Image of "Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan)"

September 4, 2025 (Thu), Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan)

The Heiseikan, built to commemorate the crown prince's wedding in 1993, serves primarily as the space for special exhibitions. For this purpose there are four special exhibition galleries on the second floor, as well as the Japanese Archaeological Gallery.

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)

The Beginning of Tool Making in the Paleolithic Era

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Permanent Settlements and the Creation of Pottery

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Interaction with the Asian Continent and the Pottery of an Agricultural Society

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Political Maturation and the Creation of Symbols of Authority

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

May 8, 2025 (Thu) -
October 5, 2025 (Sun)
The Yamato Kingdom and the Production of Symbols of Authority

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

May 8, 2025 (Thu) -
October 5, 2025 (Sun)
Large Burial Mounds and the Increase in Metal Production

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

May 8, 2025 (Thu) -
October 5, 2025 (Sun)
The Rise of Provincial Clans and the Development of a Unique Culture

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

May 8, 2025 (Thu) -
October 5, 2025 (Sun)
Late Burial Mounds and Influence from the Asian Continent

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

May 8, 2025 (Thu) -
October 5, 2025 (Sun)
The Beginnings of a State under the Ritsuryo System

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Mountain Worship and the Belief in the Decline of Buddhism

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Life and Death in the Kamakura Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Objects Excavated from Edo

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)

Gravers
Excavated from Araya site, Nagaoka-shi, Niigata, Paleolithic period, 16000 BC (Gift of Mr. Hoshino Ryo)

The Beginning of Tool Making in the Paleolithic Era

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

People first settled in Japan about 40,000 years ago, marking the beginning of the Paleolithic era, which continued until pottery was first created approximately 13,000 years ago. This era coincided with an ice age during which Japan was still connected to the Asian continent via land bridges and inhabited by large mammals such as mammoths. People led nomadic lives and made tools from stone and animal bone, using them to hunt and forage.

This section explores how Paleolithic tools changed over time through common examples: trapezoids with cutting edges, knives, spearheads, and miniature blades for making composite tools such as harpoons. Generally, Paleolithic tools were made by chipping stone into the desired shapes, while polished stone tools first appeared in the following Neolithic era. Japan’s Paleolithic era, however, is characterized by the use of stone axe heads with partially-polished blades.

The most common material for tools was obsidian, a type of volcanic glass found in abundance across most of Japan. The sedimentary rock siliceous shale was used in northeastern Japan, where obsidian was scarce, while the volcanic rock sanukite was used in the Kinki region and around the Seto Inland Sea. All of these materials were suitable for making tools because they were relatively hard and fine-grained, allowing sharp edges to be formed by chipping.

List of Exhibits

Deep Vessel
Found in Hachinohe City, Aomori, Jōmon period, 4000–3000 BC

Permanent Settlements and the Creation of Pottery

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

Rising sea levels formed the Japanese islands when the ice age ended about 13,000 years ago. In response to their changing environment, people began using the bow and arrow for hunting, invented pottery, and began living in permanent settlements. This was the beginning of Japan’s Neolithic era, which lasted for approximately 10,000 years. Although farming and the rearing of livestock usually began during this era in other societies, life in Japan continued to be centered on foraging, fishing, and hunting.

List of Exhibits

Jar
Found at the Minami Oyama Site, Fukushima, Yayoi period, 2nd–1st century BC

Interaction with the Asian Continent and the Pottery of an Agricultural Society

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

About 2,400 years ago, bronze and iron tools as well as rice cultivation were introduced from China and Korea, later spreading throughout most of Japan. People began living in villages with irrigated rice fields, marking the beginning of the agricultural Yayoi period. Two unique cultures developed in parallel with Yayoi society: the Post-Jomon culture on the island of Hokkaido to the northeast, where rice cultivation did not take root, and the Late Shell Mound culture on the Nansei Islands to the southwest.

Yayoi pottery was used during this period. Although it was unglazed like the Jomon pottery of the previous period, it was thinner and fired at a higher temperature, making it more durable and lighter in color. Vessels with specific functions such as urns for boiling, jars for storage, and stemmed bowls for serving food were created to meet the needs of this new agricultural society.

In the first half of the Yayoi period (ca. 4th–3rd century BC), pottery with shared characteristics known as Ongagawa-type pottery was created throughout western Japan. Vessels showing influence from this pottery have been excavated in eastern and northern Japan, suggesting the diffusion of a shared culture. Moreover, during the mid-Yayoi period (ca. 2nd–1st century BC) use of the potter’s wheel and other new techniques were adopted.

List of Exhibits

Mirror with Triangular RimDesign of Dragon and Tiger, Found at Izumikoganezuka Tumulus, Osaka, Kofun period, 4th-5th century (Important Cultural Property)

Political Maturation and the Creation of Symbols of Authority

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

May 8, 2025 (Thu) - October 5, 2025 (Sun)

Around the end of the Yayoi period in the first half of the 3rd century, large burial mounds with regionally-distinct shapes began to appear in various areas from Kanto to Kyushu. Villages in Japan were changing to states, with some gaining the power to unify others. A Chinese historical document even noted that in 239 and 240, Queen Himiko, the ruler of Japan’s Yamatai Kingdom, sent envoys to the Wei dynasty.

During the latter half of the 3rd century, keyhole-shaped burial mounds of unprecedented size and construction began to appear in the Kinai region, with the largest concentration in the Nara basin. Objects symbolizing political authority, such as bronze mirrors and ornaments, accompanied those buried inside. These developments show that politics in Japan had matured under the new Yamato Kingdom, which was even more powerful than Yamatai. These burial mounds were constructed on a wide scale until the 7th century, giving this era the name Kofun (ancient burial mound) period.

