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Draft:Japanese Nationality Room

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Introduction

The Japanese Nationality Room, dedicated in 1999, is one of 31 Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning. Its creation was spearheaded by the Japan Nationality Room Committee in collaboration with the Japan-American Cultural Center of Pittsburgh, a nonprofit organization that played a key role in fundraising and planning.[1]

Constructed in Kyoto by skilled artisans, the room adheres to the traditional methods of minka architecture from the 18th century. This style, known for its intricate joinery and carpentry, uses no nails and relies on precision craftsmanship. Once completed, the structure was disassembled and shipped to Pittsburgh, where it was reassembled in Classroom 324 of the Cathedral of Learning. The entire room is freestanding, with features like shōji screens, tatami mats, and a tokonoma alcove, all of which remain unattached to the building’s walls or ceilings to preserve architectural integrity.[1]

The project began as a proposal from the local Japanese-American community and gained momentum through support from various Japanese cultural organizations and corporate donors.[2] It faced unique logistical challenges, including the shipment and precise reassembly of the room's prefabricated components.[3]

The design draws inspiration from notable examples of Japanese architecture, particularly the Katsura Imperial Villa, and incorporates Zen philosophy, emphasizing harmony, simplicity, and a deep connection to nature. [4] Significant elements include sliding wooden panels and a display case showcasing Japanese artifacts.

History of Construction

On September 27, 1991, Dr. J. Dennis O’Connor, director of the Nationality Rooms program, received a letter from Dr. Takeo Kanade, president of the Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh (JAGP), proposing the creation of a Japanese Nationality Room as a “lasting tribute” to Japan’s heritage and the Japanese-American community in Pittsburgh. [3] This led to the formation of the Japan Nationality Room Committee. By 1996, the project was incorporated into the Japan-American Cultural Center of Pittsburgh (JACCP), a nonprofit established to raise funds for the room’s construction. [3]

The contract for the room’s creation was awarded to Poerio Inc. Contractors and Engineers for $91,384. The total cost of the room, including construction and furnishing, came to $507,047.64, with no individual donor contributing more than $50,000. [4] Key donors included Aristech Chemical, Sumitomo, Mitsubishi, and Sony, which together helped secure nearly half a million dollars for the project. [2]

Funding for the room also came from several organizations, including the Omiya Rotary Club and the Omiya Lions Club. [2] In the summer of 1995, the Japan Foundation donated $7,918.03 to the Japanese Room Committee Building Fund. [2]The largest contribution, $126,000, came from the Japanese Nationality Room Committee in Japan. [2]

The room was prefabricated entirely in Kyoto, Japan, by skilled artisans. After completion, the structure was dismantled and shipped to Pittsburgh in a 40-foot container [1]. This was the first time a Nationality Room was fully prefabricated and sent abroad for assembly. Once the parts arrived, a crane lifted 87 individual pieces through a third-floor window of the Cathedral of Learning [5]. The reassembly took six weeks, with three Japanese craftsmen bringing their traditional tools from Japan—including saws, chisels, and planes of various sizes. [2]

Architecture and Design

The architecture of the Japanese Nationality is based on the Minka structure created by Suzuki Komuten. The style is adopted by the working classes, which employed sophisticated carpentry and woodworking skills. The whole room is freestanding and has no nails.

The room has many Japanese-styled features. It has a raised alcove called a Tokonoma that holds various objects, flower arrangements, and seasonal decorations. A display case bears many authentic Japanese artifacts. Sliding wooden panels cover the blackboard in front of the room. Typical Japanese structured shutters cover the doors and windows. The entry door has been modified to have a wooden grid treatment to replicate a sliding door for a typical entrance to a Japanese house at the time.[6]

The room is designed to mirror a cherry blossom and takes inspiration from the imperial court. The basic design of the room reflects a typical Japanese house, specifically the 17th-century Detached Palace of Prince Toshihito. The room also draws inspiration from the Zen philosophy embedded in the design of the Katsura on which it’s based.[4]

The architect designer of the room was Hirokazu Nagase and the architect of record was Hirokazu Nagase [2]

Key Features and Display Cases

The most notable inclusion in the room is its display case, measuring 1530wx300dx1500h millimeters.[7] The designers call it the “extension of the classroom.” Contributions of mathematician Seki Takakazu were added. Mrs. Izui donated a scroll of Confucius’s teachings and a doll to accommodate her dying wishes. Other objects in the display include:

  • Porcelains (Kiseto, Imari, Karatsu)
  • Lacquer wares (Shun-kei Nuri, Wajima-Nuri)
  • Hina or a similar doll
  • Samurai armors
  • Folk toys (Kokeshi, Jan-Jan uma),
  • Cast iron utensils (kettle, trivet, vase),
  • Wood-cut prints (Hiroshige, Hokusai)
  • Hand-carved objects [3]
A book displaying Japanese calligraphy, contained in the display case of the Japanese Nationality Room.

