Unrivaled Calligraphy: Yan Zhenqing and His Legacy
Heiseikan Special Exhibition Galleries January 16, 2019 (Wed)-February 24, 2019 (Sun)
This exhibition will explore Yan Zhenqing and his work, its influence on future generations, and its reception in Japan.
National Treasures of To-ji Temple; Kukai and the Sculpture Mandala
Heiseikan Special Exhibition Galleries March 26, 2019 (Tue)-June 2, 2019 (Sun)
This comprehensive exhibition will present cultural properties handed down at To-ji, with a focus on the numerous treasured articles associated with Kukai himself. The Lecture Hall of To-ji houses Kukai’s sculpture mandala, a three-dimensional representation of the pantheon of Shingon Buddhism. This exhibition will feature an unprecedented 15 of the mandala’s 21 sculptures, including 11 National Treasures and 4 Important Cultural Properties.
New Year's Celebration at the Tokyo National Museum
January 2, 2019 (Wed)-January 27, 2019 (Sun)
2019 is the Year of the Boar. To celebrate the New Year, we will hold a thematic exhibition featuring works of art with boar motifs, display selected masterpieces, and more. On January 2 and 3, traditional Japanese events, such as drum performances and lion dances, will also be held. Let’s have a wonderful start to the New Year at the Tokyo National Museum!
Chinese Painting: Vestiges of Wang Xizhi’s Style of Calligraphy; Developments up to the Tang Dynasty
Toyokan Room 8 January 2, 2019 (Wed)-March 3, 2019 (Sun)
The avant-garde calligraphy of Wang Xizhi hugely influenced the calligraphy of the Northern and Southern dynasties. This exhibition traces the process of how the beautiful and intellectual style of the Tang dynasty came into existence.
Oban and Koban Coins
Honkan Room 14 January 2, 2019 (Wed)-February 3, 2019 (Sun)
Coins called oban and koban were used in Japan from the late 16th to the mid-19th century. They were forged with a combination of gold and silver in fixed shapes and sizes under the administration of Japan’s military government. Koban (small coins), were for daily use, while oban (large coins), which were of much greater value, were usually sent as gifts by the wealthy.
Burials in China: Early White Porcelain: Its Birth and Development
Toyokan Room 5 January 2, 2019 (Wed)-April 21, 2019 (Sun)
This thematic exhibition sheds light on Chinese white porcelain, namely when and how it was born and how it evolved. For this exhibition, precious works of early white porcelain, which are shrouded in mystery, have been specially selected from the collections of the Tokiwayama Bunko Foundation and the Tokyo National Museum.
