Chinese Buddhist Sculpture
1st floor Room 1
April 8, 2014 (Tue) -
April 5, 2015 (Sun)
The galleries feature art and artifacts from regions including China, Korea, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, India, and Egypt.
1st floor Room 1
April 8, 2014 (Tue) - April 5, 2015 (Sun)
This section mainly features stone or gilt bronze Buddhist statues from about the 6th to the 8th century. The statues on display present the exquisite form of sculptures from the golden era of Buddhist statues in China.
Current exhibit includes:
Standing Mahasthamaprapta, China, Sui dynasty, 6th century (Important Cultural Property)
Standing Ekadasamukha, Formerly preserved at Tonomine, Nara prefecture, China, Tang dynasty, 7th century (Important Cultural Property)
Buddha and Four Attendants, China, Western Wei dynasty, 6th century
Head of Bodhisattva, Cave 8, Tianlongshan Grottoes, Shanxi province, China, Sui dynasty, 6th - 7th century (Gift of Mr. Nezu Kaichiro)
Oasis2 Education Space: Journey Information
2nd floor Room 2
January 2, 2015 (Fri) -
December 23, 2015 (Wed)
2nd floor Room 2
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - April 5, 2015 (Sun)
Large Dry Lacquer Vessel, Attributed provenance: Hui County, Henan Province, China (Important Art Object, Lent by the OKURA MUSEUM OF ART, Tokyo)
2nd floor Room 2
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - December 23, 2015 (Wed)
Introducing various journeys with images
2nd floor Room 3
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - April 5, 2015 (Sun)
This part intrduces artifacts from West Asia and Egypt, known as the cradle of the earliest civilization.
Current exhibit includes:
Tomb Relief of Iny, Excavated at Saqqara, Egypt, Old Kingdom, 6th dynasty, 23rd century BC
Copper Foundation Peg with a God's Figurine, Excavated in southern Iraq, Sumerian Early Dynastic period, 25th - 24th century BC
Mummy of Pasherienptah, Excavated at Thebes, Egypt, 22nd dynasty, ca. 945 - 730 BC (Gift of Egyptian Department of Antiquities)
Heracles, Excavated at Hatra, Iraq, Parthian period, 1st - 2nd century (Gift of Iraqi Government)
Dish with Humped Bull Design, Excavated in Iran, Late Hellenistic - Parthian period, second half of 3rd - first half of 1st century BC
Large Jar, Blue glaze, Excavated in Iran, Islamic period, 13th - 14th century
2nd floor Room 3
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - June 7, 2015 (Sun)
This part mainly features Buddhist statues from Gandhara (northwestern Pakistan) and Mathura (northern, central India) from the 2nd to the 5th century. The wide variety of sculptures on display is a notable feature.
Current exhibit includes:
Seated Buddha, Gandhara, Pakistan, Kushan dynasty, 2nd - 3rd century
Cross-legged Bodhisattva, Mardan, Pakistan, Kushan dynasty, 2nd - 3rd century (Private collection)
Worshipping of the Bowl and Cross-legged Bodhisattvas, Afghanistan, 3rd - 4th century (Gift of Ms. Yano Tsuruko)
Life of Buddha: First Sermon, Kushan dynasty, Gandhara, Pakistan, 2nd - 3rd century
2nd floor Room 3
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - March 1, 2015 (Sun)
This part introduces art of the Western Regions (Central Asia) from about the 1st to the 10th century, with a focus on Buddhist art. The highlight of this part is the rich variety of works with high artistic and historical significance.
Current exhibit includes:
Head of Female Worshipper, Kumtura Caves, China, 7th - 8th century, China, Otani collection
Tablet in Tokharian B Characters, Kucha, China, 6th - 7th century, Otani collection
Fragments of Inscribed Tablets, Kucha, China, 4th - 8th century, Otani collection
Drona, Cave 224, Kizil Grottoes, China, Tang dynasty, 7th century, Otani collection
3rd floor Room 4
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - May 6, 2015 (Wed)
This section focuses on pottery and jade objects from about 3000 BC to AD 200. The items on display present the beauty that ancient Chinese people pursued in the form and color of pottery, as well as the characteristic luster of jade.
