For the 50th anniversary of the Toshiba Science Museum, a commemorative display of 100 inventions from (Toshiba) founder Tanaka Hisashige/Kawasaki December 16, 2011

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1112160008/

Caption: A karakuri doll writing characters, invented by Toshiba founder Tanaka Hisashige=Toshiba Science Museum

The pioneering spirit exists in a corporate museum. The Toshiba Science Museum (Kawasaki City, Saiwai Ward, Komukai Toshiba Town) introduced scientific/technological industrial culture, and is now upon the 50th anniversary of it's opening. On the 15th, Toshiba's founder, Tanaka Hisashige (1799-1881) had a commemorative display of his designs featured in the opening ceremony as the museum opened.

During the museum's opening in November, 1961, they commemorated the 85th anniversary that Toshiba was initially founded (Note: Tanaka Engineering Works was established by Tanaka Hisashige in 1875, which would go on to merge with Tokyo Electric in 1939, forming Toshiba). Products and science/technology connected with the company are on display. With school organizations and families across all classes widely and intimately connected with the company, a calculated total of over 8,700,000 have visited the museum. Lately, with the boom of industry tourists, the number of visitors is said to have further increased.



The design exhibit is titled "The Story of Tanaka Hisashige~passion and inexhaustible pursuit~." From the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate until the Meiji period, Hisashige sent out a number of inventions to the world, and was called "The Genius Machine Engineer". In 1875, in the Ginza Brick Town of Tokyo, he opened up business with a store and factory which became the origin of Toshiba.

The exhibit is displaying such inventions as the thousand year clock, karakuri dolls, replicas of steam powered vehicles, etc. The Edo period's most spectacular karakuri is the character writing doll. While skillfully controlling a brush, it's able to write the characters for "寿,Long Life" and "松,Pine Tree"

Toshiba's president, Sasaki Norio, said the following at the ceremony: "The Toshiba Science Hall interacts with as well as expands science and technology throughout the region. We will want to have more exhibits after this. For Tanaka Hisashige, the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate was a period of instability and an era of change, where people picked up where others left off and their daily living transformed. We want to constantly continue to receive the DNA of revitalization while being the world's first and best in our pursuit of technology."

The design exhibit is open until April 27th of next year. Closed on Sundays, Holidays and specific dates. The hall is open from 9:00AM until 4:45PM. Admission is free. For questions, the hall's telephone number is 044 (549) 2200.


Original text
 東芝科学館50周年、記念展に創業者の田中久重発明１００点展示/川崎
2011年12月16日

東芝創業者の田中久重が発明した文字を書くからくり人形＝東芝科学館

企業博物館の草分け的存在で、科学技術や産業文化を紹介している東芝科学館（川崎市幸区小向東芝町）が、開館50周年を迎えた。東芝創業者の田中久重（１７９９～１８８１年）にちなんだ記念企画展のオープニングセレモニーが15日、同館で開かれた。

同館は同社創業85周年記念事業の一環として１９６１年11月に開館。同社ゆかりの製品や技術などを展示している。学校団体や家族連れなど幅広い層に親しまれ、累計来場者は約８７０万人に上り、最近は産業観光ブームもあって来場者が増えているという。

企画展のタイトルは「田中久重ものがたり～情熱と飽くなき探求心～」。久重は幕末から明治期にかけて数多くの発明品を世に送り出し、「天才機械技術者」ともいわれた。１８７５年、東京・銀座煉瓦街に開業した店舗兼工場が東芝の起源になっている。

同展では発明品の万年時計やからくり人形、蒸気車模型など約１００点を展示している。江戸期のからくり人形の最高傑作の一つである文字書き人形は、人形が筆を巧みに操りながら「寿」や「松」の字を書くことができる。

 東芝の佐々木則夫社長はセレモニーで「東芝科学館は地域交流とともに科学技術を広める場でもあり、今後も発展させていきたい。田中久重は幕末の不安定な時期に時代の変化を先取りしながら人々の暮らしを変えていった。われわれも脈々と受け継ぐＤＮＡを活性化しながら世界初、世界一の技術を探求していきたい」と述べた。

企画展は来年４月27日まで。日曜・祝日・特定日休館。開館時間は午前９時～午後４時45分。入館無料。問い合わせは、同館電話０４４（５４９）２２００。