Chinese Buddhist Sculpture
1st floor Room 1
April 26, 2022 (Tue) -
April 23, 2023 (Sun)
February 4, 2023 (Sat), Asian Gallery (Toyokan)
The galleries feature art and artifacts from regions including China, Korea, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, India, and Egypt.
1st floor
Ekadasamukha in a Niche (detail), Tang dynasty, 8th century, Gift of Mr. Hosokawa Moritatsu (Important Cultural Property)
Chinese Buddhist Sculpture
1st floor Room 1
April 26, 2022 (Tue) - April 23, 2023 (Sun)
This section mainly features stone or gilt bronze Buddhist statues from about the 6th to the 8th century. The statues on display present the exquisite form of sculptures from the golden era of Buddhist statues in China.
2nd floor
Art of the Western Regions
2nd floor Room 3
January 17, 2023 (Tue) - April 16, 2023 (Sun)
This section of the gallery features ancient art and artifacts from regions that gave rise to some of humanity’s earliest civilizations, including West Asia, Egypt, and the eastern Mediterranean. The Egyptian collection includes stoneware and earthenware objects from Pre-dynastic Egypt (circa 6000–3150 BC) as well as reliefs, mummies, and decorative art from Dynastic Egypt. Other objects frequently on view include Bronze Age burial goods from West Asia and the eastern Mediterranean, tablets bearing cuneiform script from Mesopotamia, and sculptures and pottery from ancient Iran.
Buddha, Kushan dynasty, 2nd–3rd century
Sculptures from India and Gandhara
2nd floor Room 3
July 5, 2022 (Tue) - July 2, 2023 (Sun)
This part mainly features Buddhist statues from Gandhara (northwestern Pakistan) and Mathura (northern, central India) from the 2nd to the 5th century. The wide variety of sculptures on display is a notable feature.
Head of a Buddha, Khotan, China, 3rd-4th century
Art of the Western Regions
2nd floor Room 3
January 31, 2023 (Tue) - March 19, 2023 (Sun)
This room mainly features artifacts discovered at Silk Road sites by the Japanese Ōtani expeditions at the start of the 20th century. Works are exhibited on rotation and illustrate the wide range of art and religious objects found in the diverse cultures along the Silk Road.
3rd floor
Roof Tile with an Animal Mask (Taotie), Warring States period (the Yan state), 5th–4th century BC
The Advent of Chinese Civilization
3rd floor Room 4
November 15, 2022 (Tue) - May 14, 2023 (Sun)
This section of the gallery traces the development of Chinese civilization through ancient pottery, jade objects, texts, and bronzes. The collection includes Neolithic pottery from the Loess Plateau, a range of stone tools from Northern China, jade objects and oracle-bone inscriptions from the Shang dynasty (ca. 1600–ca. 1100 BC), and roof tiles from each era.
Bell (Bo) with Panchi Dragons, Warring States period, 5th century BC (Gift of Ms. Sakamoto Kiku)
Chinese Bronzes
3rd floor Room 5
November 29, 2022 (Tue) - March 19, 2023 (Sun)
This section of the gallery focuses on bronzes, mainly from the Shang dynasty (ca. 1600–ca. 1100 BC) to the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), including ritual vessels, musical instruments, weapons, and horse tack. It also features mirrors and other bronzes from Northern China, tracing the development of early Chinese aesthetics.
Model of a Well, Eastern Han dynasty, 2nd–3rd century (Gift of Dr. Yokogawa Tamisuke)
Burials in China
3rd floor Room 5
November 29, 2022 (Tue) - February 19, 2023 (Sun)
This gallery introduces burial items of tombs from about the 2nd century BC to the 8th century AD. Mingqi are models of various implements and equipment, such as cooking stoves, vehicles including carriages and oxcarts, and even toilets. Tomb figures are models of humans who served a master, such as servants and entertainers. The objects on display present the idealized lifestyle that people of this time entrusted to mingqi and tomb figures.
