PDF)Waterfall
Entrance, 1st floor Staircase
January 1, 2026 (Thu) -
January 12, 2026 (Mon)
January 11, 2026 (Sun), Japanese Gallery (Honkan)
The original Japanese Gallery (designed by the British architect Josiah Conder) was severely damaged in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. In contrast to western style of the original structure, the design of the present Honkan by Watanabe Jin is the more eastern "Emperor's Crown Style." Construction began in 1932, and the building was opened in 1938. 24 exhibition rooms on two floors provide a thorough introduction into Japanese art: "Highlights of Japanese Art" on the second floor introduces the development of Japanese art from Jomon through to the Edo period in a chronological manner, and genre galleries presenting specific rooms displaying ceramics, swords, lacquerwares, sculptures, modern decorative arts as well as the material culture of Ainu and Ryukyu are located on the first floor.
From December 1, 2025 to April 7, 2026, Room 7–10 of the Japanese Gallery (Honkan) will be closed due to maintenance work.
Entrance, 1st floor
Waterfall / Sunlight
Hiroshi Senju 2024– 2025
Waterfall
Entrance, 1st floor Staircase
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - January 12, 2026 (Mon)
The Japanese painter Senju Hiroshi generously donated this new work of his to the Tokyo National Museum. Active all around the world, Senju also serves as one of the Museum’s ambassadors. This work here features the waterfall motif for which he is so well known, reflecting the elegant beauty and strength of nature. Such works of his have been critically acclaimed both within Japan and abroad. With its red and white hues, the painting fits right into the New Year season; it will be displayed from January 1 to January 12 on top of the Grand Staircase in the Japanese Gallery. We hope that this painting will invigorate you with a fresh burst of energy as we usher in the new year.
2nd floor "Highlights of Japanese Art"
Tomb Sculpture (Haniwa): Dancing Person
Found at the Nohara Tumulus, Saitama, Kofun period, 6th century
Ancient Art | Ca. 11,000 BC–7th century AD
2nd floor "Highlights of Japanese Art"
Room 1
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - April 5, 2026 (Sun)
Japan has some of the earliest pottery in the world, dating back about 13,000 years. It was created by the people of the Jōmon period (ca. 11,000–400 BC). These people built permanent settlements and relied on hunting, fishing, and gathering.
At the height of their culture, they made pottery with richly sculpted forms and figurines with distinctive shapes.
In the Yayoi period (ca. 4th century BC–first half of 3rd century AD), people from Northeast Asia (now China and Korea) immigrated to Japan. They brought knowledge of how to farm rice and make objects with bronze and iron. More food became available and people started making tools, weapons, and ritual objects with metal.
In the Kofun period (ca. second half of 3rd–7th century), regional rulers seized power and resources. They formed an early state and the imperial line became its central authority. These rulers had giant tomb mounds built for themselves, with clay sculptures placed outside and valuable objects buried inside to express the rulers’ authority even after death.
Gigaku Mask: Suikojū ("Retainer of a Drunken King of the Western Regions")
Nara period, 8th century (Gift of Mr. Mitsui Takahiro)
The Arrival of Buddhism | 6th–8th century
2nd floor "Highlights of Japanese Art"
Room 1
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - March 15, 2026 (Sun)
Japan's leaders transformed their society by adopting Buddhism and other foreign cultures and practices. Buddhism was founded by Gautama Buddha in ancient India around 500 BC. Later it spread throughout Asia and was introduced to Japan from the Korean Peninsula in the 6th century AD.
In the Asuka period (593–710), people from the Korean Peninsula brought advanced knowledge to Japan. They included monks, scholars, and artisans, who brought technology, scholarship, artistic traditions, and Buddhist teachings. Under the leadership of the emperor and powerful clans, Buddhism began to flourish as temples were built and sacred images created.
In the Nara period (710–794), Japan’s leaders emulated the Buddhist culture that was thriving in China. In the capital of Nara, the emperor oversaw the creation of a giant buddha sculpture at Tōdaiji Temple, the symbol of a state now unified under Buddhism. The sculptures, ritual tools, sacred texts, and other works on display illustrate these two periods of rapid change.
