Taisho Roman x Hyakudan Kaidan
Japan’s literary lights invite you into a world of nostalgia

~The Romanticism of Taisho period~
The years between the Meiji era (1868–1912), through the Taisho era (1912–26), and into the early years of the Showa era (1926–89) produced many wonderful works of literature.
The works of great authors of the period, such as Junichiro Tanizaki, Kyoka Izumi, and Osamu Dazai, have an everlasting appeal to many fans, even in the present day.
Hyakudan Kaidan, now a Tokyo Metropolitan Area designated tangible cultural property, was completed in 1935, which was the tenth year of the Showa period.
Seven rooms, connected by a staircase corridor, were adorned with the works of some of Japan’s most celebrated artists of the day, completing a building of such dazzling splendor that it came to be known as “the Palace of the Dragon King of the Showa era.”
At this exhibition, visitors can view three-dimensional representations of the worlds found in the tales fantastical space of the early Showa Hyakudan Kaidan.
The exhibition also features the collaborative series, Otome no Hondana [Bookshelf of a young girl] (Rittorsha), a series of books in which some of today’s most popular illustrators have provided illustrations for the famous works of Japan’s leading authors. Visitors can view the tales spun by those literary legends alongside the illustrations, and items found in some of those works also appear in three-dimensional form.
As you step into each room, you will feel as if you are turning the pages of a book as you experience the worlds created by those great writers.