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Japanese era exhibit opens at NMI Museum
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Posted on Oct 04 2004
Citing the importance of Japan’s role in the history of the islands, the NMI Museum of History and Culture opened an exhibit yesterday detailing the industrial Japanese era.
The exhibit will run for three months, closing on Dec. 31.
“This exhibit shows the Japanese accomplishments during their time on the Northern Marianas,” said exhibit curator Noel B. Quitugua. “We have an array of photographs depicting the life and culture of the Japanese, Carolinians, and Chamorros.”
The exhibit also features several artifacts, and is highlighted with a dedicated segment to Haruji Matsue, who is credited with introducing the sugar refinery industry to the CNMI.
Included in Matsue’s dedication are several photos and an original scrapbook donated to the museum by his son and grandson last year.
Also featured are photos of various infrastructures, harvesting of sugar and the sugar mill, the trains used to transport the sugar, roads, and several other agricultural and industrial features, as well as the old Japanese hospital, which is the building the museum currently occupies.
Angela Francisco and Jeremiah Diaz of Guam were among the first to tour the exhibit, and they expressed satisfaction with the information presented about the Japanese occupation of the islands.
“This is very intriguing,” Francisco said. “I’ve never been to a museum so detailed and current.”
Earlier, museum executive director Maggie S. Sablan said the presentation of the exhibit would coincide with a Japanese festival scheduled in October. She encouraged everyone to take a tour of the exhibit.
Four countries have had ties with the islands, Japan being the third nation to occupy the island chain. Other administrations include Spain, Germany, and the United States.
Japan moved into the islands when World War I erupted in 1914, and soon after, the islands were formally mandated to the nation by the League of Nations in 1919. Japan’s reign over the islands ceased after World War II, but nonetheless, had a great influence on the natives’ way of life.
Touring of the exhibit may be conducted between 9am to 4:30pm from Monday to Friday.
For more information, contact the NMI Museum at 664-2160.
