Special Exhibition
Insect Nets: A 150-Year Journey of the University of Tokyo through Real Objects and Interactive Media
This exhibition highlights the stories of four entomologists active from the Meiji to the Heisei eras, assembled with the collections collected by their ginsect netsh. Dr. Chujiro Sasaki advanced sericulture through his research on silkworm pests and diseases, while Dr. Masayo Kato, renowned for elucidating cicada ecology, also played an important role in popularizing entomology. Dr. Suguru Igarashi made significant contributions to the study of Asian butterflies, including clarifying the larval stages of the rare Teinopalpus imperialis through surveys in regions such as Darjeeling. Dr. Keiichi Omoto, also known for his work in anthropology, introduced molecular evolutionary methods into the systematics and phylogeny of the Parnassiinae. Shaped at different times and now housed in the University Museum, the University of Tokyo, their collections together narrate the history of entomology from the Meiji era to the present.
At the same time, insect specimens, along with the methods used to prepare them, have followed similar protocols from past to present. Their form possesses a universal and timeless quality. With this in mind, the exhibition presents both the specimens themselves and the 3D digital images created from them.
The four showcases in the venue display the collections in their original physical form, with selected specimens presented in individual cases. At the center of the gallery, tablets are arranged to exhibit 3D-scanned models. These digital models allow visitors to observe not only the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the specimens but also the fine details of the wings, legs, and other structures, enabling a multi-angled appreciation of their morphology. By presenting the original specimens alongside their 3D renderings, visitors are invited to compare them directly.
Just as insect nets have long mediated between the natural world and the physical collections and their digital counterparts now intertwine, linking real objects and their images within a shared informational and interactive space.
Exhibition Information
Period: 17 November 2025 − 30 January 2026
Closed days: Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays (the days when lectures are given, open 13:00−17:00)
Please check the opening calendar before your visit
Opening hours: 10:00−17:00 (last admission: 16:30)
Venue: Hongo Main Museum, The University Museum, The University of Tokyo (UMUT)
Location: 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Access:
6 minutes on foot from Hongo-sanchome station of the subway Marunouchi Line
3 minutes on foot from Hongo-sanchome station of the subway Oedo Line
Map: https://www.um.u-tokyo.ac.jp/information/map_en.html
Admission: free of charge
Exhibition flyer: https://www.um.u-tokyo.ac.jp/exhibition/2025insectnets_flyer.pdf