Warriors in Battle

The warrior class first emerged in the mid-Heian period as guards of nobles. Throughout history, a variety of terms including mononofu (literally, "fighting people") and the well-known "samurai" have been used to refer to warriors, all of which convey their role as professional fighters with formidable ability in combat. This exhibition aims to show the world of warriors in battle through eminent warrior figures.

The original role of warriors was to fight in battles. Over time, however, they came to involve themselves in political matters until they eventually became a ruling class. As they came into power, warriors developed a hierarchy founded on a unique culture and set of rituals, as represented in the historical document Buke Kojitsu ("warrior customs"). Consequently, the warrior class became a firmly established counterpart to court society in the Edo period.

Through objects in the museum collection, this exhibition also aims to follow how these warriors, initially fighting professionals, came to bear additional roles as time went on.

In addition, copies of portrait paintings show how warriors appeared in full battle dress, while documents from the time tell of the actualities of battles. Implements used by warriors will also visitors to imagine how warriors appeared in battle.