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Finding Cherry Blossoms in the Jananese Gallery (Honkan)

  • Image of "Cherry Blossom Viewing at Asukayama (detail), By Torii Kiyonaga, Edo period, 18th century"

    Cherry Blossom Viewing at Asukayama (detail), By Torii Kiyonaga, Edo period, 18th century

    Japanese Gallery (Honkan)
    March 13, 2018 (Tue) - April 8, 2018 (Sun)

    To coincide with the Springtime Opening of the Museum Garden (Tuesday, March 13 - Sunday, May 20, 2018), many artworks featuring cherry blossom are on display in the Japanese Gallery. Come and enjoy the various expressions of cherry blossom depicted in ancient and modern masterpieces.

    During the period of “Cherry Blossom Viewing at the Tokyo National Museum” (Tuesday, March 13 - Sunday, April 8, 2018), we are holding a cherry-blossom stamp rally. If visitors collect the stamps at 5 points within the Honkan galleries, they will be eligible to receive an original button badge. (You can exchange the stamps for it at the entrance of Honkan from 10:00 to closing time.)
      

Finding Cherry Blossoms in the Jananese Gallery (Honkan)

 

National Treasure Gallery

国宝 花下遊楽図屛風 狩野長信筆 江戸時代・17世紀国宝 花下遊楽図屛風 狩野長信筆 江戸時代・17世紀
Merrymaking under Blossom Trees
By Kano Naganobu, Edo period, 17th century (National Treasure)
Room2, March 13 - April 8, 2018

Depicted on this pair of screens is a scene of cherry blossom viewing by people dressed in garments with the latest designs. Whether it was intended to portray a particular event or setting is unclear. The surrounding trees and curtains, however, create a dramatic effect in which the people performing a folk dance and the ladies watching them appear as though they were on a stage.

 

Courtly Art: Heian - Muromachi period

重要文化財 厩図屛風 室町時代・16世紀 岡崎正也氏寄贈
Horse Stables (detail)
Muromachi period, 16th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of Mr. Okazaki Masaya)
Room3, March 20 - April 22, 2018

This painting depicts six horses in a stable across two screens. The right end shows pines, wisteria, herons, and tortoises, while the left portrays cherry and willow trees, cranes, and mandarin ducks. There are also people playing traditional board games such as igo, shogi, and sugoroku, as well as a dog and a monkey. Although the primary theme is fine horses, this work features auspicious “flower and bird” motifs and elements of genre painting.

 

Folding Screens and Sliding Door Paintings: Azuchi-Momoyama - Edo period

観桜図屛風 住吉具慶筆 江戸時代・17世紀 西脇健治氏寄贈
Cherry Blossom Viewing (detail)
By Sumiyoshi Gukei, Edo period, 17th century (Gift of Mr. Nishiwaki Kenji)
Room 7, March 20 - April 22, 2018

A prince at his villa with his attendants is portrayed enjoying composing poems among cherry blossoms in a scene from The Tales of Ise.

 

The Arts of Daily Life: Azuchi-Momoyama - Edo period

吉野山蒔絵棚 江戸時代・19世紀 矢野鶴子氏寄贈
Tiered Stand, Mount Yoshino design in maki-e lacquer
Edo period, 19th century (Gift of Ms. Yano Tsuruko)
Room 8, January 30 - April 15, 2018

Making ample use of thin sheets of gold, this bookcase is adorned with scenes of Mount Yoshino in Nara, which has been famous for its brilliant cherry blossoms since antiquity.
 

書画の展開

桜賦 佐久間象山筆 江戸時代・19世紀 会津秀雄氏寄贈
Ode to Cherry Blossoms
By Sakuma Shozan, Edo period, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Aizu Hideo)
Room 8, March 20 - April 15, 2018

In this poem, the narrator entrusts his loyalty to Japan to the beauty of its cherry blossoms. It was written while its author, Sakuma Shozan, was confined in his home on suspicion of secretly playing a part in the overseas passage of his student Yoshida Sho’in, during the time of Japan’s seclusionist policy. An advocate of international exchange, at 54 years of age Shozan was attacked and killed by seclusionists in the Sanjo district of Kyoto. Produced during his final years, this work demonstrates a mastery of the styles of Chinese Tang dynasty calligrapher Yan zhenqin.
 

Ukiyo-e and Fashion in the Edo Period: Ukiyo-e

飛鳥山花見 鳥居清長筆 江戸時代・18世紀
Cherry Blossom Viewing at Asukayama
By Torii Kiyonaga, Edo period, 18th century
Room 10, March 20 - April 15, 2018
 

Ukiyo-e and Fashion in the Edo Period: Fashion

振袖 染分縮緬地枝垂桜菊短冊模様 江戸時代・18世紀
Furisode (Garment with long sleeves), Design of weeping cherries, chrysanthemums, and tanzaku poem cards on a parti-colored chirimen crepe ground
Edo period, 18th century
Room 10, February 20 - April 22, 2018

This garment for an unmarried woman is decorated with patterns of spring plants at the top and autumn plants at the bottom, making it appropriate for both seasons.
 

Japanese Sculpture

不動明王立像 平安時代・11世紀 岡野哲策氏寄贈
Standing Fudo Myo'o (Acalanatha)
Heian period, 11th century (Gift of Mr. Okano Tetsusaku)
Room 11, February 6 - April 15, 2018

The fearsome deity Acalanatha is tasked with converting unbelievers to Buddhism. This is one of the earliest standing images of him and was carved from cherry, a wood that was rarely used in Buddhist sculpture.
 

Ceramics

色絵桜樹図透鉢 仁阿弥道八作 江戸時代・19世紀
Bowl, Cherry tree design in overglaze enamel and openwork
By Nin'nami Dohachi, Edo period, 19th century
Room 13, February 27 - May 20, 2018

Created by a renowned Kyoto potter who was active in the late Edo period (1603-1868), this bowl features cherry trees, and has a box bearing inscriptions.
 

Modern Art

嵐山春景 塩川文麟筆 明治6年(1873) 塩川文鱗氏寄贈
Spring Landscape at Arashiyama
By Shiokawa Bunrin, Dated 1873 (Gift of the artist)
Room 18, March 20 - May 6, 2018
 

Related Events

Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan) Auditorium  April 7, 2018 (Sat)   13:30 - 15:00   RESERVE_DAY
<Gallery Talks>   Classical Fragrance of Spring
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) B1 Education Room  March 30, 2018 (Fri)   14:00 - 14:30   RESERVE_DAY
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) B1 Education Room  April 4, 2018 (Wed)   14:00 - 14:30   RESERVE_DAY
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) B1 Education Room  March 23, 2018 (Fri)   14:00 - 14:30   RESERVE_DAY
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) B1 Education Room  March 28, 2018 (Wed)   14:00 - 14:30   RESERVE_DAY
Japanese Gallery (Honkan)   March 13, 2018 (Tue) - April 8, 2018 (Sun)
The Garden   March 13, 2018 (Tue) - May 20, 2018 (Sun)