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[letterhead: Institute of Art Research / Ueno Park, Tokio/ Mail address, P.O. Box Shitaya 14, Tokio] Tokio, 1st., August, 1928 Dear Mr. Bernard Berenson, Since my arrival in Tokio some two months ago, I have passed one of the busiest times in my life. The Institute, of which I have told you, is established and although we have postponed the Inauguration till November, the art season of Tokio, I have actually begun the work. In a few weeks I will make photographs of the new building, which I will send immediately to you, according to the request of Mrs. Berenson. It is a nice little building, and I am sure that both Mr. and Mrs. Berenson would smile, imagining that naughty boy Yuki installed in it as director?! What I want really to show to you is the work itself, and it is one of my most cherished dreams to be told by Mr. Berenson that he did not educate Yuki uselessly, seeing that a new method of study in the field of Oriental art is actually being opened according to the idea of Mr. Berenson, transmitted to the Far East by Yuki!! I hope that Mr. Berenson would consider it one of his duties to pay a visit to Tokio to examine what sort of work his pupil is beginning. As for the purchase of the important Japanese publications on Oriental art, of which we have spoken in my last visit to I Tatti, I tell you that I can begin the work at any time you like. I have the catalogue of Japanese books in the library at I Tatti, and so if you send me money I can make the staff of the Institute to make a nice selection of important recent publications, and send them to you. As I told you or Miss Mariano in that afternoon, if you can fix a certain sum per annum, it would be much easier for the staff of the Institute to regulate the purchase. The Banca Commerciale has intimate relationship with Japanese bankers, and you can use any. But if I can suggest one, the Yokohama Specie Bank is very good and has its branches in London and at Lyon. At the same time I must ask you to tell me if there is any subject, which you want especially, or any which you do not want at all. If I remember rightly, Mr. Berenson told me that he wants everything important in the arts of ancient times, including applied arts, such as textiles, potteries, metal works, etc. At any rate, please tell me quite frankly, without any reserve, what I can do for you from this distant country. You know that I feel so much indebted to you in ways too many to be enumerated here, and I am only too happy having found a chance to substantially express my gratitude to you. Moreover the library at I Tatti is the place where I was actually educated as a student of art, and there is nothing so pleasant for me as to do something to bring that library even more perfect. Would you kindly tell Miss Mariano that she can write to me whatever she wants to me. Japan is now at the height of summer heat. But, for this summer I do not think I can take holidays. I am typing vigorously these sultry afternoons. Yours very faithfully, Yuki Yashiro |