Pine Forest (detail)
By Hasegawa Tōhaku (1539–1610), Azuchi-Momoyama period, 16th century (National Treasure)
Pine Forest
2nd floor "Highlights of Japanese Art"
Room 2
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - January 12, 2026 (Mon)
Hasegawa Tōhaku (1539–1610) was one of the most iconic painters of his time, which was marked by both devastating civil war and vigorous artistic activity. In this work, he avoided the prominent outlines typical of ink painting. Instead, he utilized rough brushwork and delicate gradations to depict windswept pines and hazy light seeping through the mist. Tōhaku created this atmospheric scenery through his mastery of Chinese-style ink painting, breathing new life into the traditional subject of a pine forest.
Prince Shōtoku
Kamakura period, 13th–14th century
The Arts of Buddhism | 8th–16th century
2nd floor "Highlights of Japanese Art"
Room 3
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - February 15, 2026 (Sun)
The beliefs and arts of Buddhism, along with its followers, became more diverse over time. In the Heian period (794–1192), the emperor and court nobility practiced and supported Buddhism. They used their vast wealth to build temples and create images for worship, often in delicate styles reflecting their tastes.
In the Kamakura period (1192–1333), the samurai gained political power, also becoming patrons of Buddhism. They preferred Buddhist art that was clear and dynamic, which led artisans to develop new styles. Many common people also became followers of Buddhism at this time, blending this religion with local beliefs, especially in the Muromachi period (1392–1573).
During these centuries, monks brought new schools of Buddhist thought from China, and developed new schools in Japan based on older teachings. Buddhism also became more integrated with Shinto, the indigenous religion. The paintings, sculptures, ritual tools, and sacred calligraphy on display illustrate this diversity in Buddhism.
Horse Stable (detail)
Muromachi period, 16th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of Mr. Okazaki Masaya)
The Arts of the Imperial Court | 8th–16th century
2nd floor "Highlights of Japanese Art"
Room 3
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - February 15, 2026 (Sun)
After emulating China for generations, the imperial court began to develop its own cultural identity around the 10th century. This movement was led by the court nobility serving the emperor. The body of work they produced — literature, calligraphy, painting, and elegantly decorated items for daily use — became one of Japan’s cultural foundations.
Even after the samurai gained more political power than the court in the 12th century, the court remained the home of high culture for centuries. The different art forms of the court were closely related, with literature playing a central role. Previously the nobility wrote in Chinese, but the creation of a new writing system (kana) helped Japanese literature to flourish. Both noblemen and noblewomen wrote some of Japan’s most celebrated poetry and stories, including by the court lady Murasaki Shikibu. Scenes from literature were also shown in paintings and on furnishings, which the nobility commissioned for their mansions.
Birds and Flowers (detail)
With the seal “Mōin”, Muromachi period, 16th century
Zen and Ink Painting | 13th–16th century
2nd floor "Highlights of Japanese Art"
Room 3
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - February 15, 2026 (Sun)
Zen Buddhism was introduced from China, and had widespread influence on culture in Japan. Zen does not stress elaborate rituals or the study of sacred texts. Rather, it teaches that meditation and daily tasks, even cooking and cleaning, are the way to spiritual enlightenment. In the 13th century, monks brought Zen to Japan as a complete school of Buddhist thought.
These monks also brought the latest cultural practices from China. One of them was ink painting, which uses expressive lines and delicate gradations to portray nature and people. Ink painting spread beyond Zen temples and became a major artistic tradition in Japan.
Another practice was calligraphy by Zen masters, which was prized for its spiritual and aesthetic value. Along with the painting and calligraphy shown here, Zen Buddhism influenced tea ceremony, garden design, and many other forms of art.
Tea Bowl, Named Furisode (Swinging Sleeves)
Mino ware, Shino style, Azuchi-Momoyama–Edo period, 16th–17th century
Tea Ceremony
2nd floor "Highlights of Japanese Art"
Room 4
November 11, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)
Tea drinking and its role in society changed over time. In the 12th century, Zen monks introduced a new kind of tea drinking from China: green tea was ground into a powder and mixed with hot water. Monks drank this tea as a medicine and to stay awake during meditation.
Before long, the samurai also began to drink tea and competed for prizes in blind tasting competitions. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the elite samurai who ruled Japan focused on the aesthetics of tea drinking. They collected valuable Chinese works like paintings and tea bowls, displaying and using them during tea gatherings.
A century later, Sen no Rikyū (1522–91) established the foundations of the tea ceremony. When serving tea, he used valuable Chinese works together with simple utensils. He also stressed humility and the beauty of imperfection. Elite samurai practiced his style and its variations as a social, aesthetic, and spiritual pursuit.
