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| 北野神社 (北野天満宮) の足立茂から エフ・エム・トラウツ |
Adachi Shigeru's association with Kanpeichusha Kitano Jinjya, known today as Kitano-Tenmangu, suggests he may have been involved in the shrine's operations or administration. His return address in Kyoto provides a specific location where he likely worked. This information helps place him within a historical context related to the shrine and its activities.
足立茂, 官幣中社 北野神社, 京都市大将軍鷹司町三六ノ一八
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| 昭和8年 河野清晃からの年賀状 F. M. Trautz |
準別格本山総持院, 執事, 河野清晃, 和歌山県高野山
This is a 1933 New Year's card sent from Seikō Kōno to Trautz. Kono, born in Fukuoka Prefecture on August 23, 1906, was a Buddhist monk, artist, art collector, author, and President of the German-Japanese Society in Nara. He authored 高野山根本大塔の研究 "A Study of the Konpon Daito of Mount Koya" in 1934-5 (also known as Der Große Stūpa auf dem Kōyasan in Germany), which Trautz translated from Japanese to German.
At the age of eleven, Kono enlisted in the Shingon sect. As a youth, he was an avid mountaineer, mainly climbing in the Koyasan region. In 1940, he became the superintendent priest of Daianji Temple in Nara, but during WWII, he was drafted to serve in the army. In 1956, he started the "Nara Japanese-German Association," with Daianji as its headquarters. He died on November 16, 2001, at the age of 95. His death was announced in many Japanese papers and on TV.
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| 高野山根本大塔の研究 |
Kono Seikou had a significant relationship with Dr. F.M. Trautz, a professor at the University of Berlin and head of the Kyoto Nara-Nichi-Do Cultural Institute. This relationship was sparked by Kono's scholarly work, "A Study of the Konpon Daito of Mount Koya," which was published during his time at Koyasan University. Dr. Trautz translated this work into German and introduced it to the world, contributing to Seikou's international recognition. This collaboration reflects Seikou's commitment to promoting cultural exchange and his efforts to engage with scholars and institutions beyond Japan.
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| Ueno Naoteru 上野直昭 to F. M. Trautz and Hilda Trautz |
Naoteru Ueno (1882-1973) was a prominent Japanese aesthetician and scholar, born in 1882 in Kobe. He graduated from the University of Tokyo in 1908 and went on to work as an assistant to Professor Yasuharu Otsuka in the field of aesthetics. Ueno conducted research on picture scrolls and received funding from the Toshogu Shrine Three Hundredth Anniversary Celebration Committee for his work.
In his career, Ueno held various academic positions, including lecturer at Tokyo Women's University and Keijo Imperial University. He also spent two years in Europe and the United States for research in aesthetics and art history. Ueno served as a professor at Keijo Imperial University and later became the dean of the Faculty of Law and Literature there.
During his career, Ueno made significant contributions to the study of Japanese art history. He served as a visiting professor in Germany, lecturing on Japanese art history at the University of Berlin. He also held positions such as director of the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts and president of Tokyo University of the Arts.
Ueno was involved in the preservation of cultural properties in Japan and was a member of the National Treasure Preservation Society. He was elected as a member of the Japan Academy in 1946 in recognition of his academic achievements. Ueno passed away in 1973 at the age of 90.
Note: Paper by Professor Miyuki Yasumatsu of Beppu University makes for interesting reading, as she writes about numerous connections between Trautz and Ueno in "美術史家上野直昭とベルリンの(日本研究所 Japaninstitut) の活動をめぐって" - Art Historian Naoteru Ueno and the Activities of the "Japaninstitut" in Berlin.
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| 朴木千太郎 to Dr. F. M. Trautz |
This 1933 New Year's greeting card was sent by Hōnoki Sentarō from Osaka. He listed his address as 325 Kamisumiyoshi-chō, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka (大阪市住吉区上住吉町三二五番地), with a telephone number of Sumiyoshi 2850 (電話住吉二八五〇番). However, he seems to have been lost to history, as I was unable to obtain any information about him.
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| 川崎市蔵 Kawasaki Ichizo to Doctor Trautz 1932 |
This New Year's card from 1932 was sent by Ichizo Kawasaki of Yoshioen in Zushioku, Yamashina-cho, Kyoto. Other than being an educator and possibly an author of several books, not much else was available about him online. In the following year, 1933, Kawasaki sent another card. Unlike his 1932 card, the reverse of this card is wholly preprinted with all the pertinent information, clearly intended for mass distribution. He made a small error in Trautz's name by forgetting to write 'ラ' in トラウツ and simply adding it on the right side in between ト and ウ.
Kawasaki's decision to add the missing character to the card instead of creating a new one can be seen as a frugal choice, suggesting resourcefulness and efficiency. However, it could also be interpreted as a sign of sloppiness, depending on one's perspective.
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| 川崎市蔵 Kawasaki Ichizo to Doctor Trautz 1933 |
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| 細井丑太 1933 Postcard to ドクトル・エフ・エム・都良宇津 |
Postmarked January 4, 1933, this New Year's Greetings card was sent by someone named Hosoi Ushita. However, the character 丑 used in his name may not be definitive, as his handwriting is unclear. The most likely assumption was made based on the number of strokes and similarity to that character. An online search yielded no results for such a given name as 丑太, until I accidentally discovered a work called "Gyakugun no Hata" by Fujisawa Shuhei, where there was a character named 丑太, much to my surprise. Since I am not 100% certain about the correctness of the character as written by Hosoi, it remains just an assumption.
The return address and the picture postcard depicting 'The Museum Hall Kotohira Sanuki' suggest Hosoi's possible affiliation to religious sects, given the cultural context of Kotohira. Interestingly, Trautz had many acquaintances who belonged to both Shintoism and Buddhism, adding a layer of complexity to the sender's religious affiliation.
Hosoi uses uncenventional kanji here, 都良宇津, to address Trautz. He also writes a note: 数ナラヌ私XXXXヲＸＸ / 御Ｘ情厚ク感謝ＸＸマス. Some characters cannot be deciphered, but this note seems to thank Trautz and express appreciation for his kindness.
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| Tomoeda Takahiko (友枝高彦) to Doctor Trautz 1933 |
This is an interesting card for several reasons. There is a printed background depicting chickens and roosters for the sign of the zodiac for the year 1933. This print is quite light and does not standout at the observer, so unless it is viewed at a certain angle, it is difficult to see and it seems to just disappear, as the greetings in black ink with the red stamp above it overtakes the the card as a whole. The red stamp appears to be handstamped, but it is actually printed.
Tomoeda Takahiko (友枝高彦) was a Japanese philosopher and professor who played a significant role in strengthening relations between Japan and Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. Born in 1876 in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, Tomoeda studied philosophy and ethics at the University of Tokyo before becoming a professor at Kyoto Imperial University.
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| Tomoeda Takahiko (友枝高彦) |
During the Russo-Japanese War, he traveled to Europe as a secretary, where he was impressed by liberalism in England. Tomoeda later studied in Berlin and Leipzig, deepening his understanding of German philosophy and culture.
Returning to Japan, Tomoeda became a professor at the University of Tokyo and was actively involved in educational policies. He also served as the head of the Japanese-German Cultural Institute in Tokyo, promoting cultural exchange between the two countries.
After retiring, Tomoeda founded educational institutions in Japan and continued to write on ethics, pedagogy, and cultural topics. He received recognition for his contributions to academia and cultural exchange. Tomoeda passed away in 1957 in Tokyo, leaving a lasting impact on Japanese-German relations and education.
