Events
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Limited timeKanjō-ban (Banner for Kanjō ceremony) Until 20 April 2025
View Event Description & Conditions- Dates 16 December 2024, 9:30AM - 20 April 2025, 5:00PM
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Event Details
The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures Room 1
The Kanjō-ban (gilt bronze banner for the Kanjō ceremony) is one of the most outstanding items of The Hōryūji Treasures. It is believed to be the item listed as "one gilded Kanjō ceremony article" in The History of the Buildings of Hōryūji and The Inventory of the Temple’s Properties compiled in 747. The original is displayed here together with another metal banner, the “Small Gilt Bronze Ban”.
34 result(s)
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Limited timeShin-hanga: Japanese Woodblock Prints after Ukiyo-e Until 15 June 2025
View Event Description & Conditions- Dates 15 April 2025, 9:30AM - 15 June 2025, 5:00PM
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Event Details
Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Thematic Exhibition Room
The techniques of woodblock printing that flourished in the Edo period and Meiji era developed into a modernized artform called Shin-hanga in 1915. Shin-hanga builds on the tradition of collaborative work among the publisher, carver, printer, and designer, while also reflecting modern, eclectic tastes. Landscapes by Kawase Hasui (1883–1957) and Yoshida Hiroshi (1876–1950) as well as images of beauties by Hashiguchi Goyō (1880–1921) and Itō Shinsui (1898–1972) captivated Japanese people of Taishō and Shōwa eras and are still widely admired around the world. In conjunction with the special exhibitions, Tsutaya Jūzaburō: Creative Visionary of Edo and Ukiyo-e in Play, this exhibition explores the variety and depth of woodblock printing and its expressive forms.
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Limited timeKuroda Memorial Room Until 29 June 2025
View Event Description & Conditions- Dates 10 April 2025, 9:30AM - 29 June 2025, 5:00PM
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Event Details
Kuroda Memorial Hall Kuroda Memorial Room
Created to honor Kuroda’s artistic career and exhibit his works, this room was opened to visitors when the hall was founded. The inscription in Chinese characters on the panel above the doors reads: “Memorial Room of Viscount Kuroda,” which is said to be the handwriting of the painter Nakamura Fusetsu. This room allows visitors to view Kuroda’s works from the collection, which mainly consists of those donated by his family, and gain glimpses of the character of Kuroda, who contributed greatly to modernizing Western-style painting in Japan and improving the status of art in general in Japanese society.
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Limited timeWoodwork, Lacquerware, Incense Woods, and Measuring Instruments Until 8 June 2025
View Event Description & Conditions- Dates 10 April 2025, 9:30AM - 8 June 2025, 5:00PM
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Event Details
The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures Room 4
Wooden and lacquered objects include examples of Buddhist ritual implements, furnishings, musical instruments, stationery, measuring tools, and arms & armor, which range in date from the 7th to 17th century. Among these are notable pieces from the 8th century like the Bamboo Cabinet, which was donated by the famous Hōryūji priest Gyōshin, and a sutra box decorated with marquetry that shows the beautiful grain patterns of its jinkō wood. The Seven-stringed Zither is also valuable for its ink inscription, which tells us it was produced in China’s Sichuan Province in 724. The inscriptions on the pieces of incense wood in this collection also have revealed important facts about Persia’s involvement in the trade of such wood. Through these works one can not only see the culture of Japanese decorative art but can also get a sense of the cultural exchanges that occurred within East Asia centuries ago.
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Limited timeSwords Until 8 June 2025
View Event Description & Conditions- Dates 10 April 2025, 9:30AM - 8 June 2025, 5:00PM
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Event Details
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 13
Room 13 features selected swords and sword–fittings from the Heian to Edo periods, including the Long Sword (Tachi), By Yoshifusa.
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Limited timeSculpture Until 6 July 2025
View Event Description & Conditions- Dates 10 April 2025, 9:30AM - 6 July 2025, 5:00PM
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Event Details
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 11
Japan has three main traditions of sculpture: Buddhist deities, Shinto deities, and portraits of people. Buddhism was introduced to Japan from the Korean Peninsula in the 6th century, together with sculptures of Buddhist deities. These sculptures were made primarily for worship. Making a sculpture was also an “act of spiritual merit” that would help one’s prayers to be answered.