The pottery of the Kofun period was haji earthenware. Unlike earlier Yayoi pottery, it was uniform in design and did not feature regionally-distinct decorative patterns. This section explores the beginning of the Kofun period through haji pottery and bronze mirrors that were brought from China and placed in burial mounds.

List of Exhibits

Object Shaped Like Comma Shapes, Found at the Tōdaijiyama Tumulus, Nara, Kofun period, 4th century (National Treasure)

The Yamato Kingdom and the Production of Symbols of Authority

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

May 8, 2025 (Thu) - October 5, 2025 (Sun)

From the 4th century, Chinese-style bronze mirrors were created in Japan and placed in burial mounds. These large mirrors were finely-crafted with unique designs, and, as this burial practice suggests, held special meaning in the Yamato Kingdom. Jasper, bronze, and stone copies of various ornaments were also buried in these mounds. They included distinctive hoe-shaped stone objects modeled after shell bracelets that were valued in the preceding Yayoi period. The Yamato government began creating such objects to show its political and religious authority. Moreover, certain objects, such as those made of jasper, were created with the aid of provincial clans.

Use of these objects and the construction of burial mounds for high-ranking rulers (these mounds featured stone chambers that were sealed from the top) spread from the Yamato Kingdom to the west. It is believed that provincial clans used these objects as evidence of their alliance with Yamato and as symbols of their own prestige.

The establishment and expansion of the Yamato Kingdom was also related to political developments in other East Asian countries. In China, the fall of the Western Jin dynasty ushered in the Sixteen Kingdoms period (316–420), while the three kingdoms of Korea – Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla– began to annex neighboring regions.

List of Exhibits

House-Shaped Vessel, Found at the Daidōji Tumulus, Wakayama, Kofun period, 5th century

Large Burial Mounds and the Increase in Metal Production

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

May 8, 2025 (Thu) - October 5, 2025 (Sun)

Around the end of the 4th century, large keyhole-shaped burial mounds began to appear around the Osaka plain and Nara basin. Royal authority was expressed through burial practices, with grand arrangements of haniwa tomb figurines displayed on these mounds. Central to these arrangements were house-shaped haniwa as well as those representing tools, weapons, and other objects. Moreover, the number of small- and medium-sized burial mounds containing metal weapons and armor began to increase, suggesting that connections between the Yamato Kingdom and provincial clans became more militaristic, and that these connections began to extend to lesser clans as well. Metal production also increased significantly as shown by the large amount of ingots placed in burial mounds.

Chinese records state that from 421, the Five Kings of Wa (Japan) regularly offered tribute to the Southern Dynasties and requested that their military titles in Japan and Korea be recognized in China. The mass-production of metal weapons and armor further suggests the inclusion of Yamato in an international order centered on China.

List of Exhibits

Mirror with Five Bells, Excavated at Showa-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma, Kofun period, 5th-6th century

The Rise of Provincial Clans and the Development of a Unique Culture

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

May 8, 2025 (Thu) - October 5, 2025 (Sun)

Local production of weapons, armor, and horse tack, which had originally been brought from Korea, began around the end of the 5th century. While gold and silver were often used in Korea, production in Japan was characterized by the extensive use of gilded bronze plates. From around the mid-6th century, unique metal objects such as large ornamental swords were also created. It is believed that these objects were distributed to provincial clans as proof of the Yamato Kingdom’s authority and as signs of an alliance.

List of Exhibits

Ceramic Coffin, Found at the Honbōsan Tumulus, Okayama, Kofun (Asuka) period, 7th century

Late Burial Mounds and Influence from the Asian Continent

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

May 8, 2025 (Thu) - October 5, 2025 (Sun)

At the end of the 6th century, significant changes accompanied the shift from the Kofun to the Asuka (593–710) period. Rulers constructed round or rectangular burial mounds, which replaced the older keyhole-shaped variety. In the mid-7th century, octagonal burial mounds were created for the Kings of Yamato, the most powerful rulers in Japan. Moreover, small burial mounds for individuals, which consisted of a stone chamber with an entrance, were built in the Kinai region. These developments reflect significant changes in burial practices.

These “late burial mounds” featured the latest technology imported from the Asian continent. Earth was tightly packed to strengthen construction, cut stones were stacked to create walls, and lacquered coffins were used. Some of these mounds, foremost of which are Takamatsu and Kitora, had burial chambers with painted murals that reflected imported beliefs.

Buddhism, which was introduced to Japan in the mid-6th century, spread among powerful clans while temples such as Asukadera and Horyuji were constructed in Nara. Meanwhile, China was unified under the Sui in 581 and the Tang in 618. Japanese envoys dispatched to China brought the latest culture to Japan. In Korea, the kingdom of Baekje fell in 660 to the combined armies of Tang and Silla despite Japanese aid. The creation of a unified state continued in Japan during this time of international tension.

List of Exhibits

Ridge-end ornament
Found at Tosaka (Takaida) Temple Site, Osaka, Asuka - Nara period, 7th - 8th century

The Beginnings of a State under the Ritsuryo System

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

In 701, a system of law and administration (ritsuryo) modeled after Tang China was established in Japan under the emperor. A new imperial capital was founded at Nara in 710, with the following 74 years known as the Nara period. During this period, large-scale projects such as the construction of national roads and government-administered Buddhist temples were undertaken. Such events were preceded by the dispatch of envoys to China from the 7th century. These envoys brought the latest institutions, religions, technology, and cultural objects to Japan, contributing greatly to the political and cultural reforms that followed.

Buddhism in particular affected Japan. One Buddhist tradition that spread through society, beginning with the emperor and powerful aristocrats, was cremation. This section displays vessels for cremated remains, items buried with the deceased, and epitaphs noting individuals’ achievements.

