Chinese Buddhist Sculpture
1st floor Room 1
April 23, 2024 (Tue) -
April 20, 2025 (Sun)
August 13, 2024 (Tue), Asian Gallery (Toyokan)
The galleries feature art and artifacts from regions including China, Korea, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, India, and Egypt.
1st floor
The Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta (detail), China, Sui dynasty, 6th century (Important Cultural Property)
Chinese Buddhist Sculpture
1st floor Room 1
April 23, 2024 (Tue) - April 20, 2025 (Sun)
Buddhism began to spread in China around the turn of the first millennium, about 500 years after its founding in India. In the 5th and 6th centuries, the number of Chinese Buddhists rapidly increased and numerous temples were established. This gallery presents Buddhist statues created from the 5th to 9th century, a golden age in the history of Chinese sculpture.
2nd floor
Oasis2 Education Space: Journey Information
2nd floor Room 2
April 2, 2024 (Tue) - March 31, 2026 (Tue)
Introducing various journeys with images
Man, Cyprus, Previously owned by Somerset Maugham, Cypro-Archaic period, 6th century BC (Gift of Mr. Michael Xilas and Mrs. Vicky Xilas)
Egypt and Western Asia
2nd floor Room 3
June 11, 2024 (Tue) - September 8, 2024 (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.
Bodhisattva, Kushan dynasty, 2nd century
Sculptures from India and Gandhara
2nd floor Room 3
July 2, 2024 (Tue) - December 22, 2024 (Sun)
This gallery introduces Buddhist and Hindu sculptures from India and Gandhara. Buddhist art flourished in northern India during the Kushan dynasty (1st–3rd century). The production of Buddhist statues began in Gandhara (northwestern Pakistan) and Mathura (northern and central India) around the 1st century, with a particular emphasis on sculptures depicting the life of Gautama Buddha in Gandhara.
Head of a Bodhisattva, Tumxuk, China, Pelliot collection; acquired through exchange with the Guimet Museum, 4th–5th century
Art of the Western Regions
2nd floor Room 3
July 23, 2024 (Tue) - September 16, 2024 (Mon)
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
Belt Fittings with Lychees, China, Song dynasty, 11th–13th century
The Advent of Chinese Civilization
3rd floor Room 4
May 14, 2024 (Tue) - November 17, 2024 (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.
Wine Warmer (Jue) with a Fret Pattern, China, Shang dynasty, 15th–14th century BC
Chinese Bronzes
3rd floor Room 5
June 11, 2024 (Tue) - September 29, 2024 (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.
Dog, China, Eastern Han dynasty, 2nd–3rd century (Gift of Mr. Takeyoshi Michikazu)
Burials in China
3rd floor Room 5
July 9, 2024 (Tue) - September 29, 2024 (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.
Flask with Phoenixes, Cizhou ware, China, Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th century (Gift of Mr. Hirota Matsushige)
Chinese Ceramics
3rd floor Room 5
April 23, 2024 (Tue) - August 25, 2024 (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 Camellia Vines (detail), China, Yuan-Ming dynasty, 13th-14th century
Chinese Textiles from the Yuan and Ming Dynasties
3rd floor Room 5
July 9, 2024 (Tue) - September 29, 2024 (Sun)
The Yuan (1271–1368) and Ming (1368–1644) dynasties witnessed remarkable developments in the production of silk textiles. These fabrics were produced in large quantities at both imperial and private workshops. Advances in weaving made intricate designs possible, while developments in goldsmithing spurred the widespread use of gold threads. This exhibition presents a small but stunning sample of textiles from the Yuan and Ming dynasties.
Oasis6 Education Space: Fortune-telling in Asia
3rd floor Room 6
April 2, 2024 (Tue) - March 31, 2026 (Tue)
Activity area: Fortune-telling in Asia. Recommended for visitors with children.
4th floor
Stone Bas-relief, Procession of chariots / Building for ancestral rituals, From Xiaotangshan, Shandong province, China, Eastern Han dynasty, 1st-2nd century
Stone Relief Carvings of China
4th floor Room 7
April 16, 2024 (Tue) - April 20, 2025 (Sun)
This section of the gallery features stone relief carvings from China. They were excavated from tombs found in eastern China and date to the Eastern Han dynasty (24–220 AD). The tombs consisted of a subterranean chamber to house the sarcophagus with a shrine above ground for bereaved families to perform rituals. The stone walls, pillars, and supports of these tombs were decorated with bas-relief scenes of everyday life, historical events, and contemporary belief systems.