Armor (Gusoku) with a Two-Piece Cuirass and Black Lacing
Previously owned by Sakakibara Yasumasa, Edo period, 17th century (Important Cultural Property)
Arms and Armor of the Samurai | 12th–19th century
2nd floor "Highlights of Japanese Art"
Rooms 5 & 6
November 11, 2025 (Tue) - February 1, 2026 (Sun)
The samurai ruled Japan for nearly 700 years, from the late 12th to the 19th century. They emulated the imperial court, which was the home of high culture, but also borrowed from the practices of common people. Wishing for divine protection in this life and salvation in the next, they worshipped both Shinto and Buddhist deities. The culture of the samurai was complex and ever–changing, but always reflected their authority as the warrior class of Japan.
This gallery focuses on the most prominent symbols of samurai authority: swords, armor, and other military equipment. These had many purposes. Through diverse colors and materials, they showed the tastes of their owners. Differences in shape and construction reflected differences in rank and social standing. Many samurai passed down this equipment as heirlooms, while high–ranking samurai exchanged it as diplomatic gifts. Swords and armor were also donated to Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in prayer for victory in battle.
2nd floor
Imperial Palanquin (Hōren), Transferred from the Ministry of the Imperial Household in 1906, Edo period, 19th century
The Japanese Emperor's Palanquins
2nd floor the Imperial Lounge
April 8, 2025 (Tue) - April 5, 2026 (Sun)
The emperor historically rode in imperial palanquins (hōren) during official outings. This particular palanquin was used when Emperor Kōmei (1831–1867) relocated to a new imperial palace in 1855 (currently the Kyoto Imperial Palace) and when the Meiji Emperor (1852–1912) went on official outings in Tokyo.
Also on display is the yōyo palanquin, which is carried at waist height. It was used to transport the emperor within the imperial palace and to evacuate him in the event of emergencies. Emperor Kōmei (1831–1867) would ride on the yōyo palanquin when he celebrated niiname-sai, a traditional Japanese harvest festival, on the palace grounds.
Scarecrow
By David Carlin, 1995
Netsuke: The Prince Takamado Collection
2nd floor The Prince Takamado Collection Room
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - March 8, 2026 (Sun)
This exhibition displays contemporary netsuke, which was collected by the late Prince Takamado with her Imperial Highness Princess.
2nd floor
Horse
By Gotō Sadayuki (1849–1903), Meiji era, 1893
New Year’s Celebration at the Tokyo National Museum: Horses as Messengers between Gods and People
2nd floor
Room T1
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - January 25, 2026 (Sun)
Happy New Year from the Tokyo National Museum!
2026 is the Year of the Horse. Domesticated around 5,000 years ago, horses have played a vital role in human life ever since. They have been trusted partners integral to many different areas including the military, transportation, agriculture, and more. Horse domestication is thought to have reached the Japanese archipelago in the Kofun period, around the 4th to 5th centuries. Native Japanese breeds are typically smaller, at around 130 cm (4 ft. 3 in.) tall, and are often sturdier and more compact than modern racehorses.
Horses are well suited for long-distance travel, attuned to human commands, and highly agile. These abilities made them invaluable to kings and warriors, greatly enhancing combat strength. From the Heian period (794–1192) onward, renowned warhorses, admired for their strength, endurance, and fierce temperaments, came to symbolize the prestige of the samurai. Horses were also offered in religious rituals to the gods in prayers for victory in battle.
We hope this exhibition provides an opportunity for you to reflect on the deep bonds between humans and horses throughout history.
1st floor
The Door to Japanese Art
1st floor
Room T3
April 1, 2025 (Tue) - March 31, 2026 (Tue)
Welcome to the Tokyo National Museum (TNM)!
Open the door to interactive exhibits and have fun with Japanese art.
Japanese Culture Plaza
1st floor
Room T4
January 2, 2025 (Thu) - March 31, 2026 (Tue)
Here at the Tokyo National Museum, you can get in touch with Japanese culture through items created and treasured by people long ago, known as “cultural properties.” This exhibition is like a “plaza” where all kinds of people can gather and have fun before and after viewing these cultural properties, thereby experiencing the appeal and joy of Japanese culture.
Education Space
1st floor
Room 19
February 4, 2025 (Tue) - March 31, 2026 (Tue)
This Education Space is for educational displays/activities. They include " Let's Explore National Treasures at TNM," an enhanced version of the "e-Museum" website; and "Let's Rotate Artworks at TNM," a hands-on space where you can rotate 3D images of artworks as you like.
