Joint Thematic Exhibition with the Shanghai Museum
Toyokan
April 12, 2016 (Tue) -
February 26, 2017 (Sun)
The galleries feature art and artifacts from regions including China, Korea, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, India, and Egypt.
Toyokan
April 12, 2016 (Tue) - February 26, 2017 (Sun)
This year’s Journey through Asia at the Tokyo National Museum features China. During this time, masterpieces from the Shanghai Museum and the Tokyo National Museum are on view in a dream collaboration. We hope visitors enjoy our exhibits, dynamic as ever, at the Toyokan Asian Gallery.
1st floor Room 1
April 12, 2016 (Tue) - April 9, 2017 (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:
Seated Buddha, Sixteen Kingdoms period, 4th century (On exhibit through August 28, 2016; On exhibit from February 28, 2017)
Standing Mahasthamaprapta, Sui dynasty, 6th century (Important Cultural Property, On exhibit through August 28, 2016; On exhibit from February 28, 2017)
Seated Bodhisattva with One Leg Pendent and Four Attendants, Northern Qi dynasty, 6th century (On exhibit through August 28, 2016; On exhibit from February 28, 2017)
Standing Bodhisattva, Tang dynasty, 7th-8th century (Lent by the Shanghai Museum, On exhibit from August 30, 2016 through February 26, 2017)
Ekadasamukha in a Niche, Tang dynasty, 8th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of Mr. Hosokawa Moritatsu)
Large Dry Lacquer Vessel
2nd floor Room 2
April 12, 2016 (Tue) -
April 9, 2017 (Sun)
2nd floor Room 2
January 2, 2016 (Sat) - December 23, 2016 (Fri)
Introducing various journeys with images
2nd floor Room 2
April 12, 2016 (Tue) - April 9, 2017 (Sun)
Large Dry Lacquer Vessel, Attributed provenance: Hui County, Henan Province, China, Warring States period, 5th-3rd century BC (Important Art Object, Lent by the OKURA MUSEUM OF ART, Tokyo)
2nd floor Room 3
April 12, 2016 (Tue) - July 10, 2016 (Sun)
This part intrduces artifacts from West Asia and Egypt, known as the cradle of the earliest civilization.
Current exhibit includes:
Lid, With designs in inlaid glass, Excavated in Egypt, New Kingdom (18th dynasty), ca. 1550-1292 BC (Gift of Mr. Momose Osamu and Mrs. Momose Fumiko)
Mummy Shroud of Padiinher, Excavated in lower Egypt, Roman period, ca. 1st century
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
2nd floor Room 3
June 21, 2016 (Tue) - December 23, 2016 (Fri)
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, Kushan dynasty, 2nd-3rd century
Stupa-shaped Container for Sarira (Buddhist relics), Kushan dynasty, 3rd century
Worshipping of the Bowl and Cross-legged Bodhisattvas, 3rd-4th century (Gift of Ms. Yano Tsuruko)
Head of Bodhisattva, Kushan dynasty, 3rd century
2nd floor Room 3
May 10, 2016 (Tue) - July 10, 2016 (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:
Mold for Image of Seated Buddha, Otani collection, 6th-7th century
Head of Bodhisattva, Otani collection, 7th-8th century
Fragments of Statue, Kumtura Grottoes, ChinaOtani collection, 7th-8th century
Head of Three-eyed Bodhisattva, Tumushuk, ChinaPelliot collection, 6th-7th century (Acquired through exchange with Musée Guimet)
3rd floor Room 4
April 26, 2016 (Tue) - August 21, 2016 (Sun)
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 Short-necked Jar, Excavated in Gansu or Qinghai province, China, Majiayao culture, ca. 2600-2300 BC
Red Pottery Li Cooking Vessel, Excavated at Chifeng, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, Western Zhou dynasty-Spring and Autumn period, 9th-7th century BC
Oracle Bones, Excavated at Yinxu, Anyang, Henan province, China, Shang dynasty, 13th-11th century BC
Jade Axe, Neolithic period, 3rd millennium BC
Jade Bi OrnamentDragon design, Warring States period-Western Han dynasty, 4th-2nd century BC
Jar in Shape of Duck, Excavated at Chifeng, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, Western Han dynasty, 1st century BC-1st century AD
3rd floor Room 5
May 10, 2016 (Tue) - August 28, 2016 (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:
Sword, Spring and Autumn-Warring States period, 6th-5th century BC
Money Tree, Excavated in Sichuan province or its vicinity, China, Eastern Han dynasty, 1st-2nd century
Finial, Animal shape, Spring and Autumn period, 6th-5th century BC
Bu Jar, Taotie design, Shang dynasty, 13th-11th century BC (Gift of Ms. Sakamoto Kiku)
3rd floor Room 5
April 26, 2016 (Tue) - August 21, 2016 (Sun)
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:
Woman, Three-color glaze, Tang dynasty, 8th century (Gift of Mr. Suzuki Eiichi)
Vase with Dragon Handles, Three-color glaze, Tang dynasty, 8th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke)
3rd floor Room 5
May 17, 2016 (Tue) - August 28, 2016 (Sun)
This part presents the changing expressions of Chinese ceramics from the 7th to the 19th century.