Roof tiles, which were introduced to Japan at the end of the 6th century, were initially used for Buddhist temples. After an earlier imperial capital was established in 694, their use was extended to the imperial palace and government buildings. When Emperor Shomu ordered the construction of government-administered temples across Japan in 741, the production of roof tiles gained momentum in the provinces. This section also exhibits distinctive tiles from various regions, ranging from Tohoku in the north to Kyushu in the south.

List of Exhibits

Mirror with the God Zaō Gongen
Found at the Mount Ōmine Peak Site, Nara, Heian period, 10th–12th century (Important Art Object)

Mountain Worship and the Belief in the Decline of Buddhism

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

From the late Nara (710–794) to the Heian (794–1192) period, priests who worshipped in the mountains began to appear throughout Japan. Believing that Shinto and Buddhism are essentially the same faith, and that Shinto gods are in fact Buddhist deities, they climbed mountains in search of sacred sites where they could worship the mountain gods. Sites on the peaks of Mt. Omine in Nara prefecture and Mt. Nantai in Tochigi prefecture are well-known examples, with excavations revealing various objects that these priests had left as offerings. This form of mountain worship eventually developed into Shugendo, a folk religion unique to Japan.

In the mid-Heian period, the belief in Buddhism’s decline also permeated society. The age of decline was thought to begin in the year 1052, leading people to associate reoccurring natural disasters and disturbances in society with this new age. In response, aristocrats and others living in the capital began creating sutra mounds throughout Japan. Aristocrats also believed in a prophecy that the Buddhist deity Maitreya would reappear 5,670,000,000 years in the future to save all beings. Transcribing sutra scrolls and preserving them in sutra mounds was most likely a way of praying for peace in this world and the next during these troubled times. This section features excavated objects connected with mountain worship and the belief in Buddhism’s decline.

List of Exhibits

Cinerary Urn (Vase with Peonies)
Southern Song kilns, China, China, Found in Ibaraki Town, Ibaraki, Kamakura period, 13th century; created during Southern Song dynasty, 13th century

Life and Death in the Kamakura Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

From the Kamakura period (1192–1333), political power shifted from the aristocracy to the warrior class. Society and culture began to reflect the tastes and lifestyles of these new rulers, while towns were built around their castle compounds throughout Japan.

New sects of Buddhism also gained popularity in the Kamakura period. One of these was the Zen sect, which was accepted into warrior society. Tea drinking, which spread through Zen, was valued by the warrior class for providing a means for social interaction. Meanwhile, tea utensils became highly valued as symbols of prestige among the warriors. Chinese ceramics became especially prized, and local kilns such as the ones in Seto (present-day Aichi prefecture) began producing ceramics in imitation of them. These ceramics were also created for storing the remains of deceased individuals.

Itabi were stone tablets resembling gravestones, which were created to pray for the repose of deceased individuals. Beginning in the mid-Kamakura period, they were created throughout Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Kagoshima in the south, although most of them were concentrated in the Kanto region around present-day Tokyo. Many of these tablets are similar in form and are thought to have deep connections with warriors of the Kanto region.

List of Exhibits

Sake Bottles
Found on the Tokyo National Museum grounds, Tokyo, Edo period, 18th–19th century

Objects Excavated from Edo

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

Tokugawa Ieyasu became the shogun of Japan in 1603, establishing his government in Edo (present-day Tokyo). Edo then became the political and cultural center of Japan, with 70% of its land occupied by residences for feudal lords and members of the Tokugawa clan. In addition to these residences, temples, shrines, commoners’ homes, and post towns with accommodations for travelers were sectioned into different areas around Edo Castle, while the castle itself served as the shogun’s residence and place of business. Large fires occurred frequently in Edo because of the dense concentration of wooden buildings. After each fire, land was divided and reassigned, sometimes to create open spaces to prevent future fires from spreading. Land reclamation and other projects for coping with a rising population were also undertaken, with Edo developing into one of Asia’s largest cities.

The appearance of Edo has come to light in recent years through excavations. In particular, large-scale excavations have shown where the residences of feudal lords were located and how they were laid out. Moreover, unearthed objects have revealed the luxurious lifestyles these lords enjoyed, made possible in part by a monetary system based on gold, silver, and copper coinage, which led to the increased distribution of goods. In fact, goods from across Japan were brought to Edo for consumption. This section features excavated objects that vividly illustrate the lifestyles of Edo people.

List of Exhibits

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)

Tomb Sculpture(Haniwa): Dressed-Up Woman, Found in Isesaki City, Gunma, Kofun period, 6th century, Important Cultural Property

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

April 22, 2025 (Tue) -
September 28, 2025 (Sun)
Dogū: Objects of Prayer in the Jomon Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Objects of Prayer and Accessories in the Jomon Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Daily Tools of the Jomon Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Daily Tools of the Yayoi Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Accessories and Tools of the Yayoi Period Used in Rituals

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Bronze Ritual Implements of the Yayoi Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
The Post-Jomon Culture in Hokkaido

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
The Development of Sue Pottery

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
Ancient Chinese Mirrors from Japanese Kofun Burial Mounds

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
Miniature Stone Models Unearthed from Burial Mounds

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
Before the Time of Suō Provincial Government Office: Hōfu City during the Kofun Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
Copying from Chinese Mirrors: Bronze Mirrors with TLV Patterns

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
Development of the Production of Beads and Jade Objects

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
Umanoyama Tumulus No. 4: A Case of Keyhole-Shaped Tombs’s Regional Development

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
Kofun-Period Culture in the Jōsō Region: Stone Headrests and Flower-Shaped Ornaments

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
Objects Owned by Ritualistic Leaders

