Special Exhibition at the Hirose Historical Museum in 2025: "Mitsumura Toshimo, who vividly depicted the Besshi Copper Mine at its peak in the Meiji era: The world of the Meiji 31 photo album"
Previously, photographs of the Besshi Copper Mine taken during the Meiji period were presented in the Meiji 14 (Special Exhibition 2016) and Meiji 23 (Special Exhibition 2022) photo albums showcasing the mine's ongoing modernization. This time, we will continue with the Meiji 31 (1898) photo album. The Meiji 31 (1898) photo album captures the Besshi Copper Mine at its height during the Meiji period, including the modernizing Besshi Higashinobe and Takahashi Smelter, as well as facilities related to the Besshi Mine Railway and the Sokai Smelter, where a large chimney was currently under construction to combat smoke pollution. These photographs were taken by Kobe photographer Mitsumura Toshimo (now founder of Mitsumura Printing Co., Ltd.). Mitsumura's father, Mitsumura Yabei, was a wealthy merchant who made a fortune in one generation. At the age of 13, Toshimo visited the Besshi Copper Mine in 1890, representing his father, to attend the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Besshi mine. Furthermore, when Yabei passed away, Hirose Saihei and Iba Teigo became his guardians, and they had a deep connection with the Mitsumura family. This exhibition will use a photo album from 1898 to convey the state of the Besshi Copper Mine at its peak in the Meiji era, and will also introduce the relationship between Mitsumura Toshimo and Hirose and Iba.
- Name
- Special Exhibition at the Hirose Historical Museum in 2025: "Mitsumura Toshimo, who vividly depicted the Besshi Copper Mine at its peak in the Meiji era: The world of the Meiji 31 photo album"
- Holding period
- 2025/10/29 (Wed)〜2025/12/14 (Sun)
- Open time
- 9:30am - 5:30pm (last entry at 5pm)
- Venue
- Niihama City Hirose Historical Memorial Museum Exhibition Hall
- Parking
- Parking available: Approximately 50 standard-sized cars and 2 buses
- Fees
- Individuals 550 yen, groups (20 or more) 440 yen, Niihama city residents 65 years and older 270 yen, persons with a disability certificate and one caregiver 270 yen, those under 18, high school students, university students, etc. free (tax included)
- Inquiry
- Niihama City Hirose Historical Memorial Hall 40-6333 hirose@city.niihama.lg.jp