Incense Container Shaped Like an Eggplant, Jingdezhen ware, China, Ming dynasty, 17th century (Gift of Mr. Hirota Matsushige)
Chinese Ceramics
3rd floor Room 5
January 24, 2023 (Tue) - May 14, 2023 (Sun)
This section of the gallery explores the history of Chinese ceramics, spanning the 7th to 19th century. The objects on view are rotated on a regular basis, but typically feature examples of fine porcelain made for the imperial household at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns alongside objects produced for commercial purposes in private kilns and elsewhere.
Textile with Peonies and a Phoenix, Ming dynasty, 15th century
Chinese Textiles: Auspicious Birds
3rd floor Room 5
December 6, 2022 (Tue) - March 5, 2023 (Sun)
In connection with the Chinese New Year, this exhibition presents textiles with auspicious bird patterns. Throughout history, Chinese textiles were decorated with images of birds associated with good fortune. These included everyday birds such as cranes and Mandarin ducks, as well as imaginary birds such as Chinese phoenixes. Textile patterns with birds are reflections of Chinese thought and culture, and they represent people’s wishes for peace, harmony, longevity, and other blessings.
Oasis6 Education Space: Fortune-telling in Asia
3rd floor Room 6
September 21, 2022 (Wed) - March 31, 2024 (Sun)
Activity area: Fortune-telling in Asia. Recommended for visitors with children.
4th floor
Stone Bas-reliefQueen Mother of the West / Chariot / Hunting (detail), From Jinyangshan, Shandong province, China Eastern Han dynasty, 1st-2nd century
Stone Relief Carvings of China
4th floor Room 7
April 12, 2022 (Tue) - April 16, 2023 (Sun)
In the 2nd century BC, Chinese tombs were not simply holes in the ground. They developed to have walls and ceilings, with a structure almost like underground mansions. Tombs also appeared that had shrines built above ground for the bereaved families to perform rituals. Particularly in Shandong province and southern Henan province, sturdy stone was favored for making the tombs and shrines, with the stone surfaces used for carving images. Many of these stone bas–reliefs were created until the second half of the 2nd century in the Eastern Han dynasty.
Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering (Wu Bing Copy of the Ding Wu Version) (detail), Original calligraphy by Wang Xizhi, Original calligraphy: Eastern Jin dynasty, 353 (Gift of Mr. Takashima Kikujirō, On exhibit from February 28, 2023)
Wang Xizhi and the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering
4th floor Room 8
January 31, 2023 (Tue) - April 23, 2023 (Sun)
On the occasion of TNM’s 150th anniversary, this exhibition explores the rich literati culture of Japan and China, as epitomized by Wang Xizhi and the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering. It introduces representative works by this master calligrapher alongside paintings and calligraphy themed on the purification ceremony at the Orchid Pavilion. Also featured are works related to literary gatherings or exchanges between literati figures. The exhibition is divided into four themes: “The Wang Xizhi Calligraphy Tradition,” “The Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering and its Culture,” “Various Kinds of Literary Gatherings,” and “Literary Gatherings in Landscape Paintings.”
5th floor
Box with a Dragon among Clouds, Ming dynasty, Xuande era (1426–35)
Chinese Lacquerware
5th floor Room 9
January 2, 2023 (Mon) - April 2, 2023 (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 it hardens into a durable coating that is waterproof and resistant to acids, alkalis, and heat. The history of lacquerware in China dates back to the Neolithic period (ca. 10,000–2100 BC). Over the millennia, a number of decorative techniques evolved in China, including lacquer relief carving and lacquer with incised lines filled with gold leaf. Chinese lacquerware frequently feature abstract spiral patterns (called “pommel scrolls”) or pictorial scenes of landscapes, flowers, birds, pavilions, and people.