Current exhibit includes:
Painted Pottery Jar with Two Handles, Excavated in Gansu or Qinghai province, China, Majiayao culture, ca. 2200 - 2000 BC
Ash Glazed Pottery Jar, Western Han dynasty, 2nd - 1st century BC
Oracle Bones, Excavated at Yinxu, Anyang, Henan province, China, Shang dynasty, 13th - 11th century BC
Jade Axe, Neolithic period, 3rd millennium BC
3rd floor Room 5
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - May 10, 2015 (Sun)
This part focuses on Chinese bronzes from about 1800 BC to AD 1000. The changing shapes and designs of the bronzes on display provide clues to the thoughts and shifting religious beliefs of ancient Chinese people.
Current exhibit includes:
Bronze Hu Vessel, With design of hunting scene and coiling snakes, China, Warring States period, 5th century BC
Money Tree, Excavated in Sichuan province or its vicinity, China, Eastern Han dynasty, 1st - 2nd century
Foiled Oval Box, Bronze with peonies in openwork, China, Yuan dynasty, 13th - 14th century
Bu Jar, Taotie design, China, Shang dynasty, 13th - 11th century BC (Gift of Ms. Sakamoto Kiku)
Bo Bell, Coiling dragons design, China, Warring States period, 5th century BC (Gift of Ms. Sakamoto Kiku)
3rd floor Room 5
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - May 6, 2015 (Wed)
This part introduces burial items of tombs from about the 2nd century BC to the 8th century AD. Mingqi are models of various implements and equipment, such as cooking stoves, vehicles including carriages and oxcarts, and even toilets. Tomb figures are models of humans who served a master, such as servants and entertainers. The objects on display present the idealized lifestyle that people of this time entrusted to mingqi and tomb figures.
Current exhibit includes:
Painted Musicians and Dancer, China, Eastern Han dynasty, 1st - 2nd century (Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke)
Funeral Urn, Celadon glaze, Old Yue ware, China, Three Kingdoms (Wu) - Western Jin dynasty, 3rd century
Jar, Three-color glaze with plum blossoms, China, Tang dynasty, 8th century (Gift of Mr. Hirota Matsushige)
Official Tomb Figure, Three-color glaze, China, Tang dynasty, 7th - 8th century (Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke)
3rd floor Room 5
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - April 5, 2015 (Sun)
This part presents the changing expressions of Chinese ceramics from the 7th to the 19th century.
Current exhibit includes:
Vase with Dragon Handles, Three-color glaze, China, Tang dynasty, 8th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke)
Ewer with Phoenix Head, White porcelain, China, Tang dynasty, 7th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke)
Large Jar with Two Handles, Black glaze with rabbit and arabesque design, China, Yuan dynasty, 13th - 14th century (Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke)
Dish, Willow tree and boat design in underglaze blue and red, Jingdezhen ware, China, Ming dynasty, 17th century (Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke)
3rd floor Room 5
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - April 12, 2015 (Sun)
Wishes for affluence, long life, success, and the prosperity of one’s descendants – wishes that all humans share in common – are expressed in these Chinese patterns. In connection with the New Year, we invite visitors to view rugs, embroidery, and other textiles while exploring the hidden meanings of their felicitous motifs.
Current exhibit includes:
Rug, Dragon and flower design, China, Qing dynasty, 18th-19th century
Collar Decoration for Women's Court Dress, Phoenix and peony design on blue embroided ground, China, Ming dynasty, 16th - 17th century
3rd floor Room 6
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - December 23, 2015 (Wed)
Activity area: Fortune-telling in Asia. Recommended for visitors with children.
4th floor Room 7
April 8, 2014 (Tue) - April 12, 2015 (Sun)
In the 2nd century BC, Chinese tombs were not simply holes in the ground. They developed to have walls and ceilings, with a structure almost like underground mansions. Tombs also appeared that had shrines built above ground for the bereaved families to perform rituals. Particularly in Shandong province and southern Henan province, sturdy stone was favored for making the tombs and shrines, with the stone surfaces used for carving images. Many of these stone bas-reliefs were created until the second half of the 2nd century in the Eastern Han dynasty.
Current exhibit includes:
Stone Bas-relief, Procession of chariots / Building for ancestral rituals, From Xiaotangshan, Shandong province, China, Eastern Han dynasty, 1st - 2nd century
Stone Bas-relief,Toad / Emperor Yu, etc., From Xiaotangshan, Shandong province, China, Eastern Han dynasty, 1st - 2nd century
Stone Bas-relief, Building / Tinglan and the wooden doll, etc., From Xiaotangshan, Shandong province, China, Eastern Han dynasty, 1st - 2nd century
4th floor Room 8
January 27, 2015 (Tue) - February 22, 2015 (Sun)
In the long history of Chinese painting, copying old works - "fang gu" in Chinese - was an essential means of studying painting. This exhibition features works that copiously display the essence of fang gu.
