Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture

The Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture opened in November 2005 as a jointly operated facility of Nagasaki Prefecture and Nagasaki City. Built on the former site of the Nagasaki Magistrate's Office (Nishi Yashiki), the museum holds approximately 48,000 items with "Early Modern Nagasaki's Overseas Exchange History" as its central theme. It comprehensively introduces the unique history and culture nurtured in Nagasaki, which served as Japan's sole window for foreign trade during the Edo period.

Hizen Sword Collection

The museum's sword section focuses on "Hizen swords" (肥前刀), which established nationwide acclaim throughout the Edo period. Hizen swords were produced by a school of swordsmiths founded by the first-generation Tadayoshi (Hizen no Kuni Tadayoshi, 1572–1632), characterized by well-proportioned blade patterns and refined steel texture. The museum's "Katana: Hizen no Kuni ju Tadayoshi" exemplifies the craftsmanship of the first-generation Tadayoshi — a commanding blade with a straight hamon on a wide body. Hizen swords, crystals of practicality and beauty sought by samurai and commoners alike, embody the history of swordsmithing techniques that radiated outward from the international hub of Nagasaki.

Nagasaki Magistrate Documents

The museum holds abundant administrative documents, diplomatic records, and maps of the Nagasaki Magistrate's Office, enabling visitors to learn about the Edo shogunate's foreign policy and the realities of Nagasaki trade from primary sources. Records from the Dutch East India Company factory and the Tang-people's compound, maps of Dejima, and documents of Dutch interpreters are also preserved, giving a three-dimensional understanding of Nagasaki as the site where pre-modern Japan met the world.

Special and Permanent Exhibitions

The permanent exhibition chronologically introduces Nagasaki's early modern history and culture, with swords displayed in the context of samurai society and Nagasaki's connections. Several special exhibitions per year may feature Hizen swords, armor, and military equipment in depth, drawing Japanese sword enthusiasts from across the country.