Incense Burner, Qing dynasty, 19th century, China (Gift of Mr. Kamiya Denbei)
Decorative Art of the Qing Dynasty
5th floor Room 9
January 2, 2023 (Mon) - April 2, 2023 (Sun)
This section of the gallery introduces decorative art from China’s Qing dynasty (1644–1912), including works of jade, cloisonné, glass, and bamboo. These works illustrate the fine craftsmanship and sophisticated design aesthetic of decorative art from this period.
Dipper, Reportedly found in Junghwa, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Goguryeo), 4th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Polished Stone Tools and Metal Tools of Korea
5th floor Room 10
November 22, 2022 (Tue) - May 21, 2023 (Sun)
This section of the gallery introduces archeological artifacts from Korea, including stone and bronze weapons and sophisticated cast ornamental fittings with animal motifs. It also features mirrors, hooked belt fittings, and other items associated with the Lelang Commandery, an administrative division established by China’s Han dynasty in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula.
Three-Legged Vessel with a Handle, Reportedly found at Hapcheon, Korea, Three Kingdoms period, 6th century (Important Cultural Property, Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
The Rise and Fall of Kings in Korea
5th floor Room 10
November 22, 2022 (Tue) - May 21, 2023 (Sun)
This gallery presents artifacts from Korea’s Three Kingdoms period (57 BC–668 AD), an era when powerful rulers vied for control of the Korean Peninsula. The three kingdoms were comprised of Goguryeo in the north, Baekje in the southwest, and Silla in the southeast. A fourth state, known as the Gaya confederacy, also existed in the south before being annexed by Silla.
Each region made full use of the materials of the time–namely, gold, silver, bronze, iron, glass, and jade–to create distinct ornaments and other objects including, armor, horse tack, clay tiles, and pottery.
Octagonal Water Pitcher with a Plum Tree and Butterflies, Joseon dynasty, 19th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Korean Ceramics
5th floor Room 10
November 22, 2022 (Tue) - May 21, 2023 (Sun)
This gallery introduces Korean ceramics from the Proto-Three Kingdoms period (ca. 1st century BC–3rd century AD) to the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). The development of Korean ceramics during the Proto–Three Kingdoms period was influenced by the Lelang Commandery, an outpost established by China’s Han dynasty in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Rulers of powerful states struggled for supremacy during this period, resulting in a rich variety of distinct ceramic aesthetics in each region. Under Chinese influence, a blue-green glaze called celadon began to be produced in Korea during the Goryeo dynasty (935–1392). Over time, celadon wares took on a distinct gray-green coloring that came to be known as Goryeo celadon. The production of pottery then diversified during the Joseon dynasty to include white porcelain and Buncheong ware, a type of stoneware often featuring designs in white slip and iron pigment.
Bell with a Five-Pronged Vajra, Korea, Goryeo dynasty, 14th century (Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Buddhist Art of Korea
5th floor Room 10
October 12, 2022 (Wed) - April 9, 2023 (Sun)
Buddhism began to spread on the Korean Peninsula during the 4th and 5th centuries. This section introduces Buddhist art from the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC–668 AD), the Unified Silla dynasty (669–935), and the Goryeo dynasty (935–1392), including gilt-bronze statues, bricks, roof tiles, and ritual implements.
Pipe, Joseon dynasty, 19th–20th century
Art of the Joseon Dynasty
5th floor Room 10
January 31, 2023 (Tue) - May 7, 2023 (Sun)
This gallery features Korean furniture, clothing, and room decor from the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). While the costumes, furniture, tableware, and stationery each possessed individual beauty, their appeal was enhanced by their placement in living spaces.
Basement
Garuda Riding on Naga (Snake deity), Acquired through exchange with l'École française d'Extrême-Orient, Angkor period, 12th-13th century
Khmer Sculpture
Basement Room 11
April 5, 2022 (Tue) - April 9, 2023 (Sun)
This section introduces sculptures from Khmer, with a focus on stone statues from the Angkor period (9th–13th century). The Tokyo National Museum collection of Khmer sculptures, which are distinguished in both quality and quantity, was acquired in 1944 through an exchange project with the research institute l'École francaise d'Extrême–Orient.