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
The Niizawa Senzuka Tombs and Exchange with the Asian Continent

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
Ancient Swords with Inscriptions and the Society of the Kofun Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
The Eta Funayama Burial Mound and the Advanced Culture of Provincial Clans

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) -
February 1, 2026 (Sun)
Development of Figural (Haniwa) Tomb Figurines

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

April 22, 2025 (Tue) -
September 28, 2025 (Sun)
Tomb Sculptures (Haniwa) and Funerary Rites

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

April 22, 2025 (Tue) -
September 28, 2025 (Sun)
Ancient Coins

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Ancient Japanese Tomb Epitaphs

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Belts Worn by Court Officials

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Sacred Objects from Ancient Temples

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Sutra Mounds: Time Capsules for 5,670,000,000 Years

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Buddhist Scriptures Buried in Sutra Mounds: Clay Tablets, Stones, and Bronze Plates with Sutra Inscriptions

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Sutra Mounds: Stones with Sutra Text Buried in Prayer

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Excavated Gold Coins from the Edo Period (1603–1868)

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)
Objects Unearthed from the Ueno Area

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) -
September 7, 2025 (Sun)

Tomb Sculpture (Haniwa): Dressed-Up Woman
Found in Isesaki City, Gunma, Kofun period, 6th century, (Important Cultural Property)

Tomb Sculpture(Haniwa): Dressed-Up Woman, Found in Isesaki City, Gunma, Kofun period, 6th century, Important Cultural Property

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

April 22, 2025 (Tue) - September 28, 2025 (Sun)

Terracotta statues known as haniwa were placed on large burial mounds that were created in great numbers during the Kofun period (ca. 3rd century–ca. 7th century). Most haniwa of women show them from the waist up, making this full-length depiction unusual. This woman appears to be wearing a sleeveless garment with wave-like patterns over a plain, long-sleeved one. Her legs are hidden by a skirt decorated with vertical lines. Women of the preceding Yayoi period (ca. 5th century BC–ca. 3rd century AD) wore clothes similar to one-piece dresses. In the Kofun period, however, garments separated into top and bottom sections as seen here were introduced from China and Korea.

Her outfit is also more elaborate than it first appears: Her hair is made up in a topknot unique to women of the time and is held in place with a comb. She also wears a headband and two large earrings with a cluster of beads above each one, as well as a beaded necklace and bracelets. A knife or something similar is at her hip. Judging from the lavish attire, this haniwa probably depicts a woman of a high social standing who is participating in some kind of elaborate ceremony such as a funerary procession or rite.

List of Exhibits

Clay Figurine (Dogū) with an Owl-Like Face
Found at the Shinpukuji Shell Mound, Saitama, Jōmon period, 2000–1000 BC (Important Cultural Property)

Dogū: Objects of Prayer in the Jomon Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

The most prominent objects of prayer from the Jomon period (ca. 11,000 BC–ca. 5th century BC) are dogu clay figurines. Even the earliest examples of these figurines have breasts, which suggests that they represent women, and their protruding bellies probably symbolize pregnancy. Therefore, it is believed that dogu figurines were created to pray for easy delivery of children, the birth of many children, and fertility.

List of Exhibits

Ritual Object (Taishu)
Found at the Nishigahara Shell Mound, Tokyo, Jōmon period, 3000–2000 BC

Objects of Prayer and Accessories in the Jomon Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

Accessories in the Jomon period (ca. 11,000 BC–ca. 5th century BC) included hair ornaments, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and waist ornaments. They had the additional function of indicating the age and sex of the wearer, as well as protecting him or her from evil spirits. Stone rods, which were male symbols, were made in prayer for fertility and the birth of many children.

List of Exhibits

Fish Spearhead
Found at the Usozawa Shell Mound, Iwate, Jōmon period, 2000–400 BC (Gift of Mr. Tokugawa Yorisada)

Daily Tools of the Jomon Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

From the Jomon period (ca. 11,000 BC–ca. 5th century BC) onward, means of obtaining food changed in accordance with changes in the natural environment resulting from a milder climate. The bow and arrow was invented, while tools such as fishhooks, fishing spears, and harpoon heads were created in quantity. Grinding slabs and grindstones as well as stone mortars and hammerstones were used to process nuts and other foods.

List of Exhibits

Tip of Bronze Spade Blade
Found in Kasuga City, Fukuoka, Yayoi period, 1st–3rd century

Daily Tools of the Yayoi Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

In the Yayoi period (ca. 5th century BC–3rd century AD), polished stone and metal tools were introduced from China and the Korean Peninsula along with wet rice cultivation. Stone tools included rice reapers for harvesting, a range of polished axes and adzes for making wooden agricultural tools, and polished arrowheads that could have been used as weapons. These tools were subsequently made with iron.

List of Exhibits

Fragments of a Bronze Bracelet
Found in Tsushima City, Nagasaki, Yayoi period, 1st–3rd century

Accessories and Tools of the Yayoi Period Used in Rituals

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

In the Yayoi period (ca. 5th century BC–3rd century AD), bronze bracelets and glass necklaces began to appear. Production techniques for glass objects were developed based on metal casting techniques. Stone tools that were modeled on metal weapons were also created. These objects were buried with the deceased and used in rituals.

List of Exhibits

Mirror with Multiple Eyelets and Small Patterns
Found in Kashiwara City, Osaka, Yayoi period, 4th–1st century BC

Bronze Ritual Implements of the Yayoi Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

This section features ritual objects from the Yayoi period (ca. 5th century BC–ca. 3rd century AD), with a focus on bronze spears, swords, halberds, and bell-shaped dotaku. Early in this period, the first bronze and iron implements were brought to Kyushu in southwestern Japan from Korea. Among these were bronze weapons such as swords, spears, and halberds. Soon these objects were being created locally and they became larger and flatter, showing a shift to ritual use.

