#Japan #Bunkyo #Museum #Mori Ogai #Bunkyo City

Exhibition Overview

From January 18 to March 31, 2026, the Bunkyo City Mori Ogai Memorial Museum will host a collection exhibition titled "Ogai and His Children: Oto, Mari, Annu, and Rui Speak of Papa". This exhibition showcases the life and literary contributions of Mori Ogai through the eyes of his beloved children.

Mori Ogai (1862-1922), originally named Shinrin Taro, was a renowned army physician, novelist, and translator who spent his last 30 years at the site of the current memorial museum. He was a dedicated father to five children, though his second son, Furitsu, sadly passed away in infancy. The remaining four children—Oto (1890-1967), Mari (1903-1987), Annu (1909-1998), and Rui (1911-1991)—grew up under their father's affectionate guidance.

Following Ogai’s death in 1922, his children began to express their feelings about their father, reminiscing not only about his literary and medical legacy but also about the love and care he provided as a father. They contributed personal essays that reveal Ogai not merely as a literary figure but as a cherished "Papa". Throughout the tumultuous years of the Showa era, they also worked to preserve Ogai's belongings, including diaries, notes, and other artifacts that embody their father's enduring influence.

Featured Items in the Exhibition

The exhibition will present a variety of important pieces that vividly illustrate the familial love shared between Ogai and his children:

• - Annu’s Tanka Draft: A draft of a poem that Ogai marked with his corrections.
• - **Oto’s Manuscript