Dedication and Influences

The room was completed and dedicated on July 25, 1999, celebrating a collaborative, multinational effort between Japanese cultural representatives, the local Japanese-American community, and the University [8].

E. Maxine Bruhns, Director of the Nationality Rooms, played a pivotal role in orchestrating the dedication and communicating with key figures like Yoshikazu Suzuki, President of Suzuki Komuten, to express her gratitude for their contributions. Bruhns thanked Suzuki, along with Mr. Nagase and his son, for being honored guests and credited Suzuki Komuten for crafting the Minka structure, which became the architectural centerpiece of the room [9].

During the dedication ceremony, attended by prominent figures such as Chancellor Mark Nordenberg and Ambassador Seiichiro Otsuka, speakers highlighted the room’s significance. Ambassador Otsuka’s speech touched on the room’s symbolic importance, describing it as a “great symbol of Japan’s cultural presence in this community and of the strong ties that link Japan and America, as well as the University of Pittsburgh and our Japanese friends [10].” He emphasized that over 130 students were enrolled in the Asian Studies Program at the. University, with a faculty of more than twenty scholars—including distinguished Japanese specialists in fields such as noh theater and sociology. Professors J. Thomas Rimer and L. Keith Brown, both honored with the Order of the Sacred Treasure by the Japanese government, exemplified the collaborative academic partnership with Japan [10]. The creation of the Japanese Nationality Room also highlighted this partnership, further strengthened by the Japan Information Center located in the University’s Hillman Library.

Bruhns brought flowers from her garden, which Eto San respectfully placed in the alcove with a bow, signifying reverence and the personal significance of the project. Reflecting on the six-week process, Bruhns remarked that the Japanese Room exemplified the discipline, talent, and skill of the craftsmen, who served as “incredibly effective ambassadors of Japan” through their work [9].

Japanese Room Committee and the Reopening of the Japanese Nationality Room

The organization that is the most associated with the room is the Japanese Room Committee. Their goal is to, “Promote, sustain, and maintain the Japanese Nationality Room under the umbrella of the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Program (NRIEP).” The committee hosts about 3 general meetings, conducts a Bi-monthly Japanese artifact display change, provides a scholarship for study abroad, and hosts an annual nationality room open house. The Japanese Room officially reopened on November 2, 2024, after a sprinkler line broke during the winter of 2022. [11][12] The Japanese Room Committee of the Nationality Rooms and the Intercultural Exchange Programs hosted the reopening ceremony on the third floor of the Cathedral of Learning with a performance of Taiko by Pittsburgh Taiko.[13][14] The room is also associated with a $5,000 undergraduate scholarship for Summer Study Abroad in Japan. The scholarship honors Mr. Jiro Kamimura, the former Vice Chair of the Japan America Society of Pennsylvania.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Delivery of the 87-part Japanese Nationality Room." Box 13, “Japanese Room Design,” Nationality Rooms Program Office Files, UA.40.01B, University Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "The Japanese Nationality Room donors' list and financial summary report: Cathedral of Learning". University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Japanese Nationality Room Dedication Book. (n.d.). “Japanese Nationality Room Dedication Book,” Box 12, Nationality Room Program Office Files, 1927–2016, UA.40.01B, University Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.
  4. ^ a b c Some Thoughts on the Japanese Nationality Room Project. (n.d.). “Japanese Room Design,” Box 12, Nationality Room Program Office Files, 1927–2016, UA.40.01B, University Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.
  5. ^ The Japanese Room Classroom. (n.d.). Box 13, “Japanese Room Design,” Nationality Rooms Program Office Files, UA.40.01B, University Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
  6. ^ “Characteristics. “Japanese Room Design,” Box 12, Nationality Room Program Office Files, 1927–2016, UA.40.01B, University Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.
  7. ^ "JAACP-Nationality Room Display Committee Meeting Minutes (approved).“Display Case,” Box 12, Nationality Room Program Office Files, 1927–2016, UA.40.01B, University Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.
  8. ^ Japanese Dedication Speech. E. Maxine Burhns. (n.d.). Box 12, Nationality Room Program Office Files, 1927–2016, UA.40.01B, University Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.
  9. ^ a b E. Maxine Burhns to Mr. Yoshikazu Suzuki. (August 27, 1999). Box 12, Nationality Room Program Office Files, 1927–2016, UA.40.01B, University Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.
  10. ^ a b Speech by Ambassador Otuska and Chancellor Nordenberg. (July 25, 1999). Box 12, Nationality Room Program Office Files, 1927–2016, UA.40.01B, University Archives, Archives and Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.
  11. ^ "Three Nationality Rooms slated for renovations". University Times. University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  12. ^ "Japanese Nationality Room Reopening Ceremony, November 2 at University of Pittsburgh". Pennsylvasia. Pennsylvasia. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  13. ^ "About Pittsburgh Taiko". Pittsburgh Taiko. Pittsburgh Taiko. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  14. ^ "History of Taiko". Stanford Taiko. Stanford Taiko. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Japanese Room Committee Scholarship - Undergraduate". Nationality Rooms & Intercultural Exchange. University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
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