1st floor: Genre Exhibits
Guardian Gods
Heian period, 12th century
Sculpture
1st floor: Genre Exhibits
Room 11
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - April 5, 2026 (Sun)
Japan has three main traditions of sculpture: Buddhist deities, Shinto deities, and portraits of people. Buddhism was introduced to Japan from the Korean Peninsula in the 6th century, together with sculptures of Buddhist deities. These sculptures were made primarily for worship. Making a sculpture was also an “act of spiritual merit” that would help one’s prayers to be answered.
In contrast, Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan. Since ancient times, people believed that Shinto deities dwell in natural features like mountains and rivers, and rarely depicted them as humanlike sculptures. Even when a Shinto shrine had a sculpture for worship, the priests usually kept it hidden from view out of respect.
Some portrait sculptures were also worshipped, as they showed deified monks or samurai. Others were made to remember the dead and pray for their salvation. This gallery features works mainly from the Heian (794–1192) and Kamakura (1192–1333) periods, when many of Japan’s most admired sculptures were created.
Writing Box with a Courtly Carriage
Edo period, 17th century (Important Cultural Property)
Lacquerware
1st floor: Genre Exhibits
Room 12
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - March 15, 2026 (Sun)
Lacquer is the sap of the lacquer tree, which grows in East and Southeast Asia. Naturally sticky, it can be brushed onto different materials, and hardens into a durable coating that is waterproof and resistant to acids, alkalis, and heat. Because of its versatility and beauty, lacquer has been central to daily life in parts of Asia for over 9,000 years.
In Japan, artisans coated everyday items with lacquer, including furniture, boxes, dining sets, and cosmetic and writing tools. The base material could be wood, pottery, cloth, leather, or paper. To decorate these items, artisans painted designs with a mixture of lacquer and pigment, or used lacquer like a glue to inlay metal and mother-of-pearl.
But the pinnacle of lacquer decoration in Japan is maki-e (sprinkled picture). It consists of painting a design with lacquer, and then sprinkling metal powders onto the sticky lacquer before it hardens. Artisans first used maki-e techniques in the 8th century. As shown in this gallery, they developed them to an extraordinary degree over the centuries.
Horse-Shaped Water Dropper
Edo period, 18th–19th century (Gift of Mr. Watanabe Toyotaro and Mr. Watanabe Masayuki)
Metalwork
1st floor: Genre Exhibits
Room 13
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - March 8, 2026 (Sun)
This exhibition provides a historical overview of Japanese metalwork from the Heian (794–1192) to the Edo (1603–1868) period. Objects are displayed by category, such as Buddhist ritual implements, mirrors, tea kettles, objects with designs in cloisonné, decorative fittings, and okimono ornaments. Visitors are invited to view the beauty of metals such as gold, silver, copper, and iron, as well as the shapes they were crafted into, and the designs they were freely embellished with.
Blade for a Dagger (Tantō), Named “Hitotsuyanagi Yasuyoshi”
By Yasuyoshi, Nanbokuchō period, 14th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of Mr. Watanabe Sei'ichirō)
Swords
1st floor: Genre Exhibits
Room 13
November 26, 2025 (Wed) - February 23, 2026 (Mon)
Room 13 features selected swords and sword–fittings from the Heian to Edo periods, including Blade for a Dagger (Tantō), Named "Hitotsuyanagi Yasuyoshi", By Yasuyoshi, Nanbokuchō period, 14th century (Gift of Mr. Watanabe Sei'ichirō, Important Cultural Property).
Water Jar with Peonies
Studio of Ninsei, Edo period, 17th century (Important Cultural Property)
Ceramics
1st floor: Genre Exhibits
Room 13
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - March 8, 2026 (Sun)
Early Japanese ceramics were heavily influenced by techniques and processes originating in China and Korea. Over time, a more diverse range of forms and styles came to be embraced in Japan. This increased diversity was driven by economic and political factors, including foreign trade and the changing preferences of disparate social classes.
Throughout Japanese history, people of different social classes—emperors, nobles, samurai, and townspeople like merchants—held political or economic power at different times. Potters responded by creating regionally distinct ceramics that met the needs and tastes of each set of clientele.
This gallery traces the history of Japanese ceramics from around the 12th century onwards, beginning with storage jars for daily use, which highlight the unique colors and textures of local clays. It continues with tea bowls and other utensils for the tea ceremony, a practice that greatly influenced ceramic production. The ceramic traditions of Kyoto are then presented, followed by porcelain made in Arita, and other works from regional kilns.
