Ningbo, Japaneses museum forge new cultural alliance

The Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum in Kobe, Japan. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

During the Ningbo-Japan Sister Cities Dialogue in Osaka, the Tianyige Museum in Ningbo signed an international cooperation agreement with the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum in Kobe, Japan, on July 13.

The pact establishes long-term collaboration across cultural heritage protection, academic exchange, joint exhibitions, and educational outreach — anchored in mutual dedication to preserving traditional woodworking arts.

This partnership is built on shared expertise and past success.

The Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum houses over 30,000 global carpentry tools and plays a vital role in researching Eastern timber architecture.

Baoguosi Ancient Architecture Museum in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

Baoguo Temple, affiliated with the Tianyige Museum, is a key national relic and part of Ningbo's Maritime Silk Road heritage. Focused on the architectural craftsmanship of its Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127) main hall, the temple has long been dedicated to advancing research and cultural exchange on East Asian architecture. 

In 2019, Baoguosi Ancient Architecture Museum and Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum co-hosted an exhibition highlighting 2,000 years of Sino-Japanese carpentry traditions. Recognized as an official China-Japan youth exchange program, the event set the stage for this deeper collaboration.

Xu Weiming, deputy director of the Tianyige Museum, described the agreement as "a cross-border dialogue of craftsmanship and shared cultural guardianship".

Additionally, at the Osaka Expo's "Ningbo Day" event, Baoguo Temple's model, Tianyi Pavilion's digital art, and cultural products took center stage, showing Ningbo's enduring "Maritime Silk Road" legacy.