First "MM-DiG" collection exhibition
The man who bequeathed manga history
The work of Isao Shimizu, a manga and caricature history researcher.
2026 Jan 31 (Sat) – Jun 9 (Tue)
Venue
Kyoto International Manga Museum, 2F, Gallery 4 (mini exhibition room).
Admission
* Tickets for same-day admission can be purchased at the ticket vending machine at the entrance.
* Admission tickets can be purchased at the ticket vending machine on the day of your visit or can be pre-purchased online.
Opening hours
10am-5pm (last entry at 4:30pm)
Closed
Every Wednesday (or the following day if a public holiday falls on a Wednesday, except Apr 29th and May 6th)
As well as the period Feb 16th (Mon) – 20th (Fri)
Exhibition content
Manga and caricature history researcher Isao Shimizu was a collector who amassed a vast amount of manga materials from the Edo period to the present era, wrote numerous books on manga, and introduced manga history and the appeal of manga to many people. He was truly a man who assembled and left behind the "history of manga."
His vast collection of materials was donated to the Kyoto International Manga Museum and forms the core of the museum's collection.
This exhibition honors his achievements using materials from the museum's collection as well as additional materials donated by his family after his death.
The exhibition introduces Shimizu's work from three perspective, that of ‘collector’, ‘researcher’ and ‘archivist’.
We will also showcase unpublished manuscripts discovered during the sorting of the materials, which will be on public display for the first time, as well as doujinshi (self-published magazines) that he contributed to in his youth.
Exhibit items
Isao Shimizu’s complete works. Approximately 150 items will be on display including research notes, unpublished manuscripts, and materials about the way that resources are collected.
A contribution from the young Shimizu to the doujinshi “Wakodo - No. 19".
(Junior Gekiga Group, 1963)
Handwritten manuscript.
In his study (Courtesy of Miake Shimizu)
The huge collection kept at home (Courtesy of Miake Shimizu)
Reference
Isao Shimizu
Manga and caricature history researcher.
Born in Tokyo in 1939. Shimizu graduated from the Department of Mathematics, College of Science at Rikkyo University, then worked for Sanseido and Japan Reader's Digest. Since 1984, he devoted himself to writing and research. He wrote over 100 books on manga, based on research of a vast collection of manga materials that he personally gathered.
In the 1970s, he became involved in manga exhibitions, and when Kawasaki City Museum was founded, he worked as a specialist researcher, defining the foundational archive principles and collection guidelines for manga materials at museum facilities. He also assisted in the establishment of the Kyoto International Manga Museum. After the museum opened, he continued to be involved as a research advisor, collaborating on numerous events and exhibitions. He passed away in 2021.
About MM-DiG
The Kyoto International Manga Museum (MM) houses a vast collection of approximately 300,000 items, including books, magazines, and original artwork. From historically important documents to somewhat obscure objects, there are a huge number of fascinating manga-related items in the collection, and we are only able to show you a small portion of these materials, displayed in special exhibitions and other events.
MM-DiG is a small exhibition series dedicated to digging up these little-known artifacts that lie dormant in the museum and introducing them from various perspectives. This is the first in the series, with plans to continue with irregular exhibitions in the future.
Organizer: Kyoto International Manga Museum
* Please note that the schedule and contents are subject to change.
