Kamei Museum
カメイ美術館

Charmed by Butterflies for Half a Century

When I was a young boy in junior high school, I would take my insect cage and butterfly net and spend all day running around the hills and fields. Many butterflies inhabited the hills of Shiogama, where I was born and raised. I learned that different species have different traits, and I was drawn in by the charm of butterflies.

Today I still chase after butterflies on my days off, exploring the nearby hills and fields. When I arrive home, I eagerly prepare the butterfly specimens I have caught.

I have also traveled abroad many times in search of butterflies. The jungles of Southeast Asia are a treasure trove of butterflies, but I have had many scares from the hazards there, such as malaria, tigers, and leeches. I will never forget the elation I felt when, after such hardships, I was able to collect a longed-for butterfly in those places.

Sendai, also known as the “City of Trees,” is a large city with unusually verdant streets. However, the surrounding natural environment has recently deteriorated and the flora and fauna are in bad shape. These changes inspire me to re-examine just how essential the abundant blessings of nature are to our lives.

I hope that seeing the butterflies exhibited here will be the first step for children to become more familiar with nature and that they will be inspired to help to protect and nurture flora and fauna.

Bunzo Kamei

My history with Kokeshi

Kokeshi are unique to the Tohoku region, and people say that woodworkers first made them during the Bunka-Bunsei period (1804-1830) in the late Edo period. When I was a child, the locals used to call them “kiboko,” and they were common toys found in any household. After the war, when I visited my uncle, who lived in a lacquerwork house in Naruko, I met two kokeshi artisans. They told me about the hardships of woodworkers who traveled from one place to another, and their stories touched my heart. Also, my respected friend, Yoshimitsu Doi, gave me a book called “Kokeshi, Hito, Fudo” (by Tokio Shikama) and this book was another reason I became enchanted by kokeshi. For fifty-some years since then, kokeshi have fascinated me, and I collected kokeshi from before and after the war. Kokeshi pieces are found across the six prefectures of Tohoku and they have distinct patterns and expressions in each area. They use a minimum amount of space to express the old faces, culture, and natural features of the Tohoku people. They are our proud cultural assets of Tohoku. Here, I exhibit a part of my collection. If visitors can experience the wonderful appeal of kokeshi, I would be happier than I could ever hope for.

Shogo Kamei