Current exhibit includes:
Reading in Autumn Woods, By Zhu Derun, China, Ming dynasty, 16th century (Gift of Mr. Honda Toshiaki)
Travelers in Autumn Woods after Fan Kuan, By Wang Zhezuo, China, Qing dynasty, dated 1716
Fishing in Solitude with Pines on the Shore, By Gu Dashen, China, Qing dynasty, 17th century
Figures, By Zeng Yandong, China, Qing dynasty, 19th century (Gift of Dr. Hayashi Munetake)
Landscape after Juran, By Wang Jian, China, Qing dynasty, 17th century
4th floor Room 8
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - February 22, 2015 (Sun)
This exhibition will explore such copybooks as well as the Copybook school during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Current exhibit includes:
Qunyutang Mitie Copybook of Ink rubbings, Compiled by Han Tuozhou, China, Compilation: Southern Song dynasty, 12th - 13th century (Gift of Mr. Takashima Kikujiro)
Writing after Autobiography of Huaisu, By Dong Qichang, China, Ming dynasty, 17th century (Gift of Mr. Takashima Kikujiro)
Writing after Mi Fu's Thoughts on Calligraphy, By Kangxi Emperor, China, Qing dynasty, 17th - 18th century
Poem in Five-character Phrases in Cursive Script, By Ni Yuanlu, China, Ming dynasty, 17th century (Gift of Mr. Takashima Kikujiro)
Writing after the Copybook of Wang Xianzhi, By Wang Duo, China, Ming dynasty, dated 1649
Celebratory Poem in Running Script, By Liu Yong, China, Qing dynasty, dated 1796
4th floor Room 8
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - February 22, 2015 (Sun)
Through the objects collected by Nakamura Fusetsu and Takashima Kikujiro, who created global collections from the Meiji and Taisho eras to the Showa era, visitors can glimpse the attraction and depth of Chinese calligraphy.
Current exhibit includes:
Poem in Six-character Phrases in Clerical Script, By Jin Nong, China, Qing dynasty, dated 1762
Display Shelf for Writing Tools and Materials, china, Qing dynasty, 19th century
5th floor Room 9
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - April 5, 2015 (Sun)
This part introduces the various methods and designs in Chinese lacquerware. Lacquerware is a form of decorative art made by applying lacquer sap on vessels and utensils, a practice which developed widely in China, Japan, Korea, and the Southeast Asian regions, in techniques and designs unique to each area. China, in particular, has a history of lacquerware of as long as 7000 years.
Current exhibit includes:
Rectangular Tray, Flowering plant design in black lacquer carving, China, Southern Song dynasty, 13th century,
Covered Box, Pine, bamboo and plum tree design in polychrome lacquer inlay, China, Ming dynasty, Xuande era
Foiled Covered Box, Black lacquer, China, Yuan dynasty, 14th century
5th floor Room 9
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - April 5, 2015 (Sun)
This part introduces the decorative art of the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1912) in China, such as works of jade, cloisonne, glass, and bamboo. The items on display feature the beauty of fine technical skill and the sophisticated atmosphere of Qing-dynasty decorative art.
Current exhibit includes:
You Wine Container, Taotie design, China, Qing dynasty, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Kamiya Denbei)
Brush Pot, Chinese children design in famille rose enamel, Jingdezhen ware, ChinaFormerly owned by Aoyama San'u, Qing dynasty, 18th - 19th century (Gift of Mr. Aoyama Keiji)
Libation Cup, Landscape and figure design, China, Qing dynasty, 18th century
5th floor Room 10
September 23, 2014 (Tue) - April 5, 2015 (Sun)
This part highlights Korean polished stone tools and metal objects that had a great influence on Japan's Yayoi culture.