Most bell-shaped dotaku have been excavated from the Kinki region. Although they may have originated from similar bells made in China and Korea, they were created in larger sizes and with unique surface decorations. Initially, they were approximately 20 cm in height but their size increased over time as they changed into ornamental objects no longer used to produce sound. Experts believe that these ritual bells were used to pray for bountiful harvests and the prosperity of settlements.

List of Exhibits

Spade, Whale bone
Found in Muroran City, Hokkaido, Epi-Jōmon period, 2nd–1st century BC

The Post-Jomon Culture in Hokkaido

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 4, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

A variety of stone tools were used during this period, including single- and double-edged polished stone axes, as well as stone knives and harpoon heads for hunting and butchering sea mammals and other animals. There are also unique fish-shaped stones that were probably used as bait for fishing. Pottery continued to feature rich decorations. Additionally, cylindrical jewelry made out of jasper from Sado island, objects made out of seashells from Japan’s southern seas, and iron tools have also been excavated. These objects suggest interaction with the Yayoi culture on the mainland as well as cultures on the Asian continent via the island of Sakhalin to the north.

List of Exhibits

Cylindrical Vessel Stand
Found at the Minoshima Tumulus No.1, Wakayama, Kofun period, 6th century

The Development of Sue Pottery

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

This technique originated in China’s gray pottery and was later introduced from Korea to Japan, where local production began in the 5th century.

At the Suemura site in present-day Osaka in particular, many kilns were in operation until the Heian period (794–1192). From the late 5th century, sue ware kilns were built in various regions of Japan, and the pottery they produced was also placed in burial mounds with the deceased. Even after the Nara and Heian periods, sue ware was used at temples and government offices. The techniques for making it were later used to create new types of pottery.

List of Exhibits

重要文化财　画纹带同向式神兽镜
大阪府和泉市和泉黄金冢古坟出土　古坟时代 4世纪（中国制 239年）

Ancient Chinese Mirrors from Japanese Kofun Burial Mounds

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

The mirrors displayed here comprise two types: ones inscribed with their respective years of production, and ones that were passed down through multiple generations before burial in tumuli. The former type are inscribed with Chinese era names from dynasties such as the Wei (220–265) and the Wu (222–280), and have been excavated in limited number from Japanese tumuli. The latter were buried in tumuli years after being produced, and are invaluable for shedding light on the establishment of Kofun-period culture.

List of Exhibits

Ritual Chisel
Found at the Samita Takarazuka Tumulus, Nara, Kofun period, 4th–5th century (Important Cultural Property)

Miniature Stone Models Unearthed from Burial Mounds

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

From around the mid-300s, miniature stone models were interred with the dead in burial mounds.
Not intended for practical use, they were made of relatively soft stone such as steatite and imitated a wide range of items.
Among such miniature stone models, this exhibit introduces tools and farming implements.

List of Exhibits

Footed Bowl with a Handle
Found at the Tataraterayama Tumuli, Yamaguchi, Kofun period, 6th–7th century

Before the Time of Suō Provincial Government Office: Hōfu City during the Kofun Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

Hōfu City in Yamaguchi Prefecture in western Japan was where an ancient regional government office named Suō provincial government office existed and highly prospered. Hōfu boasted the largest number of tombs constructed for powerful individuals within Yamaguchi Prefecture between the late- to final Kofun period (ca. 3rd–7th century). The construction of many tombs resulted in rapid development of the regional society.

Through objects excavated from tombs, this section of the gallery examines the process in which Hōfu, with the establishment of Suō provincial government office, became the center of the region, mainly from the viewpoint of transportation of goods from and into this region.

List of Exhibits

Mirror with a TLV Pattern and Beasts
Found at the Samita Takarazuka Tumulus, Nara, Kofun period, 4th–5th century (Important Cultural Property)

Copying from Chinese Mirrors: Bronze Mirrors with TLV Patterns

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

During the early Kofun period (ca. 3rd–7th century), the Japanese archipelago saw the production of many mirrors that were modeled after Chinese mirrors. One of the most common types featured a design of Chinese cosmology with four deities. This section of the gallery introduces a few examples of this particular type of mirrors from the early Kofun period, as well as a Chinese mirror, which would have served as a model from which Japanese equivalents were copied.

List of Exhibits

Comma-Shaped Bead ("Magatama")
Found in Nishinoshima Town, Shimane
Kofun period, 6th century

Development of the Production of Beads and Jade Objects

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

Beads produced in the Kofun period (ca. 3rd–7th century), which changed in complicated ways over time, show great variety both in terms of type and material. They were combined in various ways depending on who wore them and what rituals they were used for. In the first half of the Kofun period, the Hokuriku and San’in regions – located along the Sea of Japan – were the main centers of the bead production, while the latter half of the period saw mass production even in the Kinki region, where Kyoto and Osaka are located today.

List of Exhibits

Wheel-Shaped Stones
Found at the Umanoyama Tumulus No. 4, Tottori, Kofun period, 4th century

Umanoyama Tumulus No. 4: A Case of Keyhole-Shaped Tombs’s Regional Development

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

Constructed in the 4th century, Umanoyama Tumulus No. 4 is one of the largest keyhole-shaped tumuli in the San’in region, which lies on the Japan-sea side of the western main island of Japan. This section of the gallery introduces a range of grave goods excavated from this tumulus. You are invited to ponder how these goods were worthy of being buried in this largest tumulus of its kind in this specific region.

