National Archives Official Pitches Holdings to Creators at Machi Asobi vol.31

The National Archives of Japan's deputy director general, Koji Murakami, held an event at Machi Asobi vol.31 in Tokushima Prefecture on the use of its holdings by the content industry, according to Gigazine. The venue was the entrance of the ufotable CINEMA cinema, which filled with attendees.

The National Archives holds about 1.8 million items, including the original texts of the Constitution of the Empire of Japan and the Constitution of Japan, the Southern edition of the Records of Wei (Wei Zhi Wo Ren Zhuan), and works from the Heisei era. For works featuring swords as a motif, Murakami pointed to the second volume of Token Zuko, which records the measurements of the sword Onimaru.

Murakami told the audience about a tour for creators of the archives; every participant said they saw potential uses in their work, and 42% said they had specific ideas. He also announced upcoming projects: “Enjoying Awa Odori at the National Archives” will run at the Tokyo Main Building from November 25 to December 6, 2026, displaying original texts such as the Miyoshi-ki. On November 28, the Tenmi-ren dance group, to which Murakami belongs, will perform Awa Odori in front of the archives.

A historical-materials project tied to the film Shiranui (working title) is being prepared for summer 2027, with mini-exhibitions planned for December 2026 and March 2027.

Murakami served as vice governor of Tokushima Prefecture until March 2026 and regularly took part in Machi Asobi, background that predates this event.