Current exhibit includes:
Ewer, White porcelain, Tang dynasty, 7th-8th century (Private collection)
Flask, Transparent glaze on white slip with phoenix design in underglaze iron pigment, Cizhou ware, China, Yuan dynasty, 13th-14th century (Gift of Mr. Hirota Matsushige)
Lidded Jar, Celadon glaze with shinogi ridge design, Longquan ware, China, Yuan dynasty, 13th-14th century (Private collection)
Large Dish, Lapis lazuli glaze with paired dragons design, Zhangzhou ware, China, Ming dynasty, 17th century (Private collection)
Square Vase, Three-color glaze with flower and bird design on black ground, Jingdezhen ware, China, Qing dynasty, 17th-18th century (Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke)
Gourd-shaped Vase with Two Handles, Tea-leaf color glaze, Jingdezhen ware, China, Qing dynasty, dated 1736-95 (Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke)
3rd floor Room 5
April 12, 2016 (Tue) - July 24, 2016 (Sun)
In China, embroidery with silk thread and fabric was standard. Specific techniques, the texture of the thread, and the way color was used, however, changed over time, giving embroidery from different historical period unique qualities.
This exhibition shows the beauty and variety of Chinese embroidery, displaying decorative accessories that enriched people’s lives, with a focus on embroidered works from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1369–1912).
Current exhibit includes:
Altar Cloth, With needle-looped embroidery; flowering plant design on patched and multi-colored damask ground, Ming dynasty, 16th century
Gauze Weave with Embroidery, Children and floral arabesque design on red ground, Ming dynasty, 14th-15th century
3rd floor Room 6
January 2, 2016 (Sat) - December 23, 2016 (Fri)
Activity area: Fortune-telling in Asia. Recommended for visitors with children.
4th floor Room 7
April 12, 2016 (Tue) - April 9, 2017 (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
May 31, 2016 (Tue) - July 18, 2016 (Mon)
Ichikawa Beian (1779–1858) was born as the eldest son of Ichikawa Kansai, a renowned Confucian scholar and a composer of Chinese-style poems. At the age of 20, Beian opened the calligraphy school Shozanrindo, where he taught as many as 5,000 pupils. He is one of the three great calligraphers of the late Edo period in the 19th century, together with Maki Ryoko from Edo (now Tokyo) and Nukina Kaioku from Kyoto. Beian is also renowned as a collector of various objects, including Japanese and Chinese paintings, calligraphy, ink rubbings, antiques, and stationery, for which he published the Illustrated Catalogue of Calligraphy, Paintings, and Stationery from the Shozanrindo Collection. Beian’s collection was once dispersed and lost after his death, but was later re-collected and donated to this museum by his grandson, Ichikawa Santei, in 1876, and his son, Ichikawa Sanken, in 1900. As the museum’s initial collection of Chinese calligraphy and painting, these donated works are of utmost value.
Beian’s collection preserved by the museum today includes a number of works featured in the above-mentioned catalogue, as well as those that are not widely recognized in the history of calligraphy and painting.
