Collection was started in the late thirties with a donation from a returning American missionary in Yokohama. It now consists of woodblock prints, original drawings, India ink paintings and prized examples of calligraphy. His ukiyo-e woodblock prints include works both by Hokusai and Hiroshige, the two most renowned Japanese artists in this field. It therefore mostly comprised landscape prints and Mr Hara thought it important to try to obtain complete series, which he diligently set out to do throughout his lifetime.