Large Jar with Figures, One Holding an Umbrella
Imari ware, Kakiemon style, Edo period, 17th century
The World of Kakiemon Porcelain
1st floor: Genre Exhibits
Room 14
November 11, 2025 (Tue) - February 8, 2026 (Sun)
In the second half of the 1600s, Japanese artisans developed a new type of porcelain. Known as Kakiemon ware, it featured designs painted in vivid enamels, dominated by red, on a milky-white ground. These wares were exported in large numbers to Europe, where they were prized by aristocrats and royalty in the Netherlands, England, France, and Germany. They were valued not only for practical use but also as ornaments in mansions and palaces.
This exhibition focuses on works in the Kakiemon style while also presenting a broader view of related objects. These include early export wares, luxurious “gold-brocade” porcelains, and Chinese reproductions of Kakiemon ware from the 1700s. We invite you to explore the world of Kakiemon ware and its ties to the wider world.
Map of Kyūshū's Coastline (1:36,000), No. 11: Miyakonojō (detail)
By Inō Tadataka (1745–1818), Edo period, 19th century (Important Cultural Property)
Historical Records
1st floor: Genre Exhibits
Room 15
January 1, 2026 (Thu) - February 23, 2026 (Mon)
Tokyo National Museum has more than artworks and archeological artifacts. The collection also includes records, which provide valuable insights into history and the cultures of different ethnic groups. This diversity stems from the Museum’s origins as a comprehensive institution in 1872. It was even home to animal, plant, and mineral specimens, although these were moved to the National Museum of Nature and Science in 1925.
The extensive collection of historical records at Tokyo National Museum now includes maps, diagrams, texts, photographs, ink rubbings, and copies of artworks. These items, dating mainly from the 17th to 20th century, shed light on politics, society, culture, transportation, and scenery in Japan. Here we display a selection of these items under different themes throughout the year.
Necklace
Hokkaido Ainu, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Tokugawa Yorisada)
The Ainu and Northern Peoples
1st floor: Genre Exhibits
Room 16
November 18, 2025 (Tue) - February 15, 2026 (Sun)
Ainu culture is distinctively unique. From the 1200s onward, the Ainu people in Sakhalin, the Kurile Islands, Hokkaido, and the northern Tōhoku region began trading with peoples based in the Amur River Basin and Maritime Province of Siberia, as well as people from mainland Japan. These exchanges, together with subsistence activities of the Ainu such as hunting, fishing, and foraging, have shaped their culture into what it is today.
Ainu-related artifacts in the Tokyo National Museum’s collection consist of materials and objects transferred from the bureau for the 1873 Vienna World’s Fair and those donated by private owners.
This exhibit mainly introduces the material culture of the northern peoples based in regions such as Alaska and Sakhalin, who have traditionally had interactions with the Ainu.
Conservation and Restoration
1st floor: Genre Exhibits
Room 17
April 1, 2025 (Tue) - March 31, 2026 (Tue)
>> detailed information
Continuous conservation activities are required to effectively care for the objects in the Museum's collection. These activities ensure that works of art can be displayed while also preserving them for future generations. This gallery presents the Museum's conservation activities in three categories: environmental control during display and storage, assessment and analysis of each object’s condition of preservation, and conservation treatments for damaged objects.
The Hall of Dreams (detail)
By Yasuda Yukihiko, Taishō era, 1912 (On exhibit through December 7, 2025)
Art of the Modern Era | Late 19th–first half of 20th century
1st floor: Genre Exhibits
Room 18
October 21, 2025 (Tue) - January 25, 2026 (Sun)
Drastic changes in the late 19th century created new challenges for artists. The samurai government that had strictly regulated contact with the outside world collapsed in a civil war. Japan's new leaders announced the start of the Meiji era (1868–1912), engaging with the world and reforming their nation to be more like “the West” (mainly Europe and the United States).
These leaders soon realized that works produced in Japan were not seen as “fine art” in the West. Artisans often mounted paintings on sliding doors and folding screens, but this practice made them look like furniture to Europeans and Americans. Japan's ceramics, lacquerware, metalwork, and textiles were also labeled as “decorative art” rather than “fine art.”
In response, artistic traditions were changed to meet Western standards. Japan's leaders established schools of fine art, organized national exhibitions, and urged artists to participate in world fairs. They intended to show the world that Japan was a “modern” nation with sophisticated arts and culture. The works on display reflect how Japanese artists met these challenges.