Information about the Exhibition 2026 Summer
Gunjo Foundation to host a special exhibition in Osaka City.The Gunjo Foundation, Inc. (Location: Takatsuki City, Osaka; Representative: Hitoki Horie) will hold its exhibition for the 2026 Summer, titled “The 81st Anniversary Special Exhibition: Chifune Archives — How the Imperial Navy Connected and Communicated,” with the cooperation of Hiroyuki Sugano (Pencil Warship Artist), as outlined below. This exhibition will be held for two days, on Friday, August 14 and Saturday, August 15, 2026, at the Kintetsu Bunka Salon Uehommachi (Location: Osaka City, Osaka).
In addition, on August 22, the Foundation will host a special lecture at the same venue titled “The Battleship Yamato and the Eighty-One Years: The late Katsuhiro Hara and I.” The lecture will feature Ryota Ikeda, a board member of our Maritime Research Department, naval historian, and author, as the guest speaker.
Event Overview
The 81st Anniversary Special Exhibition: “Chifune Archives — How the Imperial Navy Connected and Communicated”
- Venue: Kintetsu Bunka Salon Uehommachi
- Location: 10th floor, Kintetsu Department Store Uehommachi, 6-1-55 Uehommachi, Tennoji-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
- Nearest Station: Osaka Uehommachi Station (Kintetsu Osaka Line/Nara Line)
- Viewing:
- Friday, August 14: 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm
- Saturday, August 15: 10:00 am to 4:30 pm
- Notes: Admission is free.
Special Lecture: “The Battleship Yamato and the Eighty-One Years: The late Katsuhiro Hara and I”
- Guest Speaker: Ryota Ikeda
- Venue: Kintetsu Bunka Salon Uehommachi
- Location: 10th floor, Kintetsu Department Store Uehommachi, 6-1-55 Uehommachi, Tennoji-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
- Nearest Station: Osaka Uehommachi Station (Kintetsu Osaka Line/Nara Line)
- Viewing:
- Saturday, August 22: 2:00pm to 3:30pm (Doors open at 1:30 pm)
- Participation Fee: 2,000 JPY (1,000 JPY for students high school age and under)
- Contact Information: hello@gunjo.org
- Notes: Advance registration required (Application Form )
Organizer
- Gunjo Foundation, Inc.
Cooperation (in no particular order, titles omitted)
- Hiroyuki Sugano (Pencil Warship Artist)
- Kintetsu Bunka Salon Uehommachi
Background
Last year marked a significant milestone, the 80th anniversary of the end of the war. Our foundation views this year as a “new step forward,” and in addition to the initiatives undertaken by the Maritime Department, we will exhibit and introduce valuable historical materials scheduled for inclusion in the digital archive “Chifune Archives,” which is the central focus of this exhibition. Through this exhibition, we hope to emphasize the importance of peace, not only in a global sense but also in our daily lives.
Artwork
During the exhibition from August 14 to 15, Hiroyuki Sugano (Pencil Warship Artist) will be present at the venue to showcase his artwork. Mr. Sugano’s pencil drawings of ships are created based on extremely precise and thorough historical research, and you will have the opportunity to view his artwork up close. You will also be able to interact with the artist himself at the venue.
Special Lecture
Dedicated to the mission of “preserving and passing down modern maritime history,” the Foundation will host a special lecture on August 22.
The event will feature Ryota Ikeda, a board member of our Maritime Research Department and author of notable books such as “The Last 15 Days of Isoroku Yamamoto (Kobunsha)”. Through his extensive body of work, Mr. Ikeda has consistently presented military history research built upon meticulous historical document analysis.
To commemorate the publication of his new book, “New Testimonies on the Final Moments of the Battleship Yamato (Kobunsha)”, he will deliver a lecture on the theme: “The Battleship Yamato and the Eighty-One Years: The late Katsuhiro Hara and I.” Furthermore, the event will be emceed by Rekishikan Lavie, a VTuber affiliated with our Foundation. This unique initiative represents the Foundation’s approach to exploring new forms of public history by intersecting profound military history research with modern digital culture.
Through the decoding of new testimonies and historical materials, this lecture offers a precious opportunity to experience the forefront of how modern maritime records are preserved for future generations. We sincerely look forward to your participation.