Kunio Yanagita(柳田國男)
Kunio Yanagita was the sixth son of the Matsuoka family. He was born in 1875 in Tsujikawa-mura, Jinto-gun (the current Nishitawara, Fukusaki-cho). After going to Tokyo, he met Ogai Mori and studied under poet Hagitsubo Matsuura. He cultivated exchanges with literary acquaintances such as Katai Tayama, Doppo Kunikida and Toson Shimazaki. He was also known for having published the Shintaishi (a new style of poem) in the magazine “Literary World.” However, as indicated by his words “Why must farmers suffer poverty?” Kunio Yanagita’s intense criticism of the social structure of the times led him to drop his commitment to literature and pursue agricultural management.

He studied at Tokyo Imperial University and entered the Ministry of Agriculture And Commerce upon graduation. Aside from working, he traveled to various places to study manners. A History of Hunting Terms and The Legends of Tono were written around this time. Furthermore, the founding of the journal “Local Studies” served as a basis for folkloristics in establishing its own discipline and assertion.

In 1919, he left the government. In the following year he became a visiting member of the Asahi Shimbun Company and, making field trips across the country published travel articles such as “Kainan Shoki”. After leaving the company in 1930, he became increasingly dedicated to folkloristics. He founded “Popular Folklore” and made extensive efforts to develop folklore research groups. In his later years, he contributed to the compilation of folklore records existing in various places of Japan and established Japanese native folkloristics. He also authored many works including The Ideology of Popular Folklore and Ocean Road.

In 1951, he received the Order of Culture. In 1962, he became the first honorary citizen of Fukusaki-cho. In the same year he passed away at the age of 88.



◆Museum Artifacts◆
Literary works, compilations (magazines, publications), manuscripts, (photographs), letters, postcards, bureau writing table
Diploma, full Japanese court dress of traditional fashion worn at the coronation ceremony, bronze statue, etc.

Bureau writing desk regularly used by Kunio Yanagita <Useful links>
- Fukusaki-cho website “The World of Kunio Yanagita”
- Net Museum Hyogo Bungakukan“Traveling in Kunio Yanagita’s World”
Fukusaki Municipal Kunio Yanagita and Matsuoka-ke Family Memorial Museum Copyright (C) Fukusaki Town 2011.All rights reserved
Unauthorized reproduction of photographs, illustrations and articles of the pages is strictly prohibited.