Change of Exhibits,TNM Collection Exhibitions: Starting from January 14, 2026 (Wed)
TNM Collection Exhibitions at Tokyo National Museum are rotated almost every week. This page provides the latest information on the change of exhibits.
* Some works are exhibited for a longer period of time.
Japanese Gallery (Honkan)
Created over 900 years ago, this work belongs to the oldest surviving series of paintings depicting the Sixteen Arhats. According to Buddhist mythology, these holy men attained enlightenment, immortality, and supernatural powers to aid the faithful. They were revered as guardians of the Buddha’s teachings.
The upper part of the painting shows the tenth arhat, Venerable Handaka of the Thirty-Three Heavens, presenting an offering at a Buddha Hall. Below him, two attendants clasp their hands in prayer. The swirling clouds at the bottom suggest that this scene is unfolding not in our world but in a mysterious sacred realm.
This painting was handed down for generations at Shōjuraikōji, a Buddhist temple northeast of Kyoto, and was likely commissioned by a member of Japan’s nobility. Its graceful colors, decorative patterns, and gentle linework create a tranquil aesthetic that was favored by the nobility of eleventh-century Japan.