rich legacy of Kan’ei Culture that continues to live on in the region.

Lecturer Profile

Masumi Yoshimoto

Masumi Yoshimoto specializes in early modern Japanese history. Her career has included work on the compilation of municipal histories and service as a curator at the Kobe Museum of Literature. Throughout her career, she has studied a wide variety of historical materials, regardless of period or field.
She is currently engaged in organizing, surveying, and researching historical materials preserved in local communities and museum collections. She continues to contribute explanatory essays and research findings to museum exhibition catalogues and academic journals.
Her guiding principle is “Remain faithful to the historical sources.”
She undertook doctoral studies at the Graduate School of Letters, Kobe Women’s University, but left the program before completing her degree. She resides in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture.
Her numerous publications include The Tale of Genji: Tracing the Resting Place of the Lady of Akashi (Pencom).

Event Information

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