Hawk on an Oak Branch, By Bian Wenjin, China, Ming dynasty, 15th century (On exhibit through August 4, 2024)
Commemorating the Gift of the Hashimoto Collection: Court Painters and the Zhe School of the Ming Dynasty
4th floor Room 8
July 17, 2024 (Wed) - August 18, 2024 (Sun)
The Hashimoto Collection is a globally renowned collection of Chinese paintings collected by Mr. Hashimoto Sueyoshi (1902–1991). In 2023, his grandson, Mr. Hashimoto Taiitsu, gifted 15 paintings from the collection to the Tokyo National Museum. In commemoration of this generous gift, the Museum is displaying the works that we graciously received together with a few other works for this exhibition. The exhibition presents paintings by Ming-dynasty (1368–1644) painters of the imperial court and the Zhe school—a school of professional artists with roots as court painters.
Poem in Running Script, Hanging scroll, By Dong Qichang, China, Ming dynasty, 16th–17th century (Gift of Mr. Takashima Kikujirō, On exhibit through June 30, 2024)
Calligraphy from the Ming Dynasty
4th floor Room 8
May 8, 2024 (Wed) - August 18, 2024 (Sun)
This exhibition presents calligraphy from the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). The unique calligraphic style from this period is clearly on display in the masterpieces from the second half of the 15th century to the first half of the 16th century. Suzhou-born Wen Zhengming (1470–1559) is among those who produced such works; by studying the classics by masters Wang Xizhi (303–361) and Huang Tingjian (1045–1105), Wen developed an elegant style of his own that had a profound impact on the development of Ming calligraphy.
From the second half of the 16th century to the first half of the 17th century, the calligrapher Dong Qichang (1555–1636) advocated a lively, dynamic style informed by a mastery of the classics. This ideal was carried on by calligraphers such as Wang Duo (1592–1652), who continued working with an uninterrupted cursive script used by the masters of the mid-17th century.
Three Characters for a Plaque in Clerical Script, By Zhao Zhiqian (1829–1884), China, Qing dynasty, 19th century (Gift of Mr. Takashima Kikujirō, On exhibit from July 2, 2024)
Chinese Literati
4th floor Room 8
May 8, 2024 (Wed) - August 18, 2024 (Sun)
The literati were people who devoted themselves to reading, calligraphy, painting, and other highly valued art forms in China. Their way of life was viewed as an ideal. This exhibition room recreates the studies of the literati, where they created works of calligraphy and painting.
5th floor
Foliate Spittoon, China, Southern Song–Yuan dynasty, 13th–14th century
Chinese Lacquerware
5th floor Room 9
July 2, 2024 (Tue) - September 29, 2024 (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.
Cup with Figures in a Landscape, China, Qing dynasty, 18th century
Decorative Art of the Qing Dynasty
5th floor Room 9
July 2, 2024 (Tue) - September 29, 2024 (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.
Crown, Reportedly found in Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Gaya), 5th century (Important Art Object, Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Polished Stone Tools and Metal Tools of Korea
5th floor Room 10
May 21, 2024 (Tue) - November 10, 2024 (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.
Necklace, Found at the Yangsan Bubuchong Tomb, Korea, Three Kingdoms period (Silla), start of the 6th century
The Rise and Fall of Kings in Korea
5th floor Room 10
May 21, 2024 (Tue) - November 10, 2024 (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.
Box with a Peony, Korea, Goryeo dynasty, 12th century
Korean Ceramics
5th floor Room 10
May 21, 2024 (Tue) - November 24, 2024 (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.
Octagonal Stupa, Reportedly found in Gwangyang, Korea, Unified Silla dynasty, 8th–9th century (Important Art Object, Gift of the Ogura Foundation)
Buddhist Art of Korea
5th floor Room 10
April 9, 2024 (Tue) - October 14, 2024 (Mon)
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.