List of Exhibits

Flower-Shaped Ornament for a Stone Headrest
Found in Kōzaki Town, Chiba, Kofun period, 5th–6th century

Kofun-Period Culture in the Jōsō Region: Stone Headrests and Flower-Shaped Ornaments

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

In the Jōsō region in present-day Ibaraki and Chiba Prefectures near Tokyo, a custom of burying the deceased with a stone headrest decorated with flower-shaped stone ornaments prevailed during the mid-Kofun period. This section of the gallery introduces such funerary rites unique to the Jōsō region through steatite headrests and flower-shaped ornaments for those headrests.

List of Exhibits

Triangular-Rimmed Mirror with Deities and Beasts
Found at the Kamihirakawa Ōtsuka Tumulus, Shizuoka, Kofun period, 4th century

Objects Owned by Ritualistic Leaders

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

In the 3rd and 4th centuries, provincial rulers played the roles of ritualistic leaders.
They liked to own magical objects such as bronze mirrors, and vessels and accessories made of precious stones.

List of Exhibits

Square Decorative Plate
Found at the Niizawa Senzuka No. 126 Tumulus, Nara, Kofun period, 5th century (Important Cultural Property)

The Niizawa Senzuka Tombs and Exchange with the Asian Continent

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

Created in the 5th century, burial mound no. 126 is one of approximately 600 that make up the Niizawa Senzuka tumulus cluster located in the Nara Basin. Rectangular in shape and 24 meters in length, excavations revealed that it contained a rich variety of objects from other cultures. These include gold, silver, and gilt-bronze accessories, glass bowls and plates, bronze clothing irons and small mirrors, carved semi-precious stones, and weapons. Among these, the gold and silver crown decorations, jewelry, glass bowls, decorative glass beads, and other objects are equivalent in quality to items excavated from tombs of the Silla Kings in Korea.

List of Exhibits

Stone Figure
Found at the Iwatoyama Tumulus, Fukuoka, Kofun period, 6th century (Important Cultural Property)

Ancient Swords with Inscriptions and the Society of the Kofun Period

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

The sword on exhibit features a long, 75-character inscription, which is invaluable in shining light on politics in the 5th century. Swords with inscriptions, such as this one, were made in China, Korea, and Japan. Inscriptions on Chinese bronze mirrors or iron swords made from the time of the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220) consisted mainly of dates, auspicious words, or sayings. In the 3rd–5th centuries, these inscriptions expressed prayers to the deities of the four cardinal directions in the hope of repelling evil and preventing natural disasters. In contrast, inscriptions on Japanese swords made in the 5th–7th centuries include content such as the names of individuals and the places where the swords were created. These inscriptions also express the influence of Chinese world views.

On the Asian continent, inscriptions were made primarily on large monuments such as stone steles. In Japan, however, they were featured on items that could be carried such as iron swords. Iron swords were prized in Japan from the Yayoi period and developed to an unusual extent, which experts believe is connected to the popularity of swords with inscriptions in the Kofun period.

List of Exhibits

Water Vessel
Reportedly found in the Kinki Region, Kofun period, 6th–7th century

The Eta Funayama Burial Mound and the Advanced Culture of Provincial Clans

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

July 8, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)

Eta Funayama, which is located in Kumamoto prefecture in southwestern Japan, is a keyhole-shaped burial mound with a length of 77 meters. The numerous objects excavated from this mound include a now-famous sword with inscriptions in silver inlay, jewelry and other ornaments made of gold, silver, and gilt bronze, imported bronze mirrors, horse tack, and weapons. As prime examples of objects excavated from a burial mound in Japan, they were designated National Treasures in 1965.

The jewelry and accessories, in particular, which are made from precious metals, are equivalent in quality to Korean accessories related to prestigious governmental ranks. Moreover, the gilt bronze crowns and ornamental shoes served as models for objects created later in Japan, and led to the custom of wearing metal accessories in the 6th century. Horse tack was also excavated from this mound and shows that the Japanese had acquired the technique of horseback riding.

Furthermore, unique Japanese armor, which was made in the Kinai region, suggests that the entombed individuals were advanced and had strong connections with the central Yamato Kingdom.

These excavated objects shine light on the activities of provincial clans in Japan, which interacted with Korean kingdoms such as Baekje.

List of Exhibits

Tomb Sculpture (Haniwa): Seated Priestess
Found in Ōizumi Town, Gunma, Kofun period, 6th century (Important Cultural Property)

Development of Figural (Haniwa) Tomb Figurines

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

April 22, 2025 (Tue) - September 28, 2025 (Sun)

Haniwa are terracotta figurines that were stood up on ancient burial mounds called kofun. Around the 3rd century at the end of the Yayoi period, pedestal-shaped terracotta objects that were placed on burial mounds began to change form. By the time keyhole-shaped burial mounds were first created in the latter half of the 3rd century, these objects had developed into cylindrical and pot-shaped haniwa.

The earliest representational haniwa, which depicted houses, were created in the mid-4th century, followed by those portraying armor, shields, quivers, and parasols, as well as ships and fowl. Despite increasing variety and changes in the way haniwa were positioned on burial mounds, house-shaped ones were always placed in the center, therefore playing a unique and important role. From the mid-5th century, new haniwa in the shapes of various people and animals were also created. These included shrine maidens, horses, warriors, boars, water fowl, and dogs. They were positioned around the perimeters of burial mounds as though depicting stories. These various representational haniwa, which evolved from simple cylindrical ones, are believed to have played important roles in funerary rituals.

