Greeting
In February 2016, I established Nagamori Culture Foundation with the aim of building a museum to exhibit a collection of world-renowned antique music boxes, and show historical and social values of their culture and related technologies. After changing the Foundation into a public interest incorporated foundation in March 2019, I stabilized its operational foundations, and prepared to found the museum.
Thus, in March 2023, Nagamori Collection Gallery opened in the city of Mukomachi, Kyoto Prefecture, as a facility to provide music from highly rare antique music boxes and an easy-to-understand introduction to their history and culture and changes therein, and to appeal emotionally to a wide range of generations – from children to adults.
As is the case is with piano and orchestra performances, music boxes deliver us live music, which is delicate, comfortable, and warm. At present, these features are being reevaluated as elements to foster rich sensitivity. While audio changed from analogue to digital over time, people have continued to love music boxes since their creation in the 17th century. In addition, music boxes that are composed of driving parts for rotating bodies, vibrating bodies and chasses to play music, and gear-based wind-up mechanisms are full of essence of product making. Related technologies nurtured by music boxes have been developed over centuries into cutting-edge technologies today, and they are applied and utilized in various fields of industry.
At the Gallery, not only do we simply exhibit antique music boxes, but we also view things from “music,” “machinery,” and “product making” perspectives to concentrate a wide range of wisdom and expedite their mutual integration. It is with these efforts that we promote artistic culture, traditional craftwork, etc. and pass them on to future generations, while ensuring the Gallery serves as a space for communication space to disseminate information as well.