Government Official's Court Costume (Dallyeong), Korea, Joseon dynasty, 19th century
Art of the Joseon Dynasty
5th floor Room 10
May 21, 2024 (Tue) - September 16, 2024 (Mon)
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
Garuḍa Riding a Nāga, From the Entrance of Baphuon and the Terrace of the Elephants, Cambodia, Acquired through exchange with the French School of the Far East, Angkor period, 12th–13th century
Khmer Sculpture
Basement Room 11
April 9, 2024 (Tue) - April 13, 2025 (Sun)
Cambodia’s Angkor period (ca. 9th century–15th century) saw the development of a unique Khmer culture, as epitomized by Angkor Wat, a huge temple complex built from the end of the 11th century to the 12th century during the golden age of the Khmer Empire. This section introduces Khmer sculpture, with a focus on Buddhist and Hindu statues and reliefs from Angkor’s temples. These were acquired in 1944 through an exchange project with the French research institute l'École Française d’Extrême-Orient.
Buddha Seated on a Nāga, Thailand, Rattanakosin period, 19th century
Gilt Bronze Statues from Southeast Asia
Basement Room 12
April 9, 2024 (Tue) - October 14, 2024 (Mon)
Sculptures of Hindu and Buddhist deities have been produced in Southeast Asia for millennia. Though originally inspired by Indian art, each region developed its own distinct styles. This section features gilt-bronze statues of Buddhist deities and Hindu gods from Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar.
Human-shaped Object, Reportedly found in Uttar Pradesh, India, Copper Hoard culture, ca. 1500 BC
Archaeology of India and Southeast Asia
Basement Room 12
April 9, 2024 (Tue) - May 25, 2025 (Sun)
This gallery explores India’s prehistoric culture through a variety of archaeological artifacts, from wedge-shaped stones from the early Paleolithic period over 600,000 years ago, to copper objects from the Copper Hoard culture that flourished in the 2nd millennium BC after the fall of the Indus civilization. This section also introduces a diverse range of archaeological materials from Southeast Asia, with a focus on weapons, personal ornaments, and other artifacts from the bronzeware culture that prospered in northern Thailand’s Ban Chiang region, predominantly from the 3rd century BC to the 2nd century AD.
Large Dish with a Water Buffalo, Vietnam, Previously owned by Okano Shigezō, 16th century
Southeast Asian Ceramics
Basement Room 12
July 30, 2024 (Tue) - December 1, 2024 (Sun)
This section introduces ceramics from Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, with a focus on objects collected by the Japanese entrepreneur Okano Shigezō.
Waist Cloth (Lau Kombu) with Figures, Birds, and Stripes, Sumba, Indonesia, Mid-20th century
Asian Textiles: Textiles of Indonesia
Basement Room 13
July 9, 2024 (Tue) - September 29, 2024 (Sun)
This gallery currently features the many striking textile techniques of the islands of Indonesia, with special emphasis on batik, a wax-resist dying technique. There are two techniques to make batik cloth. One is to draw patterns of beeswax lines directly on cotton cloth using a tool called a canting. The other is to stamp repeating patterns onto cotton cloth using a beeswax-coated copper stamp called a cap. Once the designs are marked in beeswax, the cloth is dipped in indigo blue, madder red, or sogan brown dye and only the wax-covered portions remain white. In addition to batik cloths, this gallery is also displaying Indonesian textiles for use in celebratory ceremonies featuring warp ikat, glittering songket (supplementary weft patterning in metallic threads), and brocade.
Jaswant Singh, Maharaja of Marwar, By the Marwar school, India, End of the 18th century
Indian Miniature Paintings
Basement Room 13
July 30, 2024 (Tue) - September 1, 2024 (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.
Male Funerary Figure (Kulap), New Ireland, Melanesia, Second half of the 19th century (Gift of Mr. Yoshijima Tokiyasu)
Ethnic Cultures of Asia: Religious Carvings from Melanesia
Basement Room 13
July 2, 2024 (Tue) - September 29, 2024 (Sun)
Located directly south of Japan, the South Pacific is comprised of tens of thousands of islands, including New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. Around 4,000 years ago, humans migrated from mainland Asia and settled in part of the South Pacific, developing their own cultures and beliefs.
Melanesia encompasses the southwestern region of the South Pacific and is home to many cultures where spirit worship is widely practiced, including ancestor worship. These spirits are traditionally represented in a rich array of forms, such as masks and funerary figures called kulap. This section of the gallery is currently showcasing Melanesia’s unique religious carvings, including spirit masks used in funerary rites and a wooden crocodile.