Current exhibit includes:
Plum Blossoms, By Chen Lu, Ming dynasty, dated 1446 (Gift of Mr. Ichikawa Sanken)
Wangchuan in Mist and Clouds, By Xie Shichen, Ming dynasty, 16th century (Gift of Mr. Ichikawa Sanken)
Flowers and Birds of the Four Seasons, By Wang Gang, Qing dynasty, 18th century (Gift of Mr. Ichikawa Santei)
Landscape, By Liu Su, Qing dynasty, 18th century (Gift of Mr. Ichikawa Santei)
Thirteen Postscripts for the Preface to the Poems of the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, By Qian Bo, Ming dynasty, dated 1454 (Gift of Mr. Ichikawa Sanken)
Miaosha jing Sutra in Standard Script, By Emperor Shenzong, Ming dynasty, dated 1601 (Gift of Mr. Ichikawa Sanken)
Document Known as "Chunxi ling", Southern Song dynasty, dated 1184 (Gift of Mr. Ichikawa Sanken)
Postscript for Buddhist Verse by Zhongfeng Mingben, By Chushi Fanqi, Yuan dynasty, dated 1349 (Gift of Mr. Ichikawa Sanken)
4th floor Room 8
May 31, 2016 (Tue) - July 18, 2016 (Mon)
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:
Five Characters for Plaque in Clerical Script, By Yi Bingshou, Qing dynasty, dated 1812 (Gift of Mr. Takashima Kikujiro)
Table, Huanghuali wood, Ming dynasty, 17th century (Lent by the Shanghai Museum)
Armchair, Ceylon ironwood, Ming dynasty, 17th century (Lent by the Shanghai Museum)
5th floor Room 9
April 12, 2016 (Tue) - July 10, 2016 (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 carved black lacquer, Southern Song dynasty, 13th century
Covered Box, Pine, bamboo, and plum tree design in colored lacquer inlay, Ming dynasty, Xuande era (1426-35)
Covered Box with Pointed Foliate Rim, Black lacquer, Yuan dynasty, 14th century
5th floor Room 9
April 12, 2016 (Tue) - July 3, 2016 (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, Qing dynasty, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Kamiya Denbei)
Pomegranate, Qing dynasty, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Kamiya Denbei)
5th floor Room 10
April 19, 2016 (Tue) - October 23, 2016 (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)
Polished Stone Sickle, Excavated at Buyeo, Korea, Bronze Age, 10th-4th century BC (Gift of Mr. Sakenobu Kyokusho)
Bronze Dagger, Excavated at Ochon-ri, Pyongyang, Korea, Early Iron Age, 2nd century BC
Mirror with Two Knobs, Minute pattern design, Attributed provenance: Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea, Early Iron Age-Proto Kingdoms period, 3rd-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)
Stone coffin for Jang Chungui, Goryeo dynasty, 12th century
5th floor Room 10
April 19, 2016 (Tue) - October 23, 2016 (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:
Gilt Bronze Belt FittingsThree-leaf design in openwork, Excavated at Yongsan, Gyeongsan, Korea, Three Kingdoms period, 4th century
Earring, Three Kingdoms period (Silla), 6th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
HeadgearWith design in openwork, Attributed provenance: Changnyeong, Korea, Three Kingdoms period, 6th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
5th floor Room 10
April 19, 2016 (Tue) - October 23, 2016 (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:
Four-legged Jar, Attributed provenance: Buyeo, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Baekje), 6th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Stemmed Cup with Pendants and Vessels, Three Kingdoms period (Silla), 6th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Ewer, Celadon glaze with carved lotus arabesque design, Goryeo dynasty, 12th century
Box, Celadon glaze with arabesque design in openwork, Goryeo dynasty, 12th century
Dish, White porcelain, Joseon dynasty, 15th-16th century (Private collection)
Beveled Jar, White porcelain, Joseon dynasty, 18th century (Private collection)
Jar, Cloud and dragon design in underglaze iron pigment, Joseon dynasty, 17th century (Gift of Ms. Shimizu Nobuko)
Transverse Flute, Unified Silla dynasty, 8th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
5th floor Room 10
May 24, 2016 (Tue) - November 13, 2016 (Sun)
This part features the essence of Korean Buddhist art.