Current exhibit includes:
Crown, Attributed provenance: Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Gaya), 5th century (Important Art Object, Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Bronze Dagger, Excavated at Ochon-ri, Pyongyang, Korea, Early Iron Age, 2nd century BC,
Bronze Halberd, Attributed provenance: Ipsil-ri, Gyeongju, Korea, Proto-Three Kingdoms period, 1st century BC (Important Art Object, Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Bronze Ferrule, Attributed provenance: Ipsil-ri, Gyeongju, Korea, Proto-Three Kingdoms period, 1st century BC (Important Art Object, Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Bronze Ornamental Fitting, With animals, Attributed provenance: Gyeongju, Korea, Early Iron Age - Proto Three Kingdoms period, 3rd - 1st century BC (Important Art Object, Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Bronze Dipper with Gold Inlay, Attributed provenance: Junghuwa, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Goguryeo), 4th century (made in China) (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Glass Bowl with Blue-blob Motif, Attributed provenance: Yeonbaek, Korea, Goryeo dynasty, 11th - 12th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Stone coffin for Jang Chungui, Goryeo dynasty, 12th century
5th floor Room 10
September 23, 2014 (Tue) - April 5, 2015 (Sun)
This part features the prosperity of kings in the Three Kingdoms period (4th century - 676) in Korea, through works including items of metalwork. The diverse designs of the objects are evidence of the prosperity of the kings.
Current exhibit includes:
Necklace, Excavated from Yangsan Bubuchong Tomb, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Silla), start of 6th century
Saddle Fittings, Gilt bronze, Excavated from Yangsan Bubuchong Tomb, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Silla), start of 6th century
Earring, Three Kingdoms period (Silla), 6th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Headgear, With design in openwork, Attributed provenance: Changnyeong, Korea, Three Kingdoms period, 6th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Flagpole Holder, For horse saddle, Excavated from Yangsan Bubuchong Tomb, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Silla), start of 6th century
5th floor Room 10
September 23, 2014 (Tue) - April 5, 2015 (Sun)
This part introduces Korean ceramics from the Proto-Three Kingdoms period (1st century BC - 3rd century AD) to the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910).
Current exhibit includes:
Stoneware Long-Necked Jar, With inscription, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Baekje), 6th - 7th century
Stoneware Stand for Horn-shaped Vessels, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Silla), 5th - 6th century (Important Art Object, Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Stoneware Lobed Ewer, Korea, Goryeo dynasty, 11th - 12th century
Lobed Ewer, Celadon glaze with flowering plant design in underglaze iron, Korea, Goryeo dynasty, 12th century (Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke)
Bowl with Two Handles, Buncheong ware; fish design in sgraffito on white slip, Korea, Joseon dynasty, 15th - 16th century
Vase, Catfish design in underglaze blue, Korea, Joseon dynasty, 19th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Tea Bowl, Oido type, Knowan as Sano-ido, Korea, Joseon dynasty, 16th century (Gift of Mr. Hirota Matsushige)
5th floor Room 10
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - June 14, 2015 (Sun)
This part features the essence of Korean Buddhist art.
Current exhibit includes:
Round Eave Tile, Lotus flower design, Excavated from former temple site of Gunsu-ri, Buyeo, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Baekje), 6th - 7th century
Round Eave Tile, With inscription, Excavated from Wolsong, Gyeongju, Korea, Unified Silla dynasty, 8th - 9th century
Brick, Fierce god design, Excavated from Gyuam-myeon, Buyeo, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Baekje), 6th - 7th century
Octagonal Sarira Casket (Relic container), Attributed provenance: Gwangyang, Korea, Unified Silla dynasty, 8th-9th century (Important Art Object, Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Seated Bodhisattva with One Leg Pendent, Korea, Three Kingdoms period, 7th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Standing Vajradhara, Korea, Unified Silla dynasty, 8th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Gong, With year inscription, By Han Jungseo, Korea, Goryeo dynasty, dated 1213
5th floor Room 10
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - March 15, 2015 (Sun)
This part features furnishings, costumes, and accessories from Korea in the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). While the costumes, furniture, tableware, and stationery each possessed individual beauty, their appeal was enhanced by their placement in living spaces.
Current exhibit includes:
Armor and Helmet, Korea, Joseon dynasty, 19th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Box (For documents), Dragon design, Korea, Joseon dynasty, 17th - 18th century (Important Cultural Property)
Ceremonial Jacket, Korea, Joseon dynasty, second half of 19th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Two-tiered Cabinet, Joseon dynasty, second half of 19th century
Brush Stand, Korea, 19th - 20th century
Tarae Beoseon (Child's socks), Korea, Joseon dynasty, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Tanaka Yoshio)
Basement Room 11
July 1, 2014 (Tue) - June 28, 2015 (Sun)
This section introduces sculptures from Khmer, with a focus on stone statues from the Angkor period (9th-13th century). The Tokyo National Museum collection of Khmer sculptures, which are distinguished in both quality and quantity, was acquired in 1944 through an exchange project with the research institute l'École francaise d'Extrême-Orient.