Standing Buddha, Dvaravati period, 7th-8th century
Gilt Bronze Statues from Southeast Asia
Basement Room 12
April 5, 2022 (Tue) - April 9, 2023 (Sun)
This part focuses on Southeast Asian gilt bronze statues of gods and Buddhist deities from the 7th to 13th century. The statues are made using the lost–wax casting process, and therefore they have common qualities in their plasticity and smoothness of form.
Human-shaped Object, Attributed provenance: Uttar Pradesh, India, Copper Hoard culture, ca. 1500 BC
Archaeology of India and Southeast Asia
Basement Room 12
April 5, 2022 (Tue) - April 9, 2023 (Sun)
The excavated pottery and metal wares exhibited in this part clearly show the prosperity of cultures with rich regional characteristics in ancient India and Southeast Asia.
Large Dish Fish and water plant design in underglaze blue, Formerly owned by Okano Shigezō, 15th-16th century (Important Art Object)
Southeast Asian Ceramics
Basement Room 12
August 2, 2022 (Tue) - April 2, 2023 (Sun)
This part introduces the individual styles of ceramics made in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam from the 9th to the 16th century.
Accessory for Horse Head, with Double Wavy Lines, Afghanistan, 20th century (Gift of Mr. Konishi Akihito)
Asian Textiles: Textiles of Nomadic People from Asia
Basement Room 13
December 6, 2022 (Tue) - March 5, 2023 (Sun)
These textiles were collected by Ms. Matsushima Kiyoe, a researcher of nomadic peoples who was passionate about the nomads of West Asia. She collected these items in West Asia from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Since ancient times, nomadic people lived itinerantly together with their livestock, moving around the plateau regions that stretch from northwestern India to Pakistan, Afghanistan, and from Iran to Turkey. Without fixed places of residence, they acted as tribes. The nomads were self-sufficient in all the necessities of their daily lives, therefore their clothes, bags, sheets for tents, and other textile items were all created by spinning the wool from their livestock, or by turning woolen fibers into felt. Each tribe also developed unique designs, so that they could indicate their tribes from a distance. In today’s world, the lives of nomads have also modernized, as a result of which their culture is gradually being lost.
Wazir Dhian Singh, By the Sikh school, Ca. mid-19th century
Indian Miniature Paintings
Basement Room 13
January 17, 2023 (Tue) - February 12, 2023 (Sun)
The art of “miniature painting” is one of India’s best-known genres. These paintings use elaborate brushwork and vibrant colors to depict a variety of themes, including: Indian myths, Hindu gods, portraits of kings, scenes from history, and love stories. Miniature paintings can also be enjoyed for their distinct regional styles that reflect India’s rich history of cultural diversity.
Wayang Kulit: Prabu Kresna, Second half of the 20th century (Gift of Mr. Taeda Tsuyoshi)
Wayang Kulit: Heroes from the Mahabharata
Basement Room 13
January 17, 2023 (Tue) - April 9, 2023 (Sun)
As one of Indonesia’s best-known forms of traditional puppet theater, wayang kulit is famous for its elaborate shadow puppets and lively performances. Since the introduction of Hinduism in the 10th century, the storylines for wayang kulit plays have been drawn from Hindu epics, such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
The shadow puppets used in wayang kulit are cut from water buffalo hide, carved with fine chisels, and painted in vibrant colors. The sticks for manipulating the puppets are mostly made from water buffalo horn.
Wayang kulit plays typically last all night as the puppeteer, called a dhalang, maneuvers the puppets, delivers the lines, and even cues the accompanying musicians (gamelan). Although based on famous epics, performances are not strictly scripted and the dhalang’s improvisations serve to make each show unique.