List of Exhibits

Tomb Sculpture (Haniwa): Gabled House (Ceremonial Structure)
Found at the Shiroishi Inariyama Tumulus, Gunma, Kofun period, 5th century

Tomb Sculptures (Haniwa) and Funerary Rites

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

April 22, 2025 (Tue) - September 28, 2025 (Sun)

The advent of burial mounds coincided with the emergence of a specific kind of tomb sculpture, called haniwa. These sculptures are assumed to have played an important role in ancient funerary rites, and were a common feature of burial mounds until the practice declined after early societies abandoned the construction of colossal, keyhole-shaped burial mounds. This section of the gallery features house-shaped tomb sculptures, which were the dominant type during the 5th century. The lineup also includes illustrative examples of three other types of tomb sculptures: those in the shapes of weapons and household items, cylindrical sculptures, and wooden sculptures.

List of Exhibits

Coin: Wadō Kaichin (Kaihō)
Place of excavation unknown, Nara period, 8th century

Ancient Coins

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

Coins known as wado kaichin, which were minted in 708 (Wado 1), represent the first serious effort in Japan to mint coins for circulation. Subsequently, twelve kinds of coins were minted in the Nara (710–794) and Heian (794–1192) periods. However, the minting of coins ceased by the latter half of the 10th century as the use of bronze coins imported from China became prevalent.

List of Exhibits

Epitaph of Fumi no Nemaro
Found at Fumi no Nemaro's Tomb, Nara, Asuka period, 707 (National Treasure)

Ancient Japanese Tomb Epitaphs

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

Epitaphs buried in graves contain information such as the names, dates of death, ages, social standings, governmental positions, and accomplishments of the deceased. In Japan, the custom of making epitaphs spread in conjunction with cremation from the second half of the 7th to the first half of the 8th century. It was practiced mainly among the nobility in the Kinai region, where Kyoto and Nara are located today.

List of Exhibits

Belt Fitting
Found in Kōriyama City, Fukushima, Nara–Heian period, 8th–9th century

Belts Worn by Court Officials

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

The imperial court of ancient Japan incorporated the custom of wearing belts, which had been prevalent in Tang-dynasty China (618–907). Japanese court officials seemed to have started wearing belts as part of their attire around 710, the year Heijō-kyō (now Nara City) became the capital of Japan. Clothing regulations in an imperial decree stipulated that different materials were to be used for belts of different ranks, indicating belts were a symbol of court officials’ social standing.

List of Exhibits

Bead
Found at Gangōji Temple, Nara, Nara period, 8th century

Sacred Objects from Ancient Temples

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

Ancient temples were often constructed with a collection of sacred objects buried at their base. These sacred objects included mirrors, beads, coins, and metal vessels. They were meant to pacify unfriendly spirits and ensure the temple could be constructed safely.

List of Exhibits

Sutra Case
Excavated at Kashioyama Sutra Mound, Katsunuma-cho, Koshu-shi, Yamanashi, Heian period, dated 1103 (Kowa 5) (Important Cultural Property)

Sutra Mounds: Time Capsules for 5,670,000,000 Years

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

Sutra mounds were created from the Heian (794–1192) to the Edo (1603–1868) period for the purpose of preserving Buddhist sutra scrolls. The oldest example is a mound from which a cylinder containing sutras was excavated on Mt. Kinpu in Nara prefecture. It is believed that the Heian-period aristocrat Fujiwara no Michinaga dedicated this cylinder in 1007. The shape of a mound as well as the sutras and other objects it contains vary with its location and the time it was created. Sutras for these mounds were inscribed not only on paper but also on ceramic tiles, bronze plates, stones, shells, and other materials.

The creation of sutra mounds was motivated by the idea, which became widespread in the mid-Heian period, that Buddhist Law will decline 2,000 years after the Buddha’s death. A series of natural disasters and disturbances in society occurred around 1052, the year that this decline was thought to begin, leading people to draw connections. It was also believed that the Buddhist deity Maitreya would reappear in this world 5,670,000,000 years in the future and that Buddhism would prosper again. Sutra mounds were essentially time capsules meant to preserve sutra scrolls until the arrival of this age.

List of Exhibits

Fragmented Tablet with Sutra Text
Found at the Mount Ōmine Peak Site, Nara, Heian period, 10th–12th century (Important Art Object)

Buddhist Scriptures Buried in Sutra Mounds: Clay Tablets, Stones, and Bronze Plates with Sutra Inscriptions

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

Sutra mounds were where Buddhist scriptures were buried in the hope of preserving them for a long time. While most of these scriptures were transcribed on paper and placed inside sutra cases before being buried, others took the form of clay tablets, metal plates, or stone (steatite), all of which would survive longer underground. For Buddhist scriptures made on these hard materials, texts could be inscribed directly onto more than one surface, even on the back and sides of the materials.

List of Exhibits

Stones with Sutra Texts
Found at the Kenchōji Sutra Mound, Kanagawa, Muromachi period, 16th century

Sutra Mounds: Stones with Sutra Text Buried in Prayer

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

Sutra mounds were created from around the 9th century for the purpose of preserving and handing down Buddhist sutras. Sutras buried in the ground could take various forms, which included stones. Stones inscribed with sutra text are categorized into two types: stones with just one character from a sutra and those with multiple characters, namely a passage, taken from a sutra. The custom of burying stones with sutra text spread throughout Japan from the Muromachi (1392–1573) to the Edo (1603–1868) period.

List of Exhibits

Gold Coins (Koban)
Found in Chūō Ward, Tokyo, Azuchi-Momoyama–Edo period, 16th–18th century

Excavated Gold Coins from the Edo Period (1603–1868)

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

In 1956, a stash of gold coins from the Edo period including 208 koban and 60 ichibukin were excavated from the grounds of the Komatsu Store (now Ginza Komatsu) in the Ginza area of Tokyo. The grounds had been used by townspeople in the Edo period, but the reason why this stash of gold coins had been buried remains a mystery.