Current exhibit includes:
Garuda Riding on Naga (Snake deity), Entrance of Baphuon and Terrace of the Elephants, Cambodia, Angkor period, 12th - 13th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Standing Vishnu, Prasat Olok, Cambodia, Angkor period, 12th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Buddha Seated on Naga (Snake deity), Terrace No. 61, southeastern section of Angkor Thom, Cambodia, Angkor period, 12th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Relief of Apsaras, Bayon, Cambodia, Angkor period, 12th - 13th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Lintel, Prasat Sralao, Cambodia, Angkor period, 10th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Basement Room 12
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - June 28, 2015 (Sun)
This part focuses on Southeast Asian gilt bronze statues of gods and Buddhist deities from the 7th to 13th century. The statues are made using the lost-wax casting process, and therefore they have common qualities in their plasticity and smoothness of form.
Current exhibit includes:
Head of Buddha, Phitsanulok, Thailand, Sukhothai period, 13th century (Gift of Mr. Miki Sakae)
Head of Crowned Buddha, Ayutthaya, Thailand, Ayutthaya period, 16th - 17th century (Gift of Mr. Miki Sakae)
Standing Buddha, Thailand, Dvaravati period, 7th - 8th century
Standing Deity Hanuman, Cambodia, Angkor period, 12th - 13th century
Basement Room 12
April 8, 2014 (Tue) - April 12, 2015 (Sun)
The excavated pottery and metal wares exhibited in this part clearly show the prosperity of cultures with rich regional characteristics in ancient India and Southeast Asia.
Current exhibit includes:
Human-shaped Object, Attributed provenance: Uttar Pradesh, India, Copper Hoard culture, ca. 1500 BC
Ladle with Bird Ornament, Excavated in northeastern Thailand, ca. 3rd century BC - 2nd century AD
Vessel in Shape of Bucket, Excavated in Vietnam or Southern China, Nanyue dynasty, 2nd century BC
Bronze Drum, Attributed provenance: northern Thailand, 6th - 5th century BC (Lent by Idemitsu Museum of Arts)
Bronze Drum, Northern Thailand, 15th - 17th century (Gift of Prince Damrong, Thailand)
Basement Room 12
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - June 28, 2015 (Sun)
This part introduces the individual styles of ceramics made in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam from the 9th to the 16th century.
Current exhibit includes:
Jar, Carved design, Excavated at Angkor, Khmer, Angkor period, 10th - 11th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Elephant-shaped Vessel, Dark brown glaze, Khmer, Angkor period, 12th - 13th century
Spitoon, Excavated at Angkor, Khmer, Angkor period, 12th - 14th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Dish, Celadon glaze, Si Satchanalai ware, Thailand, 15th - 16th century (Gift of Mr. Yoshida Sakuya)
Large Dish, Water buffalo design in overglaze enamel, Vietnam, 16th century
Basement Room 13
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - April 12, 2015 (Sun)
These textiles were collected by Ms. Matsushima Kiyoe, a researcher of nomadic peoples who was passionate about the nomads of West Asia. She collected these items in West Asia from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Current exhibit includes:
Rug, Tapestry weave; interlocking lozenge and geometric pattern design on red ground, Iraq, First half of 20th century
Fragment of Piled BagSoumak weaving; flower, bird, animal, and geometric pattern design, Lori people, Iran, First half of 20th century
Fragment of Piled BagSoumak weaving; stripe, deer, and geometric pattern design, Bakhtiari people, Iran, First half of 20th century
Basement Room 13
January 27, 2015 (Tue) - February 22, 2015 (Sun)
Indian miniature paintings established a uniquely meticulous, colorful, and passionate style, with various painting schools. An appeal of the paintings to viewers is the abundance of elements vividly contained inside each picture, such as myths, music, and nature.
Current exhibit includes:
Ladies Listening to Music at Night, Lucknow school, India, 18th century
Maharaja Jaswant Singh, Malwa school, India, Late 18th century
Melancholy Nayika (Nayika Bheda), Provincial Kangra school, India, First half of 19th century
Basement Room 13
January 2, 2015 (Fri) - April 5, 2015 (Sun)
The wisdom used in daily life in the South Pacific is shown through the items on display, such as limestone mallets for grinding potatoes which were a staple food, blades made from pearl oysters to grate coconut pulp, and fabric made from pounded tree bark.
Current exhibit includes:
Tapa, Fiji Islands, Melanesia, Late 19th - early 20th century
Adze, Yap, Micronesia, Late 19th - early 20th century (Gift of Mr. Shibata Teijiro)