The collection

A21 is comprised of A21.1 and A21.2. Their breakdown is as follows.

A21.1.1 is a piece of a roof tile with a Nakagawa crucifix engraved in the center of a tomoe crest. On the back side of the crest is written the following in ink: “Oka Castle Edo Period.” This tile was wrapped in an English-language newspaper from 1949 titled Stars Stripes. On top of the newspaper was a card. Thin twine was tied in a cross around the newspaper and card.

A21.1.2 was not tied with a string, etc. In addition to two permits allowing Marega to enter Beppu City, it also includes books published by the Ōita Prefecture Hometown Research Group (Ōita-ken Kyōdo Bunka Kenkyūkai 大分県郷土文化研究会), such as an encyclopedia of people from Ōita Prefecture (Ōita-ken senken meika jinmei jiten 大分縣先賢名家人名辞典) and a directory of distinguished people in the Ōita Prefecture agricultural industry (Ōita-ken nōgyō kōrōsha meikan 大分縣農業功労者名鑑), as well as postcards related to places in Ōita Prefecture, Ōita City, Unzen-Amakusa National Park, Hoashi Banri, etc.

A21.1.3 consists almost entirely of books published by the same research group, including the aforementioned encyclopedia of distinguished people from the prefecture, as well as a collection of the calligraphy of deceased distinguished people from the prefecture (Ōita-ken senken meika ibokushū 大分縣先賢名家遺墨集), a collection of important textual materials related to the prefecture (Ōita-ken kichō furusato bunken shiryō 大分縣貴重郷土文献資料), a collection of writings of deceased distinguished people from the prefecture (Ōita-ken senken meika ibunroku 大分縣先賢名家遺文録), and a collection of poetry by Matsudaira Fuken, the sixth head of Bungo Funai (Matsudaira Fuken kushū 松平不騫句集).

A21.1.4 includes nine catalogues from a 1949 exhibit on the history of Bungo Christians held to mark the four hundredth anniversary of Saint Xavier’s arrival in Japan, as well as a relatively large number of newspaper clippings. There are also two books published by the aforementioned research society: a collection of poetry by Matsudaira Fuken, the sixth head of Bungo Funai (Matsudaira Fuken kushū zoku 松平不騫句集 続) and a collection of writings by Jōnenji temple’s Rinseki (Kikusai bunshū 麹齋文集). One also finds bunraku-related publications and postcards. There are also eight ginsatsu, a kind of Edo period currency. There is a 1823 (Bunsei 6) letter from Ōtomo Yoshimasa to retainers connected to the Ōtomo clan in the Bungo province seeking their address, name, and other information so that a retainer can dispatched to worship at the Ōtomo clan mausoleum in his place.

A21.1.5 includes many hōshi related to early modern period fines for not placing a seal on a document (Ochihanryō karyōsen 落判過料銭). Otherwise it is diverse in content. There is also an arrowhead and medaille, an amulet (omamori 守札), and eleven ginsatsu. There are also some items that appear to be related to religious inquisitions (shūmon aratame 宗門改) and population surveys. There are also newspaper clippings and a 1947 report from a US education delegation (Beikoku kyōiku shisetsudan hōkokusho 米国教育使節団報告書). The newspaper clippings include a December 3rd, 1937 newspaper article about a grant being provided for the publication of Marega’s Italian translation of the Kojiki. One also finds Marega's photographs.

A21.1.6 is an illustrated memoir by Marega. It depicts the 1945 Oita / Beppu air raids.

A21.1.7 consists of an illustrated memoir by Marega (A21.1.7.4), two illustrated scroll fragments (A21.1.7.1, A21.1.7.3), as well as a fragment that appears to be part of a scripture (A21.1.7.2). The illustrated memoir depicts places he visited in China and Japan(1929-1931). The illustrated scroll fragments depict Ise Shrine and Atsuta Shrine when he visited them. A21.1.7.2 was inside an envelope of the publisher Don Bosco-sha and placed between the illustrated scroll fragments.

A21.1.8 is an illustrated memoir by Marega. It covers the time spanning from his birth on September 30th, 1902 to his departure for Japan in 1929 and then his arrival in Columbo.

A21.1.9 was tied with a brown string. It appears to be Togami family-related documents from the Kyōhō era (1716–1736) to the Meiji 10s (1877–1886). Their provenance is also different from the group of Usuki Domain Office of Religious Affairs documents. One finds Marega’s memos regarding his organization and arrangement of materials. It is unclear how they were acquired.

A21.1.10 consisted of a pile of historical materials tied in two places with koyori 紙縒. They were then wrapped with an Oita shimbun 大分新聞 newspaper from 1940. The koyori grouping appears to have been done by the Usuki Domain Office of Religious Affairs. They are materials related to household register management by this office. Almost all are from Bunsei 13 (Tenpō 1/1830). We also find a travel permit from Bunsei 12 (1829).

A21.2 was tied with koyori and wrapped in a newspaper that appears to be from 1938 (its top part is missing). This koyori grouping appears to have been done by the Usuki Domain Office of Religious Affairs. All are birth notifications from 1715 (Shōtoku 5) submitted to Usuki Domain religion magistrates (for details, see below).

As described above, while A21 primarily consists of documents related to the Usuki Domain Office of Religious Affairs and publications of the Ōita Prefecture Hometown Cultural Research Group, there are also many other materials of different types. Also, items of the same type are scattered throughout multiple groups. There are also items not from the Office of Religious Affairs.

Items with a clear date are primarily from 1715 (Shōtoku 5), 1830 (Bunsei 13), and 1949 (Shōwa 24). There are 99 documents from Shōtoku 5. All of them are birth notifications submitted to the religious affairs magistrates. One of them is from an Usuki Domain Usukikake town representative (toshiyori 年寄) and the others are from village representatives (shōya 庄屋) in the Usuki Domain’s territory. All are addressed to the three religion magistrates. They were created from the seventh to the eleventh month of Shōtoku 5. Those from 1830 (Bunsei 13) are notifications, requests seeking guidance (ukagai-gaki 伺書), etc., submitted by Usuki Domain territory villages and temples to the religion magistrates. They are related to household registry management and include notifications about removing members from five-household units, notifications about missing persons, requests for instructions regarding funerals, and requests for instructions regarding entering the Buddhist monastic order. There are many items that, while not dated, appear to be from the same year.

The items from 1949 include many publications by the aforementioned research group (including the encyclopedia of distinguished people from the prefecture, a collection of writings of deceased distinguished people from the prefecture, collection of the calligraphy of deceased distinguished people from the prefecture, and directory of distinguished people in the prefecture’s agricultural industry, as well as a book of famous sights and uncommon machine diagrams / Meishō shinkei narabi ni kikizu 名勝真景幷奇器図). However, we also find the nine aforementioned catalogues from a Bungo Christian exhibition marking the four hundredth anniversary of Saint Xavier’s arrival in Japan.

Also, the six (including fragments: A21.1.5.5, A21.1.6, A21.1.7.1, A21.1.7.3, A21.1.4, A21.1.8) illustrated memoirs that appear to be by Father Marega cover from his birth in 1902 until right before the end of World War II in 1945.