In contrast, Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan. Since ancient times, people believed that Shinto deities dwell in natural features like mountains and rivers, and rarely depicted them as humanlike sculptures. Even when a Shinto shrine had a sculpture for worship, the priests usually kept it hidden from view out of respect.
Some portrait sculptures were also worshipped, as they showed deified monks or samurai. Others were made to remember the dead and pray for their salvation. This gallery features works mainly from the Heian (794–1192) and Kamakura (1192–1333) periods, when many of Japan’s most admired sculptures were created.
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Limited timeResearching and Conserving Artifacts of Early Japanese Christianity Until 18 May 2025
View Event Description & Conditions- Dates 10 April 2025, 9:30AM - 18 May 2025, 5:00PM
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Event Details
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 14
The present exhibition features artifacts related to Christianity in Japan from the early modern period. The religion was introduced to Japan in the mid-1500s by European missionaries, but it was outlawed at the beginning of the Edo period (1603–1868). On display are objects from the 1500s onwards, mainly those that had been stored at the Nagasaki Magistrate's Office in southern Japan. These include items that were confiscated from Christians all around Nagasaki, as well as images known as fumi-e, which were used by the Edo-period government to identify Christians for persecution.
Additionally, this exhibition also introduces the research and conservation efforts that have been carried out on these artifacts in recent years. Along with scientific analyses of fumi-e, we have also improved upon the conservation measures and storage environments for rosaries and labels that display the names of the objects’ previous owners. By considering these religious objects of the time, we hope that you can also understand how we have approached the conservation of these artifacts.
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Limited timePaintings on Folding Screens and Sliding Doors | 16th–19th century Until 25 May 2025
View Event Description & Conditions- Dates 10 April 2025, 9:30AM - 25 May 2025, 5:00PM
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Event Details
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 7
The paintings here were not just for looking at — they served many other purposes, even that of furniture. Sliding doors divided rooms, while folding screens could be placed anywhere to create private spaces, reduce draftiness, or hide items from view. Sometimes artisans decorated the paintings with gold leaf, which reflected light and helped to brighten dim interiors.
A painting could also change the mood of a room. Ink paintings might create a relaxed or meditative atmosphere. Ones with bright colors and gold leaf might evoke an extravagant feel. The subject matter and style of a painting could also reflect the formality of a room, the current season, and the tastes of the owner. This gallery surrounds visitors with large-scale paintings to show how they create different moods.
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Limited timeThe Arts of Buddhism | 8th–16th century Until 25 May 2025
View Event Description & Conditions- Dates 10 April 2025, 9:30AM - 25 May 2025, 5:00PM
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Event Details
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 3
The beliefs and arts of Buddhism, along with its followers, became more diverse over time. In the Heian period (794–1192), the emperor and court nobility practiced and supported Buddhism. They used their vast wealth to build temples and create images for worship, often in delicate styles reflecting their tastes.
In the Kamakura period (1192–1333), the samurai gained political power, also becoming patrons of Buddhism. They preferred Buddhist art that was clear and dynamic, which led artisans to develop new styles. Many common people also became followers of Buddhism at this time, blending this religion with local beliefs, especially in the Muromachi period (1392–1573).
During these centuries, monks brought new schools of Buddhist thought from China, and developed new schools in Japan based on older teachings. Buddhism also became more integrated with Shinto, the indigenous religion. The paintings, sculptures, ritual tools, and sacred calligraphy on display illustrate this diversity in Buddhism.
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Limited timeSacred Objects from Ancient Temples Until 7 September 2025
View Event Description & Conditions- Dates 10 April 2025, 9:30AM - 7 September 2025, 5:00PM
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Event Details
Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Japanese Archaeology Gallery
Ancient temples were often constructed with a collection of sacred objects buried at their base. These sacred objects included mirrors, beads, coins, and metal vessels. They were meant to pacify unfriendly spirits and ensure the temple could be constructed safely.
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Limited timeDecorative Art of the Qing Dynasty Until 22 June 2025
View Event Description & Conditions- Dates 10 April 2025, 9:30AM - 22 June 2025, 5:00PM
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Event Details
Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 9
This section of the gallery introduces decorative art from China’s Qing dynasty (1644–1912), including works of jade, cloisonné, glass, and bamboo. These works illustrate the fine craftsmanship and sophisticated design aesthetic of decorative art from this period.