For one man alone, the Tokugawa treasures were simply too much to handle.
Since Tsunenari Tokugawa, 63, inherited the legacy of the Tokugawa Shogunate on becoming the 18th head of the family in 1963, he has examined thousands of these precious artifacts -- from shogunal swords and armor to tea-ceremony utensils, ink paintings and letters -- and has tried to conserve them properly. But while he was working for Nippon Yusen K.K., a leading shipping company, Tokugawa found these tasks too time-consuming and costly. For example, having even a small sword polished by a traditional Kyoto swordsmith would cost 300,000 yen-400,000 yen.
Then, earlier this year, a dream came true for Tokugawa, when his idea to create a foundation to preserve and care for these treasures was approved by the education ministry. Now, as president of the Tokugawa Memorial Foundation, Tokugawa says the organization plans to repair and conserve the artifacts and display them widely at exhibitions, as well as awarding an annual Tokugawa Prize for significant contributions to the study of early modern Japanese history.