List of Exhibits

Figurine
Found in Ueno Park, Tokyo, Edo period, 17th–19th century

Objects Unearthed from the Ueno Area

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)
Japanese Archaeology Gallery

March 11, 2025 (Tue) - September 7, 2025 (Sun)

The Ueno area, where Tokyo National Museum and Kan’eiji Temple stand today, began to thrive after Kan’eiji Temple became the official family temple of the shogun during the Edo period (1603–1868). Temple halls and monks’ quarters were built, and the surrounding town flourished. This section of the gallery presents objects from the Edo period that were unearthed from the Museum grounds and their surroundings, including Ueno Park.

List of Exhibits

2nd floor: Special Exhibition

Special Exhibitions

Special Exhibition
Ōoku: Women of Power in Edo Castle

2nd floor: Special Exhibition
Special Exhibition Galleries

July 19, 2025 (Sat) -
September 21, 2025 (Sun)

The Ōoku of Chiyoda (detail)
By Yōshū Chikanobu; Meiji era, 1894
Tokyo National Museum
Please note that works will be rotated during the exhibition.

Special Exhibitions

Special Exhibition
Ōoku: Women of Power in Edo Castle

2nd floor: Special Exhibition
Special Exhibition Galleries

July 19, 2025 (Sat) - September 21, 2025 (Sun)

The ōoku refers to the living quarters of the wives and ladies-in-waiting of the Tokugawa shoguns during the Edo period (1603–1868). It was sequestered within the shogunate’s fortress Edo Castle, which was historically located where the Imperial Palace now stands. The castle’s main compound was divided into sections called the omote and nakaoku. Beyond these, copper-plated walls marked the boundary of the strictly controlled ōoku, accessible via only two passageways known as the “bell corridors” (osuzu-rōka). As part of the shogun’s private quarters, the world of the ōoku was hidden from outsiders. Its secrecy made it an object of public curiosity until its dissolution in the late 19th century. Stories, rumors, and speculation gave rise to a wealth of narratives, dramatic works, Kabuki plays, and ukiyo-e prints set in the ōoku. Today, interest remains high in this secretive institution, and countless movies, TV shows, manga, and novels feature women of the ōoku as their main characters. Virtually all of these, however, are works of fiction and fail to portray the ōoku as it truly was.
This exhibition attempts to uncover a more truthful picture of the ōoku through the stories told by some 180 objects. These range from historical records and architectural drawings to the personal belongings of the wives, daughters, and ladies-in-waiting of the ōoku, including principal wives and senior-ranking ladies-in-waiting known as elders.
The exhibition balances discussions of the ōoku of popular imagination with academic insights from the latest research.

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Japanese Gallery (Honkan)

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September 4, 2025 (Thu), Japanese Archaeology and Special Exhibition (Heiseikan)

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Chronological Exhibition)

The Beginning of Tool Making in the Paleolithic Era

Permanent Settlements and the Creation of Pottery

Interaction with the Asian Continent and the Pottery of an Agricultural Society

Political Maturation and the Creation of Symbols of Authority

The Yamato Kingdom and the Production of Symbols of Authority

Large Burial Mounds and the Increase in Metal Production

The Rise of Provincial Clans and the Development of a Unique Culture

Late Burial Mounds and Influence from the Asian Continent

The Beginnings of a State under the Ritsuryo System

Mountain Worship and the Belief in the Decline of Buddhism

Life and Death in the Kamakura Period

Objects Excavated from Edo

1st floor: Japanese Archaeology (Thematic Exhibitions)

Tomb Sculpture(Haniwa): Dressed-Up Woman, Found in Isesaki City, Gunma, Kofun period, 6th century, Important Cultural Property

Dogū: Objects of Prayer in the Jomon Period

Objects of Prayer and Accessories in the Jomon Period

Daily Tools of the Jomon Period

Daily Tools of the Yayoi Period

Accessories and Tools of the Yayoi Period Used in Rituals

Bronze Ritual Implements of the Yayoi Period

The Post-Jomon Culture in Hokkaido

The Development of Sue Pottery

Ancient Chinese Mirrors from Japanese Kofun Burial Mounds

Miniature Stone Models Unearthed from Burial Mounds

Before the Time of Suō Provincial Government Office: Hōfu City during the Kofun Period

Copying from Chinese Mirrors: Bronze Mirrors with TLV Patterns

Development of the Production of Beads and Jade Objects

Umanoyama Tumulus No. 4: A Case of Keyhole-Shaped Tombs’s Regional Development

Kofun-Period Culture in the Jōsō Region: Stone Headrests and Flower-Shaped Ornaments

Objects Owned by Ritualistic Leaders

The Niizawa Senzuka Tombs and Exchange with the Asian Continent

Ancient Swords with Inscriptions and the Society of the Kofun Period

The Eta Funayama Burial Mound and the Advanced Culture of Provincial Clans

Development of Figural (Haniwa) Tomb Figurines

Tomb Sculptures (Haniwa) and Funerary Rites

Ancient Coins

Ancient Japanese Tomb Epitaphs

Belts Worn by Court Officials

Sacred Objects from Ancient Temples

Sutra Mounds: Time Capsules for 5,670,000,000 Years

Buddhist Scriptures Buried in Sutra Mounds: Clay Tablets, Stones, and Bronze Plates with Sutra Inscriptions

Sutra Mounds: Stones with Sutra Text Buried in Prayer

Excavated Gold Coins from the Edo Period (1603–1868)

Objects Unearthed from the Ueno Area

2nd floor: Special Exhibition

Special Exhibition Ōoku: Women of Power in Edo Castle

Special Exhibition
Ōoku: Women of Power in Edo Castle