Current exhibit includes:
Brick, With inscription, Excavated from Taiwangling, Ji'an, China, Three Kingdoms period (Goguryeo), 4th-5th century (Gift of Mr. Maruyama Sakura)
Brick, Coiled dragon design, Excavated from Gyuam-myeon, Buyeo, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Baekje), 6th-7th century (Gift of the Government-General of Korea)
Seated Bodhisattva with One Leg Pendent, Three Kingdoms period, 7th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Buddhist Temple BellWith inscription of year, Goryeo dynasty, dated 1107 (Important Cultural Property, Lent by Nishiaraidaishi Sojiji, Tokyo)
5th floor Room 10
May 10, 2016 (Tue) - July 31, 2016 (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:
Box for Clothing, Joseon dynasty, 18th-19th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Dining Tray, Openwork designs in base, Joseon dynasty, second half of 19th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Bookshelf, Joseon dynasty, 19th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Fan, Taiji diagram design, 19th-20th century
Fan, Veins of paulownia leaf design, 20th century (Gift of Dr. Yumoto Mamoru)
Water Dropper, Joseon dynasty, 19th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Hairpin, Knife, and Glasses Case, Joseon dynasty, 19th-20th century
Basement Room 11
May 31, 2016 (Tue) - May 7, 2017 (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), Angkor period, 12th-13th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Standing Vishnu, Angkor period, 12th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Buddha Seated on Naga (Snake deity), Angkor period, 12th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Standing Lokesvara, Angkor period, 12th-13th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Lintel, Angkor period, 10th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Basement Room 12
May 31, 2016 (Tue) - May 7, 2017 (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:
Buddha Seated on a Pedestal, Central Java period, ca. 8th century
Seated Mahavairocana, Central Java period, 9th-10th century
Standing Deity Hanuman, Angkor period, 11th century
Finial for a Shaft in the Shape of Naga, Angkor period, 12th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Shiva (Upper body), Excavated from Damdek, Cambodia, Angkor period, 9th century (Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient)
Basement Room 12
April 12, 2016 (Tue) - April 9, 2017 (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
May 31, 2016 (Tue) - November 13, 2016 (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:
Bowl and Stand, Silver with gilding and niello inlay, First half of 20th century (Lent by the OKURA MUSEUM OF ART, Tokyo)
Elephant-shaped Vessel, Dark brown glaze, Angkor period, 12th-13th century
Shallow Bowl with Pointed Foliate Rim, Celadon glaze with lotus flower design, Si Satchanalai ware, Thailand, 15th century (Gift of Mr. Yamada Yoshio)
Twelve-sided Bowl, Bird and animal design in kinma filled-in lacquer, 17th-18th century (On exhibit through August 21, 2016)
Bowl, Celadon glaze with fish and flowering plant design in underglaze iron pigment, Si Satchanalai ware, Thailand, 15th-16th century (Gift of Mr. Yamada Yoshio, On exhibit from August 23, 2016)
Bowl, Arabesque design in overglaze enamel, 16th century (Important Art Object)
Large Dish, Deer and landscape design in underglaze blue, 15th-16th century (Important Art Object)
Basement Room 13
April 12, 2016 (Tue) - July 24, 2016 (Sun)
Various textiles and techniques were spread across Asia from India, such as cotton cloth, splashed-pattern dyeing, tie-dyeing and brocades with metal threads. In particular, chintz, which was cotton cloth dyed with floral patterns or legendary images using woodblock printing or hand-drawing, fascinated people around the world and was a major export from the 16th to the 19th century.
Current exhibit includes:
Chintz (Hotoke-de type), Buddhist image design on indigo ground, Southern India, For export to Thailand, 18th-19th century
Carpet, Chintz; poppy design on white ground, Gujarat, India, 17th century
Basement Room 13
June 14, 2016 (Tue) - July 10, 2016 (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:
Lady in Pavilion Watching Approaching Storm, Second half of 18th century
Prince on Terrace Being Offered Two Women, 19th century
Basement Room 13
April 12, 2016 (Tue) - July 3, 2016 (Sun)
Orchid Island is situated off the southeastern coast of the main island of Taiwan. The ethnic group of Tao (Yami) people, who live on this island, are said to have come across the sea from the northern Philippines. This exhibit presents the prayers and wisdom of the Tao people who have lived together with the sea on their isolated island.
Current exhibit includes:
Model of Ship, Orchid Island, Taitung County, Taiwan, Second half of 19th - early 20th century
Miniature Ships, Orchid Island, Taitung County, Taiwan, Second half of 19th - early 20th century
Necklace, Orchid Island, Taitung County, Taiwan, Second half of 19th - early 20th century
Armor, Orchid Island, Taitung County, Taiwan, Second half of 19th - early 20th century (Gift of Mr. Yamato Iwataro)