Construction of Hsinchu Shrine in the Japanese Colonial Period: Focusing on the Matsushima Family

Li, Chang-Wei; Chang, Chia-Yi

Construction of Hsinchu Shrine in the Japanese Colonial Period: Focusing on the Matsushima Family

James Alexander Gordon on 6th January 2026

Author Information

Chang-Wei Li, National Taiwan University of Arts, Taiwan
Chia-Yi Chang, National Taiwan University of Arts, Taiwan

Abstract

This study investigates the technical context and transnational construction process of Hsinchu Shrine during the Japanese colonial period through a semi-structured interview with Yoshitomo Matsushima, director of the Japan Architectural Craft Design Office. The research focuses on the Matsushima family, “Miya-daiku” (shrine carpenters) from Dazaifu, Fukuoka. It confirms that the master carpenters recorded on the Hsinchu Shrine munafuda—Matsushima Shigeru, Matsushima Sadayoshi, and Matsushima Yoshimitsu—were brothers. Originating from a barrel-making background, the family transitioned to shrine carpentry and established long-term collaborations with the Ashizu Workshop of Fukuoka and architect Sunami Takashi. During the approximately two-and-a-half-year construction period of Hsinchu Shrine, the male members of the family relocated to Taiwan as a group, managing both onsite technical execution and daily life necessities. By synthesizing oral history and archival documents, this research reconstructs the life histories of these craftsmen and illustrates the dynamic processes of technical organizations, labor mobility, and the flow of construction materials between Taiwan and Japan.